Training is coaching is teaching

When working with athletes it's easy to get caught up in the idea of making train hard all the time or keeping them moving at all times during a training session.  This is the furthest thing from training or coaching or teaching.  When you're training an athlete you're also coaching and teaching them how to get in better shape to be a better athlete.

This doesn't mean that athletes don't have to train hard or exert a lot of energy, of course not.  Simply put, they are looking to be guided not driven into the ground or put into a state of exhaustion all the time.  No they instead need to be coached and taught what's best for them so they can understand the purpose and intent.

The best athletes are the ones that have a full understanding of their sport and what it takes to perform at their best for that sport.  They in turn deserve the best knowledge in terms of performance training to get them there.

Hydrate before not after

After years of supplements and protein shakes companies are now trying to sell athletes hydration drinks for post workout or after a game.  While hydrating after a practice or game is important it is more important to hydrate before the practice or game(s).

First, the human body is made up of about 75-80% water.  Water controls body temperature and blood flow.  Second, water also is responsible for muscular contraction.  The cells in our muscles need water for each contraction so that we can run or jump.  Plus, without enough water an athlete's endurance level will also be diminished.

Therein lies the problem itself, athletes just don't drink enough water.  Well no one does really!  Some will say to figure out how much water you should drink everyday just take half your body weight and that should give you the answer.  I say start with 3 quarts, 96 oz, and work forward or backward from there.

I get asked this question a lot, "what about Gatorade?"  Gatorade or any sport drink should be used after 2 hours of exercise and sweating.  In extreme heat, humidity or combination of both then a sport drink can be used earlier such as 60 or 90 minutes.

Staying hydrated is important for another reason as well.  Our brains rely heavily on water.  Cognitive function is diminished when we are dehydrated.  So not only is their athletic performance lessened their ability to perform tasks and skills is also.

Water water water, just when you think you've had enough you need to drink some more.  After all, every part of your body is depending on it and so is your performance.

 

Definition of a team

In the world of team sports a lot of time is dedicated to the skills necessary for the sport through practices and camps.  More time is also used for the athletic development of the athletes.  Often what gets left behind is the mental and psychological aspects of being on a team.  These key components play a huge role in a team's success.

Let's look at a team in a different way.
Trusting
Empowering
Achieving
Measuring

Trusting: a teammates should always be trusting one another to perform their responsibilities.  Once trust becomes absent the team will become a group of individuals.

Empowering: teammates also should be looking to build each other up.  This creates an aura of confidence within the entire team.

Achieving: a team needs to have goals both in the short term and long term that they are striving for.  Collectively the team will always be looking for more and not be satisfied with mediocrity.

Measuring: a team also needs to have performance standards set in place early as to which they are measuring themselves against throughout the season.

A successful team has to have continuity in order for them to be at their best.  History has shown us that you can have the most athletic team and not be successful or have a team that isn't the most athletic but knows how to play together and enjoy success.

Once a team starts utilizing these principles success is guaranteed.

TEMPO performance training books coming out soon

Coming soon will be 3 books on athletic performance training based off of the TEMPO program.  These books will cover everything that any and every athletes, speed, agility, quickness, strength and power.  Each of them will be available in print and eBook.

The first book on speed training offers a completely perspective on how to develop an athlete's maximum speed potential.  Using biomechanics and physics this book is guaranteed to be unlike any other.

The second book covers agility and plyometric training.  Looking at everything from how to prevent non-contact injuries, proper technique, progression and workouts this book has it all.

The third book focuses on strength and power development.  In-depth and detailed this book will cover lifting technique, exercise selection and progression.

So there you have the TEMPO series is coming soon!