Ikei Underground

3-time Pro Bowl and Superbowl Champion Seth Joyner Hosts Football Skills Clinic for Defensive Players

2010-02-24T22:56:00.012-07:00

Former NFL player helping kids on defense from azfamily Cares on Vimeo.

Ikei Performance is proud to announce the emergence of Joyner Coaching Football Academy led by 3-time Pro Bowl Linebacker and Superbowl Champion, Seth Joyner. The first series of clinics will focus on the defensive side of the ball. Training sessions will include position specific drills, fundamentals, technique, film study, private coaching and mentoring with Seth Joyner. Athletes will meet according to the designated times allocated as follows:

Linebacker: March 15, 22, 29 and April 5 (Monday)

Defensive Backs: March 16, 23, 30 and April 6 (Tuesday)

Defensive Lineman: March 17, 24, 31 and April 7 (Wednesday)

All sessions will run from 5:30 - 7:30 pm at Ikei Performance, 9525 E. Doubletree Ranch Rd, Suite 104, Scottsdale, AZ 85258.

The clinic is open to incoming freshman through graduating seniors. Space is extremly limted. Call 480.657.6937 or email: info@ikeiperformance.com

Polynesian Athletes Prepare for Football Training Camp in Arizona

2009-08-04T23:28:00.016-06:00

Who would have thought that in the middle of the Arizona Desert at the peak of the summer heat (116 degrees) you would find Polynesian Football Players running drills, flipping tractor tires, dragging sleds, lifting weights all for the preparation of training camp? Numerous NFL, Collegiate and High School Polynesian football players have dedicated their off-season to travel to Arizona and train with strength & conditioning coach Chad Ikei at the Ikei Performance Training Center in Scottsdale. It is here that these young men learn what it takes to become a champion.

“Being born and raised in Hawaii and understanding the island culture allows me to help inspire these young men to excel in their sport and learn the life skills necessary to be successful in the competitive world” states Chad Ikei who back in 1991 left Hawaii to pursue his Weightlifting career at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. “We have some of the most talented athletes coming out of the islands or living on the mainland, but many of them are not exposed to the type of training and work intensity that we provide for them at our training center. The time we get to spend with these athletes allow us to teach them how to improve their chances of getting to the next level.”

Through the years many Polynesians have made it to the NFL but they have also had the reputation of being “lazy.” “I hear it a lot of times from coaches or teammates,” remarks Ikei about the reputation of Polynesian Athletes being lazy. “It’s not that they are lazy, most of them will work extremely hard when taught how to work. Sometimes their easy going personalities can come across as “laid-back” or mistaken for being lazy. But all my Polynesian Athletes that I have trained have excelled in the program and exceeded many expectations. To me it’s a lot about understanding the culture, the individual and being able to build a relationship with each athlete so they understand how to accept and embrace success.”

The Polynesian people are very strong in their culture yet extremely humble. This sometimes affects a young athlete when faced with moving away from home and competing for a spot on the team. “I have heard of many stories where a young Polynesian athlete heads off to college only to return home due to being homesick or culture shock” states Ikei. “No matter how much talent an athlete has, if they are not mentally and emotionally prepared they can only expect sub-par performances. Sometimes the lack of preparation results in some of the best “potential” football players to leave the game whether it’s voluntary or involuntary. This breaks my heart because many of these athletes have not been taught how to mentally and emotionally prepare for the changes. I’ve been there and experienced the emotional stress of being away from home, but I also am a product of discipline, sacrifice and hard work. I made it through the struggles successfully and use that experience to inspire other athletes to do the same. I know what it takes to compete at the highest level. Therefore, I don’t let any of my athletes slack off or make excuses. Excuses aren’t tolerated, they either want it or not. In the end it’s their choice but I’m here for them and do my best to inspire them to make quality choices in life.”

This is why coach Ikei has open his doors to his home in Scottsdale, AZ where he houses and feeds many of his Polynesian athletes. “We had 15 people staying at our house this summer, not including our 5 children that’s 22 people in our home…you know the size of these Poly boys, they aren’t small like me” chuckles Ikei. “But that’s how we do it and that’s who we are. All the athletes have the understanding that we are all one big Ohana (family) and everyone is welcome to stay. It keeps them humble and appreciative of the opportunity they have. This is a learning experience that I hope will change their lives for the better and something they carry with them, so one day they will be able to pay it forward to another young athlete that needs help or inspiration. There’s no shame in sleeping on the floor.” According to Ikei every athlete has to earn their position in the household in order to move up, “the boys need to pay their dues, if you have seniority with Ikei Performance then you are granted a room and a bed, if you are new and a youngster then you start on the floor. Sooner or later a veteran will depart and vacancies open on the couch or futon. But no matter what status each athlete is they all take part in cleaning duties.” Ikei insists that every single one of his the athletes that lives with him be treated like family, “I have all the boys do chores around the house and gym. No matter if you’re in High School, College or NFL it’s our rules and everyone respects and understands our culture. Even NFL Fullback Reagan Mauia comes to stay with us during the off-season and always helps with the chores. My wife and I also have 5 children so all the Uncles at one point or another will baby sit for us too. It’s a great way for us to show how much we love and trust these boys and how much we want them to be successful. When you build and establish a bond with them they open their hearts to everything you teach them and this is what makes a difference in their lives. We are truly blessed to have them in our lives and will always do what’s best for each and every one of them.”

Testaments of Ikei’s efforts and results are endless but in a recent email from the parents of a University of Hawaii Defensive Tackle say it all:

“I wish I could express just how grateful we are to you for taking our son under your wings and sincerely caring for him. We can feel his pride in his voice on the hard work he put in under your wings in teaching him not only the conditioning and diet program, but giving him the will to see these last 3 weeks through. It wasn't easy for him to make it up there however, he was determined to get there and put his whole heart and being there. I'm sure you know how devastated any athlete can become when injury occurs and for him, it’s been a long year...but, he looks like a totally different person and you have instilled his burning desire to become all that he can...and then some. Thank you so very much for being his trainer,...his family away from home…only your deep love from your heart can help the hundreds that you have helped...and we are so very grateful and appreciative....for being there when he needed it the most. Please extend our thank you for Mrs. Ikei as well....again, thank you for caring...” Chicki and Rocky (his dad) Savaiigaea

Here’s a list of Polynesian Athletes that made it to the NFL that have come through Ikei Performance:

Aaron Francisco – S, Kahuku High, BYU, Arizona Cardinals
Al Afalava – S, Kahuku High, Oregon State, Chicago Bears
Brennan Carvalho – C, Kamehameha, Portland State, Green Bay Packers
Brian Soi – DT, Timpview High, Utah State, Miami Dolphins
Bristol Olomua – TE, Red Mountain High, Texas Tech, Cincinnati Bengals
Caleb Spencer – WR, Kamehameha, Nevada, Washington Redskins
Cameron Stephenson – OG, Hawthorne High, Rutgers, Jacksonville Jaguars
Joe Tuipala – LB, Burroughs High, San Diego State, Jacksonville Jaguars
JT Mapu – DT, Kahuku High, Tennessee, Washington Redskins
Karl Noa – DE, Kamehameha, Hawaii, New York Jets
Naufahu Tahi – FB, Granger High, BYU, Minnesota Vikings
Patrick Scwhenke – OG/OT, Taylorsville High, West Texas A&M, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Reagan Mauia – FB, Tokay High, Hawaii, Arizona Cardinals
Taitusi “Deuce” Lutui – OG, Mesa High, USC, Arizona Cardinals
Tala Esera – OG, Kahuku High, Hawaii, Philadelphia Eagles
Timmy Chang – QB, St. Louis High, Hawaii, Hamilton Tiger Cats
Vaka Manupuna – DT, St. Louis High, Colorado, Washington Redskins

Other Notable Former Collegiate Players:
Francis Maka – DE, Bellermine College Prep, Hawaii
Jeremy Perry – OG, Kahuku High, Oregon State
Travis Tofi – DT, Fagaitua High, USC

Each year numerous collegiate and high school athletes will travel from across the country to train with Chad Ikei and his team of professionals.

Exceeding Expectations
4 Weeks

7 Weeks

5 Weeks

6 Weeks
6 Weeks

3 Weeks

6 Weeks

8 Weeks

Interested in learning more about our training program visit www.ikeiperformance.com or contact our office at 480.657.6937, email: info@ikeiperformance.com to arrange a tour of our facility.

Pictures from Inaugural Ikei Performance Football Camp Big Island

2009-07-28T15:30:00.011-06:00

Our Inaugural Ikei Performance Football Camp Big Island was filled with talent and Aloha. From the kids to the parents & the Kea’au High School Booster Club, the power of the Aloha Spirit ran immensely through all us. “Much Mahalo” (many special thanks) go out to Kea’au High School Athletic Director Iris McGuire, Ceci & Ty Kahooilihala and the rest of the Kea’au High School Booster Club, we couldn’t have done it without their kokua (help).

The 3-day overnight camp was held at Kea’au High School July 7-9, 2009. Ikei Performance Camp coaches included former and current NFL Players: Aaron Francisco, Seth Joyner, Vaka Manupuna, Tala Esera, Timmy Chang and JD Runnels. The first two days of the camp started at 9 o’clock in the morning and ended at 8 o’clock in the evening with the final day ending at 4 o’clock. Campers were introduced to proper Olympic Weightlifting Technique, combine training preparation & technique, running mechanics, speed & agility drills, conditioning, football fundamentals, position specific drills, one-on-one drills, 7-on-7 game, proper nutrition & supplementation and college recruiting process.

The feed back from both parents & athletes were outstanding and we are already planning for next year’s camp. We hope that the information we shared with each athlete & their families will encourage them to strive for a higher level of excellence and look forward to seeing them play at the next level.

Ikei Performance Athlete Charles Brewer Drafted to the Arizona Daimondbacks

2009-07-01T11:52:00.010-06:00

Ikei Performance, Scottsdale’s exclusive sports performance and fitness training center is the destination of choice for many A-lists athletes when it comes to hard core sports conditioning and training. Athletes travel from all over the U.S. to work with the Ikei Sports Performance team, from professional athletes to NFL and MLB hopefuls. The Ikei team often has the privilege to see their dedicated athletes reach their dream of playing for a professional sports team. Today they are very proud to announce that Ikei athlete Charles Brewer has done just that. Brewer, a right handed pitcher, was recently drafted to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 12th round.

Brewer, who was assigned to play Class A ball for the Missoula Osprey’s in Montana, pitched his first inning as a Class A division player over the weekend and did not disappoint. Brewer struck out all three batters with ease, a stellar start to this young athletes promising career. Brewer was a steady influence in the UCLA rotation during his career and posted an impressive 12-10 mark at the collegiate level.

“This is a dream come true for me. I’m very excited and proud that I was drafted to the Arizona Diamondbacks. I could not have made it this far without the unwavering support of my family, friends and coaches. Words cannot express my gratitude to Chad Ikei and his team. They pushed me to better every aspect of my game and helped me focus on the areas that I needed to work on. They were with me every step of the way,” Stated Charles Brewer.

Chad Ikei, Owner of Ikei Sports Performance had this to say about Charles and his dedication to training leading up to the draft , “Charles & his brother Chase came to Ikei Performance during their Christmas Break of 2008. While majority of their UCLA teammates and other young athletes take this time to relax and enjoy a nice vacation the Brewers were working out 5-6 days a week. Charles was very focused as he knew this was an important year for him heading into the draft. Our main focus was to improve his lower body and core strength to enhance is velocity on the mound. We also wanted to focus on his decelerators of his throwing arm to maximize his release point. We also put him on a nutritional & supplemental protocol that would enable him to put on the lean muscle mass necessary to handle throwing all the reps he needed during the season.”

His hard work and dedication has definitely paid off, as Charles is now officially playing at the professional level. According to the Ikei team, Charles didn’t waste any time getting back into the weight room. He was at the Ikei Sports Performance training center the day after being drafted, working hard to prepare for his MLB debut.

Chad Ikei had this to add, “We are very proud of Charles and thrilled that he was drafted to the Diamondbacks. It’s times like these, when I see the discipline, accountability and desire from a young athlete that makes me smile and say to myself, I have the best job in the world!”

For more information on Ikei Sports Performance, please call (480) 657-6937 or visit Ikei Sports Performance online at www.ikeiperformance.com.

About Ikei Performance
Ikei Performance is an exclusive sports & fitness training center that trains numerous professional, college and high school athletes as well as serious fitness enthusiasts. The private 9,300 square foot facility has an indoor field turf area, outdoor 3-lane 70 yard turf track, strength training area including Olympic lifting platforms and medical offices. Under the direction of 5-time National Weightlifting Champion and World Record Holder, Chad Ikei, the Ikei Performance team has proven time and time again to produce fast and effective results. Personal Training, Sports Performance Programs, Naturopathic Medicine, Chiropractic care, Active Release Technique, massage therapy and the Ikei Performance Nutritional Center are available to interested fitness enthusiasts, junior athletes as well as professional athletes in training. Visit Ikei Performance on-line at www.ikeiperformance.com.

Inaugural Big Island Ikei Performance Football Camp Hawaii - July 7-9, 2009

2009-05-30T18:50:00.007-06:00

3-day intensive football training with NFL Players

Kea’au High School (Hawaii) will be the host site for the Inaugural Big Island Ikei Performance Football Camp scheduled July 7-9, 2009. Athletes from grades 8-11th will have an opportunity of a lifetime to learn from one of the nation’s leading experts in sports performance training as former Hawaii and National Weightlifting Champion and World Record Holder Chad Ikei and his team of NFL Players, lead campers through the 3-day intensive football training program.

Kea’au High School Athletic Director, Iris McGuire, is excited to bring the Ikei Performance Football Camp to the Big Island. “We are proud to have this caliber of professionals come to the Big Island to teach our young athletes. Chad has trained many athletes from Hawaii that have moved on to play in the NFL, and now our kids will have the opportunity to learn these skills that will benefit their future both on and off the field.” Athletes will learn how to master the football combine drills, college recruiting process, position specific techniques, proper weightlifting movements, speed & agility development, healthy nutrition, and safe supplementation.

“It’s such an honor to return home to the islands and share my experiences with Hawaii’s young athletes,” states Coach Ikei. “There is so much talent here in Hawaii but many times athletes are overlooked or go unnoticed. Our goal is to educate both parents and athletes on how to maximize their exposure as well as their performance so that they increase their chances of playing at the next level.” Coach Ikei and his team of NFL Players have volunteered their time to help teach Hawaii’s athletes how to become a champion. “This is my way of giving back to the islands that has provided me with such great opportunities.”

Kaimuki DB, Trendt “Tonka” Marsom, learned from Coach Ikei during his earlier years of football when he participated at one of the Oahu clinics. “The camp I attended with Coach Ikei taught me a lot and I was able to utilize many of the drills immediately which helped elevate my game.” Tonka will be heading to play for the University of Wyoming but before this upcoming season begins, he is planning to make a stop in Arizona to spend a few weeks training under the direction of Coach Ikei.

The Inaugural Big Island Ikei Performance Football Camp is an overnight camp with events scheduled from 9am-8pm on July 7 & 8 and 9am-4pm on July 9. The cost of the camp is $200 for all three days, which include all meals (2 breakfast, 3 lunch, 2 dinner and snacks) and lodging for 2 nights. The camp is limited to 100 participants to ensure proper coach to athlete ratio and is based on a first come first serve basis. The camp is open to all Hawaii and Mainland athletes. All proceeds benefit the Kea’au High School Booster Club.

To find out more about The Big Island Ikei Performance Football Camp call 808.895.2391 or email kahooilihala72@aol.com.

Former Arizona Cardinals First Round Draft Pick Wendell Bryant Trains at Ikei Performance hoping for a Second Chance in the NFL

2009-05-06T16:46:00.015-06:00

In 2002 the Arizona Cardinals selected Defensive Lineman Wendell Bryant (Wisconsin) with the 12th pick of the First Round. Seven years later the former first round draft pick is looking at redeeming himself. Not for money, not for glory, but for inspiration, inspiration as a young father, soon to be husband and loyal son. “I want to prove to myself that I am capable of overcoming the obstacles that I had faced and the poor choices I made in my life and hope to be an inspiration to my daughter & family” states Bryant.

Bryant was tagged a “first round bust” and many consider him a failure, but he’s been through that path of negativity. In a recent interview with Aaron Wilson of profootballtalk.com Bryant tells it all from substance abuse & partying to his release and path to depression, “I went into a depression and didn’t want to do anything but be holed up in my house. Drinking and smoking pot became my whole existence. I was in a bad place and I needed help.”

Click here to read entire article:
http://www.profootballtalk.com/2009/05/05/former-first-rounder-wendell-bryant-is-hoping-for-a-second-chance/

Bryant is now looking at the positive side of his future. For the past 9 ½ months Bryant has devoted himself to training at Ikei Performance. “When I was playing with the Cardinals I heard a lot of buzz about this Ikei guy and in my last season with the Cards I actually went and trained with him. After a few weeks of training I fell off the wayside and went back to partying and completely dropped training,” remembers Bryant. “Ikei was always there for me and pushed me hard, but I just wasn’t ready at that time of my life. But we kept in contact through the years and when I decided to make the leap back in to the NFL Ikei was the first guy I called. I asked him if he would be willing to help me get right and to kick my ass back into playing shape.”

Chad Ikei recalls the conversation with Bryant like it was yesterday, “I remember that call. It came to me as a surprise and I thought he was joking.” Ikei reminisces about the last time he trained Wendell: “He trained so hard for 2 months during the off-season in 2005 but then just disappeared. At that point in time he wasn’t ready to hear what I was teaching him and the path he was choosing wasn’t what I was hoping for which unfortunately led to his release from the team. So when I got that call I thought to myself is this guy for real or is he just chasing a dream. I told him that if he was serious about getting back into the league that he would have to arrange a meeting with me face-to-face and discuss our options.” Ikei & Bryant met for several hours and discussed what it would take for him to train under Ikei’s guidance, “I told him plain and simple that if he wanted to get back in the league he would have to make sacrifices he never imagined, be disciplined in all aspects of life and work his butt off every session. If he was to miss any scheduled training sessions, diverge from the plan or not put forth the effort our relationship would end right there.”

That conversation between Bryant and Ikei was back in the beginning of July 2008 and it’s now May 2009. Wendell has been training six days a week, two sessions a day three of the six days. He has invested thousands of dollars of his own money not to mention the countless hours he spends everyday driving to and from his home to Ikei Performance (a 40 minute commute each way). Ikei enthusiastically responds, “I can’t explain how proud I am of Wendell’s accomplishments thus far. It’s been 9 ½ months since we started training and the man has shown how much heart, discipline and passion he has to prove to himself that he can still play in the NFL. It’s amazing to watch him grow and develop into the person that he is right now. It’s such an honor when one of your athletes believes in your program and believes in the relationship that the both of you develop during this time of training. I feel so privileged to have been able to work with him once again and will forever wish him much success in life.”

Many fans may not believe Bryant can still play or is deserving of a second chance, “People that read what the media publishes sometimes only see one side of the story. They don’t see the blood, sweat and tears that these athletes put forth day-in and day-out,” remarks Ikei. “I understand that words are words and ‘proof is in the pudding.’ Wendell has been putting forth the effort and his words are true to his heart. But he’s not out here trying to buy back the respect of the fans, media or teams. It’s about finding the self-respect within himself and to show his daughter that Daddy never quit when things went awry. He’s not out here saying he’s going to become a Pro Bowler his first year back in the league nor is he out there ranting and raving about how good he is or can be. Everyone is entitled to have their opinion but don’t judge the man on what he has done in the past. Surely he has disappointed many people in his past and more than likely will disappoint others in the future as will all of us. But he, like other professional athletes, are always targeted with high expectations and when they fall short fans become judgmental. I personally can vouch for Wendell that he has turned a new leaf in his life, but my opinion means nothing to the fans, but it can mean a lot to him and that’s all that matters. I see him everyday busting his butt in the weight room, hustling through agility drills and pushing himself through our conditioning program. Trust me this is not an easy task and I can guarantee that majority of the fans wouldn’t be able to keep up with him yet along try to line-up against him in full pads. But more importantly I see him managing his responsibilities at home, taking care of his daughter, and helping his fiancé, in fact just the other day he came to train early in the morning to ensure he got his workout done so he could take his daughter to see an Elmo performance. Now to me that show his priorities in life are straight and that he will be successful whether or not he continues to play football.”

However, Ikei still believes Bryant can play amongst the best in the NFL. “It’s one thing to be in fitness shape and it’s a completely different thing to be in game shape, but you got to start somewhere. Right now Wendell is definitely in the best fitness shape of his career, physically, mentally and spiritually. All he needs is a team to give him an opportunity to get into game shape which will come through mini-camps and most importantly training camp. The team that is willing to take the risk and give him the opportunity will reap the benefits of his performance. ”

Bryant’s effort is proven by the physical transformation of his body and the strength, speed and power development he has acquired through the past months of training. “I’ve never been in this great of shape in my entire life. I showed up at Ikei weighing 325 lbs looking sloppy at 28% body fat and no muscle tone at all. Last month I weighed in at 295 lbs with a body fat of 13% and I think I can actually see a silhouette of an ab,” chuckles Bryant. “My strength, speed, power and conditioning are also at my peak so now it’s just about getting the reps at a camp to prepare myself for the physical challenge of being in game shape. I can’t wait to get the chance to show my skills and test myself. It’s been a long awaited journey and now all I can hope & pray for is that a team is willing to give me that second chance and I will not let them down.”

For both Bryant and Ikei it’s been a long road that is yet to be determined where it will end. But together with the continuous effort from Bryant and guidance from Ikei one NFL team will get the performance of a lifetime from a First Round Draft Choice that still has the desire and passion to win. With maturity, wisdom and courage Bryant is determined to prove himself a better man than he once was and to inspire those faced with animosity to never give up but overcome the toughest challenges one may face in their life. “God gives us one life and it’s our responsibility to make the best of it. His strength will carry us through but we need to choose the right path and when times seem like the path is at its end he will create a new one for us but we have to do our work to find it.”

Ikei Athlete Afalava Gets Drafted by the Chicago Bears, 3 Others Sign Free Agent Contracts

2009-05-05T14:27:00.013-06:00

Ikei Performance NFL Combine & Draft Preparation Athlete Al Afalava was drafted in the 6th round (190th overall) to the Chicago Bears. Afalava played Safety at Oregon State University and performed extremely well at his NFL Proday Workout running a 4.48s forty-yard dash and smashing all his agility drills which included a 40” vertical jump and 25 reps in the bench press. With a reputation for hard hits and his proven speed, Afalava will fit right into the NFL system.

Afalava already has plans on returning to training at Ikei Performance in preparation for his first NFL Training Camp, “I can’t wait to return to AZ and start training with Ikei again. Chad has helped me so much preparing for the draft and the results I got is proof of what he can do with his athletes. I really wasn’t projected to get drafted, especially because I didn’t get invited to the combine. But I guess it was a blessing because I got to spend a little more time working with Chad and allowed me to perform well at my Proday.”

Chad Ikei has worked with numerous NFL Draft Prospects for the past 6 years and has proven to improve their performance at their Proday workouts. “Each year we work with athletes that are either not projected to get drafted or are listed as a late round selection. Our goal is for them to showcase their skills at their proday workouts so that teams will consider drafting them at a higher position. Al exemplified what hard work and discipline can earn you. He came in as an undrafted free agent status, but after smashing his proday workout his stock raised and was selected in the 6th round. Al deserves all the credit as he put in the work necessary to get to the next level, we’re just honored and proud that we were able to be a part of his life and wish him the best in his future.”

Here are some video clips and articles from the Chicago Bears Website on Al Afalava:

Bears draft safety Afalava in Round 6 http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=5778

Director of College Scouting Greg Gabriel discusses newly acquired S Al Afalava: http://www.chicagobears.com/multimedia/multimediapopup.asp?mm_file_id=1470&play_clip=Y

Afalava on final day at camp http://www.chicagobears.com/multimedia/multimediapopup.asp?mm_file_id=1492&play_clip=Y&rn=11

Three other Ikei Performance athletes sign free agent contracts with NFL Teams:

DT Vaka Manupuna – Washington Redskins

DT Josh Leonard – Houston Texans

WR Tyler Grisham – Pittsburg Steelers

Congratulations to these hard working young men and we wish them much success.

Videos of Ikei Performance Athletes NFL Proday Workouts

2009-04-17T17:25:00.004-06:00

Each year Ikei Performance accepts 10 athletes into their NFL Combine & Draft Preparation Program. From January-March these athletes dedicate their life to preparing for their NFL Workout Day. Months of hard work and sacrifice will be determined by one day of performance and two days of anticipation. The 2009 NFL Draft is only a week away and lives will be changed forever. Scheduled to take place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25-26, the NFL Draft will transform top amateur college players into professional athletes and establish a dream come true for many, including several Ikei Performance Athletes. As their coach I would like to share with you the outcome of the intensity, commitment, sacrifice, dedication, discipline and hard work these athletes made in preparation for the NFL Workout Day.

Check out these videos of Ikei Performance Athletes performing at their best.

Al Afalava
Safety
Oregon State
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDOAigebulE

Tommie Hill
Defensive End
Colorado State
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQDc6ky_dg8

Josh Leonard
Defensive Tackle
Hawaii
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tzumvn_AIU

Francis Maka
Defensive End
Hawaii
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SySTuOxT2vc

Jacob Patek
Safety
Hawaii
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBjrGEm6ceM

Jeremy Perry
Offensive Guard
Oregon State
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLlqGmxwG4g

Patrick Schwenke
Offensive Tackle/Guard
West Texas A&M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usB9BoXhbzo

Vaka Manupuna
Defensive Tackle
Colorado
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsKs6fv3l1E

University of Hawaii NFL Proday Workout Results - Ikei Athletes Continue to Impress Scouts

2009-04-03T21:42:00.008-06:00

University of Hawaii NFL Proday Workout Results

Our 2009 NFL Combine & Draft Preparation training program has come to a close with the final proday workout being held yesterday at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA for the University of Hawaii athletes. Four Ikei Performance athletes were on hand to perform in front of NFL Scouts, DT-Josh Leonard, DT-Vaka Manupuna, DE-Francis Maka & S-Jacob Patek. Leonard & Maka recently finished their career with Hawaii while Patek’s last season was a year ago. Manupuna played at the University of Colorado but was granted permission to participate and Oregon State University Offensive Lineman Jeremy Perry also from Hawaii was on hand and spoke with several scouts but did not participate in drills.

Ikei Performance athletes impressed scouts and coaches with their performances. Both Leonard and Manupuna had record breaking performances with 41 reps in the 225 lbs bench press test, while Patek & Maka tied for the highest vertical jump for the day.

Here are the final results from the University of Hawaii NFL Proday Workout, April 2, 2009 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA:

Josh Leonard
DT - Hawaii
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 283 lbs
Vertical Jump: 31.5”
Broad Jump: 8’10”
225# Bench Rep: 41
40 Yard Dash: 4.93
20 Yard Shuttle:4.31
3-Cone Drill: 7.35

Francis Maka
DE - Hawaii
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 257 lbs
Vertical Jump: 34”
Broad Jump: 9’4”
225# Bench Rep: 26
40 Yard Dash: 4.81
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.45
3-Cone Drill: 7.31

Vaka Manupuna
DT - Colorado
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 287 lbs
Vertical Jump: 31”
Broad Jump: 9’3”
225# Bench Rep: 41
40 Yard Dash: 5.09
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.43
3-Cone Drill: 7.23

Jacob Patek
S - Hawaii
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 210 lbs
Vertical Jump: 34”
Broad Jump: 9’6”
225# Bench Rep: 22
40 Yard Dash: 4.58
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.21
3-Cone Drill: 6.72

Offensive Lineman Jeremy Perry is currently scheduling a private workout at Oregon State University (Corvallis, OR) in the next 2 weeks for NFL Scouts.

Now that the proday workouts are over it becomes a waiting game with hopes and prayers that an NFL Team will give these athletes a chance to become a professional. The 2009 NFL Draft is scheduled for April 25-26 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Our positive thoughts and prayers will be with all our athletes and we’re so very proud and honored to have you guys as our ohana. A great job well done and thank you for believing in our program and for all your efforts.

Ikei Performance Athletes Impress NFL Scouts at Pro Day Workouts

2009-03-28T12:55:00.008-06:00

Just wanted to send out a proud update of how 5 of our 10 athletes have performed at their recent NFL Pro Day workouts. Each year Ikei Performance accepts 10 elite collegiate football players to join their NFL Combine & Draft Preparation Training Program. This year we had representatives from 6 different schools: Clemson, Oregon State, Colorado, Colorado State, Fresno State and Hawaii. These athletes have dedicated their last 3 months to training and preparing themselves for a chance to become a professional athlete representing the National Football League (NFL). I’ve had the privilege of traveling to 2 of the 5 athletes pro day workouts and wanted to share some proud video moments with you.

On March 13, 2009 I traveled to Corvallis, OR to witness Oregon State University Safety, Al Afalava, put on a show for all the NFL Scouts.

Height: 5’11”
Weight: 207 lbs
Vertical Jump: 40”
Broad Jump: 10’5”
225# Bench Rep: 25
40 Yard Dash: 4.47
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.07
3-Cone Drill: 6.63
60 Yard Shuttle: 11.05

You can watch Al’s workout on youtube.com or by clicking on the link below.
Al Afalava #9 Safety: NFL Pro Day Workout - Oregon State University
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDOAigebulE

On March 10, 2009 in Fort Collins, CO, I watched Colorado State University Defensive End, Tommie Hill put on an outstanding performance in front of NFL Scouts. Here’s Tommie Hill’s measurables:

Height: 6’6”
Weight: 257 lbs
Vertical Jump: 35”
Broad Jump: 9’3.5”
225# Bench Rep: 23
40 Yard Dash: 4.74
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.32
3-Cone Drill: 7.17
60 Yard Shuttle: n/a

You can watch Tommie’s workout on youtube.com or by clicking on the link below.
Tommie Hill #91 Defensive End: NFL Pro Day Workout - Colorado State University
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQDc6ky_dg8

Three other Ikei Performance Athletes had stellar performances on their pro day workouts but I was unable to attend. Here are their measurables:

Tyler Grisham, WR - Clemson
March 24, 2009

Height: 5’10.5”
Weight: 185 lbs
Vertical Jump: 35”
Broad Jump: 9’6”
225# Bench Rep: n/a
40 Yard Dash: 4.43
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.10
3-Cone Drill: 6.60
60 Yard Shuttle: 11.29

Will Harding, DB – Fresno State
March 11, 2009

Height: 6’2”
Weight: 202 lbs
Vertical Jump: 36.5”
Broad Jump: 9’11”
225# Bench Rep: 19
40 Yard Dash: 4.46
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.12
3-Cone Drill: 6.93
60 Yard Shuttle: 11.28

Sharrod Davis, DB – Fresno State
March 11, 2009

Height: 5’10”
Weight: 185 lbs
Vertical Jump: 31”
Broad Jump: 9’10”
225# Bench Rep: 17
40 Yard Dash: 4.52
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.03
3-Cone Drill: 7.02
60 Yard Shuttle: 11.22

Five athletes are waiting for their opportunity to perform for NFL Scouts on April 2, 2009 in Carson, CA. Three athletes from the University of Hawaii: Josh Leonard-DT, Jacob Patek-S and Francis Maka-DE; University of Colorado Vaka Manupuna-DT; Oregon State University Jeremy Perry-OL will all get their chance to showcase their skills and make an impression on NFL Teams.

Stay tuned for a detailed wrap up of our 2009 Ikei Performance NFL Combine & Draft Preparation Training. See how hard these young men worked, the intensity, the dedication, the sacrifice, the discipline…see their progress of when they started to where they finished and what it takes to become a champion. Go to www.ikeiunderground.com

Adrian Wilson's 66-inch Hurdle Jump on Youtube Becomes Legendary

2009-01-29T23:01:00.016-07:00

Over 6.2 millions viewers have witnessed the now legendary 66-inch hurdle jump that Arizona Cardinals Safety, Adrian Wilson, easily cleared during his training at Ikei Performance. Who would have guessed that a friendly competition placed on youtube would have found its way to national TV recently being featured on NFL Live, Jim Rome's Burning and ESPN News. Thanks to the miraculous athleticism of Adrian Wilson and the outstanding performance of our Arizona Cardinals, this 19 second clip has become legendary amongst sports enthusiasts. If you haven't seen the video clip click here: Adrian Wilson's 66-inch Jump

I've had the privilege of working with Adrian since 2001 and have witnessed some of the most incredible feats of strength, speed and power. This young man is a very dedicated and motivated individual and continuously strives to make himself better as well as those around him. I would like to share with you some footage of how hard one of the best safeties in the NFL trains and to prove to the world that talent coupled with hard work is the formula for success as Adrian is living proof. Please take a moment to watch this video and pass it along to any young athlete that you believe would be inspired to exceed all expectations.

NFC Champions Arizona Cardinals Heading to Super Bowl XLIII – An Experience I Will Never Forget

2009-01-20T21:46:00.011-07:00

“SHOCK THE WORLD,” was a statement many people used but only a few truly believed. The Arizona Cardinals are the NFC Champions and will be heading down to Tampa for the 2009 Super Bowl XLIII. Ikei Performance would like to congratulate Aaron Francisco, Larry Fitzgerald, Adrian Wilson, Travis Laboy, Matt Ware, Taitusi “Deuce” Lutui, Gerald Hayes, Karlso Dansby, Elliot Vallejo and Antrel Rolle and wish them the best in the road to becoming Super Bowl Champions.

As the owner and founder of Ikei Performance, I’ve had the privilege to work with these players through the years and was extremely honored when Safety Aaron Francisco invited me to join him and his family to attend the NFC Championship Game. The festivities started off with a Kick-Off Luau at the Francisco Hale (house) on Saturday afternoon with great food, family and friends. Everyone got to the game on Sunday early to watch Francisco lead his team out to the coin toss at the beginning of the game as the Special Teams Captain. The Cardinals won the coin toss and the rest is history as they went on to become NFC Champions. Francisco had a great game finishing with 4 solo tackles and 1 interception. I would personally like to thank Aaron Francisco and his Ohana (family) for being a part of the Ikei Performance Ohana and appreciate sharing this wonderful moment with me.

This was an experience of a lifetime. I’ve competed at the national and world championships as well as Olympic Trials, attended every major professional sports game and have coached at some nail biting events, but the Cardinals win this past Sunday was something else. There’s something about the underdog going the extra distance when everyone counted them out and in the end pulling off the victory…that gets me pumped. I would like to share with you the craziness of how I felt on the final play of the game and witness what it was like standing in the stands when the final second ticked off the clock and the Cardinals was officially the NFC Champions heading to the Super Bowl. Click on the image to experience the intensity of the win.

Take a walk with me onto the field as Arizona Cardinals Safety Aaron Francisco celebrates the victory with his family during the NFC Championship Ceremony. Click on image to take a walk onto the field.

Ikei Performance Athletes represent Arizona in Offense-Defense All American Bowl

2008-12-27T16:18:00.004-07:00

January 2, 2009, Coastal Carolina University will welcome eighty-eight of the best high school seniors in the country to compete in the Offense-Defense All American Bowl. This prestigious all-star football game has provided numerous athletes opportunity to showcase their skills amongst the best in the country and produced countless NCAA and NFL greats throughout the years.

Ikei Performance is proud to announce that two of our athletes, Ryan Reardon and Caleve Deboskie, will be representing Arizona on the West Team. Ryan Reardon of Notre Dame Prep was selected as a Linebacker and has proven to be one of the top tacklers in the state as he helped lead his team to back-to-back State Championships. Caleve Deboskie of Chandler High was selected as a Wide Receiver and led his team with receiving yards this season. Both of these young men wasted no time after their seasons finished and immediately started training at Ikei Performance in preparation for the bowl game.

“I’m honored to have been selected to the O-D All American Bowl. This year was a great one for me, winning back-to-back state titles and now being able to represent the state of Arizona on National TV, I can’t wait to play” states Reardon. “I’ve worked hard all year long since the end of last season. I took the advice of what some of the scouts and college coaches have shared with me and put in the work to overcome my deficiencies. Now it’s time to lay it all out on the field.”

Caleve Deboskie is familiar with the High School All-star Games as his older brother Covaughn played in the Army All-American Game last year. “Last year I got to watch my brother play in his all-star game and told myself that I’m going to do everything possible to get invited to a bowl game as well” says Deboskie. After receiving his invite to the Offense-Defense All American Bowl Deboskie was pumped about playing stating “I’m extremely proud to be representing my school and the state of Arizona. I know this is a great opportunity for me to show my skills and ability against top level competition.”

“We are very proud of Ryan and Caleve. I think I got more excited than them when I received the news” remarks Chad Ikei, owner of Ikei Sports Performance, “both these boys exemplify what hard work and discipline can do for a young athlete. They dedicated their summers to improving their athletic ability. To make the sacrifices they made to improve their game says it all and both of them are very deserving of playing in this bowl game.”

Congratulations Ryan and Caleve and enjoy this moment as you play your final High School football game on National Television. All of us here at Ikei Performance are extremely proud of you and know you will both exceed all expectations.

Check out our boys play at the Offense-Defense All American Bowl live on Fox College Sports, Friday, January 2, 2009 kickoff at 5 pm EST.

Give Your Friends and Family the Invaluable Gift of Good Health

2008-12-19T12:22:00.003-07:00

This year, why not give something healthy and beneficial to a loved one? Why not give the gift of health? Living a healthy lifestyle is important, but sometimes challenging. Due to the tough economy, many Americans are facing financial hardships and have cut back on fitness memberships and many other things that aid in healthy living. With the help of Ikei Performance and the 30 minute Warrior Fitness Workout, you can give the gift of better health to friends and loved ones this holiday season, without breaking the bank.

The gift of health is something that you can give to virtually anyone-- from your parents, to your spouse, a friend, your siblings, even your children. Health and fitness go hand in hand, when you give someone the gift of fitness, you are helping them open a door to better health both physically and mentally. It is an invaluable gift that you will be proud to give.

Chad Ikei, Owner of Ikei Sports Performance had this to say “Giving someone the tools to feel better, look better and live healthier is a priceless gift. It shows that you care about their well being. In today’s society there are gyms and personal trainers everywhere but not everyone has the time or the funds to take advantage of it. The Warrior Workout program was designed with that in mind…it is fast, effective and very affordable.”

With the 30 minute Warrior Fitness Workout the “I just don’t have time” excuse is no longer valid. In just 30 minutes the Ikei Sports Performance team will have your friends and family on the road to better health and the physique they desire in no time. This intense and effective workout incorporates a mix of weight training, strongman training, athletic conditioning and plyometrics.

According to Kamalei Magnani, a trainer at the Ikei Sports Performance facility in Scottsdale, “The Warrior Fitness Workout is a fun and exciting way to lose weight or take your fitness training to the next level. Each 30 minute session is a full body workout that incorporates both cardio and strength training. Each session participants are challenged with something different to keep them motivated, like flipping tractor tires, pulling and pushing sleds, tossing medicine balls or lifting sand bags.”

Warrior Fitness Workout Classes are being offered Monday-Friday with morning classes at 6:30-7:00, 8:45-9:15 and evening class at 5:30-6:00. There is also a Saturday morning class from 8:45-9:15. Classes are open to everyone but limited to 12 participants per class. Monday-Friday morning 8:45-9:15 classes are exclusively for women. For more information on Warrior Workout packages, please call (480) 657-6937 or visit Ikei Sports Performance online at www.ikeiperformance.com.

About Ikei Performance
Ikei Performance is an exclusive sports & fitness training center that trains numerous professional, college and high school athletes as well as serious fitness enthusiasts. The private 9,300 square foot facility has an indoor field turf area, outdoor 3-lane 70 yard turf track, strength training area including Olympic lifting platforms and medical offices. Under the direction of 5-time National Weightlifting Champion and World Record Holder, Chad Ikei, the Ikei Performance team has proven time and time again to produce fast and effective results. Personal Training, Sports Performance Programs, Naturopathic Medicine, Chiropractic care, Active Release Technique, massage therapy and the Ikei Performance Nutritional Center are available to interested fitness enthusiasts, junior athletes as well as professional athletes in training. Visit Ikei Performance on-line at www.ikeiperformance.com.

Vote Travis Laboy for Defensive Player of the Week

2008-10-07T15:22:00.006-06:00

Ikei Performance Athlete and Arizona Cardinals defensive end Travis LaBoy, is a nominee for the GMC Sierra Defensive Player of the Week for games played on Oct. 5-6. Travis led the Cardinals defense with seven tackles and two sacks in the win against previously undefeated Buffalo Bills, 41-17. His performance currently gives him 4 sacks on the year and leads the team into next weeks game against the Dallas Cowboys. You can vote for Travis here at http://www.nfl.com/partner/story?id=09000d5d80b6ae35&partnerType=players-defense, select Travis Laboy and click “VOTE.” Voting will last until Thursday (October 9, 2008) at 4:00 p.m. ET to determine the GMC Sierra Defensive Player of the Week (you can vote as many times as you wish for Travis). The winner will be announced Thursday evening on NFL.com. After the regular season, five players will be nominated for GMC Sierra Defensive Player of the Year honors. Fans can vote for the winner on NFL.com/gmc throughout the month of January. Hurry and log in your vote for Travis today.

We encourage everyone to log onto www.travislaboy.com and click on the blue bubble and join the “Sack Pledge Program” to help tackle autism. A simple donation for every sack that Travis has this season will help The Travis Laboy Foundation – Supporting Autistic Causes for Kids (S.A.C.K.). Currently with 4 sacks under Travis’ belt a pledge of $1 would amount to a donation of $4 to benefit children with Autism. Let’s help Travis spread the word and tell everyone to visit www.travislaboy.com and make a pledge today.

You can also join the Ikei Performance Warrior Fitness Challenge as proceeds benefit S.A.C.K.

Over $1,000 in prizes will be awarded:
• 20 Free Personal Training Sessions
• Autographed NFL Football
• Authentic Autographed Arizona Cardinals #55 Travis Laboy Jersey
• 5-days of Sunfare personal gourmet meal delivery service

Help us spread the news in our efforts to “Level the playing field for children with autism.”

For more information on The Warrior Fitness Challenge, contact Chad Ikei at 480.657.6937 or via email at chad@ikeiperformance.com.

Article Video - Building a Champion, Phase 4: Power

2008-09-19T16:19:00.007-06:00

This is the fourth and final installment of a four part series on our unique and proven system for producing the very best athletes.

Four Phase Approach for Elite Athletes
Phase 1: Structural Phase
Phase 2: Functional Hypertrophy
Phase 3: Maximal Strength
Phase 4: Power

The final installment will be focused on maximizing force application dependent on time also known as power, Phase 4 - Power. This phase will focus on the components of applying the greatest amount of force in the quickest amount of time maximizing lower body power. It is important to follow the strict guidelines for the technique and rest intervals. Nutrition and supplementation, especially pre & post workout nutrition, plays a large role in building muscle. In this article we will be focusing on the exercise portion.

Power
At the end of the 12-week plan the focus is on developing power. Power is a product of both strength and speed. As most athletes, especially football players, need to make quick first moves or plow through defenders, this power component proves to be very useful. We accomplish the desired effect by using movements in the gym that focus on accelerating the weight as fast as possible and minimizing ground contact time. This is best achieved with Olympic Weightlifting movements, such as the power snatch or power clean and their derivatives and specific plyometric (jump training) drills. With this type of lifting the quality of the movement is of paramount importance, therefore we feel that it is necessary to take extra time to learn the technique of the lifts properly. Following many years of world-class competition as a weightlifter Chad Ikei has witnessed countless injuries caused by poor mechanics and inexperienced coaching of these highly technical movements. The coaches at Ikei Performance urge you to please consult with an experienced lifting coach if you plan on using these movements to help you evolve as an athlete.

Basic Guidelines
Don’t forget the importance of Tempo, Rest, Sets & Repetition. Please refer to Part 1 of this installment from the last issue. During the Power Phase the emphasis is on moving the weight as fast as possible while maintaining proper form. For the heavier athletes, the volume or reps may have to be lowered or adjust the number of sets due to the natural loads of body weight. This workout is not meant for conditioning so please allow for the proper length in rest intervals.

An individualized Program
This program is focused on improving hip extensor strength (lower back, glutes and hamstrings). Please note that the workout below is only 1 of 2 lower body programs our athletes perform in the weight room during the week and the entire program changes every 3 weeks. Our athletes will also be performing 2-4 days of energy system training through sprinting, agility drills, stadium stairs or strongman training to name a few, to enhance lower body conditioning and speed.

During this phase it is important for each athlete to choose the appropriate weight for each lift. These lifts require proper technique and can lead to injury if inappropriate weight selection and poor coaching is made. Before attempting this program it is advised to consult with a qualified professional. However, those of you who are qualified to perform these exercises remember this one phrase: “you will only get stronger when you lift heavier weights.” Select the appropriate weights and your goals should be to break your personal bests each time you workout.

A1) Power Clean & Split Jerk
Tempo = XXXX, rest = 0 sec, sets = 5, reps 2+2 (2+1 means perform 1 clean and 1 split jerk then repeat)
A2) Penta Jump
Tempo = XXXX, rest = 120 sec, sets = 5, reps 1 (5 consecutive broad jumps with minimal ground contact time, cover distance)

B1) Paused Db Squat Jumps
Tempo = X2XX, rest = 0 sec, sets = 4, reps 3
B2) Side-Side Knee Tuck Jumps
Tempo = XXXX, rest = 105 sec, sets = 4, reps 6 (jump for height each jump with 3 feet lateral distance)

C1) Backwards Mb Keg Toss
Tempo = XXXX, rest = 60 sec, sets = 3, reps 6 (use a mb approx 10% of bodyweight)
C2) Eccentric Floor Glute-Ham Raise
Tempo = 6-0-X-0, rest = 60 sec, sets = 3, reps 6

Note: The above exercises that are paired with an A1/A2 represents performing one exercise (A1) followed by the second exercise (A2) with the designated rest interval between each exercise. For more information on training programs, log onto www.ikeiperformance.com or email questions to info@ikeiperformance.com.

New Ikei Performance Warrior Fitness Workout Featured on 3TV

2008-08-14T18:14:00.006-06:00

Ikei Performance was once again featured on 3TV. Our new Warrior Fitness Workout Classes has been launched and the buzz is starting to catch on. Beverly Kidd of 3TV aired the segment last night on their Wednesday Weight Loss segment.

CLICK HERE to view the segment

You don’t have to be a Professional Athlete to train at Ikei Performance, you just need to have the heart and discipline of an athlete to challenge yourself to get better and make a lifestyle change. Our Warrior Fitness Workout Program is a fun and exciting way to lose weight and get in shape. We broke the mold of traditional fitness training and incorporated a mix of weight training, strongman training, athletic conditioning, plyometrics and more. Try flipping large tractor tires, dragging and pushing sleds, tossing heavy medicine balls, lifting sandbags, performing athletic agility movements, sprinting, jumping…the list goes on. Each day is something different and at the end of the workout you will feel a sense of accomplishment, not to mention exhausted.

Don’t be intimidated, classes are designed to fit each individual’s fitness level. “It’s not where you start that matters it’s where you finish,” so even if you are a beginner the objective is to finish with accomplishing your very own fitness goals.

The Ikei Performance Warrior Fitness Workout Classes are 30 minute sessions being offered Monday-Friday with morning classes at 6:30-7:00, 8:45-9:15 and evening class at 5:30-6:00. We will also be offering a Saturday morning class at 8:45-9:15. Classes are open to everyone but limited to 12 participants per class and our Monday-Friday morning 8:45-9:15 classes are exclusively for women.

If you would like to learn more on our Warrior Fitness Workout Classes please email info@ikeiperformance.com or call 480.657.6937.

Notre Dame Prep Linebacker Ryan Reardon Shares His Off-season Preparation with Ross Shimabuku on 3TV

2008-08-04T14:19:00.005-06:00

Since the beginning of April, Notre Dame Prep Linebacker Ryan Reardon has been focused on making an impact on his future. It all began the day he showed up at Ikei Performance for his first day of training. “I really want to continue playing football at the next level and know that I have to work extremely hard during the off-season. I’ve been to many camps and combines where coaches seem to like me but a lot of them tell me that I need to gain weight,” explains Reardon as he is being interviewed by 3TV’s Ross Shimabuku. “I heard about Ikei Performance through Covaughn Deboskie and saw what they did for him and his brother during their summer training, so I decided to make a commitment and train where I can be pushed to the next level.”

All it took was a simple phone call to arrange a meeting with Ikei Performance coaches and the rest is history. Since starting his training program at Ikei Performance Reardon bulked himself up to a solid 217 lbs from an end of season weight of 185 lbs. His strength, speed, agility and conditioning are at new highs. In fact, he went from running a 5.0 second 40-yard dash to a 4.67 second personal best. “The commitment and sacrifice that Ryan has made to himself shows the level of maturity this young man has. He trains at our facility 6 days a week and twice at day at times. It’s like his second home and we’re proud to have him as part of our Ikei Performance Family. He’s a talented athlete and will be a force to be reckoned with this football season,” comments Ikei Performance Owner Chad Ikei.

Click on the links below to view Ryan’s interview with 3TV Ross Shimabuku:

Ryan interview with 3TV Ross Shimabuku

Ryan challenges Ross Shimabuku in conditioning circuit

UFC Veteran Joe “Diesel” Riggs Wins RITC Main Event

2008-07-29T16:32:00.007-06:00

Congratulations to Ikei Performance Athlete Joe “Diesel” Riggs on his win over Matt Dempsey in the Middleweight Main Event at this past weekends Rage in the Cage held in Prescott, AZ. Read “Joe Riggs wins in RITC 112 main event” article on mmajunkie.com Veteran fighter Joe Riggs (28-10) picked up a victory -- his first in nearly 10 months -- at this past weekend's Rage in the Cage event. Riggs defeated Team Miletich fighter Matt Dempsey (1-1) with a rear-naked choke at 1:47 of the second round. The middlweight main event capped off Saturday's 20-fight "RITC 112" event at the Tim's Toyota Center in Prescott Valley, Ariz. The event drew an announced attendance of more than 4,000. Read entire article on mmajunkie.com…

Take a walk with Joe into the cage

Article Video - Building a Champion, Phase 3: Maximal Strength

2008-07-28T14:16:00.007-06:00

This is the third installment of a four part series on our unique and proven system for producing the very best athletes.

Four Phase Approach for Elite Athletes
Phase 1: Structural Phase
Phase 2: Functional Hypertrophy
Phase 3: Maximal Strength
Phase 4: Power

This third installment will be focused on increasing the athlete’s strength, Phase 3 – Maximal Strength. This phase will focus on increasing lower body strength with an introduction to improving lower body power. It is important to follow the strict guidelines for the technique and rest intervals. Nutrition and supplementation, especially pre & post workout nutrition, plays a large role in building muscle. In this article we will be focusing on the exercise portion.

Maximal Strength
If you were following our programs closely, you should now be in a stage where your lower body function is prepared for greater loading parameters. At the same time, you should have packed on a few pounds of lean muscle mass on your lower body (assuming you have been following proper nutritional guidelines). By manipulating key variables and selecting the proper exercises we are able to increase strength in the major muscle groups within a very short period of time. This phase is critical and is the foundation for the last phase in this 12-week plan in preparation for the power phase. Our athletes tend to put on an average of 40 lbs on their bench press, 80 lbs on their squat and 30 lbs in their power snatch. Please note that we are training our athletes to be the best in their particular sport, therefore, how much they lift in the gym is not our primary goal but as they improve their gym strength overall performance in the game is maximized.

Basic Guidelines
Don’t forget the importance of Tempo, Rest, Sets & Repetition. Please refer to Part 1 of this installment from the last issue. However, please note that the tempo of several exercises is designed to be explosive in nature with minimal or no eccentric loading. Also note that the rest intervals are longer which may seem more then one needs but the realization of neurological recuperation is our goal. It is also important during this phase to challenge the loading parameters by continuing to progressively overload the bar if you complete all the designated repetitions for the designated exercise.

An individualized Program
This program is focused on improving hip extensor strength (lower back, glutes and hamstrings). Please note that the workout below is only 1 of 2 lower body programs our athletes perform in the weight room during the week and the entire program changes every 3 weeks. Our athletes will also be performing 2-4 days of energy system training through sprinting, agility drills, stadium stairs or strongman training to name a few, to enhance lower body conditioning and speed.

During this phase it is important for each athlete to choose the appropriate weight for each lift. These lifts require proper technique and can lead to injury if inappropriate weight selection and poor coaching is made. Before attempting this program it is advised to consult with a qualified professional. However, those of you who are qualified to perform these exercises remember this one phrase: “you will only get stronger when you lift heavier weights.” Select the appropriate weights and your goals should be to break your personal bests each time you workout.

A) Power Snatch Tempo = XXXX, rest = 120 sec, sets = 5, reps 4

B) Inertia Half Squat Tempo = 3-2-1-0, rest = 120 sec, sets = 5, reps 3

C1) Barbell Low Box Step-up Tempo = 2-0-1-0, rest = 90 sec, sets = 3, reps 6
C2) Glut-Ham Raise Tempo = 3-0-1-0, rest = 90 sec, sets = 3, reps 6

D) Pendulum Db RDL Tempo = 3-0-1-0, rest = 90 sec, sets = 2, reps 8

Note: The above exercises that are paired with an C1/C2 represents performing one exercise (C1) followed by the second exercise (C2) with the designated rest interval between each exercise. For more information on training programs, log onto www.ikeiperformance.com or email questions to info@ikeiperformance.com. Our next installment will cover Phase 4: Power.

A Look Behind the Scenes of an MMA Fighter - Day 4-5 (Weigh-in)

2008-07-19T01:48:00.005-06:00

Thursday July 17, 2008
Up early as usual, but today is a great eating day for Edwin as this is his “carb loading day.” We’ve nailed his body down to a science where he feels “flat” after 3 days, so we timed his nutritional plan to carb load Thursday & Friday, so all his glycogen stores will be maximize by the time he steps into the ring. Ed’s body weight is right on point so he’ll heat a nice high carbohydrate breakfast followed with lot’s of water.

After breakfast we walked across the street to Best Buy to kill some time before the licensing briefing. Edwin spent extra time analyzing the big screen plasma’s while I looked at the tempting laptops. But after an hour of walking around we decided to head back to the hotel to prepare for the meeting.

Once again we sat in a room filled with MMA’s top fighters and the energy in the room greatly intensified from yesterday’s press conference. Guys that are cutting weight were getting impatient as we all sat in the room waiting one-by-one for the California Boxing Commission to brief each athlete and license every corner men. They obviously started from the top down with the main event fighters first then down to the swing bouts. Edwin is listed as bout number 5 so we had to wait for about 45 minutes before we were called up to certify. Once we got done it was time to go and put more carbs into Ed’s body so we headed upstairs and ordered room service as Ed took the time to take a quick power nap to revitalize before our last training session of the week.

After lunch and a nap Ed spent some quality time with his wife and son. “This is the best way for me to relax,” says Ed about spending time with his family. “Preparation for this fight is my priority, but my life is my family. I have the greatest wife and have been blessed with the pride of my life, Tycen (17 month old son). She understands exactly what I need and supports me in everything I do. There are many times that she keeps me on track and motivated when I lose my focus. Having them here is a way for me to get my mind of the fight and allow my body, mind and spirit be free.” Edwin & his family spent a brief time at the pool and Jacuzzi. “This is perfect, I get to spend time with my son, relax my muscles in the hot tub and my wife get’s to hang out by the pool. But we can’t be out here to long because Chad doesn’t want me in the sun for to long so I don’t get drained and my son get’s sunburned easily so it all works out.”

To see a young man have so much pride and unconditional love for his wife an family shows the maturity, strength and character behind this young man. As a coach this type of balance is necessary when developing a champion. Sometimes a coach has to cross that line and ask the question regarding the distractions a family can have on competition. I took that road with Edwin as soon as we started our game plan for the fight and realized that his strength comes from his family. Therefore we made sure that his family was going to be there for every workout possible up to the day he fights. However, Edwin also knows the importance of recovery and focus, therefore, although he is a true family man he and his family sleep in separate rooms until after the fight is done. This is a sign of discipline and will ensure success.

After family time, all fighters were scheduled to board the bus and head over to the Honda Center for a dress rehearsal for the media. We all met in the lobby and sat on the bus for about 30 minutes then the promoter came on the bus to notify us that the media was not ready for the dress rehearsal and would have to do it immediately after the weigh-ins tomorrow. So we jumped in the limo and had them take us to the No Limits MMA & Fitness Center for our last and final training session.

We had Ed do five six-minute rounds, 3 round of striking and 2 rounds of mat work. Edwin looked phenomenal, punches sharp, kicks hard and ground work is always exceptional. Some of the veteran fighters at the gym noticed Edwin in the gym and commented to me on how good he looked in every way. One fighter mentioned to me that he never new how explosive Edwin was and how fast his hands were. But almost every fighter I spoke to was impressed with how big and lean Edwin looked…he’s no longer a middleweight, look out light heavyweights because Edwin Dewees is going to be a name to be reckoned with in the near future.

After training we got back to the hotel and Edwin had to do 2 media interviews. The first was a radio interview which Edwin was joined by training partner Joe Riggs. This was by far the highlight of the day. Both these guys had everyone in the room balling with tears with stories upon stories. After about 25 minutes, we headed to the Television Talent Interview which was running behind so we decide to grab dinner first then return later.

We had the limo take us to Olive Garden, but right next to Olive Garden was a California Pizza Kitchen…one of Edwin’s favorites. So after asking permission from his coach (me) we headed to CPK for his carb loading dinner. Pizza? Yep, pizza. This was a huge boost for Edwin’s confidence for several reasons. First, usually during this time of the fight preparation Edwin would be barely moving from lack of nutrients from cutting all the weight he would usually lose. Secondly, pizza is a great cheat meal and to carb load (we experimented with this weeks before hand to see how his body would react and the response was very good). Finally, the emotional component of feeling satisfied through one of his senses, taste, is extremely gratifying and a good stress reliever. Although most scientific theory would consider this bad, the practical application of this results are unarguable.

Once we were done with dinner and Edwin was feeling happy with his meal selection we headed back to the hotel for the TV Talent interview. There we sat with legendary MMA Referee “Big” John McCarthy, MMA Fighter Frank Trigg (who Ed fought) and Jay Glazer. They asked Edwin question after question regarding his training, game plan, opponent, his thoughts on the organization and the fight. After 15 minutes of joking, laughing and serious talk we called it a night and headed back to the room. By this time it was 9:30 pm and time to settle down.

We headed to my room to review the training session today and go over the game plan for tomorrow’s weigh-in. We are right on track with weight and should only have to spend minimal time in the sauna tomorrow to make weight, but we won’t have to starve himself nor completely dehydrate his body. Edwin has been extremely disciplined and making weight should not be an issue.

Tomorrow is the big day, we have less than 2 days until the fight and preparation is almost over…then comes competition…battle…WAR! I hope Nogueira is ready for the fight of his life, because Dewees is going to be bringing it.

Friday July 18, 2008
I allowed Edwin sleep in a little longer than usual to minimize the time that he would have to starve & dehydrate himself through out the day. However, he is only 10 pounds overweight (215 lbs) from the night before so he should wake-up at around 5-6 pounds over first thing in the morning. After his wake-up call, we head downstairs to the weight check room and he weighs in at exactly 210 lbs. This is at 9:00 am which means he has enough time to eat breakfast and drink a little water before we head over to the sauna to drop the remaining weight.

Unfortunately the hotel does not have a sauna so we had to head over to a nearby LA Fitness to use their sauna. As we started to head over to LA Fitness by foot-mobile, Mike Whitehead and his entourage was heading that way as well so they offered us a ride and we all piled into his pick-up truck all 10 of us. The entire back of the truck was full of training equipment and luggage so 3 people had to sit on the open tailgate of the truck as we drove along the road. Luckily we didn’t get stopped by law enforcement or lose anyone to a quick turn or bump in the road…but hey, their tough guys so I’m sure they’d be alright if they fell out onto the road.

We got to LA Fitness in one piece but realized they only had a wet sauna (steam room). This is not the best method to lose the water weight necessary as compared to a dry sauna, but this is all they had so we made due. After an hour and a half of shadow boxing in the sauna and being wrapped up in blankets and towels like a mummy, we got down to our desired weight, but wasn’t exactly sure if we were accurate because they didn’t have a calibrated scale so we had to use a home bathroom scale that we had approximated the difference between the official scale and the bathroom scale. By this time it was 12:45 pm and we had to head back over to the hotel to get ready to board the bus for the Honda Center for the official weigh-ins that was scheduled to leave at 1:30 pm.

Well, Edwin was feeling a little exhausted and the walk back to the hotel wasn’t going to happen because he felt like passing out, so I had to waive down some people to hitch a ride back to the hotel. We tried calling a cab but it was a 30 minute wait which would be cutting it close. So after a few shutdowns from not so friendly people, one helpful young man agreed to give us a ride. He looked a little worried at first because there were 6 of us that stoop up when he said he’ll give me a ride back, but he only had room for 3 so Edwin, myself and Joe Riggs jumped in the car while the other guys walked back to the hotel. The guy was still a little edgy but who wouldn’t be when you got 2 scary guys in the back seat that beat people up for a living.

When we got back to the hotel, someone removed the scale for us to recheck Edwin’s weight with the calibrated scale so I was a little upset but could do nothing about it so we just cleaned Edwin up and then got into the bus which took us to the Honda Center. Once we got to the Honda Center, there were over a thousand fans on hand to witness these warriors weigh-in for their respective weight divisions.

First we checked in and was escorted to the waiting room where all athletes hung out waiting for the pre-fight medical evaluation and anti-doping testing. This was a long waiting process for Edwin and all fighters that had to cut weight. We sat around for about 2 hours before finally being called out to weigh-in.

Once Edwin’s name was called by the usher, we were escorted to the main stage where the official scale stood in front of the media and thousand screaming fans. This was it, all the hard work to get down to 205 is now going to be official. It was amazing, the voice of Michael Buffer called out “Babyface Edwin Dewees of Scottsdale, Arizona.” The crowed went crazy people screaming as Edwin stepped forward onto the scale. Edwin stood still as flashes from camera’s went off. Man he looked chiseled, a lean muscular fighter stood in front of the MMA world to show them that he is not to small to fight at 205, in fact he dwarfed Nogueira in muscularity. Buffer loudly spoke out the official weight of Edwin “205 pounds.” After Nogueira was called up to weigh which he weighed in at 205 pounds as well, both fighters stood at a face off which you could see a slight height difference going to Nogueira but Edwin looked much more muscular and leaner of the two. He did it, we were right on point and half the battle was done. I have to admit, as his coach a sigh of relief was let out as I could feel a bit of the pressure as well.

Check out the video of Edwin’s weigh in click on the links here:

http://www.afflictionclothing.com/banned_july19/

http://www.mma-core.com/videos/_Affliction__Banned_Weight_In__2_2_?vid=10000878&tid=107

As soon as Edwin walked off the stage he already had a water bottle in hand and gulped it up with out a breath. Bottle after bottle with some electrolytes and amino acids helped rehydrate and revitalize Edwin’s depleted body. He also didn’t waste time stuffing down a turkey sandwich in a blink of an eye. With a big smile on Edwin’s face he turned to me and says “thanks coach, we did it.” Words to my ears, but in reality it was Edwin that did it and I’m very proud of his accomplishment.

We had a huge surprise at the weigh-ins. Donald Trump stopped by the weigh-ins to help announce the main event fighters. Mr. Trump is involved with Affliction and will be a huge impact on the sport with his presence. It was pretty cool to see the business man himself at an MMA Fight weigh-in, but the man came straight off the golf course ( he still had his spikes on) to take part in the event. To me it was a huge treat as Mr. Trump has accomplished so much as an entrepreneur and business man, and has helped motive myself to pursue my business goals.

After a long and drawn out weigh-in the fighters had to perform a dress rehearsal of how the event is going to run for television. By the time we got out of the Honda Center it was time for dinner but Edwin was behind on meals so it was basically a late lunch. So we headed to TGI Fridays where he got to eat a satisfying meal of his choice…buffalo boneless chicken with fries. Well, he didn’t eat one serving…he ate 2 plates full. Once again a smile on his face from ear to ear. We headed back to the hotel to settle down and watch more video’s. Next thing we know it was time to eat dinner and back to a high carb meal to prepare for tomorrow.

What a long day for a fighter, but once it’s over now the real battle is only a “sleep away.” Tomorrow we prepare for battle, from the time we wake up until Michael Buffer calls out to Edwin “Let’s get ready to RUMMMMMMMMMBLE!”

A Look Behind the Scenes of an MMA Fighter - Day 1-3

2008-07-17T00:26:00.009-06:00

Professional Strength & Conditioning Coach Chad Ikei goes behind the scenes with Mixed Martial Arts Fighter Edwin “Bam Bam” Dewees at the Affliction-Banned event in Anaheim, CA. Coach Ikei will periodically report on the daily events a fighter goes through the week leading up to the fight.

Introduction
I’ve been a strength coach for over 10 years and have worked with all forms of athletes from the professional to the beginner. But never have I witnessed such intense individuals as MMA fighters. The hours of work needed to put into developing their skills is astronomical, but then you have to add in their strength training, conditioning and recuperative training…now you’re talking about training as a lifestyle. As this sport continues to grow you will see less and less of the old school mentality of running miles and miles to get in shape and performing thousands and thousands of kicks and punches to build fighting endurance. The game is changing and you will see more explosive, stronger and conditioned athletes that can go round after round, making the world of fighting sports exciting and wanting more.

When I was asked by Edwin to travel with him and help work his corner during the fight it was an honor and privilege for me to accompany him. As I drove home after our final training session that evening I thought about how exciting this moment would be for Edwin and myself, being a part of one of the biggest MMA fight cards ever, so I called Edwin and said if it was alright with him I’d like to keep a simple journal of the events that go on behind the scenes of an MMA fight. Edwin agreed and thought it would be fun to educate the fans on the challenge during the week of the fight. So we begin our journey 5 days before the actual fight takes place and I’ll keep updates on each day. Hope our readers enjoy “A Look Behind the scenes of an MMA Fighter.”

Sunday July 13, 2008
All the training has been done and now we have the toughest battle ahead…the waiting game. This is the hardest part of the training program, mental preparation. Insecurities can haunt an athlete during this period of the program. Questions like “Have I done enough cardio? Did I work my ground game enough? Are my hands quick enough? Am I strong enough?” the list can go on and on if you are not confident in your preparation. Even when you are confident in your training, the down time can drive an athlete crazy because you go from training 4-6 hours a day to 1-3 hours tops, the week of competition. Then you have the battle of making weight for those athletes that have to cut to their respective weight classes, which majority of the fighters have to do if they are not in the heavyweight division. Some athletes will drop 40 pounds to make a specific weight class and some of them will do it with minimal time (2-3 weeks).

I have instructed Edwin to wake up at his usual time 6:30 am to keep his internal clock consistent as his daily training routine. This is a day for him to spend with his family and try to focus as much as possible on being a husband and father. However, I did request that he take 90 minutes to roll around, break a sweat, get loose and perform his visualization training. He also has a scheduled power nap between 30-50 minutes sometime after lunch. I think he must have called me between 8-10 times that day and exchanged countless text messages in anticipation for an early morning flight from Phoenix to LA.

As night fall comes around, Edwin once again is instructed to keep on his sleeping pattern and go to bed no later then 10:30 pm. He is reminded to pack all his fighting essentials, as it is common for an athlete to be “in the zone” during the week of the fight and completely forget what to pack and were they need to be. In fact, Edwin calls me at 9:30 pm at night and tells me that he had to run to the store to purchase some groceries for his wife and doesn’t remember what store he went and how he got there and back, as his mind was focused on his fight and his strategies. This is a good sign…thankful he got home safely, but inspiring to know how focused he is going into the fight.

Monday July 14, 2008
Edwin and I are scheduled for an early flight leaving Phoenix at 7:20 am, therefore, Edwin needs to leave his house at 5:30 am to get him there in time for check-in as his commute is 30 minutes away from the airport. That means he had to wake up at 5:00 am in order to make breakfast and eat it in the car ride to the airport.

Edwin and I meet up at the airport and are given VIP treatment through one of his teammates wife who works with the airlines. Our bags are checked and we get to the gate with plenty of time to spare. During the flight several MMA fans come up to Edwin to ask for autographs and pictures which he kindly oblige.

From the moment we arrive (8:45 am), we are greeted by an Affliction representative who takes our bags and brings us directly from the airport to the medical facilities where Edwin will go through a comprehensive medical evaluation. This was a long day for Edwin and myself.

We drive for 45 minutes through LA traffic to San Pedro Medical Center to visit with Affliction’s medical team. Edwin checks in and has to fill out a ton of medical papers, not the normal medical visit paperwork the average person fills out, but pages upon pages of documents. We then are sent on a wild goose hunt from one office to another to get his blood drawn, we literally had to walk from one building past 4 other buildings to another complex up the stairs just to get his blood drawn, then walk back to the main office. Then we were sent to another building where Edwin had to have an eye screening, which included getting his eyes dilated. It was back to the main office and then sent to a third building to have a physical and neurological screening. Finally, we went to the fourth building to perform an EKG to ensure his heart was in functional condition…which it was with a pulse rate of 41 beats per minute after a brief warm-up.

By the time we were done with all the medical evaluations it was 2:30 pm and all Edwin had to eat was breakfast. We were then shuttled to the Affliction Clothing warehouse where we were like 2 kids in a candy store. Boxes and boxes of Affliction Clothing was everywhere stacked to the ceiling. The executive staff came out to introduce themselves to Edwin and then one of the owners came down to show Edwin around and made sure Edwin and myself were taken care of with Affliction Clothing. This was incredible, all the new Affliction gear and we could pick out what we wanted…it was like Christmas in July. The people here were incredibly nice.

After we stocked ourselves up with Affliction gear, we were taken to the hotel (Doubletree) where Edwin had to check-in and pick-up his perdiem money along with his information welcome packet. By this time we were starving and went to eat a late lunch at 4:30 pm. Edwin’s weight is right on target so he will continue to refeul his body as needed. After our late lunch we return to the hotel for a quick power nap, 20 minutes tops. At 8:00 pm we grap a snack for Edwin and head over to LA Fitness to get a quick strength training workout in before the night is over. We then grab some dinner on the way back to the hotel and shut it down a little late at 11:30 pm.

Tuesday July 15, 2008
Edwin receives my wake up call at 7:30 am an hour later then usual since we went to bed a little late. We get downstairs and check his weight before we head to the hotel restaurant. As we enter the restaurant we see Pedro Rizzo eating with his corner men. Edwin and I try to keep to ourselves as he is not here to socialize and make friends but to go to battle, so we get a table in the corner and quietly eat breakfast. We head back upstairs to our room and go over his sparring the weeks before to review his game plan and prepare for his training session in the afternoon.

After 2 hours of watching film, we take a walk over to the mall to take a mental break from the fight. We have fun people watching and enjoy a nice sushi lunch at The Block at Orange Mall. We then spend some time reading some books at Borders before we head back to the hotel to meet up with teammate and corner man Joe Riggs.

At 5:30 pm we head over to No Limits MMA & Fitness Center to do some mitt work and grappling. Edwin and Joe go at it for 75 minutes. Edwin’s hands are looking crisp and powerful and his ground game is explosive. On the way back to the hotel we stop to get some dinner. Back at the hotel we head down to the Jacuzzi and pool to do some contrast heat and cold training. By this time Edwin is relaxed and ready for bed. Tomorrow we have a long day with the media as a press conference is scheduled for 9-12 pm for all fighters and corner men. That means we need to be up early eat breakfast and get loose before we leave for the hotel.

Wednesday July 16, 2008
We were up and eating breakfast by 7:45 am. Edwin’s weight is right on track and he can eat consistently without starving himself like his usual fights at 185. All fighters and corner men were in the lobby to board the bus by 9:15am. It was a typical LA traffic driving experience as we rode in the bus for over an hour and a half to get to the Century Plaza Hotel in Beverly Hills. However, it was very entertaining as we got to sit and exchange stories with Tim Sylvia and Mike Whitehead during the commute. Both guys were hilarious and nice people.

Upon arrival at Century Plaza it was a media frenzy for all the MMA fighters. Photographers, TV cameras and fans were there to greet the fighters. As both buses were unloaded, many of them were stopped by fans for autographs and pictures which everyone seemed to enjoy.

A first class press conference was held and what an amazing event this fight is going to be. There sat some of the best MMA fighters in history and they all will be fighting on one card. All 22 fighters were introduced and one by one they came up and gave a brief speech in front of the cameras. Every single athlete new this was a special event and gave thanks and praise to the Affliction family for putting together such a great event and stated that they each will put on a performance like no other event has done before. The excitement and anticipation was deep and could feel the energy building with each athlete that approached the podium. By the time Fedor and Sylvia approached the microphone every media person in there jumped up and started snapping picture after picture.

After this long yet exciting press conference was over, we took our starving bodies to eat a late lunch at 2:45 pm. We then headed back to No Limit MMA & Fitness Center for an hour long training session for Edwin. Joe Riggs who is Edwin’s long time training partner and close friend helped put Edwin through some mitt work as well as focused on explosive kicks. Ed and Joe finished up their workout with some grappling and submission techniques. At the end, I took Edwin through 30 minutes of some flexibility work, opening his hips and posterior chain. By the end of the session it was time to head back to the hotel for a shower and then off to dinner.

We had planned to go to the movie theatre but after dinner Edwin didn’t feel like going as he felt his body was feeling a little flat, so we decided to stay in the hotel and go over his strategy and review footage of his training and opponent. After an hour’s worth of analyzing film, Edwin wanted to settle down and watch one of the movies on TV, so we tuned in and watched Will Smith’s “I am Legend.” A great movie and a nice way to end the evening.

Tune if for more updates as the week continues…the show is only 3 days away with weigh-ins 2 days and counting.

Ikei Performance Athlete Edwin “Bam Bam” Dewees prepares to fight July 19, 2008 at Affliction-Banned

2008-07-15T17:10:00.008-06:00

It has been a grueling month for Ikei Performance Mixed Martial Arts Athlete, Edwin “Bam Bam” Dewees. After a dominating first round win and being crowned the Heavyweight Champion at the No Limits Fighting Championships back in late April, Dewees received a phone call from promoters of the newly formed Affliction-Banned. With a last minute notification from the events promoter, Dewees took on this fight with only 5 weeks notice. Affliction Clothing has become one of the hottest clothing apparel on the market and is now organized one of the most stacked fight cards in MMA history.

“It is a huge honor to have been given the opportunity to compete at one of the biggest fights in MMA history. I’ve been working extremely hard and am ready to show my skills to the world that I belong here amongst the best in the industry. I’ve changed my entire life over the past 4 months since training with Ikei Performance and have prepared myself in every aspect of the game: mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually,” remarks Dewees.

For the past month, Dewees has been training on another level. “Edwin has taken on a whole new approach to his game plan. He has always been a talented fighter, but had never had a team as solid as he does today. With the Lion’s Den behind his MMA Skills and Ikei Performance pushing his intensity during his strength and conditioning the world of MMA is in for a rude awakening. A lot of people are questioning the match-up between Edwin and Nogueira, saying Ed’s to small to fight at light heavy weight. Well, most of the MMA world hasn’t seen the new and improved Edwin Bam Bam Dewees. Just tune in to the Fox Sports Net portion of the fight and see for yourself,” comments Edwin’s Strength & Conditioning Coach, Chad Ikei.

According to Ikei, Dewees has been training intensely between 4-6 hours every day. “For the past month we have laid out a calendar for Edwin to follow from the time he wakes up to the time he goes to bed. We have every meal laid out for him, every training session mapped out and even down to his nap times. MMA is one of the most physically demanding sports in the world, therefore we must prepare Edwin for extreme conditions. Our program has a strong emphasis on developing his functional strength and power, but a lot of time is spent on his ability to tolerate work at high loads for long duration. The average human being would not even come close to what Edwin does day in and day out. In fact, I’ve had several of my NFL Athletes go through modified (scaled down) version of Ed’s conditioning program and they struggle to finish the program. It just goes to show how well conditioned Ed is for this fight. When he started our program Edwin was fat at 18.8% and now only several weeks later he's down to 8.81%, he lost over 24 pounds of useless body fat and packed on over 12 pounds of functional muscle. He's completely prepared for the fight in all forms of the game.”

Dewees recalls some of the more interesting training methods that Ikei utilizes to prepare him for his battle, “He tried to drown me. No kidding, the guy is crazy he literally tried to drown me. He had me wear a 40 pound vest in his pool that is 8 feet deep, go to the bottom of the pool and grab a 55 lb kettle bell, make me lift it several times, put it down and throw punches all while holding my breath under water. Oh yeah, not to mention I had to wear a mask so I could only breath through my mouth. If that’s not enough, he decides to jump in the pool with me and tries to choke me out while I’m under the water too. Then when I try to come up for air he pushes or pulls me back under the water. He has me do this for over half an hour. I’m serious Ikei is crazy, but it works because I feel great. In fact, today at the pre-fight medical evaluation my resting pulse was 41 beats per minute which really impressed the doctor especially because that was after jumping around and shadow boxing for 5 minutes.”

Edwin’s training program is very unconventional. The use of large tractor tires, sledgehammers, sand bags, chains, bands, ropes…the list goes on according to Dewees. “Just when you think you’ve seen it all, Ikei comes up with some crazy exercise that I’ve never seen or even imagined. I sometimes ask him if he just sits down and dream about developing crazy exercises. But every time I perform each exercise I can truly feel the benefits of the program, even my teammates notice the difference.”

Ikei chuckles at the fact Dewees calls him crazy, “it’s a compliment.” Actually it’s the second greatest compliment, the first being the results his athletes get from the program. “I love what I do and as a coach it’s not about me, my program or how crazy an exercise is, it’s about them, my athletes. I’m here to help guide them to the next level. They’re the ones doing all the work, putting in the hours, grinding through the pain and coming back over and over again to get themselves better. All I’m doing is providing structure, balance and support for them to believe in themselves and their ability to become the best. My philosophy for every athlete is that if they give me 100% effort, discipline and honesty, I will always step forward and accept the blame for my athletes failures and step back and allow them acknowledgement upon their success. So when Edwin‘s hand is raised as the champion that will be my biggest compliment.”

So don’t miss this opportunity to witness one of the greatest fight cards in MMA history. Coming this Saturday, July 19 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA the popular clothing line Affliction Clothing is hosting Affliction: Banned. There are 11 fights scheduled on this fight card with the main event of the evening between Fedor Emelienenko vs. Tim Sylvia for the Heavyweight Championship Title. Fight card: Andrei Arlovski vs. Ben Rothwell, Josh Barnett vs. Pedro Rizzo, Matt Lindland vs. Fabio Negao, Renato Sobral vs. Mike Whitehead, Mike Pyle vs. JJ Ambrose, Aleksander Emelienenko vs. Paul Buentello, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Edwin Dewees, Vitor Belfort vs. Terry Martin, Ray Lizama vs. Justin Levens, Savant Young vs. Mark Hominick. There will be 2 fights aired on Fox Sports Net (FSN) which Edwin Dewees is scheduled to fight, the main event along 4 other fights will be aired live on Pay-Per View. Visit the website at http://www.afflictionclothing.com/banned_july19/fight_card.php

Ikei Performance Athletes Attends 301st Military Intelligence Battalion Mobilization Ceremony

2008-07-09T08:59:00.003-06:00

Ikei Performance Athletes were present at the Mobilization Ceremony for the 301st Military Intelligence Battalion held Tuesday July 8, 2008 at the Arizona National Guard’s Armory. Over 100 brave men and women will be deployed for one year to Southwest Asia in support of the Global War on Terror. Governor Janet Napolitano as well as many other Arizona leaders was on site to bid farewell and a safe return to these warriors. Ikei Performance Athletes Travis Laboy (Arizona Cardinals), Scott Peters (Arizona Cardinals), JD Runnels (Chicago Bears) and 6-time World Kick Boxing Champion Rick “Jet” Roufus (Lion’s Den) was there to support the troops and wish them farewell with pictures and autographs.

Ikei Performance is honored to be a part of the 301st Military Intelligence Battalion Mobilization Ceremony and wish all the troops and their families a warm Aloha and will pray for their safe return. We thank all our brave military warriors for protecting our country, families and freedom.

ARTICLE VIDEO - Building a Champion, Phase 2: Functional Hypertrophy

2008-07-08T23:36:00.004-06:00

Building a Champion one Phase at a time Part 2 – Functional Hypertrophy Phase

This is the second installment of a 4 part series on our unique and proven system for producing the very best athletes.

Four Phase Approach for Elite Athletes
Phase 1: Structural Phase
Phase 2: Functional Hypertrophy
Phase 3: Maximal Strength
Phase 4: Power

In this second installment we will be focusing on increasing lean muscle mass, Phase 2 - The Functional Hypertrophy Phase. This phase will focus on increasing lower body mass (specifically hip extensors) with an introduction to improving leg strength. It is important to follow the strict guidelines for the technique and rest intervals. Nutrition and supplementation, especially pre & post workout nutrition, plays a large role in building muscle. In this article we will be focusing on the exercise portion.

Phase 2 - Functional Hypertrophy The increase in functional lean muscle mass and strength will help you to minimize injuries later in the season, due to the more solid structure surrounding joints, tendons, and other tissues. Most athletes fear gaining too much muscle mass because they believe that they will lose range of motion (flexibility/mobility) and speed. By executing optimal range of motion with each exercise and supplementing strength training with an intelligent stretching protocol as well as sports specific practices, we have found that this misconception is irrelevant. At the same time, as we prepare our athletes through each phase their relative strength improves which allows every athlete to generate a greater amount of force with each stride, actually improving an athletes speed, even at a heavier body weight.

Basic Guidelines Don’t forget the importance of Tempo, Rest, Sets & Repetition. Please refer to Part 1 of this installment.

An individualized Program
This program is focused on improving hip extensor strength (lower back, glutes and hamstrings). Please note that the workout below is only 1 of 2 lower body programs our athletes perform in the weight room during the week and the entire program changes every 3 weeks. Our athletes will also be performing 2-4 days of energy system training through sprinting, agility drills, stadium stairs or strongman training to name a few, to enhance lower body conditioning and speed.

A1) 1 ¼ Back Squat Tempo = 4-0-1-0, rest = 90 sec, sets = 4, reps 6-8
A2) Lying Leg Curl Tempo = 4-0-1-0, rest = 90 sec, sets = 4, reps 6-8

B1) Snatch Grip High Pull Tempo = XXXX, rest = 10 sec, sets = 3, reps 4-6
B2) Dynamic Barbell Lunges Tempo = 2-0-1-0, rest = 90 sec, sets = 3, reps 6-8 (alternating each leg)

C) Weighted Back Extension Tempo = 3-0-1-2, rest = 90 sec, sets = 3, reps 8-10

Note: The above exercises that are paired with an A1/A2 represents performing one exercise (A1) followed by the second exercise (A2) with the designated rest interval between each exercise. For more information on training programs, log onto www.ikeiperformance.com or email questions to info@ikeiperformance.com. Our next installment will cover Phase 3: Maximal Strength.

Lion's Den Scottsdale Introduces Mixed Martial Arts to Little League Baseball Team

2008-06-16T18:44:00.007-06:00

The newly opened elite mixed martial arts academy, The Lion's Den, hosted a free mixed martial arts clinic for the East Scottsdale Little League Baseball Players this past Saturday from 4:00-5:30pm,the event was sponsored by Ikei Performance. UFC Veteran Edwin "Bam Bam" Dewees demonstrated different mixed martial arts techniques with young athletes ages 7-12 years old. These young baseball players got a taste of what it's like being in the cage and grappling with their opponent. The day included individual grappling matches, fitness challenges, conditioning training and ended in an autograph session and picture taking.

All the participants enjoyed sharing the experience with their teammates and Edwin loved the spirit of these young players. "It's amazing how much these young kids can absorb and how quickly they learn. I love coaching them because they have so much passion and energy, to watch them perform the moves that they learn and put it to use right away is awesome. I think mixed martial arts is a fun way to get kids out of the house and exercise, at the same time they also learn self-defense, not to mention self-confidence," says Dewees.

The Lion's Den Scottsdale offers several youth classes during the week from 4:30-5:30 pm. To learn more about the Lion's Den and their "Lion's Cub" Programs visit www.lionsdenaz.com or call 480.941.LION.

Personal Training and sports conditioning classes are also available at the Lion's Den through Ikei Performance.

Ikei Performance Develops Hawaii’s High School Strength & Conditioning Program

2008-06-11T11:10:00.007-06:00

Kamehameha High School Football (Kapalama Campus) has recently agreed to incorporate the training services of Ikei Performance in preparation for the 2008-09 season. Ikei Performance Founder and Owner Chad Ikei was born and raised on the island of Oahu, Hawaii and represented Team Hawaii Weightlifting in many National Championships which he brought home five gold medals back to the island. “I wouldn’t be at where I am today or have accomplished the things I have if it wasn’t for my island home. Hawaii has provided me with so much support, encouragement and opportunities. The people, the culture, just the island life itself are imbedded in my heart and I carry that where ever I go. Now that I have the opportunity to give back to the island that has given me so much, it’s a huge honor,” states Ikei as he reminisces the past.

Hawaii is known for producing many top professional athletes in sports such as football, baseball, soccer and volleyball not to mention many Olympians through the years. Ikei understand what potential Hawaii has when it comes to producing great athletes, “We have so many athletes that can move on to play at the next level here in Hawaii. But as a former Hawaii athlete myself it is easy to get side tracked of your goals. The distractions of the beach, commitment to help family, insecurities of leaving friends, differences in culture and one of the biggest obstacles, leaving the island causes many young athletes to fall short of success. My goal as a coach is to not only bring our strength & conditioning program to Kamehameha but to provide knowledge and insight of what obstacles every elite athlete faces and hope to encourage them to accept the challenge and go for it. Maybe because I’ve been in their shoes and I currently train many of Hawaii’s NFL players that one of them may listen, take initiative to lead by example and soon enough more will follow.”

According to Head Football Coach, David Stant, the athletes seem to be responding well to the program, “I’ve noticed a change in energy and have seen more kids motivated to train. In our most recent combine testing we had kids that were running 4.7-4.8 (seconds) drop their forty time down to 4.5-4.6 (sec), we even had one athlete run a sub 4.4. I’m very excited and pleased to have Chad Ikei as part of our program and look forward to what the kids will learn during the summer.”

Only time will tell what will come out of the program, but for now it seems as if success is starting to brew in the kettle. But for Ikei success is simple, “Not often does a head football coach reach out to another coach to ask for assistance, but coach Stant went above and beyond to help his team. This in itself is proof of a successful program. Sure winning games is of utmost importance, but understanding what tools to use to maximize your program is a sign of a great coach. As for me, I feel as if I’m being rewarded. It’s like hitting 2 birds with one stone, I get to give back to my island home but most of all I get to come HOME to do it.”

Pomaika’i Kamehameha

Ken Shamrock Opens Lion’s Den Scottsdale and selects Elite Fight Team

2008-06-09T12:17:00.019-06:00

“The Legend” himself, Ken Shamrock, one of the most decorated and feared fighters in Mixed Martial Arts history was in Scottsdale, AZ to open his newest Lion’s Den Academy. Over 700 interested athletes and fans were on hand to witness the Grand Opening of the Lion’s Den Scottsdale location. The elite mixed martial arts academy has over 8,000 square feet of space for grappling, muay thai, boxing, brazilian jiu jitsu, kick boxing, strength training and sports conditioning. Included in the academy is a full fight cage as well as boxing ring. Ikei Performance has teamed up with the Lion’s Den and will be running their sports conditioning classes as well as offer the Elite Personal Training Sessions to all Lion’s Den members and surrounding community. Ken and the Lion’s Den Coaches also held an Elite Team tryout for select spots on the Lion’s Den Fight Team. This was an intense day of training for all individual participants. The grueling five hour session included evaluations in all aspects of Mixed Martial Arts as well as live MMA elimination matches. At the end of the day only 6 fighters showed the appropriate qualifying standards necessary to be named to the Lion’s Den Elite Team, joining Edwin Dewees, Joe Riggs and Rick Roufus. During the Grand Opening week, Ken Shamrock and his Lion’s Den Coaches invited local Police and Fire Department officers to experience some of “The Legends” grappling and submission techniques. The week also offered the public to observe demonstrations from UFC Veterans Joe “Diesel” Riggs and Edwin “Bam Bam” Dewees, as well as Kick Boxing World Champion Rick Roufus. With great success the Lion’s Den is now open the to community and is offering classes throughout the day in kick boxing, boxing, muay thai, grappling, brazilian jiu jitsu and sports conditioning. The Den also offers youth classes and personal training one-on-one/partner/group sessions. LION’S DEN SCOTTSDALE 2954 N. Hayden Road Scottsdale, AZ 85251 480.941.LION (Ikei Performance located inside the Lion’s Den) Check out some of the action from the Lion’s Den Grand opening week in the photo’s and video’s below: FACILITY PICTURES: POLICE & FIRE SUBMISSION DEMONSTRATION LION'S DEN COACHES DEMONSTRATION

ARTICLE VIDEO - Building a Champion, Phase 1: Structural Phase

2008-05-31T23:50:00.009-06:00

Building a Champion one Phase at a time Part 1 – Structural Phase

This is the first installment of a 4 part series on our unique and proven system for producing the very best athletes.

Four Phase Approach for Elite Athletes
Phase 1: Structural Phase
Phase 2: Functional Hypertrophy
Phase 3: Maximal Strength
Phase 4: Power

In this first installment we will be focusing on the introduction phase (Phase 1) of our program, the Structural Phase. A sample Lower Body Program will be introduced with proper exercise technique for you to put to use immediately. Prepare yourself for the next level of training and the highest level of success.

Phase 1: Structural Phase
Initially, an evaluation of the individual athlete is performed to determine their strengths, weakness and structural imbalances of their body. It is very common in most athletes to find weaknesses with shoulder (rotator cuff) and hip extensor strength, flexibility, ankle stability, knee traction, and upper back posture. After the assessment is performed and the athlete’s performance goals determined, along with body composition and history of strength training, an individualized three week program is developed focusing on improving the weakest links. By doing so, we are able to minimize the injuries associated with that particular weak link. You may have heard the saying, “your only as strong as your weakest link”, well this applies quite well to the realm of sports performance and strength training, therefore it is important to bring those weak links up to par in the initial phase.

The Structural Phase is also the time to establish a base of conditioning and to maximize the athletes work capacity. It is common that every athlete that joins our program are either de-conditioned or what we call “out of shape” to our standards. It happens every time, the athlete claims to be ready for our program and that they have been training hard, but after the first day of training under the IKEI PERFORMANCE system they walk away wiped out and saying to our coaches: “I can’t believe how out of shape I really am, I thought I was working hard but after training with you guys today it’s a whole new level of hard work!” However, after 3 weeks of training in the Structural Phase the athlete’s ability to tolerate repeated bouts of work with great intensity is maximized.

Basic Guidelines
Before we introduce the program, it is important to go over some basic IKEI PERFORMANCE principles that will intensify and maximize your training.

1. Tempo: Tempo is described as the speed of a repetition during the execution of an exercise in seconds. For simplicity let’s use the pull-up as an example. Every time the weight is lowered against gravity (lowering your body weight) it is represented by the first number (5-0-1-0), when a movement requires a pause between the lowering of the weight & lifting of the weight (pause at arms stretched out) it is represented by the second number (5-0-1-0), lifting the weight against gravity (pulling your chin up above the bar) is represented by the third number (5-0-1-0), and when a movement requires a pause between the lifting of the weight & lowering of the weight (pause with chin above the bar) it is represented by the fourth number (5-0-1-0).

2. Rest: Rest is specific to the training phase and goals, stick to the designated rest period, DO NOT MILK THE REST PERIOD – BE A CHAMPION AND MAKE YOURSELF WORK HARD, and get a stopwatch.

3. Sets: The number of sets is determined by the specificity of goals alongside number of repetitions.

4. Repetition: The number of repetitions (reps) per exercise/set is once again determined by the phase of training.

An individualized Program
This program is focused on improving hip extensor strength (lower back, glutes and hamstrings). Please note that the workout below is only 1 of 2 lower body programs our athletes perform in the weight room during the week and the entire program changes every 3 weeks. Our athletes will also be performing 2-4 days of energy system training through sprinting, agility drills, stadium stairs or strongman training to name a few, to enhance lower body conditioning and speed.

A1) Paused Bulgarian Db Split Squat – back foot on bench
Tempo = 3-5-1-0, rest = 60 sec, sets = 3 sets, reps 6-8 reps
A2) 1 ¼ Lying Leg Curl – toes inward
Tempo = 5-0-1-0, rest = 60 sec, sets = 3 sets, reps 8-10 reps

B1) High Box Db Step-up
Tempo = 2-0-1-0, rest = 60 sec, sets = 3 sets, reps 12-15 reps
B2) Romanian Deadlift
Tempo = 5-0-1-0, rest = 60 sec, sets = 3 sets, reps 8-10 reps

C) Single Leg Supine Hip Extension on Ball
Tempo = 2-0-1-8, rest = 60 sec, sets = 3 sets, reps 6-8 reps

Note: The above exercises that are paired with an A1/A2 represents performing one exercise (A1) followed by the second exercise (A2) with the designated rest interval between each exercise. For more information on training programs, log onto www.ikeiperformance.com or email questions to info@ikeiperformance.com. Our next installment will cover Phase 2: Functional Hypertrophy.

Running Back Covaughn Deboskie Honored at 17th Annual Watkins Trophy Award Dinner

2008-05-20T22:11:00.007-06:00

Ikei Performance Athlete, Covaughn Deboskie, was honored at the 17th Annual Watkins Trophy Award Dinner as a finalist at Oscar Taylor Restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona. This award exemplifies academic success, athletic accomplishments and community service among young African-American Males, all of which Deboskie has accomplished during his high school years at Chandler Hamilton High School in Arizona. Through his hard work, discipline and initiative Deboskie became one of Arizona’s premier running backs (maintaining a 4.16 GPA) and recently joined the California Golden Bears as an early commit participating in Spring Football.

“It was a great honor and quite emotional for me to be invited to this special dinner. As his personal strength and conditioning coach I’ve been able to watch Covaughn grow both as an athlete and a young man. To train an athlete like Covaughn and help prepare him for the battle he faces on the gridiron is a lot of fun, but to see a young man be rewarded and recognized for his accomplishments on and off-the-field is priceless,” says Ikei Performance Owner Chad Ikei.

Congratulations Covaughn, the Ikei Performance Family wishes you much success at your academic and athletic future at Cal.

To learn more about the Watkins Memorial Trophy Award or The National Alliance of African American Athletes visit their website at www.NAAAA.com.

Covaughn with the National Alliance of African American Athletes recognition plaque

Covaughn with his greatest fans and supporters...FAMILY

Ikei Performance Owner Chad Ikei shared this memorable experience with his 10 year old son Chance, along with "Mommy" and the Deboskie Boys

Ikei Sports Chandler Opens New Elite Training Center in Arizona

2008-05-20T20:24:00.016-06:00

Ikei Performance is proud to announce the Grand Opening of their Chandler, AZ facility. Since the doors of Ikei Performance Scottsdale opened back in 2004, it was always a goal for owner Chad Ikei to expand his elite training system to the Chandler area: “Many of our Professional Athletes live in the Chandler area and have been commuting back and forth to workout with us. In fact, some of our players drive over an hour at times to get in an intense training session and later have to turn around and drive home an additional hour. That type of dedication from our clients has motivated me to expand our services to that part of the city. It’s an honor when you have loyal and committed clients that believe in your product and services, especially when your miles and miles away.”

With the growing population of youth sports in the Chandler area, Ikei Sports Chandler will have an impact on shaping the future of many young developing athletes. “I’ve had the privilege to work with some of the best High School Athletes in the State and many of them came out of the Chandler area. These dedicated young individuals would sacrifice their summer to be dropped off in the morning to workout at our facility and then be either picked up or dropped off at home many hours later because they would not have a ride. Now that’s dedication on their part and has led to motivation on my part. The opportunity to share our elite training system and mentorship as coaches with these young athletes is truly what we are about. To provide structure, passion, integrity, intensity, discipline, motivation, inspiration and most importantly education to young men and women seeking to improve their performance in sports, that’s what we do, teach life skills necessary to succeed both on and off the field.”

Ikei Sports Chandler is located at 2223 W. Pecos Road, Suite 10, Chandler, AZ 85224. The exclusive 3400 s.f. training center is equipped with top of the line strength training equipment, indoor turf speed & agility area, functional strongman equipment, shower facility and cardio equipment.

Ikei Sports Chandler offers One-on-one personal training, partner and group sessions, adult fitness classes, youth training, speed & agility classes, sports camps and their Elite Intensive Training program.

Special Pre-Sale Offer of 20% off any new training package will continue until May 31, 2008.

Call 480.899.2094 to sign up today or email info@ikeiperformance.com.

Ikei Performance Athletes Aaron Francisco (Arizona Cardinals Safety), Kindred Payne (Cal D-lineman), Covaughn Deboskie (Cal Running Back) and JT Dixon (Wake Forest Tight End) breaking in the new training center under direction of Owner Chad Ikei.

A lot of sweat and hard work went into putting the facility together. Many thanks to Anthony Arceneaux, Garrett Shinoskie, Kenny King and Chance Ikei (pictured above). Also a very special thank you to Adam Mathis, Kamalei Magnani, Jonas Kanahele, Tom Perrin, Tim Ungacta, Anthony Williams, Ryan Maes and Nimesh Patel for the muscles needed to move the equipment around.

Special Fat Grip Dumbbells for training grip strength

"Olympic Weightlifting Platforms, Power Racks and Bumper Plates is a staple for every Ikei Performance," says Owner Chad Ikei a 5-time National Weightlifting Champion.

Indoor speed and agility turf training area

Walk-in shower available for business clients to freshen up before meetings

Ikei Sports Chandler 2223 W. Pecos Road Suite 10 Chandler, AZ 85224 480.899.2094 www.ikeiperformance.com

Ikei Performance Athletes Attend NFL Rookie Camps

2008-05-02T19:57:00.010-06:00

A life long dream is now put to reality as nine Ikei Performance Athletes report for their first NFL Rookie Camp. After 8-12 grueling weeks of the intense Ikei Performance NFL Draft Preparation Training, the sacrifice, hard work, dedication and commitment that these young men put into their future now comes down to these next three days. The strict nutritional & supplemental guidelines, brutal strength training sessions, technical speed & agility workouts, harsh conditioning and skill development drills, all done in multiple workouts 3-5 hours everyday will be put to the test over rookie camp.

Ikei Performance wishes the best to our 2008 NFL Draft Preparation Athletes:

West Texas A&M Offensive Lineman Patrick Schwenke - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
San Diego State Long Snapper Tyler Schmitt - Seattle Seahawks
University of Oklahoma Tight End Joe Jon Finley - San Francisco 49ers
University of Tennessee Defensive Tackle JT Mapu - Washington Redskins
Arizona State University Wide Receiver Rudy Burgess - Indianapolis Colts
Portland State University Center Brennan Carvalho - Green Bay Packers
University of Hawaii Defensive End Karl Noa - New York Jets
University of Hawaii Wide Receiver CJ Hawthorne - Atlanta Falcons
New Mexico State University Defensive Tackle Jared Naylor - Buffalo Bills

WE ARE ALL SO PROUD OF YOU. POMAIKAI...Good Luck!

Ikei Performance Athletes Dominate at MMA No Limits Fighting: Dewees Heavyweight Champion

2008-04-30T10:19:00.010-06:00

CONGRATULATIONS to Ikei Performance Athletes Edwin “Bam Bam” Dewees and Jeff Newbrough for their wins in Saturday’s Mixed Martial Arts No Limit Fighting: Redemption held in Houston, TX. Both athletes, representing Lions Den Scottsdale AZ, dominated their fights with first round wins. Newbrough defeated heavyweight Joseph Crawford with a dominating ground and pound ending the bout in 1:23 of the first round with a TKO. Dewees, a UFC Veteran, fought for the No Limit Fighting Heavyweight Title challenging current champion Richard Blake. Within 1:27 of the first round Dewees found himself another Championship Belt to add to his collection with a vicious arm bar submission win.

Ikei Performance and Lions Den Scottsdale AZ have recently teamed up and will be opening an Elite Mixed Martial Arts Academy at the end of next month (May 2008). Join us at the Grand Opening on May 30, 2008 at 2954 N. Hayden Rd, Scottsdale, AZ (NW corner of Hayden/Thomas). Together with the intense strength & conditioning program of Ikei Performance and the advanced technical MMA skils of the Lions Den, we are building "A NEW BREED OF ATHLETES."

Click here for interview with Heavyweight Champion Edwin "Bam Bam" Dewees.

RISING ATHLETIC STARS CLINIC: Saturday, May 3, 2008

2008-04-25T18:22:00.006-06:00

An Exclusive Event for the High School Athlete

The Rising Athletic Stars Clinic will be held at Ikei Sports Performance Center on Saturday May 3rd from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. This is an exclusive event and is free of charge in conjunction with the Competing For Life Foundation, a non-profit foundation for personal success and Prep For Next Level, Recruiting Consultants.

To ensure that you get to benefit from one of the nation’s leading experts in strength and power development confirm your spot today.

When athletes need to be bigger, faster, stronger, they come to Ikei Sports Performance. Whether you are an active NFL player, a rising college star preparing for the NFL combine or a rising high school player with dreams of a D1 football scholarship, Elite Intensive Training is the difference you MUST have.

“Ikei performance will build you physically and mentally. I don’t know how many times Ikei has pushed my limits that I didn’t know I could accomplish. I started at 167 pounds and in 3 months I was 185, with 7.34% body fat. I went from running an 11.2 sec (electric) 100 m dash, to running a 10.83. My 40 yd time dropped dramatically and was recently timed at the scout.com combine with a 4.38. It’s hard work, but running with them and being in that atmosphere has helped out a lot. I feel that I am at another level mentally. I feel in my mind every time I get the ball I should score, and I learned that through all the hard work at Ikei's. Ikei Performance is the best thing that has ever happen to me. I wish I could have him at what ever college I go to...because he is not just my trainer he is also like my uncle that wants me to succeed rather than earn a simple buck.”
Covaughn DeBoskie
Ikei Performance Athlete
Hamilton HS/committed to Cal
2007 Los Angeles Scout.com Overall MVP

At the Rising Athletic Stars Clinic you’ll learn the tips, tools and techniques that will put you on top. Whether you have 20 early offers or none, are already committed or still looking, you will walk away from this clinic a better football player. We guarantee it. Spring ball, combines, college camps, you need to be at your best to compete with the best. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain that competitive edge. It just might be the difference maker this season.

NO EXCUSES. BE THERE!
Email your confirmation to info@ikeiperformance.com or call and RSVP 480-657-6937. Space is limited. www.ikeiperformance.com

The Athlete Within - Episode 6

2008-04-21T09:28:00.000-06:00

Ikei Performance Athletes Signs Autographs at the 2008 Aloha Arizona Festival

2008-03-15T21:58:00.031-06:00

Ikei Performance athletes teamed up with Ken Shamrock's Lion's Den Scottsdale at the 2008 Arizona Aloha Festival in Downtown Phoenix for an hour long autograph & photo session for attendees. Over 500 promotional cards with each athlete picture were passed out and signed to help promote the GRAND OPENING of the elite mixed martial arts Lion's Den Scottsdale, scheduled for May 30, 2008. Arizona Cardinals Taitusi "Deuce" Lutui, Aaron Francisco and Scott Peters were joined by former Green Bay Packers Adrian Klemm and former University of Hawaii Football Players Timmy Chang, Karl Noa and CJ Hawthorne.

Ikei Performance Owners, Chad & Racquel Ikei, organized the event with the Aloha Festival in hopes to inspire more young Polynesian/Pacific Islanders in the "mainland" to pusrue their dreams. Chad grew up on the Island of Oahu, Hawaii and Racquel was raised in the small village of Maina, Guam. Together, they have 4 beautiful children and are expecting baby number 5 in a few short months.

Timmy Chang signs autographs. Currently, Timmy is training at Ikei Performance preparing for his second season with the CFL Hamilton Tigercats.

Arizona Cardinals Taitusi "Deuce" Lutui took time to visit with Aloha Festival attendees and sign autographs.

UFC Veteran, Edwin "Bam Bam" Dewees, was on-site to sign autographs and help promote the Grand Opening of The Lion's Den Scottsdale. Edwin is currently preparing for his upcoming fight scheduled for early April.

Arizona Cardinals Saftey and Proud Laie-boy, Aaron Francisco, shared his Aloha Spirit with many of his fans.

University of Hawaii's Wide Receiver, CJ Hawthorne, is currently training at Ikei Performance in preparation for his NFL Pro-day workout scheduled for April 1, 2008.

Former University of Hawaii and Green Bay Packers Offensive Lineman, Adrian Klemm, stopped by to sign augtographs.

University of Hawaii Defensive End, Karl Noa, also training at Ikei Performance in preparation for his NFL Pro-day Workout.

Scott Peters, Arizona Cardinals Center, shows his support to his fans and his new business with the Grand Opening of The Lion's Den Scottsdale.

News Channel 3 Ross Shimabuku came out to show his support and share his Aloha with his fans and friends. Mahalo Bruddah Ross for all your help.

The day couldn't have gone forward with out the help of "Da Ikei Performance Ohana." Mahalo Nui Loa to Tom, Jonas, Kamalei, Garrett, Adam, Anthony, Ross, Da Ungacta's, Da Leddy's and Da Ikei's.

MMA Ken Shamrock's Lion's Den Team Up With Ikei Performance

2008-03-14T20:37:00.007-06:00

Aloha! An autograph session with NFL Players and University of Hawaii Football Stars will be present at the 2008 Arizona Aloha Festival. Proud Polynesians, Deuce Lutui and Aaron Francisco of the Arizona Cardinals along with Former University of Hawaii Football Players: Timmy Chang, Adrian Klemm, Karl Noa and CJ Hawthorne, will be signing autographs from 1:30-2:30 pm. This event is to help promote the May 30th Grand Opening of Ken Shamrock’s Lion’s Den of Scottsdale, a world class mixed martial arts academy which has teamed up with the elite sports performance training of Ikei Performance. These athletes as well as a few other celebrity guests will be present to sign autographs and take pictures with Aloha Festival attendees, so don’t miss this opportunity to meet the Pro’s.

The Athlete Within - Episode 5

2008-03-11T07:52:00.001-06:00

In this episode, Chad Ikei walks through John's supplement protocol.

The Athlete Within - Episode 4

2008-02-17T15:12:00.001-07:00

This is Ikei

2008-01-29T11:45:00.000-07:00

This is a compilation of clips filmed over the past five years at Ikei Sports Performance - the premier sports training facility in the Southwest.

The Athlete Within - Episode 3

2008-01-16T08:01:00.000-07:00

Covaughn and Caleve Deboskie Get Ready for 2008

2007-12-31T16:20:00.000-07:00

Covaughn Deboskie named to U.S. Army All-American Bowl

2007-12-27T13:11:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Ikei Performance Athlete Covaughn Deboskie for being selected to the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, TX. Covaughn, a senior Running Back at Chandler Hamilton High School (Arizona), was selected amongst the best High School Football Players from across the nation to compete in the prestigious All-star game scheduled for January 5, 2008. Covaughn will showcase his skills in front of top NCAA Football programs. Wearing his high school number #33, Covaughn will be one of three running backs on the West Team that will carry the ball in front of millions of viewers on the nationally televised game (12:00pm CST on NBC). Covaughn is also one of four finalist in the EAS Speed & Strength Award which will be announced on January 4, prior to the game. With the top performance of a 4.4 sec 40-yard dash along with his other top finishes in the combine skills, Covaughn has proven to be a phenomenal athlete. The announcement on which school Covaughn has committed to will be done live on television during the game.

Covaughn has been training at Ikei Performance the past three years along with his younger brother Caleve, who will be joining Covaughn at the U.S. Army National Combine designated to showcase talented high school underclassmen. Caleve, a junior Wide Receiver at Hamilton, accompanied his older brother at every training session and has looked up to Covaughn and is now developing into a well groomed future D1 prospect. The determined champions dedicated their summer to prepare themselves during the off-season for the elite level of play that has awarded them with this honor. Covaughn, along with the support and help of his mother (Wakena) would travel 45 minutes every day 5-6 days a week to workout at Ikei Performance. They would sometimes spend the entire day at the training center to avoid traveling back and forth to attend twice-a-day workouts.

Through sacrifice, discipline and hard work comes great rewards. Today, Ikei Performance is proud to announce the success of 2 young men whom exemplify the meaning of sacrifice, discipline and hard work. These important life skills that both Covaughn and Caleve has learned through the years have built them into great athletes, but more importantly extraordinary young men. Ikei Performance Congratulates Covaughn and Caleve for their achievements and wish them to exceed all expectations. We love you both and thank you for being a part of the Ikei Performance Family.

The Athlete Within - Episode 2

2007-12-19T09:57:00.000-07:00

John attempts to complete his first workout with Lead Trainer, Garrett Shinoskie. The important word in this phrase is "attempts".

The Athlete Within - Episode 1

2007-12-08T11:47:00.000-07:00

Put a regular guy through a professional athlete training program? Simple right? Think again. This is The Athlete Within.

Ikei Performance Athlete Patrick Schwenke Game Highlights

2007-12-08T11:16:00.000-07:00

West Texas A&M Offensive Lineman, Patrick Schwenke, shows off his skills on a recent post on youtube.com. The 6'5" 315 lbs O-lineman trained at Ikei Performance over the summer in preparation for his senior season. His hard work and determination has brought him success with the team making a playoff run. Schwenke will now be training for the biggest opportunity of his life, the chance to play for an NFL team. "As soon as I'm done with my last final exam, I'm packing my stuff and heading out to Ikei Performance to prepare for my pro-day and show the scouts that I'm more than capable to play at the next level."

Schwenke will not be the only player at Ikei Performance training for a shot to play in the NFL. "We only accept 10 athletes each year into our NFL Combine & Draft Preparation Program," says Chad Ikei, Founder and President of Ikei Performance. "Big Schwenke got a lot of upside to him, but most importantly he showed me his work ethic this past summer and the intensity and passion he exuded during each training session makes me a believer that he will be successful at the next level. It takes a lot of sacrifice and discipline to make it through our training programs, and Patrick proved to have what it takes."

Over the next 3 months Patrick and 9 other NFL prospects will be working hard at making their dreams of becoming an NFL Player come true. Under the direction of Chad Ikei and his team of professionals these athletes will be training 6 days a week 2-3 times a day for 1 shot at performing in front of 32 NFL Teams in hopes to becoming a Professional Athlete.

Olympic Weightlifting for Sports Performance Clinic - Saturday, December 8, 2007

2007-12-07T13:42:00.000-07:00

Free Clinic for Arizona High School Coaches and Athletes

Ikei Performance, Scottsdale’s exclusive sports performance and fitness training center for professional athletes and serious fitness enthusiasts, will be hosting Monthly Olympic Weightlifting clinics for Enhanced Athletic Performance on the first Saturday of the month beginning December 8, 2007. Led by 5-time U.S. National Weightlifting Champion, Chad Ikei, this program is being offered FREE to all Arizona High School coaches and athletes with the goal of improving the performance and safety of strength programs in Arizona High Schools. The clinic will be held at Ikei Performance, 9525 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 104, Scottsdale, AZ 85258 between 1:00-3:00 pm.

Olympic Weightlifting (Olympic sport since 1896), not to be confused with weight-training, comprises of two competitive lifts: Snatch and Clean & Jerk. Both these movements require a tremendous amount of athleticism including speed, strength, flexibility, mobility and mental focus. The proper implementation and execution of these lifts and the derivatives has proven to improve strength, power and speed, three important aspects of athletic performance for athletes.

Through the years, Olympic Weightlifting has gained popularity among high school strength training programs. Sports such as soccer, volleyball, football, baseball, basketball and even tennis require an athlete to be explosive in nature. Young athletes can benefit from proper Olympic Weightlifting movements during their preparation for the fall, winter or spring sports. However, although many coaches and athletes are aware of the benefits from Weightlifting movements, very few have the experience and/or confidence to properly teach the mechanics and techniques of the lifts.

This is an opportunity to learn from one of the best Weightlifters in the country and it’s FREE. To reserve a spot for the next clinic contact Garrett at Ikei Performance 480-657-6937 or via email garrett@ikeiperformance.com.

Educational Nights at Ikei Performance - "Maximize Your Metabolism" December 3, 2007

2007-11-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

MAXIMIZE YOUR METABOLISM

Monday - December 3, 2007

6:30 - 7:30 pm

FREE SEMINAR

Join Arizona’s premier sports & fitness performance center’s Dr. Mark Rudderham, Naturopathic Physician and Chad Ikei, Personal Trainer & Performance Coach, in a FREE SEMINAR discussing advanced methods for increasing metabolism and effective fat loss procedures. Learn nutritional facts and functional exercises that will rev-up your metabolism and keep you fit and lean. Dr. Mark Rudderham specializes in alternative health & performance care. Chad Ikei is 5-time National Weightlifting Champion and World Record Holder that has coached numerous professional athletes and has developed a specialized program for fast and effective metabolic results.

Ikei Performance will be holding their monthly Educational Seminar on Monday evening, December 3, 2007 from 6:30-7:30 pm. The seminar is open to the public and on a first come first served basis, space is limited. There is no fee as the seminar is a service to the community to provide education and awareness to healthy living and optimal performance.

Join in on the fun and learn how to take your health and fitness to the next level. Snacks will be provided by Sunfare, the leading provider of personalized, healthy meals and delicious, family-style dinners in Arizona.

Tired of that unwanted belly fat?
Trying to get rid of that spare tire?
Feel like you hit a plateau in your training?
Want to look & feel dynamic again?

Get the answers and overcome the problems. Join us for an
informative and educational seminar that will blow your mind. Call 480.657.6937 or email info@ikeiperformance.com, space is limited.

Educational Nights at Ikei Performance - "Let's Talk Hormones"

2007-11-06T08:58:00.000-07:00

Ikei Performance will be holding their monthly Educational Seminar on Tuesday evening, November 13, 2007 from 6:30-7:30 pm. The seminar is open to the public and on a first come first served basis, space is limited. There is no fee as the seminar is a service to the community to provide education and awareness to healthy living and optimal performance.

The topic of the month is "Let's Talk Hormones." Dr. Mark Rudderham will address personal hormonal concerns for both MEN & WOMEN. Learn alternative methods for taking control of your inner youth and get back on track to a healthy and productive living.

Feeling Fatigued?

Having trouble sleeping?

Experiencing emotional instability?

Feeling an increased level of stress or anxiety?

Noticing signs of hairloss?

Struggling with weightloss?

Can't put on any muscle mass?

Storing fat in unwanted places?

If you have experienced any of the above symptoms or know anyone that has, bring them with you and get the answers to the problem. Join us for an informative and educational seminar that will blow your mind. Call 480.657.6937 or email info@ikeiperformance.com.

Ikei Performance Athlete Anthony "Bear" Bryant Signs with Miami Dolphins

2007-10-24T13:08:00.000-06:00

CONGRATULATIONS to Ikei Performance Athlete, Anthony "Bear" Bryant, for signing with the Miami Dolphins. Big "Bear" had trained at Ikei Performance in preparation for his 2005 NFL Draft (6th Round, 178th overall) and spent his entire off-season preparing for the 2007-08 NFL season. His hard work, dedication and sacrifice has earned him an active roster spot with the Dolphins as a Defensive Tackle. "Bear" was determined to get himself in shape and showed amazing discipline as he lost over 50 pounds during this off-season. His intensive training program consisted of a strict personalized nutritional & supplemental plan, intense strength training sessions, as well as grueling conditioning & position drills. The entire Ikei Performance Family is proud to share the news and wishes "Bear" continued success throughout his career in football and beyond.

click here to read article

Bicep Curls Taken To A New Level

2007-10-23T18:39:00.000-06:00

YouTube Q & A

2007-10-23T10:38:00.000-06:00

The following question was posted by a subscriber to Ikei Underground on YouTube in response to the Ogre Box Jump Video:

Q: Hi there. I jump up an down on boxes that are 36 inches high. I'm 5 feet 8 inches tall with shoes on and weight 190 lbs. Will this increase my vertical jump doing this exercise like this lineman does in the video? Thank you -

Best Regards,

Justin

A: Justin, thanks for the inquiry and interest in our training program. Performing box jumps on any size boxes will assist in improving vertical jump, but that is only a small piece of the puzzle. Box jumps alone obviously won't maximize your vertical jump when compared to a comprehensive strength training program. A good general rule of thumb to follow is this:

1. Improve your weakest links
2. Increase your functional lean muscle mass
3. Improve your functional relative and maximal strength
4. Increase the transfer of force application (speed of movement) to improve power

There are many other factors involved in improving jumping ability, but one of the easiest ways to improve your vertical jump is to improve your posterior chain strength (erectors, glutes and hamstrings) and incorporate explosive movements into your program. However, if you are preparing for a combine and needed to improve your vertical jump score then there are other ways of instantly improving your test score, but that's a whole different scenario as improving your score and improving your performance are 2 completely different goals. Keep up with the training. Discipline is the precursor to success.

Aloha,
Chad Ikei

Chang Named Starter for Ticats

2007-09-01T11:59:00.000-06:00

Earlier this season rookie Timmy Chang boldly asked Tiger-Cats head coach Charlie Taaffe to become the team's starter.

Now he has been given the chance.

Taaffe confirmed the switch on Wednesday from veteran Jason Maas to Chang for this Monday's Labour Day game against Toronto. Chang, a gunslinging quarterback out of the University of Hawaii, has seen action in relief in four of eight games, including last Saturday's 27-9 loss to Montreal. Click here to read article

Like Father Like Son - Future Olympic Weightlifting Champion

2007-07-28T16:34:00.000-06:00

9 year old Chance Ikei works on his Olympic Weightlifting Technique as he performs a bodyweight clean of 30 kg. Chad Ikei (5-time National Weightlifting Champion) made a bet with his 9 year old son Chance that if he could clean his bodyweight he would give him 5 bucks...Chance walked away $5 richer. Although "Daddy" walked away with empty pockets he managed to proudly stroll away with a heart full of pride. If young Ikei continues to work hard he could possibly be the one to break Daddys records...TO BE CONTINUED...more of fun training videos to follow.

Timmy Chang: Hawaii to Hamilton

2007-07-18T10:35:00.000-06:00

In an interview on Ticats TV, Timmy Chang of the Hamilton Tigercats divulges details of his background, how he came to love football and the pressures of being the leader on the field.

He also talks about his future, the potential of becoming a coach, teaching kids and his passion for giving back to the youngsters in Hawaii.

Keep tabs on Timmy and his career in football by subscribing to IkeiUnderground.com.

Timmy Chang Interview - Part 2

2007-05-27T11:37:00.000-06:00

Power 4 Sports Football Camp in Hawaii

2007-05-27T11:35:00.000-06:00

Timmy Chang Interview - Part 1

2007-05-25T09:42:00.000-06:00

2nd Annual Power 4 Sports Football Camp Hawaii

2007-05-24T09:32:00.000-06:00

Former Warriors Reagan Mauia & Tala Esera join the Power 4 Sports Coaching Family. The 2nd Annual Power 4 Sports Football Camp Hawaii is proud to announce their newest coaches, Reagan Mauia and Tala Esera. Mauia and Esera, both former Warrior players and current Miami Dolphins rookies, are excited to share their experience of becoming NFL players and their journey they took to get there.

Reagan Mauia was the Miami Dolphins 6th Round Selection (pick 181). This monstrous Fullback was a Junior College transfer that played multiple positions throughout his college football career playing offensive line, defensive line and finally finding a home at the fullback position. Mauia's physical stature also changed as frequently as his positions as he weighed anywhere from his heaviest of 385 pounds to his current chiseled 270 pound "Juggernaut" body. His motivation and determination to find a way to get on the field has proved to be successful.

Offensive Lineman Tala Esera signed with the Miami Dolphins as a Rookie Free Agent. Esera is a born leader and has proven to be a versatile player both on and off the field. At 6'3" tall and 310 lbs, his athleticism is remarkable, but his work ethic and intensity is what sets him apart from the rest.

The Power 4 Sports Football Camp Hawaii is honored to have two such unique and dedicated individuals joining the coaching family.

2nd Annual Power 4 Sports Football Camp Hawaii

July 6-7, 2007
Mililani High School
Ages 8-18

Register today http://www.ikeiperformance.com

Hawaii O-lineman Tala Esera prepares for the NFL

2007-03-30T17:36:00.001-06:00

Hawaii Fullback Breaks Through Walls

2007-03-22T13:19:00.001-06:00

Reagan Mauia helps the Ikei construction team in their demolition.

Demolition

2007-03-16T19:42:00.001-06:00

Ogre Power! 42 Inch Box Jump

2007-01-31T08:50:00.000-07:00

Evan Mathis is an offensive lineman for the NFL's Carolina Panthers. Here he demonstrates that the math you learn in school really IS useful in the real world!

Hard Core A-Dub Fans Speak up

2007-01-29T16:00:00.000-07:00

Check out the conversation over at the Arizona Cardinals forums.

66 Inch Jump by Adrian Wilson

2007-01-29T15:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome!

2007-01-22T16:06:00.000-07:00

Ikei is the premier sports training facility in the Southwest. We look forward to bringing you exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to the training facility and the athletes that train here.