Health Interlink - Sports

Tigers use Thorne Research Omega Plus

HealthInterlink — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 09:29:37 +0100

A fundamental pre-requisite for success in rugby union is work capacity, which is influenced by body composition.

There is evidence to suggest that the latter may be positively influenced by fish oil that contains a high concentration of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). More specifically, it may increase fat utilization and decrease storage.

At Tigers, we use Thorne Research Omega Plus. We believe this fish oil product to be superior to most, due to its purity and lack of detrimental fillers.

Leicester Tigers
December 2011

Glucosamine aids recovery and fights injury - As endorsed by Leicester Tigers

HealthInterlink — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:35:58 +0100

Glucosamine may reduce pain and swelling, and hence speed up soft tissue healing.

We use glucosamine to not only assist recovery from soft tissue injury, but also to manage players with chronic joint problems.

Glucosamine action is increased with chondroitin. Therefore we use Jarrow Formulas as it not only has the combination of the two but also in optimal doses.

Leicester Tigers
November 2011

At Leicester Tigers we love Jarrow Formulas Green Tea

HealthInterlink — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:32:27 +0100

There is evidence to suggest that a nutrient contained in Jarrow Formulas Green Tea may increase energy expenditure, fat oxidation and weight loss.
Furthermore, it’s considered a general wellbeing nutrient.

At Leicester Tigers we particularly like Jarrow Formulas product owing to its purity and potency

Leicester Tigers
October 2011

At Leicester Tigers, we use Thorne Research Omega Plus

HealthInterlink — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:16:02 +0100

A fundamental pre-requisite of success for elite rugby union forwards is work capacity, which is influenced by body composition. There is peer review literature to suggest that the latter is augmented by fish oil that contains a high concentration of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

More specifically, it may increase fat utilization and decrease storage. So at Leicester Tigers, we use Thorne Research Omega Plus supplied by HI-Prosport.

We believe this fish oil product to be superior to most due to its purity, lack of detrimental fillers and the fact its enhanced with gamma linolenic acid (GLA).

Leicester Tigers
August 2011

Tigers boost pre-season conditioning with Jarrow Green Tea Extract

HealthInterlink — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 10:37:41 +0100

Fat does not afford any physiological benefit to performance in rugby union. Therefore at Leicester Tigers we place a lot of emphasis on body composition, which we effect via a combination of training and nutrition. Also, we use supplements such as Jarrow Formulas green tea extract to assist us in this quest.

There is a large body of scientific evidence, which suggests that epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) contained in Jarrow Formulas green tea extract increases 24 hour energy expenditure, fat oxidation and weight loss in humans. Furthermore, EGCG can be considered a general wellbeing nutrient. It has been reported to have antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties and cancer preventing actions. We particularly like Jarrow Formulas product owing to its purity and potency.

Vitamin C Not just for flu season - As endorsed by Leicester Tigers

HealthInterlink — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:52:00 +0100

Vitamin C is probably the most widely used supplement. It is used for a variety of ailments especially to recover from the common cold.

At Leicester tigers we use vitamin C not only during the flu season, but also to help recover from training. We use Thorne Research not only because it proves pure vitamin C at 500mg per capsule but also because it has additional flavonoids content.

Stephen Jelley - Professional Racing Driver

HealthInterlink — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 15:04:26 +0100

Normally the end of the racing season comes, I start to relax a touch (as is natural at the end of a campaign) and I get laden with cold and flu, not this year! My Basic Nutrients IV combined with my other supplements such as Jarro-Dophilus are doing their thing. I get a little high and mighty when I bump into someone with a cold, even though not all illnesses can be avoided I believe the vast majority can. Its so important during the racing season that I don’t get ill for a race weekend as even one weekend not at 100% is 10% of my entire year, but during the off season I don’t want to waste time feeling bad either.

Since the end of the racing season I managed to get away on holiday for a week then returned to a three weekend burst of award evenings and events. I feel, (even if i\'m not) a bit like a whale, going to all these do\'s undoubtedly impacts on the rhythm of a training schedule and even though a break is deserved i\'m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things. Over consecutive weekends I have been to the Porsche UK Awards evening followed by the Autosport and BRDC Awards, then followed by the Porsche Awards in Germany. Porsche are very good as everything is done to a very high quality, however the German events speeches were a touch lengthy at six hours!

Aside from the awards this time of year is always a little stressful for a driver as I have to sort out my 2011 campaign. The BTCC is a mega championship as is the Porsche Carrera Cup but with offers from sportscar and Le Mans teams everything has to be carefully considered with a correct balance for myself with a future direction, supporters, partners, and teams. This stress, combined with the time of year and with no cold or flu in sight, those supplements although unseen are working hard!

Merry Christmas

Stephen Jelley

Green Defense - As endorsed by Leicester Tigers

HealthInterlink — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 13:50:51 +0100

Help support your defences this winter!

Jarrow Green Defense is a great value green drink that contains many different alkalising superfoods such as grasses, vegetables and herbs, essential for wellbeing and vitality.

As endorsed by Leicester Tigers -

\"Increased acidity in the body has been reported to cause a net loss of muscle proteins, growth hormone resistance and an increase in blood cortisol concentrations. All of these factors have a detrimental effect on body composition, i.e. increase fat mass and decrease lean tissue mass. Alkalising forming food stuffs can neutralise the effects of acid forming ones and promote desirable changes in body fat. At Leicester Tigers we use Jarrow Formulas Green Defense to aid this process. We particularly like this product due to its purity and potency.\"

Leicester Tigers
December 2010

Dean (The Renegade) Amasinger

HealthInterlink — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 14:49:37 +0100

I have had a nice break since my last fight and I’ve travelled around the country visiting friends and family. Both guys However I can’t rest on my laurels so I’m already back to training and looking forward to my title fight in February.

As I still have over 10 weeks until my fight I’m easing into my training so that I don’t peak too early and I’m at my best come February. After the fight I take a bit of time off from training and also from my diet but I continue to take most of my supplements from Hi-Prosport so that I still stay healthy.

It seems like not a month goes by that I am not travelling somewhere to corner one of my teammates and this month was no different. I went to Dusseldorf, Germany to corner Nick Osipczak and Andre Winner at UFC 123. Unfortunately it wasn’t a successful trip with both Nick and Andre losing their fights. The level of opponent that both these guys face in the UFC is so high that losses are almost an eventuality. Both of them will be back stronger than ever.

On a lighter note I have been taking part in Movember which is a charity event that raises money for the prostate cancer charity. The rules are simple, on November 1st you’re clean shaven and for the month of November you grow your `MO’, hence `Movember’. I am still collecting the last bits of sponsorship so if you’d like to support a great cause please go to www.justgiving.com/dean-amasinger.

Also, I have some other news that I am very proud of. I have been chosen to become an ambassador for the Spiked anti-bullying campaign called KO Bullying in partnership with Kidscape. You can find out more about the campaign on this website: www.getspiked.co.uk/spikedko/index.htm

Photography: Laura Slater

Phil (The Mangler) Ounsley, Pro Middleweight MMA Fighter

HealthInterlink — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 09:33:12 +0100

Determined to learn and improve.

November was a mixed month for me with two important events planned. Day two of my training camp resulted in knee ligament damage. My participation in these events hung in the balance. A meeting with my coach resulted in some radical changes to my training camp. Training smarter was my preferred alternative to withdrawing. Drilling and technique replaced the planned sparring. Careful management and rehabilitation ensured the knee held up without further damage. During this period I supplemented with \"Omega Plus\" fish oils and \"Glucosamine / Chondroitin Combination\" to help support my joints.

20th Nov Police National Submission Wrestling Championships
The 2010 Championships were hosted by Cheshire Constabulary and saw record numbers of competitors from 12 police forces.

The event was held at the very modern Cheshire Police headquarters alongside the ‘Freestyle’ Wrestling and Powerlifting Championships.

My first fight was against last years winner of both the freestyle and submission events. It was a close battle with neither of us being able to close the fight within the distance. During 2 minutes of extra time I secured dominant positions for a decision victory.

My remaining fights were all finished within the distance by submission victories. The final was a rematch of the round one fight against the current champion who had also reached the final by submission victories. This time the ending was swift and decisive. I locked on a tight Kimora from \"guard\" forcing the tap out and securing a Gold medal.

That evening at a prestigious presentation dinner the deputy Chief Constable of Cheshire presented me with the coveted \"Scottish Cup\". This is a large antique genuine silver trophy with the first \"winner\" engraving dating back to 1928. After proudly accepting this honour, I looked on in horror as the ageing structure fell apart in my hands clattering to the floor in front of a large audience. It certainly wasn’t the most graceful of acceptance speeches. Anyone who knows a good silversmith or panel beater please get in touch!

26th November. Pro MMA fight Phil Ounsley v Ali Arish (UCC Middleweight Title eliminator).
This was a contest between two unbeaten professional fighters for a shot at the title. Ali Arish is an Iranian National Wrestling Champion with a current record of 8 wins and no losses. His wrestling for MMA skills are in demand and resulted in him recently being flown to the USA to help UFC fighters in their training camps.

The fight started as predicted with Arish pushing for the take down, twice he succeeded and twice I used the fence to get back to my feet. My opportunity came very early on when I sunk in a guillotine attempt, unfortunately for me I was unable to finish the technique. Arish’s opportunity came moments later when he took my back with both hooks in and a rear naked choke attempt. I defended only for Arish to transition to a fairly unorthodox \"bulldog\" choke for the submission victory and my first loss!

Credit to Arish for taking his chance and never letting me get into the fight. A wrestler of his calibre evolving into a complete mixed martial artist with a submission game is an exciting prospect, I wish him all the best in his future career.

Coping with defeat
In my combat sport career I have had a significant run of victories in MMA, grappling and BJJ tournaments. Defeat can create lots of negative thoughts and be destructive to future performances.

The loss has made me more determined to continue learning and improving. I will be concentrating on the positive things which came out the fight. I will identify areas of my game which can be improved and work on them. I will be back and better!

Phil Ounsley

Dean (The Renegade) Amasinger

HealthInterlink — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 12:00:22 +0100

Champion!

This past month has been another busy one because I had my fight but I also had to corner my team mates at UFC 120. Both guys I was cornering lost their fights unfortunately and it was important that I reset myself and focused on my fight the following week. Thankfully I managed to win my fight by unanimous decision and I have earned myself a title shot next February.

The fight was a tough back and forth battle and after loosing the first round badly I was able to comeback and win the next two rounds decisively. One of the factors that won me the fight was my superior conditioning. Between rounds when I looked over at my opponent I could see that he was more tired than I was and it gave me confidence to go back in there and push the pace of the fight.

I am convinced that on top of the hard training that I put in in the lead up to a fight it is the top level supplements that I take supplied to me by Hi-Prosport that gave me the edge. One supplement that stands out in my mind is Beta Alanine. I have spoken about it before but in short it acts as a lactate buffer allowing your muscles to function at a higher level for longer. Although the pace of the fight meant that I was feeling fatigued I was still able to stay powerful and I managed a big slam in the third round.

The title fight in February will be against the champion John Maguire and I am already looking to get back to training and bring home the belt.

Next month I will be travelling to Germany for UFC 122 to corner my team mates Andre Winner and Nick Osipczak and I hope I will have good things to report next month.

I would just like to take this opportunity to thank Hi-Prosport for their continued support with my career. I owe a great deal to their outstanding products that they supply me with.

Dean \'the renegade\' Amasinger

Website: www.deanamasinger.com
Personal Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/damasinger?ref=ts#
Fan Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/dean.amasinger?ref=ts

Stephen Jelley - Professional Racing Driver

HealthInterlink — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:33:08 +0100

A Fantastic Way to End the Year!

The final weekend of the 2010 Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Brands Hatch was an important weekend for me. The Championship was out of reach however third place in the standings needed to be secured. It may be perceived that third and fourth are pretty similar however in todays times and with Porsche prize money awarded to the top three it becomes important! After a disappointing Donington Park meeting the gap to fourth was only 3 points with 44 up for grabs. The two free practice sessions went well and after trying a wide range of set up changes on the car we had it about where I needed it.

Qualifying
On the first run in qualifying the car was good but had a slight oversteer (where the rear slides) that meant that I couldn’t get to full throttle confidently enough so I came in to make a change,. We made a slight adjustment to the rear anti-roll bar softening it so that more of the load on the rear was absorbed by the car. Once back out on track and heating the tyres and the car felt immediately better. It was perfect, the car felt mega and inspired the confidence to push hard setting all the fastest sector times and nailing provisional pole. The following lap knowing exactly what the car was capable of I improved in all areas again setting best sector times. I ended with pole position for both races and was set up nicely for the weekend.

Pole
Starting from pole is a great advantage at any circuit however Brands is especially good, the rest of the pit straight is on a hill meaning you have to have your feet on all three pedals to avoid rolling. I made a great getaway with no bother from the following cars and got my head down. Brands Indy circuit is one of the shortest on the calendar and a lap takes 47 seconds meaning a lot of laps for our half hour race. The gap to Tim Harvey in second place was around half a second which leaves no room for a mistake but is far enough that I was not in danger. Unfortunately, because the lap is so short we started to lap back markers from around half distance.

1st Win
When lapping, the first car has to find a way through all the while the car behind is following in its wake. This means that the following car has the advantage. Some back markers can be oblivious of your battle and suddenly think you have appeared from thin air. Despite the fact you are racing for position they defend anyway. In this case I managed to keep my nerve but on the last lap had a scare when one of the back markers in his own race with three cars blocked me to stop me getting past. This gave Tim the upper hand and I had to be defensive all the way to the line finishing only one tenth of a second in front.

And again...
Race two was a similar experience a great start but with constant pressure throughout the distance. The sun was out for the second race with high cockpit temperature and not quite as much grip from the tyres. My pace relative to the others seemed to be very good and although I was driving with a touch of conservatism I was more than capable to pull a gap. Again the only hiccup came with getting through the back markers with one spinning across the front of my car and others just getting in the way. Again Harvey behind was close but with 4 laps to go the pressure was off when he got a puncture and had to pit. I had a great gap to the rest of the field and sealed off the weekend with door open fist punching the air straight across the line.

A great weekend that secured third place in the championship and two fantastic results.

Many thanks to Hi-ProSport for the great support. Here\'s to 2011.

Stephen Jelley

Phil Ounsley, Pro Middleweight MMA Fighter

HealthInterlink — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 09:08:42 +0100

Pleasure and pain of MMA

After the euphoria of victory in my last fight I had the the low of a broken hand sustained early in the first round. It\'s not the first time I have done this, 4oz MMA gloves offer little protection to delicate bones in the hand. Hand wrapping can help and is an art in its self. There are strict rules on how hands can be wrapped and materials used. There is a balance between protecting hands, without making them so hard it endangers the opponent.

Injuries in MMA
Injuries in any contact sport are inevitable. They can stop you fighting and interfere with training. Most fighters constantly carry injuries to some degree. I try to look after myself and that includes ensuring injuries are properly rehabilitated. Blindly working through the pain of injuries is asking for trouble and likely to lead to a longer absence from training.

My view has always been to seek appropriate advice and then try and work around the injury. Because MMA is such a diverse sport with so many areas to train there is usually something productive to achieve whilst rehabilitating injuries.

Within days of the injury I was in the gym with the broken hand doubled wrapped wearing one 16 oz boxing glove. Light drilling of techniques is always worth while but often neglected when fully fit. Light rolling with the disability of fighting one handed helped me focus on my defence. I have been able to run and continue with some strength and conditioning work meaning it will not take too long to get back up to speed when the hand is fully healed.

Next Pro MMA fight
UCC6 26th November 2010 Oceana Night Club, Leeds. My opponent is an unbeaten Iranian wrestling Champion. This should be a tough test, he has dominated all his previous opponents with high level wrestling.

Police National Submission Wrestling Championships
On 20th November 2010 I will be taking a team from West Yorkshire Police to compete in this national event in Chester. We plan to return with medals !

Dean (The Renegade) Amasinger, Pro Welterweight MMA Fighter

HealthInterlink — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 11:16:16 +0100

BACK TO FORM

It\'s been a busy month for me. I\'ve been training hard getting ready for my upcoming fight, I\'ve also been in America cornering my teammates and all the while adjusting to life as a father since my daughter was born at the end of August!

The fight is on!
My fight is on October 23rd at UCMMA in London. It\'s against tough stand up fighter Jamaine Facey who\'s just come off an impressive tko victory against Edgelson Lua Facey and is looking to build on his winning streak. Unfortunately I\'m going to have to upset him!

Training
Training has been going really well and my arm is feeling great. I have had the all clear from the doctor and I\'m training with 100% intensity now.

I was in America cornering my teammates Paul Daley and Ross Pearson, they were a week apart but luckily both in Texas so I didn\'t have to travel too much. Paul won a decision but Ross lost by submission in the 2nd round.

It is a definite perk of the job that I get to travel so much and part of that is getting to train with different people around the world. While in Texas I got to train with my wrestling coach Kenny Johnson from the US who is a 5 time Olympian and National Champion Wrestler. It was really good training for my fight and it\'s always great to get to train with him because it doesn\'t happen too often.

Nutrition
Hi-Prosport have been supporting me in the lead up to my fight with supplements and one in particular that is useful right now is L-Carnitine. Leading up to my fight I have to loose weight to get to my fighting weight of 77kg. L-Carnitine is helpful because it helps in the metabolising of fat as an energy source and can help reduce body fat levels. As always the supplements that Hi-Prosport supply are of the highest quality and I have the peace of mind that I am getting the very best out of the supplement that is possible.

Stephen Jelley - Professional Racing Driver

HealthInterlink — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:51:07 +0100

KNOCKHILL RACE REPORT

Knockhill was a strange weekend we had very good pace in the car but for one reason or another it was not to be.

Practice
I was fastest on the Friday practice sessions and was confident that I could challenge for pole. It seemed however that whenever I went for a lap in qualifying someone had spun or thrown mud across the circuit, this added to the fact we short fuel the car (for the weight benefit, as we were confident) meaning we ran out of fuel before setting a decent time qualifying, 5th and 7th for the two races.

Race 1
Knowing we were quick I was sure that I could make my way up and on lap four of the first race I was dicing for third place, I made a gutsy move around the outside of Duffers Dip (turn 1, a very scottish corner name!) I made it stick but the car I\'d got past lost control and hit me on the entry to the next corner. This sent me across the grass ripping the front splitter from the car and narrowly avoiding a huge accident sliding back onto the race track.

I\'d dropped to 11th and the car looked a mess with damage to both front and rear, a cracked windscreen as well as the steering being well out. It was not the best handling Porsche I have ever driven! When you have a bit of damage it takes a couple of laps to feel what the car is doing and understand what is possible with the machinery you\'ve now got, at the end of the day your still in the race. I managed to start making my way back through the field which is not easy around the tight Knockhill circuit adjusting to the odd handling car, and from 11th I managed to get to 7th by the flag and ending with quite good lap times, this salvaged some points and is better than a DNF.

Race 2 was going to be the comeback and off the line I made a mega start sliding up the inside of the car in front, however this was short lived. In some sort of lightning striking twice, the chap lost it and made contact with my left rear wheel ripping the tyre from the rim. I continued to the end of the lap flat out with the carcass of the tyre flapping around, trying to loose as little time as possible. Once in the pits the team made an excellent job of the tyre change and I was quickly back out. Luckily the safety car had been deployed as there were cars in the wall and I was able to catch the back of the pack but now in 19th. On the next racing lap I passed three cars in a massive move at the hairpin which looking back at it was a bit bold. The next lap I passed two at the same place, then it got a bit harder. As you make your way up the grid it gets a little tougher as the quality of driver gets better, I managed to get to 9th by the end hustling every car I came across.

The weekend was challenging but at the same time interesting, the loss of points is a shame but i\'m still 3rd in the championship with two races at Donington and Brands Hatch to go. Its all to play for.

Phil Ounsley, Pro Middleweight MMA Fighter - FIGHT TIME!

HealthInterlink — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 10:05:54 +0100

And so it begins...

Weigh ins
Weigh ins take place the day before a fight in professional MMA. A few days out the ‘Weight Cut’ starts. This is best described as a ‘Water Cut’ and very different from reducing weight by diet & exercise. It is really a means of temporarily manipulating your body weight to achieve a weight division by losing only water and then putting that weight back on prior to the fight. This enables a fighter to be as big as possible for a given weight category thus every advantage possible.

The morals and ethics of ‘Weight Cutting’ often creates heated debate, however it is an important and necessary aspect of many combats sports. Most fighters are well above the minimum weight limit by the time you see them fight, this is perfectly acceptable within the rules.

There are various methods of Weight Cutting. If not done correctly it can severely affect your cardio and potentially your health. It will often include a period of fasting for up to 24hrs. This period can be very tough physically and psychologically. Any method of weight cut should have a ‘test run’ well before fight time.

With my Weight Cut completed I headed to Gateshead to be weighed in. This may be the first time you have actually met your opponent, it all suddenly feels very real and the nerves start to kick in. We both weighed in bang on the limit for our middleweight match up at 84.4kg. We will both enter the cage the following day over 90kg’s.

After the weigh in, the ‘face off’ photo’s and promotional stuff occurs. Some fighters use this opportunity to ‘psych out’ or intimidate their opponent, I prefer to save my energy and emotion for the fight!

Now it is eating and drinking time. Anyone can lose weight but it is crucial that weight is put back on correctly to ensure all the salts and other nutrients are restored otherwise come fight time your performance will be severely and adversely affected. The advice of an expert in this field is important.

1 day to go
The last 24hrs can be emotionally very taxing. I always suffer from nerves prior to any event. I have learned this is a positive emotion and necessary for me to perform well. Keeping positive thoughts about my performance at this stage is essential. I find myself mentally rehearsing my fight game plan, and also what to do in every possible scenario the fight may throw at me.

Fight Night
I am scheduled to fight towards the end of the evening so it a long wait. I get to see the others fighters warming up for their fights. I can hear the crowd reacting to the fights. I also see the same fighters returning sometimes in not as good a nick as they went out ! This all adds to the nerves and tension.

I start my warm up routine, just enough to raise my heart rate and start sweating with out tiring myself out. I drill some of the moves and techniques I hope to deploy in the fight.

I am given my ‘warning to go’ by the organisers. Last check of gloves, mouthpiece, groin guard and I am ready. No turning back now.

With my corner team I am led via corridors and fire exits to a back stage area. The previous fight is still ongoing so more waiting. The fight ends quickly by choke so IT IS TIME!

The Fight
I hear the announcer introduce me then my ‘walk out’ track starts to play (Kings of Leon on this occasion, I am used to training to it and it triggers my brain into work mode).

I walk out along a raised catwalk to the flashing lights and artificial smoke. This is the first time I really felt the atmosphere in the venue. A packed out venue with a vocal crowd. It was hot, humid and very intense. A short walk took me to cage side where the referee checks me over and applies some Vaseline to my face.

By this time I am in the zone, completely relaxed, calm and focused ready for the job ahead. On entering the cage I take a few moments to look around and get a feel for my environment; how the matt feels underfoot, cage dimensions and where my corner team will be based to shout their instructions.

My opponent has now arrived in the cage standing directly opposite. All the camera’s, announcers and other officials are being ushered out of the cage - it\'s nearly time.

The referee checks both fighters are ready to go before the instruction ‘FIGHT!’

We approach each other and after a brief period of measuring each other up the punches and kicks commence. We then clinched in the centre of the cage, I took this opportunity to drive him backwards and pin him against the cage wall. I received a knee to the stomach in doing so and he immediately went for a standing Guillotine choke. It would be very disappointing to lose so quickly so I ensured the choke attempt was blocked.

I used a single leg take down to force him to the ground leaving me in a dominant position for some strikes standing over my opponent. The training and drilling kicked in, instead of throwing a barrage of wasted shots I planned, set up, and delivered repeated and effective shots which were connecting with force. It is very demoralising being on your back taking this kind of punishment and I could see he was struggling.

I switched tactics to elbow strikes, these also repeatedly found the target. I sensed an early victory as my opponents defence weakened. I stepped up the intensity of elbow strikes and achieved a knock out finish. The referee jumped in; it was all over. A swift and decisive victory.

I am pleased to say my opponent is absolutely fine. I have every respect for anyone with the ability and nerve to step in the cage. I see MMA as a sport, not anything personal against my opponents. We spoke later and left on good terms.

After such a long build up to a fight I felt a great sense of personal satisfaction having achieved what I set out to do.

Now the whole cycle starts again!

Dean (The Renegade) Amasinger, Pro Welterweight MMA Fighter

HealthInterlink — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:36:28 +0100

After a meeting with my consultant a couple of weeks ago, he said he wasn’t confident I could take a full impact on the point of injury. Its a shame if I was in most other sports I would be fine to return by now but because of the nature of MMA and the high probability that I will take a heavy impact on it he wants me to err on the side of caution and postpone my return.
My next check up will be September 15th which I hope will give me the all clear and I will be literally “fighting fit” for October.

I can exclusively reveal... that the fight is scheduled to be against Jahmaine Facey at Ultimate Challenge. He is a tough striker who had an impressive win against Edgelson Lua on Saturday (21st August) so the matchmaker at UC has put the fight together.

My training is going well and I am making minor adjustments for my arm by ensuring my opponents in sparring don’t kick above the waist. Other than that I am back to normal training 2 or 3 times a day.

It was disappointing to find out that my fight had been pushed back by a month but its better to be 100% ready than to go back too early and injure myself again. Luckily I have my friends and family supporting me alongside the great support I have received from Hi-Prosport.

My nutrition is on track and I have continued to take a range of supplements from Hi-Prosport, recently adding Jarrow formulas Bone Up* to my regime to give my healing an extra boost. It is full of all the minerals and vitamins that help improve bone density and therefore improve bone healing. Other than the obvious ones like Vitamin D and Calcium it includes things like Potassium Citrate and MK-7 which both facilitate the recruitment of minerals to improve bone density.

* for more information on Jarrow Formulas Bone Up please contact Health Interlink.

Stephen Jelley - Professional Racing Driver

HealthInterlink — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:36:33 +0100

SNETTERTON AND SILVERSTONE RACE WEEKENDS

It has been a busy past month. After the mid season break we got back into things with two races every two weeks. Snetterton in Norfolk, and Silverstone\'s National circuit layout demand good straight line speed, both ex-airfields they have the longest straights of the year.

Snetterton
The weekend was a little frustrating I was comfortably in the top three all weekend and had very good pace over a long race run however in qualifying for some reason we seemed to be slightly down in the speed traps. I qualified third for both races which was a good performance.

Third place is on the dirty side of the grid and with a bit of wheel spin from the Porsche\'s high torque I had to defend into turn one. This gave the top two a valuable couple of seconds gap which is so hard to chip into when all the cars are so even. I finished where I started in third, and although there was some great racing behind I had pulled a nine second gap so pretty much drove my own race.

For race two it looked like someone had blown up on my grid slot - which is nice. So my drive off the line was pedestrian. I got jumped into turn one however this just made things interesting, I made sure of a great run onto the back straight and managed to plan a nice little switchback through the breaking zone of the esses to put me into third. Once this was done it was head down to try and catch the two in front while catching I secured the fastest lap in the race, however at around half distance all of a sudden the pace went from the car and it handled like a pig. This was later found to be a broken damper, luckily I had enough gap to finish third, again!

Silverstone
Silverstone\'s national circuit is pretty much a triangle and although this makes driving a lap relatively simple it also means its simple for the entire thirty car grid, a small mistake and everyone is on top of you. Again as a team we struggled for speed on the straights, which is annoying for a driver as there is nothing you can do. I qualified 5th and 4th for the races which was a little disappointing however I was confident that I could at least get on the podium. My start for race one was fantastic launching past the 4th placed car off the line, I caught the 3rd placed car however lacking speed on the straight its hard to pass. Once the race reached half distance I managed to time a huge lunge down the inside to take 3rd. I then set off after 2nd place that was four seconds up the road. Our lap times were good and I closed the gap with two laps left however no mistakes came from Tim Harvey in front so 3rd yet again!

Race two I was confident of more starting one position higher, again I got a good launch from the start climbing to 3rd immediately. The pace was hot, not far from the qualifying times which the Michelin tyres find difficult for a race distance. Our car was set up to be very strong from half distance to the end however this made things difficult to start with. Once the tyres were up to pressure I closed on 2nd place and began a battle that would last almost all race, I was never more than a meter behind. The quality of driver at the front in the Carrera Cup is very good, and it is hard to pass. The safety car was deployed because one of the back markers had tried to destroy his car, I used this as a great opportunity to pass off the re-start we were almost touching and a great run onto the back straight enabled me to dive for the inside, unfortunately I was a bit too late on the brakes and could not quite make it stick and slipped back to third where I finished.

So i\'m comfortably third in the championship but keep finishing third which is beginning to get a bit frustrating. It is however much better to be getting the champagne on the podium every week than finishing fourth!

Supplements wise I have been getting on well with my HI-ProSport programme. I have always had a bad shoulder from several dislocations and I\'ve had less trouble from it since supplementing my diet correctly. I have also been able to pick up my training both in the gym and pool getting in more sessions, i\'m putting this down to the fact i\'m not as drained as I used to be. I\'ve also not had a cold since being in the HI-ProSport stable which has got to be linked!

All in all i\'m very pleased.

Stephen Jelley

Phil Ounsley, Pro Middleweight MMA Fighter - Training, avoiding injury & Linford Christie

HealthInterlink — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:07:57 +0100

Four weeks fight preparation completed and in the bank! Each week was planned out in advance to include a mix of Grappling, striking and conditioning.

Training Diaries
I use a training diary to space out the heavier sessions and ensure I get a good mix of training. I record progress, what was learned, how I feel and injuries. I also record weight daily; this has proved a really useful reference for weight cutting/management & planning.

Overtraining
I have learned from bitter experience to listen to my body. If I am very tired I take a break and reschedule sessions for a lighter one or complete rest. Keeping these diaries for several years revealed an interesting pattern in respect of injuries (of which I used to sustain a lot!). When I have sustained a strain type injury, it has usually been after a series of hard sessions in close succession and often towards the end of that session when I was tired.

I suppose it seems obvious that your body will only take so much before it breaks. However it is very easy to fall into the over-training trap when you are really focused on a goal. ‘More’ in training terms does not necessarily mean better. I now work really hard at holding my self back, listening to my body and being prepared to change my plans to accommodate more rest. A good diet and appropriate supplementation helps me to train harder for longer. A regular program of sports massage identifies and resolves small niggles early. hritie

Injuries are a problem for athletes from all sporting disciplines, anything you can do to reduce injuries will keep you training, competing and winning. This approach is working for me and fingers crossed this extended injury free period will continue.

Fight preparation
As the fight date approaches my training has become more intense. It is hard to describe just how physically demanding MMA can be unless you have been there. Two equally matched fighters going the distance are almost certainly going to be close to exhaustion. Anything you can do in training to mentally prepare for being exhausted whilst still being able to make decisions and keep going is likely to help on the day.

A common way of replicating a tough fight is known as ‘iron man’, ‘fight gone bad drills’ or ‘shark tanking’. This entails you sparring the full fight distance or longer with a new and fresh fighter coming in every minute or so. Inevitably as you become fatigued the fresh fighters are going to be in dominant positions and really test your ability to cope under pressure whilst very tired. You can learn a lot about yourself in these sessions! The body is usually capable of continuing when the mind is crying out to stop. Conditioning yourself to keep going when your senses are telling you to stop can be the difference between a win and a loss.

One week out
This is now the taper down phase with the aim of peaking for the fight fully rested. The sessions are less in volume but short and intense cardio workouts. Sparring has all but stopped so as not to pick up injuries. I will rest completely for the last three days, this is a very personal thing some fighters like to keep going right up to fight day, I benefit from a period of recharging my batteries up to full strength.

Street Athletics
I took a day out to relax and represent ‘Hi Pro sport’ at a ‘street athletics’ event organised by track legends Linford Christie and Darren Campbell. Linford shared some of his vast experience with me on pre event nerves. Nerves can literally paralyse a fighter, sap your energy and have a catastrophic effect on performance. It even prevents some excellent fighters from ever stepping in the cage. Linford explained if he had no pre event nerves he knew he would not perform to his potential. Getting nervous is completely natural and will help you perform to your best. Nerves are good, they get your body ready for the job ahead, let them work for you!

Fight result and report to follow soon…

Stephen Jelley - Professional Racing Driver

HealthInterlink — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 17:33:50 +0100

JELLEY TALKS PORSCHE, TRIATHLONS & THE IMPORTANTS OF NUTRITION

Its great to be in partnership with Hi-Prosport and to be able to help launch the Hi-Prosport name into the world of motorsport.

Teams and drivers will go to the ends of the earth to tune the car to be perfect, and the values of personal training and psychology are taken very seriously. However making sure the body has the correct ingredients in the form of nutrition is somewhat overlooked. Food of today is a mass produced affair with fruit and vegetables loosing some nutritional value along the way. This is not so much of a problem if your a couch potato but if your training daily, looking to find the last tenth of a second it is a big advantage to be nutritionally on top of your game.

My season so far has been an interesting one, i\'m relatively new to the Porsche after two seasons in the British Touring Car Championship. All race cars demand a different approach to driving them quickly. Its pretty easy to get within half a second of the ultimate pace (in any car) but when half a second can cover the top ten its imperative to look into every aspect of your approach, especially if you can find something others haven\'t. This is an area that I have come good of late and the podiums and champagne have began to flow. Unfortunately another aspect of motorsport is that mechanical issues can happen, in the first three meetings of the year I got hampered with mechanical issues in one of the two races each weekend. This has taken its toll on the championship and I\'m currently standing fourth, within sight of third but unfortunately the top two have made a bit of a break that i\'ll be doing my best to close up that gap.

As part of my training I took up triathlon and I will be competing in an Olympic distance this weekend, it gives another target to shoot for and demands a level of preparation perfect for driving race cars. Weight is an important factor for racing drivers, the heavier the driver the more the car and tyres have to work. Weight has to be balanced with strength and endurance, the constant loading of the body under g-forces combined with the intense heat build up of a race car put a lot of stress on the body. I have to be as fresh on the last lap as the first. I used to be into distance running but got quite a few injury\'s, I find the balance of swims, bikes, and runs, combined with the gym work mixes it up a bit and I find I can train harder without injury. Another aspect of our races is that we have two or even three races in one day, (unlike F1 which is one long race) this means that you have to get over the high of a race and re-fuel yourself to be physically and mentally sharp for the next one. For me this is an area that Nutrition in motorsport is so important as in the two hours between races it is imperative to be back to your best which is tough if you have given your all. I now have an advantage in HI-Prosport!!

Our next race meeting is at Snetterton in Norfolk on August 7-8 after that it a busy time with Silverstone two weeks later followed by Knockhill in Scotland the first weekend of September. I\'ll be keeping everyone up to date.

Thanks

Stephen Jelley

Dean (The Renegade) Amasinger, Pro Welterweight MMA Fighter

HealthInterlink — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:11:53 +0100

Road to recovery

Not much has happened this month but I have continued to make improvements and my training has really stepped up...

I am able to do all the sessions I would normally do leading up to a fight and it is now just a matter of getting back to fight fitness.   My arm is still painful if hit, so I wear extra protection around it when I\'m sparring but other than that I am going full steam ahead!

It is great to be back in the gym full time and with all my other team mates having fights coming up there\'s a great atmosphere. Not since UFC 105 has there been so many of the team having fights in such close proximity. It really brings the best out in us because we are focused on our fights and peaking at the same time so our training sessions become really intense and competitive.

I am hoping to be fighting in September, I have yet to have an opponent confirmed but by next month’s blog I should have all the details.

This past month saw another Wimbledon tournament come and go and for once the winners didn’t steal the show. Instead two relatively unknown players stole the headlines with a mammoth match that broke nearly all the records going in tennis. The match lasted over 11 hours and the final set ended 70-68 to the winner John Isner.

One interesting thing that I noticed during the marathon match was that Isner was taking Jarrow\'s Beta Alanine. He was mixing it with his drink during the game breaks and it seemed to do the trick because Isner came away with the victory.

Beta Alanine is an amino acid that supports the body\'s production of carosine in the muscle. It is used by the body to buffer lactic acid produced during intense exercise. This mopping up can then increase the anaerobic threshold of an athlete. Therefore supplementation is most beneficial for high intensity anaerobic exercise. Which is what effectively what tennis is, short bursts of anaerobic intense activity.

I take Beta Alanine and I find it really helps with allowing me to stay powerful for longer.

Phil (The Mangler) Ounsley, Pro Middleweight MMA Fighter

HealthInterlink — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 10:12:34 +0100

June

Another fight cancelled due to illness!

I was scheduled to fight on a show in Newcastle, less than 7 days out my opponent withdrew due to illness. This is extremely frustrating a week out from a fight all the hard training and weight management is all but complete. With no opponent, all the hard work cannot be put to the test and you are left with contemplating all the sacrifices you have made for nothing. Cancellations through injury are an unfortunate feature of MMA. With two fighters pushing themselves to hit peak performance for a fight in such a tough contact sport injuries are common. I have been particularly unlucky with three cancellations in a row. Ironically I personally am enjoying my longest injury free period.

I attended the event and acted as a judge. It was good to see the fights from a different perspective.

It is very easy to lose motivation in these circumstances. My answer has been to get another fight or tournament booked as soon as possible to keep that focus and reason to train. Motivation to train, diet and sacrifice is so much easier when you have a good reason to do so. Knowing I will be stepping into a cage to fight in front of an expectant crowd is all the focus and motivation I need! Watch this space……

Junior Deaf Athletics Championships
Also this month I represented ‘Hi Pro Sport’ at the junior Deaf Athletics Championships. I have a keen interest in many sports and try to support events where ever possible. This was a great opportunity for kids to compete in a large stadium in front of a crowd. I may even have witnessed some stars of the future.

Brazilian Jiujitsu
My response to a cancelled fight was to enter the Manchester Open Brazilian Jiujitsu Championships. This was a first for me. I have entered no ‘Gi’submission grappling events previously but competing BJJ in a Gi is a very different prospect. Specialists in this field use the Gi to devastating effect to control and choke an opponent. I arrived early with my brand new ‘Hi Pro Sport’ black Gi. The number of entrants in my weight category meant I would have four fights in the day.

The first thing I noticed fighting in a Gi was the extra stress it places on your forearms from holding the cloth. By the end of the first fight my forearms were stiff with lactic acid. This may have been down to inexperience, poor technique and gripping too hard. I won the first fight 9-0 on points. Fight two was a short fight winning by triangle choke. I scraped through the semi final and then faced a very skilful opponent in the final. I struck first with a takedown from the start. I made a mistake and got caught in a very tight triangle choke. I found escaping submissions in a Gi so much more difficult. This is due to the extra control you have over an opponent by holding the Gi. On several occasions I felt very close to blacking out the choke was on so tight. I knew I was ahead on points and just had to hang on until the end. In the dying seconds I broke free from the choke and secured myself a gold medal in my first BJJ competition.

Life unfolds in the strangest ways, a cancelled MMA fight directed me to a new sport, I now train regularly in a Gi with some great BJJ practitioners. I recently had the pleasure of training with Victor Estima. I will definitely be competing in more BJJ tournaments.

July
The training starts today for my next fight on August 15th in Newcastle. Time to lay off the cake and kick start my morning runs!

My first session today involved circuits outside in the sunshine. Timed rounds of pull ups, tractor tyre flips, deadlifts and polymetric jumps, sledgehammers strikes, sprints and kettlebell swings.

I finished off with rounds of boxing focusing on form and technique.

My opponent is unbeaten and from a striking background, it should be a great fight.

Stephen Jelley - Professional Racing Driver

HealthInterlink — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 08:05:47 +0100

JELLEY TEAMS UP WITH HIPRO FOR CARRERA CUP

Porsche Carrera Cup GB ace Stephen Jelley has teamed up with nutritional supplements brand HiPro Sport.

Jelley is now carrying the branding of HiPro on his Team Parker Racing-run Porsche 997 Carrera Cup car, starting at Oulton Park, where he raced to third position in both races.

“Nutrition is an area that is set to grow within motorsport,” said Jelley, who has been a race winner in the British Touring Car Championship and the British Formula 3 Championship. “People try to make every last thing perfect on the car, but they neglect the correct things that your body should have inside it.

“Getting the right nutritional balance for race day is vital. HiPro have jumped upon that and thankfully I am going to be the vehicle to show their name.”

HiPro Sport is the sporting arm of Health Interlink, which already backs rugby teams Leicester Tigers and Wigan Warriors, and Olympic athlete Paul McKee.

Health Interlink managing director Glenn Price said: “We’ve been dealing with high-end nutritional supplementation for 15 years or so, but have only been involved in sport for the past two or three years. We’re now broadening that out. A lot of top-end drivers are triathletes and understand the benefits of good nutritional supplementation.”

Price added that the Porsche Carrera Cup’s position on the British Touring Car Championship package, which includes live coverage of races on ITV4, is vital. “Outside of Formula 1 it gets the best coverage of everything,” he said. “Stephen is a seriously clever driver and will be a great ambassador for our brand.”

Dean (The Renegade) Amasinger, Pro Welterweight MMA Fighter

HealthInterlink — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 15:25:53 +0100

This past month has been really good because I have been able to get back to training. I wouldnt say I was going full steam ahead but I am back to training twice a day and Im making slow and steady improvements. The biggest thing I noticed is that my timing is off and I dont feel as quick or as sharp as before. Its nothing to worry about though as this is just ring rust and I feel with every session I do I am moving back in the right direction.

I got to visit my team mate and TUF winner Ross Pearson in Sunderland this month. I went to train at the Spartan gym and I had a really good time. Ross only comes down to Nottingham before fights and he will normally crash at my house for a couple of nights a week and get his sparring done with us but I thought Id go and see what the gym was like and train with some new bodies.

The Martial Arts Expo was also last month and it was a great success. I got a chance to meet lots of fans and also talk about the supplements I use. There was a lot to do and see and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. There was also the bodypower expo going on next door and I refereed the amateur MMA tournament that was running on the Sunday. There were some great fights and a lot of people entered the tournament in all four weight categories and I am sure there were some stars of the future there.

As my training has stepped up a gear I have also stepped up my supplement regime. One product I am back using is the Jarrrow Magnesium Optimiser. When I am not training magnesium deficiency shouldnt be a problem but when I am training a lot I feel supplementation is necessary. Magnesium helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function. It is also involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis. All of which is crucial to any athlete.

As always the products from Hi-Prosport are of the very best quality and purity which gives me the piece of mind that I am getting the very best out of the supplement I am using and therefore noticing the best results.

Dean (The Renegade) Amasinger, Pro Welterweight MMA Fighter

HealthInterlink — Tue, 18 May 2010 14:02:06 +0100

I have had a busy few weeks recently having been to Abu Dhabi and Montreal in the space of three weeks. I was in both places to corner my team mates Nick Osipczak and Paul Daley respectively. Unfortunately both of them lost their fights by decision and after a lapse in judgement; Paul has been cut from the UFC because of his behaviour after the bell rang. It has put a bit of a downer on the team but we are strong and together we will come through this and all get back to winning ways.

It is a definite perk of the job that I get to travel so much. It was great in Abu Dhabi that I got to train at the world famous ADCC club and I also got to see around Dubai as well. While I was in Abu Dhabi and Montreal I was only able to do limited training because of my arm but since I have been back I had an appointment with my surgeon and he has given me the all clear to start training. I will still take it easy and gradually work my way back to full training but I am really happy with my progress and so glad to be getting back to punching and grappling again.

A big part of my recovery has been the help I have received by using products from Hi-Prosport. The level of quality and purity gives me the piece of mind that I am getting the very best out of the supplement I am using and therefore noticing the best results. Now that I am getting back to full training my supplement regime will step up a gear and I will be using other products on top of the ones I have previously mentioned.

For example I will be using products like Beta Alanine, which is proven to delay muscular fatigue and increase muscular strength and power output among other things.

I shall be attending the Martial Arts expo http://themartialartsshow.com/ at the NEC this weekend to support Hi-Prosport and I look forward to meeting fans and Martial Arts enthusiasts and answering any questions you might have about my training or my nutrition.

Website: www.deanamasinger.com

Personal Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/damasinger?ref=ts#

Fan Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/dean.amasinger?ref=ts

Phil (The Mangler) Ounsley, Pro Middleweight MMA Fighter

HealthInterlink — Thu, 13 May 2010 10:44:09 +0100

10^th Legion Middleweight Title 21^st May 2010

My next fight was due to take place on 21^st May 2010 at the NEC Birmingham. At stake was the 10th Legion Professional European Middleweight Title. Unfortunately my opponent had to pull out due to a back injury and with no replacement this fight was cancelled - I am gutted to say the least, after months of hard training!

Training has rolled straight on from my last competition, I did take a week off but even then found myself doing sprints and bodyweight exercises on holiday!

In recent months I have focused on my standup skills with my boxing coach, working my defence and sharpening up my striking.

My day involves cardio or weights in the morning and fight specific training in the evening. This can be boxing, Thai boxing, BJJ or mma. Some sessions will be lots of drilling others more intensive sparring.

The cardio and conditioning is something I really work at over and above the obvious benefits you get from lots of sparring. I like to mix things up using kettlebells, tractor tyres, sledgehammers and circuits. We also use some steps in a nearby would for interval sprints. These are now known as ‘steps from hell’ and have been known to ‘break’ even the fittest!

Training has gone really well I am now in the weight reduction and ‘cutting’ phase to ensure I make weight comfortably. I always maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle which keeps me close to my fighting weight, so this period is never too extreme for me.

Body Power / Martial Arts show 22^nd & 23^rd May http://themartialartsshow.com/

I will be attending the Body Power & Martial Arts Show at the NEC 22^nd & 23^rd May. I have browsed the websites and it looks a great weekend with something to interest anyone with any interest in fitness or combat sports.

There are lots of exhibitors from the industry. I will be hanging out at the ‘Hi Pro Sport’ Stand (sports nutrition). I am more than happy to meet people for a chat about MMA or sports nutrition (or anything else, except politics!). Hi Pro Sport have advised and supported my sports nutrition program. I have seen improvements to my performance and recovery. I am sure expert help will be on hand to help and advise on your own sports nutrition.

Wal Herring, Nutritionist, Leicester Tigers

HealthInterlink — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 08:23:59 +0100

TRIBULUS COMPLEX

Low levels of testosterone have been reported to impede muscle growth. At Leicester tigers we combine nutrition and supplementation so that the body has the right nutrients to get the most out of strength training.

Research suggests Tribulus terrestris raises hormone levels in particular testosterone, especially in times of increased fatigue, as well as having the ability to stimulate the immune system. At Leicester Tigers we use Tribulus in times of lowered immunity and training overload to help preserve or increase muscle mass. At Leicester Tigers we particularly like Jarrow Formula for its purity and potency.

Dean (The Renegade) Amasinger, Pro Welterweight MMA Fighter

HealthInterlink — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 08:06:35 +0100

Hello, if you don\'t know me already my name is Dean \'the renegade\' Amasinger. I am a proffessonal MMA fighter and I was a contestant on the Ultimate Fighter series 9. Since the show I won two fights in the first round that earnt me a shot at the Ulimate Challenge welterweight world title against the unbeaten Brazilian Alberto Mina.

I trained very hard for the fight and my preparation went really well especially with the support from HI-Prosport. I use a range of products from them that help me stay in peak physical condition.

The fight was fiercely contested with both of us gaining domminant positions. Mina is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu back belt so my gameplan was to keep it standing and go for the knockout. He had other ideas and wanted to take it to the ground and look for the submission.

However midway through the first round I suffered a bad injury and broke my left Ulna (forearm). The injury was sustained blocking a kick, I didnt realise it was broken but it did hurt a lot! I carried on fighting and I was able to stuff most of his takedowns and when it did go to the ground I defended his submission attempts, worked some ground and pound and got back to my feet.

By the third round and with the adrenaline pumping my arm no longer hurt but midway through the round Mina got a takedown and ended up on top of me but when I tried to get back to my feet my arm kept on giving way and I just didnt have the strength in my arm to get back to my feet. The referee had no choice but to stop the fight and I suffered my first proffesional loss in 6 fights.

A few days after the fight the pain in my arm seemed to be getting worse so I went to A+E and they broke the bad news, that I had broken my arm. I was told I had to have surgery and the next day I had surgery to realign my arm and place a plate and 6 pins into my arm.

I am now on the road to recovery and I am being looked after by the physio team at Leicester Tigers RFC. Another part of my recovery has come from the high quality supplements that Hi-Prosport provide me. The Thorne Omega Plus and Krill Oil have been important supplements to me as fish oils have been proven to reduce swelling so after the operation they have been invaluable. The quality and purity of the product means that I am seeing the best results possible from the effects of fish oils.

I also have been using the garden of life super foods green drink to help keep my diet balanced making sure I am taking all the right nutrients to help me heal faster.

I should be back to training in 5 weeks but that could have been much longer if it wasnt for the support and products from Hi-Prosport.

Dean \'the renegade\' Amasinger

Website: www.deanamasinger.com

Personal Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/damasinger?ref=ts#

Fan Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/dean.amasinger?ref=ts

Phil (The Mangler) Ounsley, Pro Middleweight MMA Fighter

HealthInterlink — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:50:39 +0100

41yrs, 6\'0

Professional MMA fighter (Mixed Martial Arts) Fighting weight 84kg (Middleweight)

Married with two children and 23yrs service as a police officer.

I became a professional MMA fighter by chance. I am not from a fighting or combat sport background but joined \'Caged Steel\' as a complete novice only a few years ago. My original intention was just to keep fit, however my competitive streak soon changed that. I entered an amateur tournament which went really well and I was hooked. Further successes in \'semi pro\' and grappling tournaments resulted in me turning professional aged 40. MMA fighters are amongst the most dedicated athletes I have found. I see MMA as the ultimate \'one on one\' test of skill, athletic ability and mental strength.

Prior to MMA I played rugby union for Huddersfield YMCA\'s record breaking team of the 90\'s resulting in a final at Twickenham. After retiring I dabbled in recreational rowing and fell running, these maintained good conditioning. In my late 30\'s I entered my first coal carrying event. This is a hideously tough foot race of about 1200 metres, uphill carrying 50kg of coal. Within 2 years I became the Scottish and World Coal Carrying Champion.

In 2008 I appeared on Sky TV\'s Gladiators which was a great experience.

Some qualities from these sports cross over well to MMA.

I am now concentrating on my MMA career. I hold an unbeaten pro MMA and grappling tournament record. I recently won the 10th Legion Professional British Middleweight title. My next fight is at the NEC, Birmingham for the 10th Legion European middleweight title.

Lifestyle, Nutrition & supplements

I eat a clean varied diet. Training high volume and intensity puts a great strain on the body. I use supplements to compliment my diet, boost my training, speed up recovery and strengthen my immune system, keeping fit to train and compete has to be a priority for any athlete.

All my supplements come from \'Hi-Pro Sports\' the product quality and advice I have received has been great. Since using their products my energy levels and recovery rate has increased tremendously. In my first competition since using Hi Pro Sports supplements I achieved an \'advance level\' national submission grappling title.

I would recommend this company to other athletes who wish to reach their full potential.

LATEST SUCCESS

After the disappointment of the Marbella fight being cancelled, I felt I needed a short notice alternative.

I entered an advanced level grappling tournament today (Grapplemania, Leeds). This is not my speciality but some of the techniques do form a part of an MMA fighter skills.

I made it through the prelim rounds and into the final. The final went the full distance with no clear winner. Extra time was added and completed, still no clear winner. We then went into a third period of extra time during which I clinched victory with only seconds to go.

A very tough day but worth it !

Dean (The Renegade) Amasinger, Pro Welterweight MMA Fighter

HealthInterlink — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:55:35 +0100

I am 25 years old and I have been a professional MMA fighter for 3 years. I started training in martial arts when I was 4 years old but also played rugby at high level until I reached university. In 2006 I won the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world championships which were a catalyst in me beginning my MMA career. I am a member of the world renowned Team Rough House which includes fighters like Paul Daley and Dan Hardy. I was also a member of Team UK on the reality tv series The Ultimate Fighter and I am now competing on the international fight circuit.

While studying for my degree in Nutritional Biochemistry I learnt the importance of supplying the body with all the nutrients needed to perform at a 100%. Health Interlink supply a wide range of products that allow me to this. Their products are very often pharmaceutical grade and their purity and bioavailability are the best on the market. Since using their products I have noticed a increase in my recovery and therefore my performance. I am also unbeaten since using their products and I feel I would not be able to achieve my goals without their support.

Website: www.deanamasinger.com

Personal Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/damasinger?ref=ts#

Fan Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/dean.amasinger?ref=ts

Testimonial: Glucosamine and Chondriotin

HealthInterlink — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 09:11:35 +0100

Rebecca Hodgkiss Bsc (Hons) MCSP SRP – Wigan Warriors RFLC, Widnes Vikings RFLC, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC.

At Wigan warriors we aim to provide longevity to our players whilst they are competing but also in their post competition years. The maintenance of joint cartilage is a major component of this. Over the years especially in sports people who spend many hours on their feet running and training, the shiny articular surfaces covering joints, designed to reduce friction, and help absorb impact can become worn and this surface can begin to break down leading to degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis. Research has shown that supplementation with substances such as Glucosamine and Chondroitin can help to reduce the breakdown of the joint tissues and can help in the repair of the collagen fibres. There are also some recent studies supporting the idea that if athletes begin taking this substance at a younger age before problems arise they can actually help to reduce that wear and tear before it becomes a problem (closing the stable door before the horse has bolted as it were).

We like the Jarrow formulas combination Glucosamine and Chondroitin, with added manganese and Vitamin C, most of our players take this supplement regardless of their age. We particularly like this supplement due to its purity and potency.

Rebecca Hodgkiss Bsc (Hons) MCSP SRP � Wigan Warriors RFLC, Widnes Vikings RFLC, Wolverhampton ...

HealthInterlink — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 09:09:12 +0100

Working as a physiotherapist with athletes who are trying to perform above and beyond their own capabilities day in and day out, it is vital that I can provide them with all the relevant information for them to perform at their best, maintain themselves for longevity and in the event of an injury heal optimally. Correct nutrition and supplementation is one vital aspect of that support.

Heath interlink provides that support to both myself and the athletes I work with. They are able to supply top quality products, to our training ground quickly and professionally. They are also able to provide support in the event that we require some extra assistance, with friendly and helpful advice about their products, dosages, and nutritional information.

Product Endorsment: Beta-Alanine - Alex Martin, Strength & Conditioning Coach, Leicester Tigers

HealthInterlink — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 08:54:07 +0100

Beta-alanine is the rate limiting substrate in carnosine synthesis. Carnosine has been reported to enhance hydrogen ion buffering capacity during high intensity exercise. If present in high concentrations, they impede skeletal muscle contractions. At Leicester Tigers, we use Jarrow Formulas beta-alanine to attenuate fatigue and hence increase work capacity both in training and on match day. We particularly like this product due to its purity and potency.

Testimonial: Green Defense - Alex Martin, Strength & Conditioning Coach Leicester Tigers

HealthInterlink — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 08:29:12 +0100

Increased acidity in the body has been reported to cause a net loss of muscle proteins, growth hormone resistance and an increase in blood cortisol concentrations. All of these factors have a detrimental effect on body composition, i.e. increase fat mass and decrease lean tissue mass. Alkalising forming food stuffs can neutralise the effects of acid forming ones and promote desirable changes in body fat. At Leicester Tigers we use Jarrow Formulas Green Defense to aid this process. We particularly like this product due to its purity and potency.

SEE HOW RIBOSE POWERS OLYMPIAN MELANIE ROACH

HealthInterlink — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:32:34 +0100

Bioenergy D-ribose, made by one of Roach\'s corporate sponsors, stimulates the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), an essential energy compound found in every cell in the body. ATP is critical to health and maintaining normal energy-related body functions, and ribose is the essential component in the making of ATP.

I find if I do all the little things right, the big stuff becomes easier and the weight feels just a tiny bit lighter,\" she says. \"Ribose is one of those things. It helps keep my energy level up in a healthy, natural way, both in the gym and in my real job as a busy mom. It\'s an important part of my daily routine.

Roach\'s daily routine often begins before the sun comes up with preparing lunches, serving breakfast, and getting her kids off to school. Helping her to juggle it all—including the energy she needs to help her son, Drew, who is autistic—is her husband, Dan, a Washington state representative. My time in the gym is hard. But it\'s also very peaceful and actually high quality me’ time, says Roach. To a large extent, it\'s a luxury and a dream all rolled into one.
Poised to compete in Sydney in the 2000 Olympics, Roach experienced a tragic setback when she herniated a disc. But eight years and three children later, this 5-foot 2-inch, 117-pound weightlifting powerhouse is ready to try again.

It is Roach\'s determination that helped her, in March 2006, reclaim her spot on the U.S. National Team. Last summer, she won a bronze medal at the Olympic precursor, The Pan Am Games. In March 2008, Roach won her 8th U.S. National Championship.

She also attributes her success to a comprehensive support network, which includes her family, coach, her faith, and a cadre of people hoping to cheer her on to the 2008 Olympic games. Roach also knows how important it is to maintain her energy. I do whatever I can to sustain my energy, she says. Since August, when I first started using ribose, I haven\'t noticed a drop in energy. This is critical for an Olympic weightlifter, especially with the 35-45 minute lag in between competitive lifts.

And while Melanie didn\'t win any medals in Beijing, she did set two personal bests and had an amazing experience at the games.

Ribose is available both in a powder and tablet form:

Ribose Chewable Tablets Code: RIB90 Size: 90ct Retail Inc: £32.59

Ribose Powder Code: RIBPD Size:100g Retail Inc: £25.25

Ribose Powder Code: RIB200 Size: 200g Retail Inc: £41.79

Testimonial : Branch Chain Amino Acids - Alex Martin, Strength & Conditioning Coach, ...

HealthInterlink — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 08:56:22 +0100

BRANCH CHAIN AMINO ACIDS

Training, whatever the type places large stress on skeletal muscle. Failure to provide the muscle with certain amino acids (building blocks of protein) can lead to breakdown, which in turn will compromise lean tissue mass, strength and other fitness components. Branched chain amino acids (L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine), which constitute a large proportion of the total amino acids in muscle proteins have been reported to have a significant effect on skeletal muscle protein synthesis. Consequently branched chain amino acids are part of the staple supplement diet at Leicester Tigers. We particularly like Jarrow Formulas branched chain amino acid product owing to its purity and potency.

Testimonial: Green Tea - Alex Martin, Strength & Conditioning Coach, Leicester Tigers

HealthInterlink — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:07:16 +0100

There is a large body of scientific evidence, which suggests that epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) contained in Jarrow Formulas green tea extract increases 24 hour energy expenditure, fat oxidation and weight loss in humans. Furthermore, EGCG can be considered a general wellbeing nutrient. It has been reported to have antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties and cancer preventing actions. We particularly like Jarrow Formulas product owing to its purity and potency.

Paul Kennedy International Irish Rower

HealthInterlink — Wed, 28 May 2008 13:56:39 +0100

Hi my name is Paul Kennedy, I am a rower with commercial rowing club in Dublin. I have been taking Extra Nutrients by Thorne Research as part of my daily training regime with fantastic results. We recently went to an international regatta in Gent, Belgium and came 3^rd in a highly rated senior A double sculls event, I believe my training and performance level has raised to a new level due to the combined effect of this product and my intensive training programme. I am currently getting ready for another international event the Marlow Regatta in London next month and our Irish national championships in July with a chance to qualify for the Irish International Team at this years internationals in Cardiff.

Testimonial: Omega Plus - Alex Martin, Leicester Tigers Strength & Conditioning Coach

HealthInterlink — Tue, 20 May 2008 10:43:14 +0100

More specifically, it may increase fat utilization and decrease storage. Thus at Leicester Tigers, we use Thorne Research Omega Plus. We believe this fish oil product to be superior to most due to its purity, lack of detrimental fillers and the fact its enhanced with gamma linolenic acid (GLA).

Alex Martin (Leicester Tigers Strength and Conditioning Coach)

Why a sports nutrition site?

HealthInterlink — Tue, 13 May 2008 10:31:40 +0100

We decided to put this dedicated sports nutrition site together when we became aware of the huge number of top teams and athletes who were already using our products to great effect. Sports nutritionists, strength and nutrition coaches and competetive individuals came to us because they demand the highest quality nutritional support to give themselves and their teams the edge they need to reach and stay at the top of their game.

This section looks at supplementation for todays athletes, be they professional Rugby Players, Footballers, Olympic Athletes or individuals wanting to attain peak condition we hope you will find it here - if you can not then tell us and we will find it.

Our own MD played rugby and cricket and skied to representative standard for many years until age overcame endeavour, so he has a vested interest. He now confines himself to offshore sailing, a round or two of golf a week and putting his life in jeopardy by racing high powered historic race cars that are nearly as old as he is. He reckons that without the supplements he has been taking for the past 15 years he would now be walking with sticks (his knees are not a pretty sight).

Browse through our excellent range of products, enjoy monthly special offers and don\'t miss the interviews with sporting personalities and tips and blogs from coaches and athletes that will be appearing over the coming months.

Testimonial - Paul Prescott, Wigan Warriors RLFC and Ireland International

HealthInterlink — Tue, 06 May 2008 09:29:29 +0100

I am 22 years old and having been playing professional rugby league since I was 17, I am currently a regular starting player for Wigan Warriors RLFC and also an Ireland International player. I may seem very young to be taking joint supplementation, but as with many of my peers I sustained a knee injury 18 months ago, which required surgical reconstruction of one of my knee ligaments. I am well aware of the fact that joint degeneration is now inevitable, so I take a joint supplement on a daily basis to try and help my body to preserve my joint linings for as long as possible.

Being a professional athlete subject to rigorous anti-doping procedures the quality of my supplements is of the utmost importance. Health Interlink give me confidence in the products I’m taking and assure the highest quality standards of all the products they supply. And whilst I understand that all the products I take I do so at my own risk, Health Interlink set my mind at ease, allowing me to remain injury free and concentrate on my rising career.

Testimonial: Glucosamine & Chondrotin - Andy Coley, Wigan Warriors RLFC

HealthInterlink — Tue, 06 May 2008 09:28:10 +0100

Rugby League is one of the most gruelling sports there is to play, with both the fitness and contact nature of it putting many strains upon the body and over the years as a rule all players manage to sustain injuries, leaving us predisposed to wear and tear on all joints in the body. One of my consultants recommended that I start taking Glucosamine as a supplement to help slow down the degenerative changing occurring in my joints.

Health Interlink were very helpful and guided me in the right direction as to the strength and quantity of these supplements and even suggested that I try a combined supplement of Glucosamine and Chondroitin.

Jarrows Combination provides clinically studied quantities of Glucosamine Sulphate and Chondroitin Sulphate, combined with Vitamin C and Manganese for optimizing joint health.

A Basic General Post-Training Formulation for Nervous System & Adrenal Regenerative ...

HealthInterlink — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:28:13 +0100

This is an old article written originally for a supplement company describing the optimal combinations and ingredients for a nervous system recovery supplement for elite athletes.

The exact nature of the body’s unwillingness to generate and maintain adequate CNS drive is not understood and the failure of voluntary muscular effort is recognized as a complex phenomenon. However, there is some research to suggest that the use of the following supplements may prevent fatigue or at least delay some fatigue. The quantities suggested for the post game/training supplementation are dependant on a reasonably balanced diet and the use of basic nutritional supplements, ZMA, Fish Oil, Proteins, etc

Carbohydrates

When glycogen stores are depleted there is an increased release and utilization of free fatty acids as energy sources and this increase in free fatty acids displace albumin-bound tryptophan increasing its concentrations in the blood. As the body recovers and uses BCAAs (Branch Chain Amino Acids) there is a decreased BCAA content available in the blood. Tyrosine and tryptophan compete for the same transporter across the blood-brain barrier and when BCAA concentrations and thus tyrosine are depleted, tryptophan can cross the blood-brain barrier at a higher rate which in turns leads to an increased production of serotonin, which again, in turn, causes lethargy, depresses motor neuron excitability, alters autonomic and endocrine functions and decreases muscular contraction. An intake of carbohydrates is quite important in the regeneration of neural fatigue as a result to prevent this cascade of tryptophan, serotonin, fatigue, etc. and should be included in all post exercise supplementation.

Fish Oil

High quality EFA (Essential Fatty Acids) (particularly DHA (docosahexaenioc acid) is essential. It is presumed that the athletes are taking in Fish Oil throughout the day as part of their standard diet, for this reason it is not included in the regime.

Branch Chain Amino Acids

20 grams

There is much research to support the notion that BCAA’s prevent CNS and encourage CNS regeneration. Increases in brain 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) concentration and overall activity have been associated with increased physical and perhaps mental fatigue during exercise. BCAA\'s are made up of a mixture of three individual amino acids that include L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine which have a branched-chain in its carbon chain. An increase in plasma free tryptophan leads to an increased rate of entry of tryptophan into the brain, which suppresses the CNS, causing a reduction in the system output. It therefore appears that important relations exist between brain 5-HT and central fatigue. This focus on the serotonin neurotransmitter is because of its role in depression, sensory perception, sleepiness, and mood affecting various brain regions. It has been observed that branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) intake may attenuate increases in 5-HT and therefore improve performance. Evidence suggests increases and decreases in brain 5-HT activity during prolonged exercise may hasten and delay fatigue. Therefore one hypothesis is that nutritional manipulations designed to attenuate brain 5-HT synthesis during prolonged exercise can improve endurance performance, suggesting supplementation may encourage regeneration. Nutritional strategies in preventing fatigue have been designed to alter the metabolism of 5-HT in the brain by affecting its availability or the availability of its amino acid precursor, Tryptophan. Tryptophan itself is the precursor to serotonin. It has also been suggested that some aminos may compete with the absorption and uptake of Tryptophan across the blood-brain barrier and consequently delay the onset of fatigue. In fact it has been proven that the provision of BCAA has improved mental performance in athletes after endurance exercise.

Vitamin C

1000mg

Vitamin C plays an important role as an enzyme cofactor for the biosynthesis of many important biochemicals and neurotransmitters like norepinephrine. In terms of local neural support it is also required for the synthesis of carnitine. Studies have demonstrated improved blood vessel dilation at a dose of 500 mg and in individuals with high blood pressure the similar dosage resulted in an average drop of 9% in systolic blood pressure. There is not sufficient scientific evidence to suggest large amounts of vitamin C (up to 10 grams/day in adults) are toxic or detrimental to health and it can be used in large doses. Ascorbic acid is available in many forms, but there is little scientific evidence that any one form is better absorbed or more effective than another. Prolonged exercise is associated with a decrease in plasma vitamin C concentration, and associated with an increase in exercise-induced oxidative stress. Short-term vitamin C supplementation is generally not associated with improved performance, so for best effect it must be used on a more regular basis.

Vitamin E

400 IU

Many studies have found that vitamin C supplementation decreases exercise-induced oxidative stress and can also blunt the immune depression, decreased muscle soreness caused by prolonged exercise and there is much research to support synergistic effects along with Vitamin E. Most notably has been a reduction of serum cortisol with relatively high vitamin C supplementation in ultramarathon runners and decreased stress-induced cortisol release especially when combined with vitamin E (1000 mg of vitamin C and 200 mg of vitamin E).

Magnesium

150mg

Magnesium (300 mg per day), preferably as magnesium sulfate, seems to be a vital mineral for relaxing the nervous system so can be used both after workouts and before bed. Magnesium can be lost through consumption of alcohol, saturated fats, soft drinks, and excessive sweating. Magnesium appears to reduce muscle contractions and blocks peripheral neuromuscular transmission by reducing acetylcholine release at the myo-neural junction. Magnesium appears to suppress, release of catecholamines and catecholamine metabolism by the heart, which is an indirect index of sympathetic efferent neuronal activity, calming the nervous system. Providing some magnesium is being taken in through diet and in ZMA, 150mg should be sufficient.

Phosphatidylcholine

1000 mg

Phosphatidylcholine helps the nervous system calm down and lowers sympathetic nervous system activity.

DMAE Bitartrate (Dimethylaminoethanol Bitartrate)

200mg

Like Tyrosine DMAE is a mild stimulant of the CNS, but has also been found to promote good mood and deeper sleep. DMAE also increases brain acetylcholine levels possibly by inhibiting choline metabolism in peripheral tissues.

Vitamin B Methylated B12 Methylcobalamin

Also to be considered is methyl-b12 which is a type of B12 that insulates nerve fibers and regenerates damaged neurons. While those who eat a lot of meat already get a lot of b12 in their diet, b12 absorption is poor. So it depends primarily on intake. But 2.5mg of methylcobalamin dissolved sublingually can assist in neural recovery.

Vitamin B5

1000 mg

Panthothenic acid as most hormone production in the

adrenal gland needs the co-enzyme A, a by-product of Vitamin B5, to be produced.

Creatine

3 gms

Although creatine plays an important role in mitochondrial energy production, it is a chemical with strong potential as a neuroprotective supplement that protects against dopamine depletion and since it is both bioavailable through oral administration, and easily penetrates the blood–brain barrier its use should be seriously considered for post stress nervous system regeneration and protection. Toxicitiy is low and high doseages up to 20grams a day are tolerable for short periods. 3 grams has been established as a sufficient dosage for athletes supplementing regularly.

Phosphatidylserine

300 mg

Phosphatidylserine is a nutrient used in brain function with numerous benefits such as increasing brain Alpha Waves by 15-20% and alleviating depression, and appears to lower cortisol also. PS increases production of the brain neurotransmitter acetylcholine and stimulates release of the brain neurotransmitter Dopamine

L-Theanine

L-Theanine is a derivative of glutamic acid, and a neurotransmitter absorbed from the small intestine which crosses the blood-brain barrier. It may be included as part of a regeneration stack – however as it is believed to compete for absorption in the intestinal track and the brain with the amino acids isoleucine, leucine, and valine it is left out – though including it does not affect the use of the aminos. L-theanine reduces blood pressure, assists in the production of alpha brain waves, which alleviate stress and anxiety and encourage deep relaxation.

Others for consideration

Huperzine

Huperzine should also be considered as this herb based supplement can increase acetylcholine and prevent its degradation and is considered a brain-specific antioxidant, demonstrating great improvements in Alzheimer’s disease symptoms and other forms of dementia.

Follow-Up Next Morning

L-Tyrsoine

1,000 mg

While Tyrosine is a stimulating amino it appears to clear fatigue and encourages recovery when used in small doses the morning post workout, and seems particularly effective especially first thing in the morning.

Fergus Connolly, PhD., is a Scientific Advisor and Performance Consultant for elite coaches, athletes and professional teams worldwide, providing cutting edge knowledge, support, answers and research for winners.

www.fergusconnolly.com

Selected References & Supportive Readings

Amaducci, L. Phosphatidylserine in the dosing of Alzheimer\'s disease: results of a multicenter study. Psychopharmacology Bulletin. 24:130-134, 1988.

Brody S, Preut R, Schommer K, Schurmeyer TH., A randomized controlled trial of high dose ascorbic acid for reduction of blood pressure, cortisol, and subjective responses to psychological stress, Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2002 Jan;159(3):319-24.

Brody S, High-dose ascorbic acid increases intercourse frequency and improves mood: a randomized controlled clinical trial, Center for and the Psychosomatic and Psychobiological Research, University of Trier, Germany.

Castell LM, Yamamoto T, Phoenix J, Newsholme EA.; The role of tryptophan in fatigue in different conditions of stress, University Department of Biochemistry, Oxford, UK.

Corrigan B. DHEA and sport. Clin J Sport Med 2002 Jul;12(4):236-41.

Crook, T.H., et al., Effects of phosphatidylserine in age-associated memory impairment. Neurology, 1991. 41(5)

Csapo A. Progesterone ‘‘block.’’ Am J Anat 1956; 98:273–291

Davis, JM (1996). Carbohydrates, branched-chain amino acids and endurance: The central fatigue hypothesis. Sports Science Exchange #61, 9 (2).

Davis, JM, Bailey SP, Woods, JA, Galiano, FJ, Hamilton, MT, & Bartoli, WP (1992). Effects of carbohydrate feedings on plasma free tryptophan and branched-chain amino acids during prolonged cycling. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 65, 513-519.

Duffy SJ, Gokce N, Holbrook M, Treatment of hypertension with ascorbic acid, Lancet. 1999;354(9195):2048-2049.

Evans WJ., Vitamin E, vitamin C, and exercise, Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 Aug;72(2 Suppl):647S-52S.

Galiano, FJ, Davis, JM, Bailey, SP, Woods, JA, & Hamilton, M (1991). Physiologic, endocrine and performance effects of adding branched-chain amino acids to a 6% carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage during prolonged cycling. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 23 (4), S14.

Gokce N, Keaney JF, Jr., Frei B, Long-term ascorbic acid administration reverses endothelial vasomotor dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease, Circulation. 1999;99(25):3234-3240.

Greenhaff, PL, Leiper, JP, Ball, D, & Maughan, RJ (1991). The influence of dietary manipulation on plasma ammonia accumulation during incremental exercise in man. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 63, 338-344.

Hargreaves, M (1997). Interaction between muscle glycogen and blood glucose during exercise. Exercise and Sport Sciences Review, 25, 21-39.

Juneja L, Chu D, Okubo T, Nagato Y, Yokogoshi H. L-theanine: a unique amino acid of green tea and its relaxation effect in humans. Trends in Food Science & Technology. 1999; 10: 199-204.

Kreider, RB (1998). Central fatigue hypothesis and overtraining. In RB Kreider, AC Fry, & ML O-Toole (Eds.), Overtraining in Sport (pp. 309-331). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Lombardi, G.F., Pharmacological treatment with phosphatidyl serine of 40 ambulatory patients with senile dementia syndrome, Minerva Med, 1989. 80(6): p. 599-602.

Miles A, Philbrick DRS. Melatonin and psychiatry. Biol Psychiatry 23: 405-25, 1988.

Newsholme EA, Blomstrand E., Tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptamine and a possible explanation for central fatigue; Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.

Noakes T.D., Physiological models to understand exercise fatigue and the adaptations that predict or enhance athletic performance, Source: Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, Volume 10, Number 3, June 2000, pp. 123-145(23)

Pepeu, G., I.M. Pepeu, and L. Amaducci, A review of phosphatidylserine pharmacological and clinical effects. Is phosphatidylserine a drug for the ageing brain? Pharmacol Res, 1996. 33(2): p. 73-80.

Romijn HJ. The pineal: A tranquilizing organ? Life Sci 23: 2257-74, 1978.

Vandewalle, L, Wagenmakers, AJM, Smets, K, Brouns, F, & Saris, WHM (1991). Effect of branched-chain amino acid supplements on exercise performance in glycogen depleted subjects. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 23, S116.

Volek, JS (1997). Energy metabolism and high intensity exercise: Dietary concerns for optimal recovery. Strength and Conditioning, October, pp. 26-37.

Endorsement - Dean Benton, Leicester Tigers

HealthInterlink — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 10:38:12 +0100

At Leicester Tigers we pride ourselves in terms of our performance and health. Both of these would not be possible without the support of Health Interlink. The product range which Health Interlink provide to us such as ‘Jarrow Formulas’ and ‘Thorne Research’ are probably the most innovative and effective products available at the present time. It would not be possible for our players to gain effective results without the support of Health Interlink.

Dean Benton
Head Strength & Conditioning Coach
LEICESTER TIGERS