A summer strength and conditioning camp can give high school athletes in all sports a constructive activity for their months off and a competitive edge for the coming year.
By Jeff Decker & Tim McClellan
Jeff Decker, MEd, CSCS, is Strength and Conditioning Coach at Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix, Ariz. He can be reached at: jedecker@cox.net. Tim McClellan, MS, CSCS, is Director of Performance Enhancement for Makeplays.com and author of the book Inner Strength Inner Peace. He can be reached at: tim@strengthandpeace.com.
Mountain Pointe High School in the Tempe (Ariz.) Union High School District has enjoyed a tradition of achievement both academically and athletically since it first opened its doors in 1992. With 31 state championships, 26 state runner-up finishes, and 125 regional titles in less than two decades, the school has a lot to be proud of.
Last year, in an effort to continue this level of success, Principal Bruce Kipper adopted the mantra of the International Center for Education Leadership: "Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships." For the athletic programs, this meant it would be a year of new ideas and expanding horizons.
Among the changes was a new head coach taking over the football program. Kipper and Athletic Director Ian Moses wanted an experienced coach with a proven track record in all aspects of coaching who would also serve as an educational leader. They found Norris Vaughan, who brought with him a team-building philosophy that had achieved impressive success at other schools. Vaughan looked forward to turning around a program that had struggled through a 2-8 season the previous year, and a major part of his rebuilding philosophy involved a renewed emphasis on strength and conditioning.
As part of this renewal, we worked with him to create the 2009 Mountain Pointe High School Summer Strength and Conditioning Camp. Participating in a summer program is an outstanding way for high school athletes to gain a leg up in the coming year's sports and to do something constructive during their time off. When planned properly, a summer strength camp can be productive, educational, and a lot of fun for everyone involved.
Read the full story HERE
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Camping Season
_________________________________
Sign up for the Next Level Strength & Conditioning Program TODAY
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
The Rest of the Story Part1
Success-driven athletes push themselves harder and harder in the weightroom, on the practice field, and in every other aspect of their lives. It's up to you to teach them that rest and recovery are essential parts of the performance equation.
By Dr. Terry Favero - Taken from Training - Conditioning Magazine Issue: 19.05 July/August 2009
Every athlete and every coach understands that hard work is a key to success. Athletes looking for an edge will train harder in an effort to outwork their opponents, teams going through a slump will try to "train their way out of it" by ramping up practices and workouts, and many athletes view working to exhaustion and beyond as a badge of courage and a sign of ultimate commitment.
But there's another component of athletic success that's too often overlooked, and that's recovery. When athletes do too much or coaches push too hard, the regimen eventually becomes counterproductive--the body wasn't designed to work without adequate rest. Evidence of this imbalance isn't hard to find: In a recent survey of published literature, I found roughly 30 articles championing various training methods for every one article about the role of rest and recovery in the adaptation process.
Planned recovery takes many forms, from improving sleep habits and eating patterns to scheduling days away from the gym that allow for regenerating tissue and rejuvenating the mind. Too many coaches spend their time scripting daily and weekly training programs, yet fail to strategize for recovery and regeneration with the same depth and precision.
Science has proven that proper recovery facilitates faster physiological adaptation and enhances performance. Ignoring recovery today leads to tomorrow's poor practice session and, eventually, poor recovery habits that are tough to break. It also reinforces attitudes that can lead to overtraining injuries. But by taking advantage of planned recovery and making it an integral part of a comprehensive training program, you can help athletes experience the gains that elude them when they work hard, but not smart.
Science has proven that proper recovery facilitates faster physiological adaptation and enhances performance. Ignoring recovery today leads to tomorrow's poor practice session and, eventually, poor recovery habits that are tough to break. It also reinforces attitudes that can lead to overtraining injuries. But by taking advantage of planned recovery and making it an integral part of a comprehensive training program, you can help athletes experience the gains that elude them when they work hard, but not smart.
STATE OF AFFAIRS
Most high school and college athletes understand at least the basics of appropriate recovery. If they haven't learned it from coaches, health classes, or other educational sources, they've at least felt the soreness after overworking their muscles, the fatigue from working out without proper fueling, or the overall misery of trying to function on too little sleep. And still, most athletes fail to follow an optimal recovery strategy.
Today's student-athletes must balance demanding training schedules with complex personal, social, and educational demands. The pressures of daily life are rarely factored into an athlete's total training or overall workload, but they're a major factor in the individual's health and well being.
What happens when an athlete has too many commitments and not enough time to meet them all? Recovery is usually among the first things to suffer. Rather than cut short a training session, they might skip a post-workout meal. Instead of missing practice to study for an exam or complete a class project, they'll sacrifice a few hours of sleep that night. In the long run, these decisions take a serious toll, both physically and mentally, and performance begins to decline.
To better understand the current landscape surrounding this issue, I recently conducted an informal survey of high school and NCAA Division I athletes, examining nutrition, sleep, and recovery behaviors. While not scientifically rigorous (the sample size was only 40 people), the results provide an interesting snapshot that's probably typical of many athletes in these age groups.
To better understand the current landscape surrounding this issue, I recently conducted an informal survey of high school and NCAA Division I athletes, examining nutrition, sleep, and recovery behaviors. While not scientifically rigorous (the sample size was only 40 people), the results provide an interesting snapshot that's probably typical of many athletes in these age groups.
Nutrition. I found no significant differences between high school and college athletes in eating habits--both were equally poor. Half the athletes skip breakfast at least once per week, while 20 percent said they miss it several times per week. Sixty percent reported missing other meals occasionally as well. Perhaps most troubling, only 46 percent of the athletes said they regularly eat within 60 minutes after completing exercise.
Sleep.
On average, most high school and college athletes get far less than the recommended eight hours of sleep per night. In fact, 38 percent of college freshman athletes in my survey get less than seven hours in a typical night. Sleep is one of the most frequently mismanaged recovery habits among athletes of all ages, and the consequences are immense.
Regular recovery activities. 
My survey showed that in general, high school athletes do more in terms of recovery activity than college athletes, but only when directed to do so by their coaches. Essential recovery activities include (but are not limited to) a daily cooldown, especially following demanding workouts, active re-stretching or lengthening of the most active muscle groups, and post-workout rehydration. In addition, foam rolling and deep static stretching should occur at least twice weekly apart from normal practice times.
In the survey group, 52 percent of high school track athletes used a foam roller daily, compared with 18 percent of college track athletes. And 88 percent of the high schoolers stretched daily, compared with 53 percent of the college athletes. However, I found that in general, unless the coach leads a team through specific recovery activities, most athletes are consistently inconsistent in their recovery choices.
The above data should sound an alarming note: Recovery behaviors for both high school and college athletes need serious attention. Athletes develop training habits at an early age, and most carry these habits--good and bad--into college sports. College often provides a wake-up call, since talented and healthy athletes might not have experienced any real consequences for poor habits in high school or club sports, where practices are far less demanding, competitive seasons are shorter, and athletes can get by on pure skill even if they're not performing at 100 percent.
Terry Favero, PhD, is Professor of Biology and Conditioning Coordinator for the women's soccer team at the University of Portland. He has also worked with the U.S. Olympic Development Program, and can be reached at: favero@up.edu.
Terry Favero, PhD, is Professor of Biology and Conditioning Coordinator for the women's soccer team at the University of Portland. He has also worked with the U.S. Olympic Development Program, and can be reached at: favero@up.edu.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Do You Have What It Takes To Be More Successful Than The Guy Lined Up In Front Of You?
Without clearly defined goals, you simply can’t achieve the success you want!
Goal-setting is a common weakness for struggling athletes and a common strength for successful athletes. Good goal setting will improve your motivation and self confidence, while poor goal setting or avoiding goal setting altogether will greatly decrease your chances of success.
Let’s start with a research-proven fact: if you believe in yourself, you’re more likely to be successful. I know that’s not rocket science. But ask yourself: what affects your belief in yourself as an athlete?
Read the rest HERE
PS. - If setting, meeting and EXCEEDING your goals in the weightroom, on the playing field and in LIFE sounds interesting to you sign up for the Next Level Strength & Conditioning Program TODAY
http://nextlevelapp.blogspot.com/
Thursday, December 11, 2008
"Atmosphere"
Michigan S&C coach Mike Barwis talks about giving his players his intensity and energy.
The bottem line is, APPLY TODAY for the 2009 Next Level Off Season Strength & Conditioning Proram.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Do you know an athlete that needs to put on 10, 15, 20+ pounds?
I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that on January 21st 2009 I am launching my Next Level Performance System's Off Season Strength and Conditioning for Football Program.
This program is designed to increase an athletes' speed, agility, coordination, explosiveness, mental toughness, injury prevention and much more.
The Application Deadline is on January 5th 2009. CLICK HERE to subit your application TODAY.
This customized, sport-specific program offers the cutting edge in athletic performance enhancement with an emphasis on injury prevention. Next Level Performance System offers an unparalleled, individualized and comprehensive approach to personal performance enhancement at any level.
WHAT CAN OUR PROGRAM DO FOR ATHLETES:
· Increase acceleration and MAXIMIZE breakaway speed
· Pack on slabs of rugged lean MUSCLE
· Increase raw STRENGTH and explosive POWER
· UNSTOPPABLE endurance for the 4th Quarter and BEYOND
· MAKE YOUR ATHLETE BETTER AND DOMINATE THE COMPETITION!
We seek to create a positive environment to help your athlete meet their performance goals.
We practice SAFETY FIRST. The athlete will:
· Be properly supervised by a full-time CERTIFIED fitness professional
· Master proper exercise technique for MAXIMUM size and strength gains
· Establish, meet and EXCEED realistic weight room GOALS that are guaranteed to carryover to the playing field
This is a great opportunity for athletes to receive top of the line professional CERTIFIED instruction, to pack on pounds of durable lean muscle and significantly improve game-day speed.
Submit your application today and get these Wonderful FREE Bonuses:
BONUS #1 - FREE Strength and Conditioning Evaluation
($79 Value)
This is an excellent opportunity for the athlete to know exactly were they stand, strength-wise and get a feel for the work they will need to do to be ready for next season on the playing fields at the next level.
BONUS #2 - FREE Next Level Performance Systems
4 Week Beginner/Intermediate
Sample Program ($29 Value)
This jam packed resource is a sneak peek into the philosophy behind the Next Level Performance Systems Off - Season Strength & Conditioning program. 12 easy to follow workouts guaranteed to make any athlete in any sport bigger, faster, stronger.
BONUS #3 - FREE Reading Nutritional Labels
SPECIAL REPORT
($29 Value)
All the lifting weights and running sprints will not matter without a sound, healthy nutritional plan. Learn to navigate around the false health claims and hidden calories in the supermarket in 10 easy steps.
($79 Value)
This is an excellent opportunity for the athlete to know exactly were they stand, strength-wise and get a feel for the work they will need to do to be ready for next season on the playing fields at the next level.
BONUS #2 - FREE Next Level Performance Systems
4 Week Beginner/Intermediate
Sample Program ($29 Value)
This jam packed resource is a sneak peek into the philosophy behind the Next Level Performance Systems Off - Season Strength & Conditioning program. 12 easy to follow workouts guaranteed to make any athlete in any sport bigger, faster, stronger.
BONUS #3 - FREE Reading Nutritional Labels
SPECIAL REPORT
($29 Value)
All the lifting weights and running sprints will not matter without a sound, healthy nutritional plan. Learn to navigate around the false health claims and hidden calories in the supermarket in 10 easy steps.
The Application Deadline is on January 5th 2009. CLICK HERE to subit your application TODAY.
PS - Don't forget the Original Blog at http://www.nlpf.net/
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Ten Ways to Discover Your Sports Potential
Simple Strategies for Athletic Success
By Elizabeth Quinn
I've worked with athletes and studied sports performance for over a decade and in that time I've noticed some basic characteristics that many of the top athletes share. Of course, there are exceptions: I've known elite cyclists who have awful diets and party late into the night and win races the next day. I've also seen the most disciplined and regimented athletes have mediocre results year after year. So while not all of the following characteristics are essential to achieve athletic success, this list comprises many of the strategies used by some of the world's best athletes and it is a sure-fire way to start recognizing your own sports potential.
What Is Your Sports Potential?
If you haven't yet practiced these principles you may not even know your true sports potential. That's perfectly fine. In fact, that's the point. The concept of discovering your potential is not a fixed concept. Potential in anything is always relative to where you are now. For this reason, you will have to adjust your goals as your abilities improve. Remember the saying that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step? That is how you find your potential. One step at a time.
Ten Ways to Discover Your Sports Potential
1. Love Your Sport
A major theme in human psychology is based upon the concept that success is a by-product of doing what you love and humans struggle when we attempt to apply the principle in reverse; mistakenly believing that success will bring happiness. This fundamental theory is also applied to sports success. If you love your sport, you will easily find pleasure in every aspect of it from training to racing -- and this is what brings success.
2. Develop Training Discipline
Elite athletes have extremely rigorous training, dietary schedules and skill development routines. While you may not have the luxury of training full time, if you want to reach your potential, you'll need to set aside a specific amount of time to train each week. Sometimes finding time to train amid conflicting priorities such as work, family and social obligations can make it a challenge. For this reason, developing a structured training plan or routine can help.
3. Build More Strength
Building strength is a simple way to improve your performance in nearly any sport. More strength equals greater power, speed, stability, and endurance, while reducing muscle fatigue and reducing the risk of injury.
4. Eat Right and Stay Hydrated
Proper nutrition is often overlooked as a way to reach your peak sports potential. But consider how the right food and drink at the right time can be the difference between feeling strong through a race or bonking. Good nutrition alone may not win you medals, but poor nutrition is definitely going to lower your success potential.
5. Have the Right Parents
Yes, it's true, your genetics are important when it comes to determining overall sports ability, but they are not the only thing. What you do with your genetic gifts are entirely up to you.
6. Get Enough Rest
Adequate rest is a largely ignored component of most athlete's training programs. But more evidence is supporting the idea that it's the quality, not the quantity of your training that will have the largest impact on your performance. In fact, there are some many problems related to overtraining, that it actually has becomes a condition. It's called overtraining syndrome and it's an athlete's enemy because it saps not only your energy for your sports, but it robs you of your passion and enthusiasm for your sport as well. Remember that adding appropriate rest and recovery days into your training is critical for success.
7. Work With a Qualified Coach or Trainer
Not everyone needs, wants or can afford a coach or trainer, but if you really want to find your potential it's not a bad idea. Think about it. Every elite and professional athlete has a coach or trainer. Why? Because a qualified professional makes it his or her job to help you find your strengths and weaknesses. They provide objectivity and sees things you don't. They fill that gap in your training knowledge and offer variety, expertise and motivation when you can't find it. They also figure out the details and let you focus on doing your best. Who doesn't want that?
8. Take Advantage of Technology
Whether it is an aerodynamic bike wheel, blister-resisting socks, a heart rate monitor or shaped skis, taking advantage of the technology that is available in your sport can often help save seconds or improve your accuracy. Not every product delivers what it promises, though, so do your research and talk to experts before you drop you dollars on products that are mostly hype.
9. Practice Specific Skills Until They Become Automatic
The more your train the more efficient you will become. If your sport requires specific skills, such as a serve in tennis or cornering at high speed while cycling, you need to spend time honing these skills so they become natural and automatic. Nothing will lower your performance faster than analyzing your actions while you are competing. Take time to train sports skills exclusively and perform repeat drills once a week. This is another area where working with a coach or trainer is essential.
10. Consider Honing Your Mental Game
Sports psychology isn't just for elite athletes. While they may be more likely to work with a sports psychologist, the benefits of visualization training and guided imagery, relaxation training, and mental rehearsal can be used by anyone to increase confidence, reduce pre-race jitters and anxiety and help you avoid psyching yourself out during training and competition.
By Elizabeth Quinn
I've worked with athletes and studied sports performance for over a decade and in that time I've noticed some basic characteristics that many of the top athletes share. Of course, there are exceptions: I've known elite cyclists who have awful diets and party late into the night and win races the next day. I've also seen the most disciplined and regimented athletes have mediocre results year after year. So while not all of the following characteristics are essential to achieve athletic success, this list comprises many of the strategies used by some of the world's best athletes and it is a sure-fire way to start recognizing your own sports potential.
What Is Your Sports Potential?
If you haven't yet practiced these principles you may not even know your true sports potential. That's perfectly fine. In fact, that's the point. The concept of discovering your potential is not a fixed concept. Potential in anything is always relative to where you are now. For this reason, you will have to adjust your goals as your abilities improve. Remember the saying that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step? That is how you find your potential. One step at a time.
Ten Ways to Discover Your Sports Potential
1. Love Your Sport
A major theme in human psychology is based upon the concept that success is a by-product of doing what you love and humans struggle when we attempt to apply the principle in reverse; mistakenly believing that success will bring happiness. This fundamental theory is also applied to sports success. If you love your sport, you will easily find pleasure in every aspect of it from training to racing -- and this is what brings success.
2. Develop Training Discipline
Elite athletes have extremely rigorous training, dietary schedules and skill development routines. While you may not have the luxury of training full time, if you want to reach your potential, you'll need to set aside a specific amount of time to train each week. Sometimes finding time to train amid conflicting priorities such as work, family and social obligations can make it a challenge. For this reason, developing a structured training plan or routine can help.
3. Build More Strength
Building strength is a simple way to improve your performance in nearly any sport. More strength equals greater power, speed, stability, and endurance, while reducing muscle fatigue and reducing the risk of injury.
4. Eat Right and Stay Hydrated
Proper nutrition is often overlooked as a way to reach your peak sports potential. But consider how the right food and drink at the right time can be the difference between feeling strong through a race or bonking. Good nutrition alone may not win you medals, but poor nutrition is definitely going to lower your success potential.
5. Have the Right Parents
Yes, it's true, your genetics are important when it comes to determining overall sports ability, but they are not the only thing. What you do with your genetic gifts are entirely up to you.
6. Get Enough Rest
Adequate rest is a largely ignored component of most athlete's training programs. But more evidence is supporting the idea that it's the quality, not the quantity of your training that will have the largest impact on your performance. In fact, there are some many problems related to overtraining, that it actually has becomes a condition. It's called overtraining syndrome and it's an athlete's enemy because it saps not only your energy for your sports, but it robs you of your passion and enthusiasm for your sport as well. Remember that adding appropriate rest and recovery days into your training is critical for success.
7. Work With a Qualified Coach or Trainer
Not everyone needs, wants or can afford a coach or trainer, but if you really want to find your potential it's not a bad idea. Think about it. Every elite and professional athlete has a coach or trainer. Why? Because a qualified professional makes it his or her job to help you find your strengths and weaknesses. They provide objectivity and sees things you don't. They fill that gap in your training knowledge and offer variety, expertise and motivation when you can't find it. They also figure out the details and let you focus on doing your best. Who doesn't want that?
8. Take Advantage of Technology
Whether it is an aerodynamic bike wheel, blister-resisting socks, a heart rate monitor or shaped skis, taking advantage of the technology that is available in your sport can often help save seconds or improve your accuracy. Not every product delivers what it promises, though, so do your research and talk to experts before you drop you dollars on products that are mostly hype.
9. Practice Specific Skills Until They Become Automatic
The more your train the more efficient you will become. If your sport requires specific skills, such as a serve in tennis or cornering at high speed while cycling, you need to spend time honing these skills so they become natural and automatic. Nothing will lower your performance faster than analyzing your actions while you are competing. Take time to train sports skills exclusively and perform repeat drills once a week. This is another area where working with a coach or trainer is essential.
10. Consider Honing Your Mental Game
Sports psychology isn't just for elite athletes. While they may be more likely to work with a sports psychologist, the benefits of visualization training and guided imagery, relaxation training, and mental rehearsal can be used by anyone to increase confidence, reduce pre-race jitters and anxiety and help you avoid psyching yourself out during training and competition.
Friday, August 1, 2008
The Randy Moss Method
THE MOSS METHOD finds Randy Moss sharing his fitness methods and philosophies on athletics in a candid instructional way. Football fans and fitness hounds will want to see this motivational program from one of the most recognized and respected players in the NFL.
In this AWESOME DVD Moss shows why he is seperate from all others in the NFL... HE HAS DETERMINATION!!!
WATCH!!!
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