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?

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

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!

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.

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.

Goal: Burn Fat
Change in Lifestyle: Think berfore you eat!
"How much extra work will I need to to burn this off?"
Workout: Cardiovascular
Intinsity: 55-65%/max HR (heart rate)
Duration: 30 - 60min
Days per week: 5-6
Nutrition Plan: Light and healthy. (never feel stuffed)
Meals per day: 5-6
Tips: Get a heart rate monitor, preferably one that tracks your weekly calories. Tell fiends/family about your goals. Both will be good motivation tools for you(hold you accountable). Print out your goals and post them: by your bathroom mirror, in your car, on the refrigerator, etc.

It is vital for all competitive athletes to continually increase their knowledge on a consistant basis. I am here to "give-back" to youth athletes as well as their parents to aid in their success in their sport. I am a certified Performance Enhacement Specialist as well as having my degree in Kinesiology. I have been in the industry for 10 years and have had the oppertunity to work with athletes of all sports as well as all levels (recreational to professional/olympic). Please ask me about any questions you may have about improving athletic performance, sport psychology, injuries, weight management, etc.