Thursday, December 4, 2008

Shooting Slump

Below are 4 mental game strategies to help you turn it around when you get off to a slow start and need to find momentum in a basketball game:

1. Great shooters keep shooting. You can't turn your game around unless you keep shooting. You must have faith that your skills are not "lost."

2. Look for momentum-changing breaks in the game. When you're not playing your best and you've lost momentum, it's easy to look for bad breaks or bad luck. I want you to look for good breaks!

3. Avoid the "I-just-don't-have-it-today-syndrome." Instead, keep telling yourself "I'm going to turn my game around right now" - on every point or play.

4. Continue to trust your skills or shot. I know many athletes who miss early in a game and they tighten up and over-control their shots. Avoid over-coaching yourself after making a mistake, which can make matters worse. See the shot you want and allow your (well-trained) body to react to the target. Don't let your conscious self interfere with your unconscious self!

Basketball season is starting... Good Luck This Winter! Kick Some Butt...No Regrets!!!

Thursday, November 27, 2008

THANKSGIVING

I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

I am so thankful for the opportunity to be making such a positive impact in peoples' lives! I truly believe in giving back.

Just remember, "giving thanks" is not something that should only happen the last Thursday in November!

Monday, November 24, 2008

Winning

Winning is overcoming obstacles to reach a goal, but the value of winning is as only as great as the value of the goal reached.

The process can be more rewarding than the victory itself.




Friday, November 21, 2008

Fear Driven Athlete vs Success Driven Athlete

Fear Driven Athlete:
Focused on avoiding Pain, Mistakes & Failure. Has more anxiety & tension. Get frustrated easily. "I don't want to miss this shot" "I don't want to lose this race"

--You have to first know your fear. Then set mini goals that can slowly build confidence.

Success Driven Athlete:
Focused on what needs to be done. Lives in the present moment! Separates one play at a time and focus on the process not the outcome. "I see the shot being made" "I will make the pass in the race"

Which one do you want to be?
Email me if you would like further help in this area. ryanb@championsquest.com

Thursday, November 20, 2008

INTIMIDATION

Some athletes try to intimidate others intentionally because they think it gives them a mental edge or feel they need to this to win. However, most intimidation comes from athletes who psych themselves out - all on their own.

They psych themselves out because of negative thoughts or fears, which then turn into mental gremlins. Self-intimidation is what you bring on yourself because you worry too much about your competition or the team you are about to play.

Self-intimidation can come in many forms such as...

>>Feeling pressure to perform your best or win.
>>Worry about performing against other athletes who are just as skilled.
>>Comparing yourself to other athletes who you think are better.
>>Worry about competing against a ranked or well-known athlete.
>>Get caught up in the hoopla or importance of a game.

BE CONFIDENT!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Self 1 vs Self 2

Self 1 - Conscious mind
Self 2 - Unconscious mind

A lot of times your self 1 gets in the way of letting self 2 do it's job! Don't let self 1 over-coach self 2. In fact it is better to do the opposite. Allow for self 2 to "feel" the motions it is going through. Think about it, an infant doesn't get coached on how to walk. It just keeps trying until it feels right.

So the moral of the story is to let your body learn the way it was programed to learn!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Success is this simple...

If you tell yourself, "yes I can!" ... Then you can!

If you tell yourself, "yes I will!" ... Then you will!

If you tell yourself, "I can't!" ... Then you can't!

If you tell yourself, "I won't!" ... Then you won't!

That simple! Your mind is a million times more powerful than you think!

What separates you from the rest?

Here are some tips to get some serious scholarship looks.

#1 - Work hard and have a good positive attitude. What you put into it you will reap the rewards.

#2 - Have good film showing all facets of your game. Get your film together and have it ready to send out. Perform on the field!

#3 - Test off the charts! Most teams recruit speed, power and explosive players. Make sure you test well and get coached up on the tests.

#4 - Try to attend as many invite only camps. Get your coach to call to get you in.

#5 - Get your academics in order. Too often I see too many good athletes end up nowhere because of poor grades. Do well in school; college coaches love kids that are qualified.

So there you have it, if you can check mark each of these five things then you are well on your way to becoming highly recruited. Keep working hard on the field/court/in the pool, in the classroom and especially in your training. Coaches all over the country will be looking for overall athleticism, not just a one-dimensional athlete!

Train Hard!

Thursday, September 4, 2008

50 easy ways to cut 100 calories

Don't worry. When you make small changes, the only difference you'll notice is a drop in the scale! Keep in mind that cutting calories can involve smart substitutions or changes in portion sizes, too. Just remember, start small and work your way up to a new—and healthier—way of eating.

See the link below:
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1183

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Inspiration from Bejing

After watching the men's 4x100 relay you have to be impressed.

Not just impressed from the USA winning Gold...

But impressed from the World Record being smashed by more than 5 teams in one race.

Now this is not just coincidence...

or illegal performance enhancing drugs...

or luck.

It was from TRAINING.

More and more athletes are breaking records on a regular basis.

Athletes EARN the records they break months and years before the big competition.

Now more than ever athletes need to realize that athletic ability and talent only gets you so far in athletics. Flexibility, Strength training, Mental Training, Nutrition are just a few of the things that athletes focus on or need to be focusing on week after week if they have the desire to be successful.

So get out there and EARN your success and don't wait for a lucky day during a competition to happen.

So start training like a champion today and maybe you just might break some records one day.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Top 7 Confidence Killers for Athletes

I talk to many concerned sports parents stating that their kids struggle with confidence and self-doubt…

Sports, at any level, is a game of confidence. The more confident athletes often rise above the competition.

What are the Top 7 Confidence Killers in sports?

#1. Negative self-talk - Never say something to yourself that you wouldn't want a coach to say to you.
#2. Thinking success is luck and not ability - Nothing is handed to you, everything you accomplish is earned by what you put into it.
#3. Strict expectations about performance - Nobody is perfect. Just try to be a little better every day.
#4. Self-doubt about one’s ability - Competition is won first in your mind; therefore you have to truly believe you have the mental & physical ability to out perform the competition
#5. Focusing too much on mistakes - You can't undo the past... just learn from them and move on. Mistakes are your stepping stones for success.
#6. Making comparisons to other athletes - You only have the power to control you & only you! Believe in yourself and everything else will fall into place.
#7. Overly critical coaches or parents - Most of the time this comes from them trying motivate you to perform up to the level that they know you can be at, even though criticizing isn't the best method. If someone criticizes you, turn on your "filter" and let it go in one ear & out the other and interpret it as "come on, I know you can do better than this!" You need a positive support system. Talk to them once everything has cooled down and let them know how you feel about the situation so they see your point of view.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Lakers vs Celtics - Game 5

I found some time Sunday night to watch Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

It was the last Home game for the Lakers, a must win to stay "alive" in the Championship.

Thanks to ESPN/ABC, I was able to hear sound clips from Doc Rivers, Head coach of the Celtics.

Theres was something that he kept repeating over and over again to his team...

"Mental Toughness, Mental Toughness, Mental Toughness! It is all in your head"

My case in point: Your MENTAL GAME is what allows your body to perform the necessary movements to compete at a CHAMPIONSHIP LEVEL!

May the team "with the most Mental Toughness" win!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Listening

I challenge you to do 2 things...

1.) See how long you can keep eye contact with someone while they are talking to you.

2.) Figure out which of the following listening styles is the biggest problem for you and work on it for the next week.

Spacing out: Ignoring someone who is talking to us because our mind is wandering off in our own thoughts.

Pretend Listening: Not paying to much attention to someone and making remarks like, "uh-huh," and "yeah."

Selective Listening: Paying attention only to the pieces of the conversation that is interesting to you.

Word Listening: Only listening to the words a person is saying and not watching their body language, tone of voice or meaning behind the words.

Self-Centered Listening: Probing, judging, advising. Only seeing things from own point of view instead of putting ourselves in someone else's shoes.

Definitions of the week:

"Listen: hear, pay attention, be attentive, attend, concentrate; keep one's ears open"

"Genuine:
authentic, real, actual, original, bona fide, true, veritable; attested, undisputed, sincere, honest, truthful, straightforward, direct, frank, candid, open; artless, natural, unaffected"



Friday, May 23, 2008

American Idol

Ok, so I just got done watching the American Idol finale last night.


Both of the final contestants are extremely talented.


Both of them put everything they had into the contest.


Both of them are living their dream.


Both of them are extremely passionate about music.


As soon as the show ended, I thought to myself...


That is the mentality that all athletes need to have if they want to be successful!


"If you never settle for less that 110% effort...your success will be lucrative"

Friday, May 16, 2008

Never Quit...

Persevere: to continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success.


The Mind is your most Powerful Tool

Imagination: the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses



Thursday, May 15, 2008

Inspiration

Inspiration: the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, esp. to do something creative.

Inspiration is a catalyst for all things great in life. I challenge you to figure out what it is that inspires you...

Ispir

Sunday, May 4, 2008

ProActivity

Being Proactive = Positive Results

Time to self-reflect...

If the following resembles you, great you are a proactive thinker. If not, time to start taking baby-steps toward this type of thinking.
  • Always find a way to make it happen
  • Are thankful for what you have
  • Think before you act
  • Are not easily offended
  • Focus on things you can do something about, not on the uncontrollable
  • Bounce back when something bad happens
  • Take responsibility for your choices
  • Never complains
  • Says things like, "I can do better than that" or "I can" or "There's got to be a way"
I'll leave you with a quote:
"Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man's doing but my own. I am the force."
- Elaine Maxwell

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Facts

78 - The percent of your muscle that is made of water. (Drink up!)

50 - The percent of kids that are overweight. (Get you child outside & educate yourself on nutrition)

4 to 1 - The ratio of carbs to protein that an athlete should be consuming.

30 - The maximum minutes after a workout that an athlete has to "re-fuel" themselves.

0 - The amount of days that a parent should go without telling thier child how proud of them they are.

"Success is where desire, potential & diligence meet!"

A Chain is as Only as Strong as it's Weakest Link

Here's an analogy for ya:

For a chain to be strong, all of its links must be.

For an athlete to be strong and powerful, all of its links must be.

If even one component to your athleticism is weak, you will not be as strong of an athlete that you want to be!

Example: You can hit the ball far but you are a slow runner.
Solution: Develop your running mechanics and increase your total body strength.

"Life is full of experiences, which ones will you tell your children about?

I've heard them all...

"LOOKS LIKE RAIN." **Hey, it will cool you off!

"I HAVE NO TIME." **You sure must be wasting a lot of it!

"I PACK MY GYM BAG AND THEN THE OFFICE COMES ON." **Get TiVo!

"I NEED MY SLEEP." **Then go to bed earlier, or take a nap!

"I DON'T WANT TO SPEND $__ A MONTH ON A GYM MEMBERSHIP." **Save $900 a year by switching from cafe' mocha to metabolism-boosting green tea when you stop at Starbucks every morning or switch to 1 snack wrap instead of a "meal deal" at McDonalds!

"MY GYM SUCKS." **then get a new one that helps motivate you!

"I'M BORED WITH MY WORKOUT." **Then get a trainer!

"I NEVER SEE RESULTS." **Switch trainers or actually get one!

"I HAVE NO ENERGY." **Energy = Food, so eat the right energy!

"I'M JUST MAKING SURE MY BODY IS GETTING ENOUGH REST." **More than 48hours is flirting with laziness!

"I ALWAYS GET HURT." **Get a new trainer!

"MY ELBOWS/SHINS/PINKIE TOES HURT." **No Pain, No Gain!

"I DON'T WANT TO LOOK STUPID TRYING TO USE THOSE MACHINES." **Then use something else or realize that working out is about the sweat, not good looks Hollywood!

"MY BUDDY CAN'T MAKE IT TONIGHT." **One word... Discipline!

NO MORE EXCUSES!!!

Hold yourself accountable for the workouts you miss!

WHO LOVES YA?

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

The Perfectionist Athlete

Listed below are some areas in which characteristics of a perfectionist athlete may be shown in:

Fear of Failure
Fear of Embarrassment
Fear of others' judgments
Fear of Letting Others Down
Fear of Making mistakes
Fear of wasted energy or time
Fear of Losing respect from others
Fear of not reaching expectations

Practice
Great Practice Player
Hard Worker
High Motivation
Practice Confidence
Loves to Train
Very Coachable

Mental Game
Tries to be perfect
High Expectations
Lack of Confidence in games
Lack of trust in competition
Wants to look and feel good
Fear of making mistakes
Tries too hard - tension

Competition
Tentative performer
Too focused on others
Afraid to take risks
Feels anxious or tense
Frustrated with mistakes
Can't perform in the present

Perfectionists are hard enough on themselves; they don't need their parents reminding them how to improve their technique or try harder. In fact, what they need is permission to perform or play at a more instinctive level or with less thinking. Over thinking is what makes these athletes anxious and tentative. Also, it would be most beneficial for these athletes to learn that making mistakes is a part of every athlete's career. So if you or if you know an athlete of this nature be positive and encouraging; never be over critical.

For more information check out these podcasts: http://www.peaksportsnetwork.com/public/department47.cfm

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Music and Sport

Music, it can be a "cure-all" in your athletic lifestyle. Music can assist you in altering the mood your in. It can pump you up or make you relaxed and focused. You know yourself best, so pick music that will best suit you and the mood your "zone" your trying to get into prior to a competition. By the time you take the headphones off, you should have a strong sense of confidence and belief in yourself!

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Saying is an idea; Doing is a statement!

Everyday I hear people talk about what they are going to start doing different in their lives. Nothing says "Hey, I just accomplished my goal" better than action. Think about it, hearing someone say, "I just got a scholarship" is more powerful than hearing, "I want to get a scholarship." For every goal that you set, you must have an action plan that is bulletproof so that success is your only option, not failure. This plan of action will also lay the groundwork for your confident since every time a step is made in the right direction, a boost of confidence will accompany it. So start "Doing" and stop "Saying!" You owe it to yourself to back up what you want with what you will have achieved one day.

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Believe

You will achieve any goal you set for yourself only if you truly BELIEVE, SEE and FEEL IT! Any subtle doubts you may feel will act as road blocks on your journey to your destination of choice. Your mind is your biggest ally as long as your are extremely positive in your thinking.