Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Top 3 Characteristics of Elite Athletes

After so many years of meeting well over 1000+ athletes I have noticed some common "ingredients" that the most successful ones possess. Do you have at least 1 of these ... or better yet, all 3?
1) A commitment to their priorities.
2) A burning desire to achieve their goals.
3) A willingness to learn & to be taught.

Here is what I mean by a commitment to their priorities. Once an athlete picks a goal to achieve, there must be an adjustment of priorities. We all have different life balances and things going on in our life so an athlete must take the time to sit down and write out a list of priorities and stick to it. All to often I see athletes "change on the fly" (so to speak) due to things like: their friends influence, entertainment distractions, poor decisions on food intake, etc. For example: If your goal is to become a starter on your team, and it's the 3rd priority behind family and getting a 4.0+ in school, then you should never let your social life get in the way of your training schedule. That being said, both the type of athletic development training you are getting and the volume of it will need to be improved.

The next point I'm making about having a burning desire to achieve goals that are set is very important. This is the nucleus of the 3 ingredients. The reason being that this is "willpower" and that has to come from within, not taught. Coaching and teaching it can only bring perspective the the situation. If you truly, deeply, down in your soul want to decrease your 40yd dash time then you will... simple as that. If you don't then other distractions will de-rail you from your mission at hand.

The third ingredient of having a willingness to learn & to be taught is often overlooked. Here is what I mean, you can't bring your ego to the table every time. If you knew everything there is to know and your body is programed neuromuscularly to be at optimal performance, then you would be at your goal and wouldn't be reading this article. Blunt, yes, but it's the truth. The mental toughness of an athlete is either their best friend or their enemy. Part of being mentally sound is having your "student" hat on at all times around both your training staff & your coaching staff. You will make the progressive strides you are looking for even if you just put that student hat on 50% more of the time... so could you image if you always did? I'd like to also add that having quality staff around your is vital to this athletic success formula.

To help you get moving forward, I want you to post in the comment section below, your "Declaration of Action" that your are going to start taking as of today. I'm saying this because you don't possess the magical ability to rewind the clock ... all you can say is either: I should have... I could have... or I did.

Training Videos ... Take a look!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Breathing to WIN


You can improve your performance if you let your mind control your heart and Lungs!

The ability to relax helps us cope more effectively with really tough situations in competition. Instead of focusing on how bad you feel you just need to relax and focus on our breathing. Do this and you'll have a better chance of continuing the competition at the pace you desire. 

Scientific studies support the idea that mental strategies can improve exercise capacity. This means that it is in your MIND! Try this ... Close your eyes and take 10 deep breaths as slow and deep as possible while feeling only your lungs expand and contract, nothing else. Do you feel relaxed? Well you can perform a similar version of this during competition. The next time you feel yourself "Hyperventilating" during a competition, focus on your lungs taking in as much air as possible. You will slow your heart rate down to a more manageable pace. 

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Focus: A Key to Success

Do you have the ability to focus on command? Follow this 5 steps to clear your mind:

1. Decide What You Really Want to Accomplish

2. Write Out Tasks That Will Help You Achieve What You Want

3. Write Out Unessential Tasks You’ve Been Doing

4. Start Doing Only the Essential Tasks

5. Begin Enjoying Your Increasingly Clear Mind

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Competition vs. Practice


A balance of the practice and performance mindsets are necessary to achieve your full athletic potential.

Practice is a time to strive for perfection and focus on improvement. Use self-coaching techniques to improve your ability.

Competition is a time to have complete confidence in what you have trained to do, a reactive mindset, the ability to win ugly or just get the job done without regard to how it gets done!

Think about this for a minute, have you had the wrong mindset at the wrong time before? Most likely, YES.

For in the future, take the time to make sure you have the right mindset, prior to tightening that last lace on your shoe, putting the helmet on or even getting in the water!

For more information on mental toughness and athletic development go HERE.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

The Freedom to FAIL!


Here is a great quote: "There can be no real freedom without the freedom to fail." -Erich Fromm

This couldn't be more true! Success comes from people who fail over and over again. Failure is where true learning happens. So don't have a fear of making a mistake, because if you do it is the same as being afraid to succeed!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Your Mindset



There is a quote by Wayne Dyer that states: "What we think determines what happens to us, so if we want to change our lives, we need to stretch our minds." Take a few minutes to think about this. If we want positive things to happen to us, then doesn't it just seem right to visualize that positive thing in our mind first?

Forward this to a friend if you think they could benefit from this post.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Choices




When you think about it... No, REALLY think about it, your whole life is made up of thousands upon thousands of choices. Once you make a choice, you can't undo it either. I come across athletes her and there that think that the coaches don't like them or whatever excuse they are making up at that time. When really it was a laundry list of bad choices that they have made. These choices can be as simple as not giving 100% effort, not showing up to practice on time, or even socializing during practice when the coach is trying to teach the team something.

So think a little more about the effect of hundreds of minor choices you make in comparison to the goals you are trying to accomplish.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Seeing Is Believing!



Over the years I have seen this all to often with athletes in general ... "Not believing in themselves." Now a big part of the problem is that they truly can't see themselves as a successful athlete. They will state that they want to accomplish something, but it is very hard to get there if that person can't visualize the new "ME." To accomplish this it takes a severe amount of OPTIMISM, FOCUS and most importantly BELIEF in ones self!

Action Plan: Start visualizing success in your mind as if you are watching a movie play on a TV with you starring as the lead role in a film about the "Successful You!"

If you have any questions about this topic email me at: ryanb@championsquest.com

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

2009 Summer Camps -- Register Now!

Now Enrolling Summer Camps for Athletes!

CAMP DETAILS & REGISTRATION Forms: http://cqsummercamps.blogspot.com

About Us:
Champion's QUEST is the premier sports and athletic performance academy dedicated exclusively to young athletes. Our goal is to help every athlete achieve top performance. We combine the most comprehensive and effective athletic performance program with technical sports skill development. Our highly regarded Peak Performance Programs are customized for each athlete and are guaranteed to improve athletic speed, strength, agility, endurance, and mental toughness. Our Sports Performance programs increase technical skills with seasonal camps, weekly clinics, and professional individualized coaching.

Every Champion’s QUEST athlete has a powerful success story!

About the Camps:
All camps are Mon-Fri either 9-12:00p, 12-3:00p or 1-3:00p.
We offer Speed Camps, Volleyball Camps, Soccer Camps & Football Camps.

Schedule before June 15th for the Early bird Special Price of $129 (a $20 savings!) Act now to reserve your spot!
Call to ask about our multiple camp discount!

Yours in health & confidence,

-Ryan Bishel
Champion's QUEST
562-598-2600
ryanb@championsquest.com
www.youtube.com/cqathleteacademy
www.coachryanbishel.blogspot.com


Baseball basketball crew cross country diving football golf hockey lacrosse soccer softball swimming tennis track volleyball water polo wrestling ice skating

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Squeeze the Sponge!

Ok, so what does "Squeeze the Sponge" mean?

Well I'm talking about "Effort." All to often I see athletes just going through the motions, which will cause a plateau in their performance. In order to progress as an athlete, all of the quick & explosive movements need to be pre-programmed into your neuromuscular system at 100% effort. Let me explain, if you perform 5 20yd sprints at 75, 80, 78, 95, 89% effort, then that is what you have pre-programmed into your system for "Game Day." You can not expect to be the quickest athlete out there if you haven't trained your body to do so on a consistent basis.

So the moral of the story is ... "Train your body at the speed at which you want it to perform on "Game Day" and except nothing less!"

~~~Thank me for posting this by the IMPLEMENTING IT! ~~~
Have a Crazy Athletic Day! -Ryan "Crazy Athletic" Bishel

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Quote of the Day

Here's a good one for you:
Somehow I can't believe that there are any heights that can't be scaled by a man who knows the secrets of making dreams come true. This special secret - curiosity, confidence, courage, and constancy, and the greatest of all is confidence. When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable.

Walt Disney



~~~Thank me for posting this by the IMPLEMENTING IT! ~~~
Have a Crazy Athletic Day! -Ryan "Crazy Athletic" Bishel

Monday, April 13, 2009

Quote of the Day

I hope everyone had a great Easter Weekend! Here is your Quote of the Day:

Our minds can shape the way a thing will be because we act according to our expectations.


-Federico Fellini


~~~Thank me for posting this by the IMPLEMENTING IT! ~~~
Have a Crazy Athletic Day! -Ryan "Crazy Athletic" Bishel

Friday, April 3, 2009

Composure

Athletes who focus too much on results or what others think, instead of the process, are likely to become anxious, scared, worried, and perform tentatively at best.

Thus, if you want maximum composure, you must learn to train yourself to focus only on the stuff in your direct control in sports. You can divide the competitive arena into two areas:

1. Things you can control: your thoughts, behaviors, performance, and reactions in both practice and competition.

2. Things beyond your control: events or persons that you cannot influence during competition and which cause you to be distracted from your real mission.

Your goal is to separate these two areas in your mind and focus only on what you can control during performance. You should ask yourself: What do I need to focus on that will help me perform my best?

The other important question to ask yourself: What things should I not give any energy to during my performance?

Your answer to these two questions will help you improve your composure in sports. You will not get as anxious or frustrated by giving energy to the stuff that is beyond your control.

~~~Thank me for posting this by the IMPLEMENTING IT! ~~~
Have a Crazy Athletic Day! -Ryan "Crazy Athletic" Bishel

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Quote of the Day


This is a good one:

The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
Nelson Mandela




~~~Thank me for posting this by the IMPLEMENTING IT! ~~~
Have a Crazy Athletic Day! -Ryan "Crazy Athletic" Bishel

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Quote of the Day

Think about this one a while...

What is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself.


Abraham Maslow

~~~Thank me for posting this by the IMPLEMENTING IT! ~~~
Have a Crazy Athletic Day! -Ryan "Crazy Athletic" Bishel

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Read this 5 Times In a Row!!!

"It's not what we eat but what we digest that makes us strong;
not what we gain but what we save that makes us rich; not what
we read but what we remember that makes us learned; and not
what we profess but what we practice that gives us integrity."
- Francis Bacon

~~~Thank me for posting this by the IMPLEMENTING IT! ~~~
Have a Crazy Athletic Day! -Ryan "Crazy Athletic" Bishel

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

The video that will change your attitude in sport!

If you are an athlete, Parent, Coach or all of the above... you need to watch this! This is the type of passion that every "True Team Player" needs to possess. The excitement from the teammates and fans should be present at al sporting events.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

I Made A Mistake... Now What?


I read this article from a sport psychology resource that I have know for years. Check it out:

Does your young athlete have trouble coping with mistakes? Do
your athletes check out during games because they can't let go
of mistakes? In fact, 35% of sports parents we surveyed said
that their young athletes struggle with letting go of mistakes.

In other words, if your kids can't let go of mistakes, this can
spiral into real "mental game" challenges in sports. When this
spiral begins, young athletes become frustrated, lose
confidence, and get angry or give up altogether.

Some parents have described this syndrome as "checking out."
Their kids stop caring because they are in the grips of
frustration and anger. We admit that this sounds harsh, but this
is the reality. In fact, some kids, like the one mentioned
below, are even threatened with getting kicked off their teams!

In order to be successful, your young athletes need to learn how
to let go of mistakes and remain composed. If they can't stay
composed, they risk not playing up to their potential. Then one
mistake snowballs into more mistakes, which snowballs into the
fear of more missed goals, missed putts, turnovers, lost
rebounds....and more bad performances.

This is what it looks like: A young basketball player begins a
game with high hopes. But after a few missed shots, he stops
shooting. He's afraid of missing more shots. He stops taking
risks and plays very tentatively. He's not very effective, and
starts to feel frustrated--even angry.

Check out this Link: http://www.kidssportspsychology.com/public/department66.cfm

~~~Thank me for posting this by the IMPLEMENTING IT! ~~~
Have a Crazy Athletic Day! -Ryan "Crazy Athletic" Bishel