I’m a pretty disciplined person.
I exercise a few times a week.
Spend less than I earn
And I work from home without ending up on the couch all day.
But for months I’d been trying to add yoga and creative writing to my routine, and it just wasn’t happening.
I’d have a good run then put it off, forget, or find something “more important” to do.
Days would go by, so I’d start it up again then, sure enough, let it slide.
I was getting more and more annoyed that I wasn’t doing the things I really wanted to do.
I’d think, I’m not lazy, but for some reason I wasn’t able to make those things a habit.
Click here to read more of this article!
Showing posts with label Performance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Performance. Show all posts
Sunday, 21 October 2012
Friday, 28 September 2012
Sunday, 23 September 2012
How to Begin a New Skill
Of all the key moments in talent development, the most important and
mysterious is the first ten seconds. The first few swings, the first
notes, the first stumbly tries. It’s a tenuous time, because it’s a
psychological fork in the road. Either you get the Good Feeling (“Hey, this is kinda fun!”), or the Bad Feeling (“Awww, I’ll never be any good”). In short, it’s either an on-ramp or a stop sign.
The deeper question here has to do with design. Namely, how do you create an environment that creates more on-ramps and avoids stop signs?
To read the rest of this awesome article - Click Here!
The deeper question here has to do with design. Namely, how do you create an environment that creates more on-ramps and avoids stop signs?
To read the rest of this awesome article - Click Here!
Nine foods to avoid before a game or practice
Athletes work hard to prepare for games. Practice, condition, rest.
But all that can be for naught if they are not putting the right foods
into their bodies.
If an athlete is truly serious about his sport, then he needs to avoid foods that will hinder his performance.
Avoid these foods when competing:
1. Energy drinks. They contain caffeine and other stimulants that put stress on the heart, in addition to the stress an athlete puts on his heart during competition. In fact, it is a good idea to avoid caffeine altogether when in season.
2. Fried and fatty foods. The body takes a long time to digest the fats, which could leave an athlete feeling drowsy and feeling stomach-heavy. Avoid fatty meats and foods like creamy sauces, dressings and mayonnaise. They also take a long time to digest.
Nutritionist Kelly Aronica (kellyaronicanutritionist.com) adds that athletes should stay away from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.
“These primarily man-made oils have been shown to raise risk of heart disease,” Aronica says. “They’re found in many commercially baked goods, fried foods and some margarines. Look for it in the ingredient list.”
To Read about the other 7 foods - Click Here!
If an athlete is truly serious about his sport, then he needs to avoid foods that will hinder his performance.
Avoid these foods when competing:
1. Energy drinks. They contain caffeine and other stimulants that put stress on the heart, in addition to the stress an athlete puts on his heart during competition. In fact, it is a good idea to avoid caffeine altogether when in season.
2. Fried and fatty foods. The body takes a long time to digest the fats, which could leave an athlete feeling drowsy and feeling stomach-heavy. Avoid fatty meats and foods like creamy sauces, dressings and mayonnaise. They also take a long time to digest.
Nutritionist Kelly Aronica (kellyaronicanutritionist.com) adds that athletes should stay away from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.
“These primarily man-made oils have been shown to raise risk of heart disease,” Aronica says. “They’re found in many commercially baked goods, fried foods and some margarines. Look for it in the ingredient list.”
To Read about the other 7 foods - Click Here!
Wednesday, 13 June 2012
College Hockey Conn Smythe Hat Trick
Six
former college players helped lead the Los Angeles Kings to the Stanley
Cup championship, with goaltender Jonathan Quick becoming the third
straight collegian to capture the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
Quick, who played two seasons at UMass and is the first Minuteman to get his name on the Cup, follows in the footsteps of Tim Thomas (Vermont) and Jonathan Toews (North Dakota) in winning the Conn Smythe. He is the fifth former college player to win it, joining those two plus Brian Leetch (Boston College) and Joe Nieuwendyk (Cornell).
Quick - who could also follow Thomas as the Vezina Trophy winner (he is a finalist) - compiled one of the best playoff runs by an NHL goaltender in history. He posted a 16-4 record, a 1.41 goals-against average, a .946 save percentage and allowed only seven goals in the six games of the Stanley Cup Final series. He posted three shutouts along the way.
Teammates marvel at his efforts.
"It's kind of strange for us because we see him in practice every day," defenseman Rob Scuderi, a Boston College graduate, told NHL.com. "Just like with any great player I've been fortunate to play with, they do more great things in practice than you'd ever see in a game. It's not really a shock to any of us. It's great to see him playing so fantastic and at such a high level every night, but it's not a shock to any of us who are in the room."
More Collegians
Scuderi and Matt Greene, a North Dakota product, tied for second among Kings defensemen at +9 for the playoffs. The Los Angeles defense had a heavy college influence, with Alec Martinez (Miami) and Willie Mitchell (Clarkson) also among the top six.
Up front, former Maine star Dustin Penner finished the playoffs with 11 points in 20 games, including the overtime goal that sent the Kings to the final round.
The Cup is a third championship in 12 years for Scuderi, who won the NCAA title as a senior at BC, then claimed the 2009 Stanley Cup as a Pittsburgh Penguin.
From the Top
Several former college players contributed to the Kings' efforts in the front office, led by Dean Lombardi. The team president and general manager played at Elmira College and the University of New Haven.
Lombardi's front office staff includes Jack Ferreira (Boston University) and Nelson Emerson (Bowling Green). The team's co-director of amateur scouting, Mark Yannetti, played at both Brown and Williams, while the scouting staff includes Mark Mullen (Boston University), Mike Donnelly (Michigan State), Tony Gasparini (Minnesota Duluth) and Bob Crocker (Boston University).
Quick, who played two seasons at UMass and is the first Minuteman to get his name on the Cup, follows in the footsteps of Tim Thomas (Vermont) and Jonathan Toews (North Dakota) in winning the Conn Smythe. He is the fifth former college player to win it, joining those two plus Brian Leetch (Boston College) and Joe Nieuwendyk (Cornell).
Quick - who could also follow Thomas as the Vezina Trophy winner (he is a finalist) - compiled one of the best playoff runs by an NHL goaltender in history. He posted a 16-4 record, a 1.41 goals-against average, a .946 save percentage and allowed only seven goals in the six games of the Stanley Cup Final series. He posted three shutouts along the way.
Teammates marvel at his efforts.
"It's kind of strange for us because we see him in practice every day," defenseman Rob Scuderi, a Boston College graduate, told NHL.com. "Just like with any great player I've been fortunate to play with, they do more great things in practice than you'd ever see in a game. It's not really a shock to any of us. It's great to see him playing so fantastic and at such a high level every night, but it's not a shock to any of us who are in the room."
More Collegians
Scuderi and Matt Greene, a North Dakota product, tied for second among Kings defensemen at +9 for the playoffs. The Los Angeles defense had a heavy college influence, with Alec Martinez (Miami) and Willie Mitchell (Clarkson) also among the top six.
Up front, former Maine star Dustin Penner finished the playoffs with 11 points in 20 games, including the overtime goal that sent the Kings to the final round.
The Cup is a third championship in 12 years for Scuderi, who won the NCAA title as a senior at BC, then claimed the 2009 Stanley Cup as a Pittsburgh Penguin.
From the Top
Several former college players contributed to the Kings' efforts in the front office, led by Dean Lombardi. The team president and general manager played at Elmira College and the University of New Haven.
Lombardi's front office staff includes Jack Ferreira (Boston University) and Nelson Emerson (Bowling Green). The team's co-director of amateur scouting, Mark Yannetti, played at both Brown and Williams, while the scouting staff includes Mark Mullen (Boston University), Mike Donnelly (Michigan State), Tony Gasparini (Minnesota Duluth) and Bob Crocker (Boston University).
Playing Consistent Hockey
From Website Grow The Game!
I remember watching the movie The Boys On The Bus over and over again when I was a kid—almost as if it was a Disney movie. The movie is about the Edmonton Oilers in the early and mid-1980s. I still remember one clip in which Mark Messier explains how he plays every game like it’s his last. It’s a great and—I argue—the only attitude to have when approaching each game.
For a little perspective on “the Moose,” he played 1,752 NHL games. If you do anything close to 2,000 times it can be repetitive and boring. Plus the travel, little nagging injuries, up and downs of a marathon season and non-hockey life can make for big distractions. For the most part, elite players have a passion for the game. If not, they would have been weeded out a long time ago. But the greatest players take that passion and have a laser-like focus that allows them to play great consistently. Good players, meanwhile, play great every three games or so—a big difference over a season and career. Here are two simplistic ways to approach the game: Average vs. Greatness.
Average Approach
If you go into a game thinking “it’s just another game” or “we beat this team 8–0 last time” or look past this game to a “bigger” game coming up, then you’re not giving your best. There was a game yesterday and there will be a game tomorrow. So you take the present game and basically go through the motions. The problem with this, as Seth Godin points out in a recent blog post on business, is that there is competition. As you take the skills you have worked so hard to achieve and average them out to just get through the game, the competition is giving it their all with a take-no-prisoners attitude. At least the good teams are. Who’s going to win?
Greatness Approach
If you think this might be the last time you enjoy the great privilege of strapping on skates as Messier did, then most likely it won’t be. Plus you get the added benefit of playing great hockey. Get hungry out there on the ice. It’s the difference today of two points in the standings. It’s a difference tomorrow of making the most out of the skills you have and achieving consistent greatness.
Good luck this weekend.
Editor’s Note: Thank you to Brett Henning of Score100Goals.com for this story. Henning is the author of 7 Pre-Game Habits of Pro Hockey Players, and was a member of the Inaugural National Team Development Program and 2000 World Junior Team with USA Hockey. He played Junior Hockey in Canada and at the collegiate level for the University of Notre Dame. He was drafted by the New York Islanders before a back injury ended his on-ice career.
Saturday, 9 June 2012
Core Hockey Gear and Summer Camps
Some new Core Hockey Gear!
Core Hockey still has spots open for our 'position specific camp' for Bantam Forwards, Bantam Defencemen and Midget Defencemen. We also have availability for our Peewee, Bantam and Midget conditioning camps at the beginning of August!
Check out Core Hockey Camps Here!
Monday, 4 June 2012
John Wooden on true success
With profound simplicity, Coach John
Wooden redefines success and urges us all to pursue the best in
ourselves. In this inspiring talk he shares the advice he gave his
players at UCLA, quotes poetry and remembers his father's wisdom.
Watch the video Here!
Tuesday, 29 May 2012
What You Should Know About Asthma
According to WebMD, nearly 6.5 million children suffer from
asthma. The incidents of the disorder, which is characterized by
difficulty breathing, shortness of breath and wheezing, has nearly
doubled since 1980 in individuals under the age of 18. While scientists
race to discover the reasons for the sharp increase, many child
athletes suffer with the condition. The following article offers tips
for helping child athletes live and play with asthma.
1. Be aware of asthma
Coaches of any sport requiring substantial lung capacity should be aware of asthma as a potential problem for their athletes. In addition to watching our known asthmatic athletes closely, we need to stay alert for undiagnosed asthma. In particular, look for well-conditioned athletes who occasionally appear slower, mentally sluggish, or out of wind. They might actually be having an asthmatic episode without being aware of it. Suggest a doctor visit for these athletes.
2. Get educated – and be prepared
Asthma can be managed effectively with a team approach. Poll your athletes and/or parents to determine whether any of your athletes have asthma. Then work with the athlete and parent to create an asthma management plan. This plan should cover what medicines the athlete should take if under duress and when help should be called. In addition, coaches should be aware of conditions that can trigger asthma attacks so that steps can be taken to help the athlete avoid problems.
3. Be supportive
It is vitally important for coaches to support their asthmatic athletes. Many athletes will try to cover up their asthma for fear of losing their position or being viewed as a ‘health liability.’
If the Jackie Joyner Kersey’s of the world hide their asthma, what about the average athlete who wants to make a good impression? He or she is likely to hide or ignore symptoms to avoid looking weak or out of shape. An athlete hiding asthma can end up with a serious attack leading to hospitalization or even death. This is always tragic because it is so unnecessary.
It is imperative that coaches work with their athletes to help them manage their asthma. When we become partners with our asthmatic athletes, we not only keep them safe, we help them perform to the best of their ability. There are countless highly successful athletes playing at all levels of sport today. Most of them are achieving their best with the help of a caring and supportive coach.
Editors Note: A special thanks to Elevating Athletes for this article.
1. Be aware of asthma
Coaches of any sport requiring substantial lung capacity should be aware of asthma as a potential problem for their athletes. In addition to watching our known asthmatic athletes closely, we need to stay alert for undiagnosed asthma. In particular, look for well-conditioned athletes who occasionally appear slower, mentally sluggish, or out of wind. They might actually be having an asthmatic episode without being aware of it. Suggest a doctor visit for these athletes.
2. Get educated – and be prepared
Asthma can be managed effectively with a team approach. Poll your athletes and/or parents to determine whether any of your athletes have asthma. Then work with the athlete and parent to create an asthma management plan. This plan should cover what medicines the athlete should take if under duress and when help should be called. In addition, coaches should be aware of conditions that can trigger asthma attacks so that steps can be taken to help the athlete avoid problems.
3. Be supportive
It is vitally important for coaches to support their asthmatic athletes. Many athletes will try to cover up their asthma for fear of losing their position or being viewed as a ‘health liability.’
If the Jackie Joyner Kersey’s of the world hide their asthma, what about the average athlete who wants to make a good impression? He or she is likely to hide or ignore symptoms to avoid looking weak or out of shape. An athlete hiding asthma can end up with a serious attack leading to hospitalization or even death. This is always tragic because it is so unnecessary.
It is imperative that coaches work with their athletes to help them manage their asthma. When we become partners with our asthmatic athletes, we not only keep them safe, we help them perform to the best of their ability. There are countless highly successful athletes playing at all levels of sport today. Most of them are achieving their best with the help of a caring and supportive coach.
Editors Note: A special thanks to Elevating Athletes for this article.
Wednesday, 23 May 2012
Are Elite Athletes Ready to Fail?
What if failure and winning go hand in hand similar to peanut butter and chocolate? At
first glance it appears to be an odd match. So many highly talented
athletes needed to experience failure in order to become great. Whether
it is in sports, business or life, failure is necessary for the really
BIG goals.
Failure has a purpose:
Lance Arnstrong was unexpectedly diagnosed with cancer in the prime of his career. To discover his testicular cancer had spread to his lungs and brains was shocking. This would have been the end for many of us. Then he had to battle cancer not once but twice.
Because of his experience Armstrong quickly reset his priorities. Mindset. Armstrong was forced to release old beliefs which would free him up for greater achievements. His health failure led to innovation. Suddenly his world, as he knew it, didn’t exist anymore. The old beliefs transitioned into stepping stones for a new higher level of commitment. His entire approach to cycling, racing and life transformed.
Lance Armstrong states, ”I can now say that my life is better because of my cancer experience.
Though I wouldn’t wish it for anyone, I believe I appreciate my life in a completely new and better way because I faced cancer and was lucky enough to survive.”
Athletes and coaches have it all wrong. You don’t want to view failure as the end result. A stopping point. Viewing it from a black and white perspective of good or bad is limiting.
When coaches, parents and teams judge success solely from their wins, they are missing the bigger picture. This narrow view boxes you in. When the focus is only about winning you are robbed from taking risks.
Why take risks? Because it influences change. Experimentation, along with risk-taking, lead to innovation. Combining what you know along with the unknown expands your belief of what is possible. Successful athletes refuse to settle for mediocrity. It is the excitement of pushing the envelope, exploring the limits of your capabilities, which redefine you.
Risk taking, being innovative, frees up your energy.
Even at NASA, after the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, their researchers adopted a new mindset. They are now excited about failure. Playing it safe led to mistakes which slowed down progress. The new protocol encourages failure. While testing experimental spacecraft they actually cheer when a multi million dollar test rocket explodes. It is seen as being innovative.
Pushing the envelope to set new world records requires risk. Risk requires innovation. So I challenge you to crush your old meaning of failure. It will set you apart from the rest of the competition. Why wait for someone else to set the standard when you can claim it first?
Take a bold stance to discover your ideal approach. Be creative. Make it fun. Access your intuition and listen to your gut. Liberate yourself from the standard, the usual and customary to become a high performing athlete.
Become an innovative athlete; it’s okay to be scared. Although many athletes don’t recognize it they are highly creative. Conforming to the rules just goes against the nature of creative personalities. What is exciting is experiencing ongoing transformation, the game of innovation. When you can wrap your head around this mindset, you will blow the competition away.
Challenge: Make the decision to be innovative. What would that look like in your sport? How would that free up your creative energy to try something new? List all the fearful thoughts preventing you from taking risks, possibly failing. How does it feel to do something if you’re unsure of the outcome? Close your eyes and see yourself taking action despite the fear. How was that? Now close your eyes again and see yourself taking that same action with no fear. How was that different? My challenge for you is seeing yourself taking action with no fear over and over again in your mind’s eye until you believe it is possible.
Would you like to push the envelope and be more creative but the thought of being judged by your teammates, your coach or your friends is stopping you? Deep down you know there have been opportunities for you which you would have liked to take but didn’t because you avoid conflict. So when you see other athletes, who are not as talented as you, gaining momentum you wonder why that is occurring.
The Expert Sports Performance System is an easy step-by-step process helping you to focus your energy on high performance, building your confidence to give you a winning edge. Winners act with speed. If you are reading this and it feels true for you, then get in touch with Loren for a FREE Discovery Session at info@expertsportsperformance.com
Failure has a purpose:
- Deepens commitment
- Offers invaluable lessons
- Leads to course corrections
- Builds resiliency
- Learns how to cope with adversity
Lance Arnstrong was unexpectedly diagnosed with cancer in the prime of his career. To discover his testicular cancer had spread to his lungs and brains was shocking. This would have been the end for many of us. Then he had to battle cancer not once but twice.
Because of his experience Armstrong quickly reset his priorities. Mindset. Armstrong was forced to release old beliefs which would free him up for greater achievements. His health failure led to innovation. Suddenly his world, as he knew it, didn’t exist anymore. The old beliefs transitioned into stepping stones for a new higher level of commitment. His entire approach to cycling, racing and life transformed.
Lance Armstrong states, ”I can now say that my life is better because of my cancer experience.
Though I wouldn’t wish it for anyone, I believe I appreciate my life in a completely new and better way because I faced cancer and was lucky enough to survive.”
Athletes and coaches have it all wrong. You don’t want to view failure as the end result. A stopping point. Viewing it from a black and white perspective of good or bad is limiting.
When coaches, parents and teams judge success solely from their wins, they are missing the bigger picture. This narrow view boxes you in. When the focus is only about winning you are robbed from taking risks.
Why take risks? Because it influences change. Experimentation, along with risk-taking, lead to innovation. Combining what you know along with the unknown expands your belief of what is possible. Successful athletes refuse to settle for mediocrity. It is the excitement of pushing the envelope, exploring the limits of your capabilities, which redefine you.
Risk taking, being innovative, frees up your energy.
- Embrace change
- Act despite fear
- Trust in others, and in yourself.
- Honesty about limiting beliefs
- Shedding excuses
Even at NASA, after the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, their researchers adopted a new mindset. They are now excited about failure. Playing it safe led to mistakes which slowed down progress. The new protocol encourages failure. While testing experimental spacecraft they actually cheer when a multi million dollar test rocket explodes. It is seen as being innovative.
Pushing the envelope to set new world records requires risk. Risk requires innovation. So I challenge you to crush your old meaning of failure. It will set you apart from the rest of the competition. Why wait for someone else to set the standard when you can claim it first?
Take a bold stance to discover your ideal approach. Be creative. Make it fun. Access your intuition and listen to your gut. Liberate yourself from the standard, the usual and customary to become a high performing athlete.
Become an innovative athlete; it’s okay to be scared. Although many athletes don’t recognize it they are highly creative. Conforming to the rules just goes against the nature of creative personalities. What is exciting is experiencing ongoing transformation, the game of innovation. When you can wrap your head around this mindset, you will blow the competition away.
Challenge: Make the decision to be innovative. What would that look like in your sport? How would that free up your creative energy to try something new? List all the fearful thoughts preventing you from taking risks, possibly failing. How does it feel to do something if you’re unsure of the outcome? Close your eyes and see yourself taking action despite the fear. How was that? Now close your eyes again and see yourself taking that same action with no fear. How was that different? My challenge for you is seeing yourself taking action with no fear over and over again in your mind’s eye until you believe it is possible.
Would you like to push the envelope and be more creative but the thought of being judged by your teammates, your coach or your friends is stopping you? Deep down you know there have been opportunities for you which you would have liked to take but didn’t because you avoid conflict. So when you see other athletes, who are not as talented as you, gaining momentum you wonder why that is occurring.
The Expert Sports Performance System is an easy step-by-step process helping you to focus your energy on high performance, building your confidence to give you a winning edge. Winners act with speed. If you are reading this and it feels true for you, then get in touch with Loren for a FREE Discovery Session at info@expertsportsperformance.com
Friday, 11 May 2012
The Secret of S.H.I.F.T
More Articles at Built for Hockey!
This one is quite straight forward. You need to be getting quality sleep if you even think of being called a champion at the end of the road. It’s been proven time and time again. Lack of sleep leads to lack of energy, and lack of energy leads to lack of intensity and increases the likelyhood of getting injured.
Ever notice how injuries happen more in playoffs? Sure, it’s because the
games are more intense and everyone is playing hard. But it’s also
because everyone is tired, and their bodies are more vulnerable to
little pulls, strains, or fractures.
We’ve touched briefly in the past on things a player can do to make sure he’s ready for a gruesome playoff run, but this post looks to go into a little bit more detail as to how exactly one can do that. We’ve came up with an acronym that all players should live by when playoff time comes around. This will help you remember what’s important & what needs to be taken care of in order to perform at your best.
The acronym we’ve put together is S.H.I.F.T., or quite simply:
SLEEP-HYDRATION-INSIDE-FUEL-TRAINING
These 5 things, if taken care of and taken seriously, will greatly improve your efficiency during your last home strecth of the season. It’s something you’ll definitely be greatful for if you end up making it to the very end, where the difference lies in which team can last just a little bit longer than the other.S is for SLEEP
Our bodies need sleep to re-energize and grow. When we leave it all out on the ice and then only get a 5-hour night of sleep afterwards, our muscles don’t have time to recover. Next thing you know, you’re 5 games into the playoffs already all beat up and in pain, playing way below your potential. Sleep shouldn’t be neglected for ANY reason during playoffs.Find a way to get some quality sleep. Make sure your room is dark, your bed is just how you like it, and you sleep on a pillow you’re used to. If you’re on a roadtrip, bring your pillow. A word from the wise - bring some ear plugs if you’re staying with a roomate. You never know if he’s gonna keep you up by snoring or because he’s sick and coughing all night. It’s better to be prepared than end up having a miserable night of sleep.
Also, try not to watch tv or work on your computer right before bedtime. This has been proven to affect people’s ability to fall asleep soon thereafter. This may not affect you, but if you’re having trouble, try reading an hour before bed instead of watching a movie or playing videogames – it might be whats affecting your ability to fall asleep.
H is for Hydration
If you haven’t read our post on how important hydration is for athletes, you should definitely check it out here.
Your body needs water to recover. Plain and simple. Take away that water and you’re doubling recovery times which lead to useless injuries, lower energy levels, and slow decisions out on the ice. This is another thing you can control, so don’t overlook it., if you’re not getting proper liquid intake before, during, and after your games, you’re starting off your playoffs with two strikes against you already.
I is for INSIDE
You might be a little thrown off by this one…that’s good! What we mean by inside is anything that’s going on inside your head needs to be under control. Further more, your inner emotions need to be in check. If there’s stuff going on in your personal life that’s affecting your concentration, it’s going to have a direct affect on your performance.You need to realise this and learn how to shut it out and turn it off. We’re not saying to forget about your problems; problems always need to be faced. What we ARE saying is that hockey should be a getaway for you; you should be able to shut everything out the moment you step on the ice because nothing else matters. Your debt, your bad relationship, your bad grades – none of it matters when you lace up the skates and take to the ice.
Learn how to master this and you’ll be that much better off. Same goes for when your coach or linemates are getting on your nerves or the referee isn’t doing a good job…just tune it out and focus on what’s in your control at that specific moment in time. There’s no past, there’s no future…just you and the guy standing in front of you fighting for that puck.
F is for FUEL
Another straightforward one. Food is your fuel. Without fuel, you can’t produce. Your body is a car. A car can’t do what it’s meant to do without fuel. Same goes for a hockey player and his need for proper nutrition. You might feel OK sometimes, but if you haven’t been eating enough or eating properly, you might be missing that extra bit of energy that will make all the difference in the third period.It’s playoff time – stay away from the junk food for a while. Be strong and make the sacrifice. Eat healthy foods and eat often. It’s not just what you eat the day of or the day before a game that counts; the week leading up to your game is equally important. As an athlete, carbohydrates and protein are your friend. Fruits & vegetables should be common place at every meal in order to get all the vitamins and minerals you need to sustain a high level of performance.
T is for TRAINING
At this stage of the game, you shouldn’t be killing yourself in the gym, but you shouldn’t be avoiding it altogether either. After games, make sure you do a light cooldown – go for a jog, ride the bike, or skip for a few minutes to get the lactic acid buildup out of your legs. A good stretch is always good to prevent any injuries or stiffness the day after.On off days, a light bike session is best with low to moderate intensity for a few minutes – Just enough to get a little sweat in and activate your legs. You don’t want to be inactive the day before a game. The worst thing you can do is lounge around in bed or on the couch all day.
Take this seriously. It can mean the difference between having an excellent start to your game or coming out soft – or as we like to say in the hockey world ‘ coming out flat-footed‘.
So there’s our SHIFT playoff mentality. Implement just a few of those and you’ll see success. Implement them all and your on your way to preparing like a professional. Remember, you always have a choice when it comes to SHIFT, so make the right choice!
Good luck with the rest of your season and in the playoffs!
Monday, 7 May 2012
Skating on the Edge: Tips
More information at Out Edge Threads!
You know the names Jeff Skinner and Joe Corvo, but you may not know Tammie Wilson. However, you should know this power skating coach as she is developing our talented youth…possibly a future Jeff Skinner. Tammie competed as a figure skating medalist contender in regional, sectional, and national competitions across the U.S. Since leaving active competition, she has focused on coaching power skating for hockey players. Tammie bases her coaching philosophy around the idea that, in order to excel, skaters must master the use of their edges.
So kiddies, that is exactly what we are going to discuss today…how to improve your skating through utilizing your edges according to Coach Tammie Wilson…with a little help from Mr. Skinner and Mr. Corvo.
Whether you are a beginning or seasoned skater, everyone can afford more practice on their inside and outside edges. Don’t think so? Let’s test your knowledge. Here’s a pop quiz courtesy of Ms. Wilson:
How many edges are on your hockey blades?
The correct answer is D. When skating in hockey, players have 8 edges. OK, let’s break this down Count Von Count style from Sesame Street…
You use an inside edge, “One, one edge!”
You use an outside edge, “Two, two edges!”
You use the middle-to-front part of your blade, “Three, three edges!”
You use a middle-to-back part of the blade, “Four, four edges!”
Finally, you have two feet with four edges each, “Eight, eight edges!”
How do you use each edge to benefit your skate and play? Tammie gives us three important tips.
1. Equipment
“Poorly fit equipment is a common problem for beginners,” Tammie tells OET. She often sees people wearing skates too large for their feet which causes them to skate inward, or on their inside edges. Also, lacing up is often an important step performed incorrectly. Once you find a skate that’s the correct fit, you should make sure your heel is inside the heel cup and you lace up tight enough so there isn’t a lot of ankle movement.
Helmets are also a concern for Tammie, “With all the concussions happening around the league, I am going to make more of an effort to ensure helmets are properly fitted.” The chin cup should be…guess where…firmly secured around the chin. She also notices helmets coming down below the eyebrows, an indication it’s too big.
“Make sure you go to a professional for your equipment. Ask them how long they have been in the business and who they trained under,” says Coach Wilson.
2. Edge Power
This is Tammie’s specialty, “If you don’t use your edges properly, you aren’t going to have that explosive power to get down the ice quickly and weave between traffic confidently.” She explains hockey is mostly spent playing on a curve, meaning your inside and outside edges.
“Your inside edges are for pushing, and your outside edges are for steering,” explains Wilson. Distributing your weight properly is going to play a large role in your success. For example, another common error she notes is a skater not pushing completely through their strides. “It is suppose to be a thrust,” she states. “Ankle pressure should be against the ice, heel pushing into the ice, and pushing through with the toe. When you return, the knee should come forward, and the ankle should roll back under your hip.”
One of her favorite drills for edge work is swizzles. Swizzles are great for inside edges, and she adds crossovers to work the outside of the blade. These are referred to as grapevines in figure skating. You can check out videos of Tammie’s drills on her Facebook.
3. Watch the Big Dogs
“Jeff Skinner is tremendous on his edges because of his figure skating background. Joe Corvo is also solid on his skates,” declares Wilson. She instructs her students to watch more than the hockey game, rather watch their feet, hips, and shoulders. What should you be watching for exactly? Here’s what Tammie’s notices about Carolina Hurricanes’ Jeff Skinner, “When doing his 10 and 2, or his ‘Skinner moves’ as the kids are calling it, he is doing a forward to backward transition on his forward inside edge to his backward inside edge as he is going around the goal crease.”
Tammie works with many defensemen, so she uses Bruins’ D-man, Joe Corvo, as an example often, “He can lean on an inside edge with one foot and turn to accelerate out. His weight is perfectly distributed over his skating foot.”
A good drill for this move is to practice quick crossovers, stops, and transitions from blue line to blue line. Tammie coaches her students to step out wide and keep that wide stance on the ice as she took note of a study from Wisconsin which proved a wide stance provided quicker take-off time compared to other starting positions.
Currently, Tammie offers private and group instruction to developing hockey players and figure skaters in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also provides power skating instruction to the Carolina Lightning youth hockey team. Tammie’s wide range of skills and talents on the ice have steered several of her clients to competitive play in the Junior Hurricanes’ prestigious Squirt AA and Midget AA teams. Recently, her student, Josh Wesley, was selected to tryout for the US National Development Team. You can also find Tammie acting as an Assistant Coach for the Jr. Hurricanes girls U14 youth travel team. Tryouts are this June. For more information, please visit the RYHA website.
You may learn more about Tammie’s coaching at www.tammiespowerskating.com. Also, be sure to catch her on Twitter.
Thanks Tammie and we’ll see you on the ice! Keep up with OET as we prepare to launch in May on Twitter and Facebook.
You know the names Jeff Skinner and Joe Corvo, but you may not know Tammie Wilson. However, you should know this power skating coach as she is developing our talented youth…possibly a future Jeff Skinner. Tammie competed as a figure skating medalist contender in regional, sectional, and national competitions across the U.S. Since leaving active competition, she has focused on coaching power skating for hockey players. Tammie bases her coaching philosophy around the idea that, in order to excel, skaters must master the use of their edges.
So kiddies, that is exactly what we are going to discuss today…how to improve your skating through utilizing your edges according to Coach Tammie Wilson…with a little help from Mr. Skinner and Mr. Corvo.
Whether you are a beginning or seasoned skater, everyone can afford more practice on their inside and outside edges. Don’t think so? Let’s test your knowledge. Here’s a pop quiz courtesy of Ms. Wilson:
How many edges are on your hockey blades?
- 2
- 4
- 6
- 8
The correct answer is D. When skating in hockey, players have 8 edges. OK, let’s break this down Count Von Count style from Sesame Street…
You use an inside edge, “One, one edge!”
You use an outside edge, “Two, two edges!”
You use the middle-to-front part of your blade, “Three, three edges!”
You use a middle-to-back part of the blade, “Four, four edges!”
Finally, you have two feet with four edges each, “Eight, eight edges!”
How do you use each edge to benefit your skate and play? Tammie gives us three important tips.
1. Equipment
“Poorly fit equipment is a common problem for beginners,” Tammie tells OET. She often sees people wearing skates too large for their feet which causes them to skate inward, or on their inside edges. Also, lacing up is often an important step performed incorrectly. Once you find a skate that’s the correct fit, you should make sure your heel is inside the heel cup and you lace up tight enough so there isn’t a lot of ankle movement.
Helmets are also a concern for Tammie, “With all the concussions happening around the league, I am going to make more of an effort to ensure helmets are properly fitted.” The chin cup should be…guess where…firmly secured around the chin. She also notices helmets coming down below the eyebrows, an indication it’s too big.
“Make sure you go to a professional for your equipment. Ask them how long they have been in the business and who they trained under,” says Coach Wilson.
2. Edge Power
This is Tammie’s specialty, “If you don’t use your edges properly, you aren’t going to have that explosive power to get down the ice quickly and weave between traffic confidently.” She explains hockey is mostly spent playing on a curve, meaning your inside and outside edges.
“Your inside edges are for pushing, and your outside edges are for steering,” explains Wilson. Distributing your weight properly is going to play a large role in your success. For example, another common error she notes is a skater not pushing completely through their strides. “It is suppose to be a thrust,” she states. “Ankle pressure should be against the ice, heel pushing into the ice, and pushing through with the toe. When you return, the knee should come forward, and the ankle should roll back under your hip.”
One of her favorite drills for edge work is swizzles. Swizzles are great for inside edges, and she adds crossovers to work the outside of the blade. These are referred to as grapevines in figure skating. You can check out videos of Tammie’s drills on her Facebook.
3. Watch the Big Dogs
“Jeff Skinner is tremendous on his edges because of his figure skating background. Joe Corvo is also solid on his skates,” declares Wilson. She instructs her students to watch more than the hockey game, rather watch their feet, hips, and shoulders. What should you be watching for exactly? Here’s what Tammie’s notices about Carolina Hurricanes’ Jeff Skinner, “When doing his 10 and 2, or his ‘Skinner moves’ as the kids are calling it, he is doing a forward to backward transition on his forward inside edge to his backward inside edge as he is going around the goal crease.”
Tammie works with many defensemen, so she uses Bruins’ D-man, Joe Corvo, as an example often, “He can lean on an inside edge with one foot and turn to accelerate out. His weight is perfectly distributed over his skating foot.”
A good drill for this move is to practice quick crossovers, stops, and transitions from blue line to blue line. Tammie coaches her students to step out wide and keep that wide stance on the ice as she took note of a study from Wisconsin which proved a wide stance provided quicker take-off time compared to other starting positions.
Currently, Tammie offers private and group instruction to developing hockey players and figure skaters in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also provides power skating instruction to the Carolina Lightning youth hockey team. Tammie’s wide range of skills and talents on the ice have steered several of her clients to competitive play in the Junior Hurricanes’ prestigious Squirt AA and Midget AA teams. Recently, her student, Josh Wesley, was selected to tryout for the US National Development Team. You can also find Tammie acting as an Assistant Coach for the Jr. Hurricanes girls U14 youth travel team. Tryouts are this June. For more information, please visit the RYHA website.
You may learn more about Tammie’s coaching at www.tammiespowerskating.com. Also, be sure to catch her on Twitter.
Thanks Tammie and we’ll see you on the ice! Keep up with OET as we prepare to launch in May on Twitter and Facebook.
Friday, 4 May 2012
The Top 11 Vitamin C Foods
Article is from Healthy Habits!
Back in the 1970′s, Dr.Linus Pauling popularized a theory that high doses of Vitamin C would significantly decrease the incidence of the common cold. This theory spurred a widespread belief that consuming more vitamin C will reduce the risk of catching a cold and reduce its severity.
While that theory has taken a beating in the past few years, no one can deny that Vitamin C is a nutritional superstar.
- Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of collagen – an important structural component of blood vessels, tendons, ligaments, and bone.
- Vitamin C also plays an important role in the synthesis of the neurotransmitter - norepinephrine. Neurotransmitters are critical to brain function and are known to affect mood.
- In addition, vitamin C is required for the synthesis of carnitine, a small molecule that is essential for the transport of fat into cellular organelles called mitochondria, where the fat is converted to energy.
- Research also suggests that vitamin C is involved in the metabolism of cholesterol to bile acids, which may have implications for blood cholesterol levels and the incidence of gallstones.
- Vitamin C is also a highly effective antioxidant. Even in small amounts vitamin C can protect indispensable molecules in the body, such as proteins, lipids (fats), carbohydrates, and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), from damage by free radicals and reactive oxygen species that can be generated during normal metabolism as well as through exposure to toxins and pollutants (e.g., cigarette smoke).
- Vitamin C may also be able to regenerate other antioxidants such as vitamin E. One recent study of cigarette smokers found that vitamin C regenerated vitamin E from its oxidized form.
Most of us get it from a glass of OJ with our breakfast.
And while that glass of liquid sunshine is a great way to get the “C” into your body, it’s also a great way to get a whole bunch of sugar without all the fibery goodness that goes along with most sources of Vitamin C.
And for that reason, I am giving you 2 different lists of Vitamin C sources
The JUICE list….
- Orange juice – 1 cup – 124 mg Vitamin C
- Pineapple and grapefruit juice drink – 1 cup – 115 mg Vitamin C
- Cranberry juice cocktail - 1 cup – 107 mg Vitamin C
- Grapefruit juice - 1 cup - 94 mg vitamin C
- Grape drink - 1 cup – 79 mg Vitamin C
- Vegetable juice cocktail - 1 cup – 67 mg Vitamin C
- Pineapple juice - 1 cup – 25 mg Vitamin C
- Peaches – 1 cup - sliced – 236 mg Vitamin C
- Peppers, sweet, red – 1 cup – raw – 190 mg Vitamin C
- Fruit, mixed, (peach and cherry-sweet and -sour and raspberry and grape and boysenberry) - 1 cup – 188 mg Vitamin C
- Papayas, 1 fruit (300 g) – 185 mg Vitamin C
- Strawberries, sliced – 1 cup – 106 mg Vitamin C
- Broccoli, cooked, boiled, drained – 1 cup – 101 mg Vitamin C
- Brussels sprouts, cooked, boiled, drained – 1 cup – 97 mg Vitamin C
- Kohlrabi, cooked, boiled, drained – 1 cup – 89 mg Vitamin C
- Peas, edible-podded, boiled, drained – 1 cup – 77 mg Vitamin C
- Kiwifruit - 1 medium fruit (76 g) – 71 mg Vitamin C
- Oranges – 1 fruit (131 g) – 70 mg Vitamin C
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
4 tips to improve trust and performance in competition
Do you (or athletes you coach) excel in practice, but
freeze up in competition and don’t perform freely?
Are you unable to perform spontaneously and relaxed when
performing in competition?
If not, don't fret. Help is here...
Trying to be perfect or over controlling your game
(what I call lack of trust) in competition is a common
challenge in my work with athletes.
It happens most to athletes who love to practice and
improve. But when it comes to competing, they suddenly
lose trust in their skills perform tentatively.
Here’s the kicker...
Theses are the same skills you perform with ease and
confidence in practice.
Athletes lose trust and confidence in their skills
for different reasons including:
* Worry too much about your competitors;
* Being too over analytical with your skills;
* Lose co nfidence when you enter competition;
* Trying hard to learn a new technique and haven't
quite gotten it yet?
* Or you're a perfectionist and feel that your
performance isn't perfect enough to do well?
Why is it important to trust your physical skills and
abilities?
Trust helps you take your practice game to competition.
And if you have high confidence in your skills, this
leads to greater trust.
What is trust in your skills?
Trust is letting go of consciously controlling your
learned skills. It’s relying what you have already
grooved in practice.
**4 tips to help improve trust in your skills for
competition:**
1. Do better with leaving practice on the practice
field, and learn to trust in what you practiced that
week.
2. Become a performer in competition and "let it
happen." Keep your performance simple : See the ball
and hit it; react.
3. Perform in the here-and-now. Let go of worry about
results or outcomes.
4. Stop analyzing mistakes and trying to “fix what’s
wrong” during competition. Find a way to get it done
without worrying about how to get it done.
Want to learn all my secrets for improving trust in
competition and performing with a fearless mindset?
My most popular CD program in The Confident Athlete
Series, “The Fearless Athlete: A 14-Day Plan for
Unbeatable Trust,” helps you do just that.
You can read more about how to take your practice game
to competition with high trust here:
http://www.peaksports.com/the_fearless_athlete.php
Monday, 23 April 2012
Elite Athletes Successfully Conquer Distractions
Article comes from Expert Performance!
This article also has a great video, please click here to view!
Most athletes who train to compete spend most of their time preparing for ideal situations. Well if you have been competing long enough you know that eventually you will hit a perfect storm. I’m not talking about where everything works out just as you expected. What I mean is you are going to experience the unexpected, challenging your ability to maintain focus during your event.
It is during these tough challenges when the best athlete truly wins. Let’s face it, optimal performance is easier during ideal conditions. When events begin to unravel, that is when all your skills need to come into play. The athlete with the strongest mental game skills will prevail when faced with adversity. So what do you need to do now in order to strengthen your mindset?
What distractions do you face in your sport?
Before you can correct something, it is important to understand what throws you off. Awareness of distractions is a good starting point. Once you recognize where you become unnerved, lose focus and feel distracted then we can begin to make corrections.
Research has proven maintaining focus, regardless of the distractions, is a proven indicator of success. Train your mental game for a strong mindset, along with your physical training program for maximum results. Your hardiness, the ability to withstand unexpected challenges, is measurable. A strong commitment, self-control and optimal challenge combine to strengthen your mental toughness.
Challenge: Which of these distractions do you struggle with most? Choose to turn things around. Awareness of the distractions you face when competing is the first step. What were the thoughts, sights, sounds or other conditions which distract you the most?
Highlight the top 3, rank from 1 to 3. Beginning with #1, what are all the ways you can overcome that distraction? Pick the strategy which is easiest and will give results, even if it just moves the needle slightly in your favor that is a beginning. When will you begin? Set a date to try it out. Work your way down the list from 1 to 3.
Are distractions interfering with your performance? You have tried to tough it out, but found the results are not long lasting. You are working hard to overcome the obstacles, but the building frustration has taken a toll on your confidence.
The Expert Sports Performance System is an easy step-by-step process helping you to focus your energy on high performance, building your confidence to give you a winning edge. Winners act with speed. If you are reading this and it feels true for you, then get in touch with Loren for a FREE Discovery Session at info@expertsportsperformance.com
This article also has a great video, please click here to view!
Most athletes who train to compete spend most of their time preparing for ideal situations. Well if you have been competing long enough you know that eventually you will hit a perfect storm. I’m not talking about where everything works out just as you expected. What I mean is you are going to experience the unexpected, challenging your ability to maintain focus during your event.
It is during these tough challenges when the best athlete truly wins. Let’s face it, optimal performance is easier during ideal conditions. When events begin to unravel, that is when all your skills need to come into play. The athlete with the strongest mental game skills will prevail when faced with adversity. So what do you need to do now in order to strengthen your mindset?
What distractions do you face in your sport?
- Delayed starts due to weather conditions
- Playing against strong competitors
- Cheering from the sidelines
- A bad call from the referee
Before you can correct something, it is important to understand what throws you off. Awareness of distractions is a good starting point. Once you recognize where you become unnerved, lose focus and feel distracted then we can begin to make corrections.
- Mechanics – Some moves are so familiar you can do them in your sleep. Over-concentrating on the mechanical movements you already know actually slows you down. Your mind can’t think as quickly as your body can move. Thinking about the movements you’re familiar with is an indicator of low confidence.
- Fatigue – Our body continually sends signals of pain and fatigue. If you are actually injured then pay attention and don’t do anything to cause further injury. Fatigue, however, is something else. Focusing on how tired you feel only magnifies the feeling of fatigue. So check in and decide if you are having a good pain from exerting yourself or a bad pain from injury. Pushing through fatigue builds confidence, expanding your potential.
- Inner critic – Often the toughest competitor happens to be the critical thoughts going through your head. Battling the inner critic is energy draining. If you knew how much time you spent on negativity each day, you would be amazed.
- Past, present or future – Dwelling on the past or anticipating the future are distractions. It is impossible to undo what has already been done. Trying to be a fortuneteller often works against you. How often have you worried about something in the future? Either it led to a self-fulfilling prophecy or it was a lot of angst for something which never happened. Remaining in the present is the primary state of mind for optimal results.
- Sight and sound – Visual distractions are powerful. Your eyes are hard at work taking in an overwhelming amount of information. Much of what you see distracts you from being in the moment. Then there is the noise. The crowd or a passing comment can easily distract your focus from the task at hand.
Research has proven maintaining focus, regardless of the distractions, is a proven indicator of success. Train your mental game for a strong mindset, along with your physical training program for maximum results. Your hardiness, the ability to withstand unexpected challenges, is measurable. A strong commitment, self-control and optimal challenge combine to strengthen your mental toughness.
Challenge: Which of these distractions do you struggle with most? Choose to turn things around. Awareness of the distractions you face when competing is the first step. What were the thoughts, sights, sounds or other conditions which distract you the most?
Highlight the top 3, rank from 1 to 3. Beginning with #1, what are all the ways you can overcome that distraction? Pick the strategy which is easiest and will give results, even if it just moves the needle slightly in your favor that is a beginning. When will you begin? Set a date to try it out. Work your way down the list from 1 to 3.
Are distractions interfering with your performance? You have tried to tough it out, but found the results are not long lasting. You are working hard to overcome the obstacles, but the building frustration has taken a toll on your confidence.
The Expert Sports Performance System is an easy step-by-step process helping you to focus your energy on high performance, building your confidence to give you a winning edge. Winners act with speed. If you are reading this and it feels true for you, then get in touch with Loren for a FREE Discovery Session at info@expertsportsperformance.com
12 Tips for Taking a Faceoff
This article is from Grow The Game!
Yanic Perreault made millions of dollars during a brilliant NHL career because he was one of the league’s premier faceoff guys. NHL GMs value these guys the way they value goal scorers—because the more faceoffs your team wins, the more puck possessions the team has, creating a winning environment. After you check out these 12 tips, see my entire faceoff story.
Yanic Perreault made millions of dollars during a brilliant NHL career because he was one of the league’s premier faceoff guys. NHL GMs value these guys the way they value goal scorers—because the more faceoffs your team wins, the more puck possessions the team has, creating a winning environment. After you check out these 12 tips, see my entire faceoff story.
- Great knee bend.
- Grip the stick with one hand on top of the shaft and the other hand really low on the shaft for leverage.
- Watch the referee’s hand and try to bat the puck out of the air as he’s dropping it.
- If you’re having trouble winning faceoffs in a particular game, at least neutralize your opponent by tying his stick up and having your winger come get the puck.
- Believe you can win every faceoff and take tremendous pride in it.
- All forwards should be aware of how to take faceoffs in case the center gets bumped out.
- Develop hand and wrist strength and quickness. Purchase a wrist gripper and use it in the car. Also practicing dribbling a golf ball and work on hand-eye coordination drills.
- Communicate with your linemates to make sure you’re all on the same page.
- Read and react to the situation of the game. Are you down a goal? Up a goal? Short-handed, Power play? Last minute of game?
- Practice taking faceoffs on the pond, at the end of practice or in your garage.
- Prepare! Many coaches implement trick plays in all three zones. These are fun—and sometimes a lot of work! Coaches should practice faceoff alignment on a routine basis so that, at crunch time, all players know what to do whether the team is down a goal, up a goal or has pulled the goalie. Preparation is very important and can be the difference between winning and losing.
- Make sure you and your linemates are ready for the hurry-up puck drop referees are instituting now.
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