Showing posts with label adversity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label adversity. Show all posts
Sunday, 23 September 2012
Wednesday, 27 June 2012
So, You Didn't Get Drafted
Here is some GREAT advice by Ross Mclean. I met Ross in Finland! Great hockey mind and straight shooter. Every player should read this!! Click Here!
Monday, 4 June 2012
Inspiring elementary schooler with cerebral palsy runs amazing 400-meter race
Watch the Video Here! A must see!
The young man who refuses to be beaten by his own limitations in the video above is Matt W. (last name unknown), who attends Worthington (Ohio) Colonial Hills Elementary School. Like most elementary schools in America, Colonial Hills has a once-a-year track and field day, and like most kids, Matt was clearly eager to take part.
However, unlike most of his peers, Matt suffers from spastic cerebral palsy, a debilitating condition that limits his ability to undergo rigorous physical exercise of any kind. Incredibly, despite knowing those limitations, Matt decided to run the 400-meter event (roughly quarter of a mile) on the school's 200-meter track.
The result was absolutely inspiring. While all the other students in the event finished far in front of Matt, the student athlete simply refused to stop running, chugging his way around the track on his own, even as it appeared he might collapse.
Naturally, the inspirational Colonial Hills student needed plenty of encouragement, and he first got that from the school's gym teacher, John Blaine, who trotted up alongside his pupil and walked and then ran alongside him for the remainder of the race.
Then, after all the other fifth- and sixth-graders in the race had finished, they joined in, running over to follow Matt around the track and chanting, "Let's go Matt, let's go!" until he finished, spun around, hugged his gym teacher and then accepted a series of high fives from fellow students, all while his mother watched on, sobbing with emotion from the kindness shown to her son.
It's an inspiring video that shows the power of positive thinking and what children can do with a little encouragement. No matter what Matt's athletic future holds, he, his family and his classmates will always have his gritty, inspiring and joyous 400-meter jaunt during an elementary school field day to look back upon and smile.
Wednesday, 30 May 2012
Come Back Story - Road to London: Brittany Rogers
Miracles in sports have become so clichéd, the word usually attracts more eye-rolls than believers.
But Canadian gymnast Brittany Rogers doesn’t shy away from the term when describing her improbable return to gymnastics.
Rogers broke her inner ankle bone at the 2010 Pacific Rim Championships in Australia on a faulty double pike dismount from the balance beam.
The 18-year-old from Coquitlam, B.C. thought her gymnastics career was over.
“Not being able to do gymnastics is something I can’t explain, it was like losing someone I love,” said Rogers. “But it was a good lesson I learned. When it was taken away from me, I realized how much I really love the sport.”
Rogers saw two different surgeons, who both advised a cast on her ankle to allow it to heal over a two-month period.
But the bone did not heal.
Rogers sought a third opinion from Dr. Dory Boyer, an orthopedic surgeon based in New Westminster, B.C., who was also the medical services manager for the Vancouver Organizing Committee during the 2010 Winter Games.
Dr. Boyer got Rogers into surgery and put a pin in her ankle bone to keep it together. He also removed bone chips that had been floating around her ankle and preventing her from moving it.
That Christmas, eight months after sustaining the injury that had threatened to end her career, Rogers started to walk again.
“It was my Christmas miracle,” she said. “[My ankle] was sore and a little weak, but I could deal with that, because I knew I was on my way back to gymnastics.”
Rogers credits Dr. Boyer for her recovery, who she says has become a good friend. The two still keep regular appointments to monitor her ankle, but Rogers says she also visits Dr. Boyer for mental support.
“He’s the only one who knows what it’s really like, because he’s actually been inside my ankle,” said Rogers. “I honestly wouldn’t be here without him and his surgery.”
Rogers returned to competition at the 2011 Canadian Gymnastics Championships in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous,” said Rogers. “I felt like I was a novice again.”
She ended up placing fourth in the all-around competition.
“I didn’t have any expectations for myself,” she added. “It was nice to just go out there and do it for myself and come back from such a big injury.”
Rogers has come a long way since making her big comeback. She helped the Canadian team to an Olympic berth at the Test Event in January, and now has her sights set on making the women’s artistic gymnastics Olympic team.
She has reached the podium in almost every event in which she has competed this year; most notably with three apparatus gold medals: two for uneven bars, one on floor. She is currently ranked eighth in the world on vault by gymnastics’ international governing body, FIG.
Most recently, Rogers added to an impressive season by taking home a silver medal on vault and finishing sixth all-around at the 2012 Canadian Gymnastics Championships in Regina last week.
The results of the competition make up 40 per cent of the Olympic selection committee’s decision when selecting members of the national team. The remaining 60 per cent is based on the Olympic selection camp in Gatineau, Que. at the end of June, with results from other meets throughout the year also taken into account.
“Even if I don’t make the team, I did help qualify the team for the Olympics. Whatever happens, I’m just happy that I’ve contributed this much, this far,” said Rogers. “I’m in love with gymnastics, and it’s kind of hard to explain love, whether it’s in relationships or sports.
“It’s been such a struggle, I think it’s kind of made me who I am today. I wouldn’t trade that for the world.”
But Canadian gymnast Brittany Rogers doesn’t shy away from the term when describing her improbable return to gymnastics.
Rogers broke her inner ankle bone at the 2010 Pacific Rim Championships in Australia on a faulty double pike dismount from the balance beam.
The 18-year-old from Coquitlam, B.C. thought her gymnastics career was over.
“Not being able to do gymnastics is something I can’t explain, it was like losing someone I love,” said Rogers. “But it was a good lesson I learned. When it was taken away from me, I realized how much I really love the sport.”
Rogers saw two different surgeons, who both advised a cast on her ankle to allow it to heal over a two-month period.
But the bone did not heal.
Rogers sought a third opinion from Dr. Dory Boyer, an orthopedic surgeon based in New Westminster, B.C., who was also the medical services manager for the Vancouver Organizing Committee during the 2010 Winter Games.
Dr. Boyer got Rogers into surgery and put a pin in her ankle bone to keep it together. He also removed bone chips that had been floating around her ankle and preventing her from moving it.
That Christmas, eight months after sustaining the injury that had threatened to end her career, Rogers started to walk again.
“It was my Christmas miracle,” she said. “[My ankle] was sore and a little weak, but I could deal with that, because I knew I was on my way back to gymnastics.”
Rogers credits Dr. Boyer for her recovery, who she says has become a good friend. The two still keep regular appointments to monitor her ankle, but Rogers says she also visits Dr. Boyer for mental support.
“He’s the only one who knows what it’s really like, because he’s actually been inside my ankle,” said Rogers. “I honestly wouldn’t be here without him and his surgery.”
Rogers returned to competition at the 2011 Canadian Gymnastics Championships in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous,” said Rogers. “I felt like I was a novice again.”
She ended up placing fourth in the all-around competition.
“I didn’t have any expectations for myself,” she added. “It was nice to just go out there and do it for myself and come back from such a big injury.”
Rogers has come a long way since making her big comeback. She helped the Canadian team to an Olympic berth at the Test Event in January, and now has her sights set on making the women’s artistic gymnastics Olympic team.
She has reached the podium in almost every event in which she has competed this year; most notably with three apparatus gold medals: two for uneven bars, one on floor. She is currently ranked eighth in the world on vault by gymnastics’ international governing body, FIG.
Most recently, Rogers added to an impressive season by taking home a silver medal on vault and finishing sixth all-around at the 2012 Canadian Gymnastics Championships in Regina last week.
The results of the competition make up 40 per cent of the Olympic selection committee’s decision when selecting members of the national team. The remaining 60 per cent is based on the Olympic selection camp in Gatineau, Que. at the end of June, with results from other meets throughout the year also taken into account.
“Even if I don’t make the team, I did help qualify the team for the Olympics. Whatever happens, I’m just happy that I’ve contributed this much, this far,” said Rogers. “I’m in love with gymnastics, and it’s kind of hard to explain love, whether it’s in relationships or sports.
“It’s been such a struggle, I think it’s kind of made me who I am today. I wouldn’t trade that for the world.”
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, 4 May 2012
Athletes Conquer Concentration Obstacles – Part 2
Serious competitive athletes realize there is no room for distraction if they want to win events. Developing
laser focus is possible, can be done and is necessary for reaching your
BIG goals. When you are training for high performance unbreakable
concentration is required. Consciously training your mental game
provides you an edge over your competition.
Beth, a triathlete developing her race strategy for the season, decided to take on a big challenge. Although it felt like a significant leap, she decided to train in order to win a qualifying spot for the Kona Ironman. Stepping up to this challenge required a tighter training plan, self confidence to achieve her goals and unshakable determination.
One thing Beth knew about herself was how easily she is distracted. She quickly becomes bored, gets sidetracked and doesn’t always manage her time well. To meet her challenge to qualify for an Ironman required strong, focused concentration.
Some strategies Beth used to improve her concentration included:
Beth, a triathlete developing her race strategy for the season, decided to take on a big challenge. Although it felt like a significant leap, she decided to train in order to win a qualifying spot for the Kona Ironman. Stepping up to this challenge required a tighter training plan, self confidence to achieve her goals and unshakable determination.
One thing Beth knew about herself was how easily she is distracted. She quickly becomes bored, gets sidetracked and doesn’t always manage her time well. To meet her challenge to qualify for an Ironman required strong, focused concentration.
Some strategies Beth used to improve her concentration included:
- Boundaries – Learning what easily distracted her focus. Identifying the conversations she had with her team, the people she spent time with on race day and the strength of her personal boundaries. Removing herself from all negativity prior to the start of the triathlon minimized external distractions.
- The Warm-up – She developed a mental game warm-up to improve concentration. A mental dress rehearsal for transitions, then detailed visualization of each leg in the triathlon and mindset exercises to manage her adrenaline.
- Self-talk – High performance requires a positive focus. The plan was to focus on her strengths. Laser Focus –Her eye placement affected her focus. Beth trained her vision. Focusing on pre-selected target points for each leg of the triathlon was part of her race strategy.
- Presence of mind – Minds wander even when meditating. Once Beth noticed her attention wavering, her job was to re-focus to the task at hand. Acknowledging the distraction and then letting go of the thought requires practice. Setting personal challenges during the event improves concentration.
- Refocus skills – Beth developed reminder phrases to bring her back into the moment when her focus would stray.
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
A Solution for “The Parent Problem”
This is a great article and many more can be seen at this webite! Fantastic resource!
As I’ve traveled around talking to teachers and coaches, there’s one refrain I hear over and over: The kids are great. The problem is the parents.
I think this is deeply true, most prominently in youth sports, but also in other areas, like music and the classroom. It’s not because parents are dumb or ill-intentioned — though, okay, some are — it’s rather because a lot of parents genuinely want to help, and don’t know how best to do it, so they helicopter around and that makes things messy (I’ve been there, done that).
With that in mind, check out this letter written a few years back by a new Little League baseball coach to his team’s parents before the season began. And what makes it slightly more meaningful is that the Little League baseball coach happens to be Mike Matheny, who’s gone on to be the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals (he coached Little League just after he retired from pro ball).
If you’re curious, I would recommend clicking this link to read the whole thing, but here are a few excerpts:
Why don’t more teachers and coaches use this technique? Could it be possible to use letters like this as a tool to change the dynamic, so that parents might stop being a problem and start being more of an asset?
(Big thanks to John Kessel and Jennifer Armson-Dyer for the heads up.)
As I’ve traveled around talking to teachers and coaches, there’s one refrain I hear over and over: The kids are great. The problem is the parents.
I think this is deeply true, most prominently in youth sports, but also in other areas, like music and the classroom. It’s not because parents are dumb or ill-intentioned — though, okay, some are — it’s rather because a lot of parents genuinely want to help, and don’t know how best to do it, so they helicopter around and that makes things messy (I’ve been there, done that).
With that in mind, check out this letter written a few years back by a new Little League baseball coach to his team’s parents before the season began. And what makes it slightly more meaningful is that the Little League baseball coach happens to be Mike Matheny, who’s gone on to be the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals (he coached Little League just after he retired from pro ball).
If you’re curious, I would recommend clicking this link to read the whole thing, but here are a few excerpts:
I always said that the only team that I would coach would be a team of orphans, and now here we are. The reason for me saying this is that I have found the biggest problem with youth sports has been the parents. I think that it is best to nip this in the bud right off the bat. I think the concept that I am asking all of you to grab is that this experience is ALL about the boys. If there is anything about it that includes you, we need to make a change of plans. My main goals are as follows:
(1) to teach these young men how to play the game of baseball the right way,
(2) to be a positive impact on them as young men, and
(3) do all of this with class.
We may not win every game, but we will be the classiest coaches, players, and parents in every game we play. The boys are going to play with a respect for their teammates, opposition, and the umpires no matter what.
Once again, this is ALL about the boys. I believe that a little league parent feels that they must participate with loud cheering and “Come on, let’s go, you can do it”, which just adds more pressure to the kids. I will be putting plenty of pressure on these boys to play the game the right way with class, and respect, and they will put too much pressure on themselves and each other already. You as parents need to be the silent, constant, source of support.
I am a firm believer that this game is more mental than physical, and the mental may be more difficult, but can be taught and can be learned by a 10 and 11 year old. If it sounds like I am going to be demanding of these boys, you are exactly right. I am definitely demanding their attention, and the other thing that I am going to require is effort.
Their attitude, their concentration, and their effort are the things that they can control. If they give me these things every time they show up, they will have a great experience.The thing I like most about this letter is how it so clearly establishes the relationship, and does so in a big-picture, friendly, personal way. As a parent, I wish I would have gotten more letters like this. As a former Little League coach, I’m wondering, why the heck didn’t I send one?
I need all of you to know that we are most likely going to lose many games this year. The main reason is that we need to find out how we measure up with the local talent pool. The only way to do this is to play against some of the best teams. I am convinced that if the boys put their work in at home, and give me their best effort, that we will be able to play with just about any team.
Why don’t more teachers and coaches use this technique? Could it be possible to use letters like this as a tool to change the dynamic, so that parents might stop being a problem and start being more of an asset?
(Big thanks to John Kessel and Jennifer Armson-Dyer for the heads up.)
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
Tuesday, 10 April 2012
Hockey Player Maintenance
VANCOUVER — Kevin Bieksa was holding court in the Vancouver Canucks' dressing room Tuesday and giving the media nothing.
His maintenance day has turned into a maintenance week, so reporters brilliantly deduced the veteran Canucks defenceman had an injury of some sort. He was asked what the problem was after participating in Tuesday's morning skate.
“What was the problem? There is no problem,” he said, trying to keep his face straight. “I'm continuing to maintain. It's just maintenance. I am just maintaining my status and my body. You guys know what maintenance days are. It's a long season and we're heading into playoffs and these are maintenance days.
“Today is obviously a maintenance day. I'm going to take it one maintenance day at a time.”
One maintenance day at a time. A new cliche coined. Good on you, Mr. Maintenance Man.
Bieksa also noted that since he has been taking these maintenance days — he is to miss his fourth straight game Tuesday when the Canucks meet the Anaheim Ducks — he hasn't had to fulfill any media obligations. So he announced that his wit was game ready, even if his body was not.
“I feel refreshed,” he continued. “I've had five or six days off from talking to you guys so mentally I'm sharp again.”
He hopes to be physically sharp when he returns to the lineup. Since only two games remain in the regular season, Thursday in Calgary and Saturday back home vs. Edmonton, there isn't much opportunity left.
“This is the fourth game I'm missing,” Bieksa said. “It's not a lot, but it seems like a month. Getting out there Monday after not skating for four, five, six days, it seems like I was starting over again.”
Although there is some belief Bieksa's problem is in the lower part of his body, perhaps even below his shin, the team was not letting any nuggets out of the bag.
“Team secret,” said associate coach Rick Bowness. “It's nothing more than a maintenance day. We'll see how Kevin feels tomorrow after another maintenance day. We'd like to get him back in the lineup before the end of the season and that will depend on how he's feeling.”
Bieksa, 30, did concede that if this were playoffs, he would be in the lineup.
Asked if he felt at all “guilty” taking these maintenance days when 37-year-old Sami Salo was playing every night, he replied: “Sami got a couple of days off, too. I don't feel guilty. We're both in our 30s. We're both getting up there.”
His maintenance day has turned into a maintenance week, so reporters brilliantly deduced the veteran Canucks defenceman had an injury of some sort. He was asked what the problem was after participating in Tuesday's morning skate.
“What was the problem? There is no problem,” he said, trying to keep his face straight. “I'm continuing to maintain. It's just maintenance. I am just maintaining my status and my body. You guys know what maintenance days are. It's a long season and we're heading into playoffs and these are maintenance days.
“Today is obviously a maintenance day. I'm going to take it one maintenance day at a time.”
One maintenance day at a time. A new cliche coined. Good on you, Mr. Maintenance Man.
Bieksa also noted that since he has been taking these maintenance days — he is to miss his fourth straight game Tuesday when the Canucks meet the Anaheim Ducks — he hasn't had to fulfill any media obligations. So he announced that his wit was game ready, even if his body was not.
“I feel refreshed,” he continued. “I've had five or six days off from talking to you guys so mentally I'm sharp again.”
He hopes to be physically sharp when he returns to the lineup. Since only two games remain in the regular season, Thursday in Calgary and Saturday back home vs. Edmonton, there isn't much opportunity left.
“This is the fourth game I'm missing,” Bieksa said. “It's not a lot, but it seems like a month. Getting out there Monday after not skating for four, five, six days, it seems like I was starting over again.”
Although there is some belief Bieksa's problem is in the lower part of his body, perhaps even below his shin, the team was not letting any nuggets out of the bag.
“Team secret,” said associate coach Rick Bowness. “It's nothing more than a maintenance day. We'll see how Kevin feels tomorrow after another maintenance day. We'd like to get him back in the lineup before the end of the season and that will depend on how he's feeling.”
Bieksa, 30, did concede that if this were playoffs, he would be in the lineup.
Asked if he felt at all “guilty” taking these maintenance days when 37-year-old Sami Salo was playing every night, he replied: “Sami got a couple of days off, too. I don't feel guilty. We're both in our 30s. We're both getting up there.”
Wednesday, 4 April 2012
Do You Dream Of Playing at a Higher Level?
He wasn't sure what he was getting himself into, but Daniel Koger was still willing to take the chance.
Now, the 22-year-old Hungarian finds himself getting his first taste of playoff hockey in North America as a member of the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays.
Koger, a six-foot-four, 200-pound winger, is believed to be just one of two Hungarians toiling in the North American pro ranks. South Carolina is the sixth team — in two leagues — he has suited up for this season.
He began the campaign with the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL and had tryouts with the St. John's IceCaps, Providence Bruins and Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League. Each time, he returned to Cincinnati. But he was traded to South Carolina in February, then was called up to the AHL's Hershey Bears before rejoining South Carolina.
"It's been an interesting season," he said in an interview from North Charlston, S.C., where the Stingrays were preparing to host the Georgia-based Gwinnet Gladiators on Tuesday night.
But Koger is not complaining about all the jersey changes or travel that has taken from the U.S. South to Newfoundland and Labrador and points in between.
"I knew it was going to be different, because it's a pretty physical game, with more hitting, and rougher and faster because the ice is so much smaller here," he said. "I knew had to get better at those things. That's why I wanted to play overseas."
"The hockey is different and, obviously, the lifestyle is different than back home," he added. "Every day, you have to be ready to move, because you never know when you'll get your chance. It's difficult, but I like it."
Two years ago, he had a chance to sign a contract extension with his hometown team Szekeshfehervar Alba Volan HC, a perennial powerhouse that actually plays in the Austrian League. But he opted to sign with the Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League, arguably the lowest pro circuit, for US$450 per week.
He was willing to sacrifice the higher salary back home, telling himself he could make more money later. Still, the decision to leave a good contract and his family required some soul-searching.
His father, a former Hungarian pro player who still coaches their hometown club's junior-aged farm team, owns a couple of optical shops while his mother is a hairdresser. He also has a 19-year-old sister.
The adjustment to life in North America proved more difficult than the differences in the game for Koger, who in addition to Hungarian, speaks English and German.
"I had to ask some questions about myself, because I wasn't sure about my decision to come overseas to play in the Central Hockey League, which is not really the best league," said Koger. "I was questioning whether I would have a good season, if I was going to get a call-up or get a chance in the East Coast. I had so many questions last year. That's why I wasn't that comfortable. But this year is different. ... I know I'm going to go home for summers, and this is my job now."
Read Rest of the Article Here!
Now, the 22-year-old Hungarian finds himself getting his first taste of playoff hockey in North America as a member of the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays.
Koger, a six-foot-four, 200-pound winger, is believed to be just one of two Hungarians toiling in the North American pro ranks. South Carolina is the sixth team — in two leagues — he has suited up for this season.
He began the campaign with the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL and had tryouts with the St. John's IceCaps, Providence Bruins and Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League. Each time, he returned to Cincinnati. But he was traded to South Carolina in February, then was called up to the AHL's Hershey Bears before rejoining South Carolina.
"It's been an interesting season," he said in an interview from North Charlston, S.C., where the Stingrays were preparing to host the Georgia-based Gwinnet Gladiators on Tuesday night.
But Koger is not complaining about all the jersey changes or travel that has taken from the U.S. South to Newfoundland and Labrador and points in between.
"I knew it was going to be different, because it's a pretty physical game, with more hitting, and rougher and faster because the ice is so much smaller here," he said. "I knew had to get better at those things. That's why I wanted to play overseas."
"The hockey is different and, obviously, the lifestyle is different than back home," he added. "Every day, you have to be ready to move, because you never know when you'll get your chance. It's difficult, but I like it."
Two years ago, he had a chance to sign a contract extension with his hometown team Szekeshfehervar Alba Volan HC, a perennial powerhouse that actually plays in the Austrian League. But he opted to sign with the Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League, arguably the lowest pro circuit, for US$450 per week.
He was willing to sacrifice the higher salary back home, telling himself he could make more money later. Still, the decision to leave a good contract and his family required some soul-searching.
His father, a former Hungarian pro player who still coaches their hometown club's junior-aged farm team, owns a couple of optical shops while his mother is a hairdresser. He also has a 19-year-old sister.
The adjustment to life in North America proved more difficult than the differences in the game for Koger, who in addition to Hungarian, speaks English and German.
"I had to ask some questions about myself, because I wasn't sure about my decision to come overseas to play in the Central Hockey League, which is not really the best league," said Koger. "I was questioning whether I would have a good season, if I was going to get a call-up or get a chance in the East Coast. I had so many questions last year. That's why I wasn't that comfortable. But this year is different. ... I know I'm going to go home for summers, and this is my job now."
Read Rest of the Article Here!
Sunday, 25 March 2012
Military Fitness - On a Mission to save you - Mental Training
Great article to read about fitness and mental training, along with pushing through adversity!
You may want to read it more then once!
AMERICA IS 11 YEARS INTO THE LONGEST PERIOD OF WAR IN ITS HISTORY. THE MILITARY IS RELYING MORE ON ITS SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES TO CARRY THE FIGHT. In fact, Special Operations Command (SOCOM), which oversees units from the U.S. Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Army, sent 13,000 men to 75 countries in 2011.
The typical enlisted special operator is 29 years old (34 for officers) and married with at least two kids. He has 8 years of experience in the general forces and earns around $70,000 a year. Incidentally, he has banged out about 40,000 pushups. (And you're worried about repetitive stress injuries?) He deploys more than ever, with annual tours lasting 6 to 8 months. His missions can range from black ops, like the raid that killed Osama bin Laden (a dozen such raids are conducted every night), to village stability operations, which involve tasks like building schools and training police.
Combat is debilitating, both physically and psychologically; yet having soldiers with combat experience is critical. As one Green Beret captain, who prefers to remain anonymous*, told Men's Health, "You want the old guy on your team, but not the old broken guy." That's why SOCOM initiated a performance program, which each service branch is customizing. The aims: Boost combat effectiveness for healthy soldiers and return wounded ones to full strength more quickly. Training a special operator costs about $250,000, and the military can't afford to lose guys because of injuries that develop from years of combat and outdated physical training. The program is a mind-body-spirit overhaul, treating elite soldiers as professional athletes. That's why civilian strength coaches, dietitians, and acupuncturists now rub shoulders with military psychologists, explosives experts, and drill sergeants.
Of course, the stakes on the battlefield dwarf those on the sports field: Suicide rates among active-duty personnel are higher than ever, and in early 2009, for the first time in history, more service members killed themselves than were killed in action. As Marine Corps vet Karl Marlantes writes in What It Is Like to Go to War, "Warriors must touch their souls because their jobs involve killing people. Warriors deal with eternity." To understand how the military is forging the modern warrior, and to learn from these men who must be both violent and sensitive, MH spoke with special operators in all four branches, and identified skills you can use every day, even if the only combat you engage in is the career kind.
*Many special operators want to remain anonymous, a preference that Men's Health respects by using only first names and identity-protecting photographs in this story.
1. Build a Combat-Ready Body
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