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Building Better Athletes

Blog

The Best Athlete I've Played/Coached With

8/21/2016

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I've had the privilege of playing with and getting to coach a number of extraordinary athletes… All-Americans, National Champions, Professionals, Player of the Year, etc… Athletes that far exceeded their supposed potential, that had success time and time again even when others were more highly rated/ranked, athletes that are not only great on the field, but also off the field.

After thinking about these athletes, a number of common traits emerged.  They shared a number of commonalities that differ from most other athletes I've encountered, and I feel it is these traits that are what make them special. 

So in no particular order, here's the best athlete I've ever played/coached with...

The best athletes I've been around held themselves to a higher standard, they didn't care about about other people's standards, they only cared about their own because they're own standard's are higher than anyone else's...
 This is how great people think.

They aren't driven by rewards, or acknowledgements, or validation from others… they don't stop working hard just because they lost or may have been shorted or didn't get picked for an award… No they continue to work even harder and use set-backs to their advantage.  It's not about the set-back, but the comeback.

They are humble… they take coaching, they listen, they observe, they WANT TO IMPROVE. They don't have all the answers and they don't have an attitude because someone tells them they have weaknesses or need to work harder or do something they don't want to do.

They know that success has been the spoil of many before and many more to come.  Success is temporary, and in order to continue to have success, they can't rest on the past.

They are humble because they know, eventually they will be beat, they will grow older, and someone better will come along.

They show up to practice or training 45-minutes early, so they can do their soft-tissue, mobilizations, warm-up, activation, and work on specific weaknesses.  They don't show up 30-seconds before they need to, they don't half ass the warm-up or skip activation, they don't skip out on recovery - they know every piece has it's place and is inherently important to the whole process.

They aren't impressed when they get a base hit, or make a 3-pointer, or win a race… because they know it's only a small stepping stone and at the end of the day it's about self competition and improvement.

They use failure as a learning experience.  They know failure is a prerequisite for success in life.

They have humility.

They don't listen to the hype or the papers because they know false ideas about oneself can cause destruction and inhibit growth.

They have a realistic view of themselves, they know their strengths and weaknesses.  They don't have unrealistic views of themselves, instead they know exactly where they need to improve and attack these weaknesses to turn them into strengths.

They plan their work and then work their plan.

They know their attitude is their decision and it requires discipline and energy to sustain it.  They don't let others dictate their attitude, instead they take ownership for their attitude, no matter the situation.

They don't place blame on any others but themselves when things do not go well.  They don't blame the coach or their teammates or the refs, instead they take responsibility.

They welcome challenges and look forward to the toughest competitions.  They seek out situations where they may fail and lose because they know this makes them stronger.

They know there will be others who are bigger, faster, and stronger BUT physical ability is never the defining factor in elite performance.

They put the quest for individual awards/glory/acknowledgement behind them and wholeheartedly commit themselves to the team effort. 

What common qualities do great athletes you've played/trained with have?


​Go Get 'Em
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5 Ways To Start Every Morning

8/14/2016

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A good morning routine ensures a great start to the day and snow balls into the rest of the day.

Have a good morning = have a good day

For most, the morning is just a haze that we struggle to get through… Hit the snooze a couple of times, stumble out of bed, take a hot shower, brew up some coffee, eat a donut or muffin or other crap, watch the news….

No productivity, no benefit or carryover to your sport performance or health, no impact, no rhyme or reason.  Just trying to struggle through.

Instead, doing these 5 things each morning will put yourself in a position to have a positive impact on your performance, energy, focus, and health throughout the day.


1. Drink A 2-3 Glasses of Water

Think about this for a second, you sleep for 6-10 hours a night, without a drop of water.  All the while, you are perspiring and losing body fluids - It's a no brainer to replenish these lost fluids ASAP. 

Getting these fluids replenished right away in the morning is important for balancing your lymphatic system, regulating many of your bodies functions, increasing metabolism, and increasing production of different cellular functions. 

So within 20-minutes of waking, shoot for 2-3 glasses of cold H2O.


2. Take a Cold Shower

Cold showers can have an incredible effect on the body and it reaches the depths of the nervous system, cardiovascular system, and pulmonary system.  Those who take regular cold showers report feeling of being more active, energetic, and brisk.  Regular cold showers can even fight depression and might even be more effective than prescription antidepressants (3). 

This is something I've started doing for the past 2-weeks and I can tell you it will be something I continue forever.  It's helps me feel awake, refreshed, more energetic, and just leaves me feeling better.

Start with warm water and slowly drop the temperature until it's cold to the touch.  Stay under the cold stream for just two to three minutes and you'll be set.


3. Eat Protein

Consuming protein in the morning can increase satiety and be an effective strategy to improve appetite control and reduced intake of high-fat and high-sugar evening snacks (1,2). 

It has also been shown to be more effective at enhancing body composition and stimulating protein synthesis than a high carb breakfast.  Again, your under very little to no protein synthesis during the 6-10 hours you're asleep - consuming amino acids in the morning can help to repair and stimulate the rebuilding of muscular tissues better than a high carb breakfast.

Best options include EGGS, Greek yogurt, ham, turkey, sausage, and/or a protein shake. 



4. Wake Up At The Same Time

Our bodies are a system of routine - we love routines.  Waking at the same time helps your body get into a routine and better prepare your body for more productive awake hours and better sleeping hours.

A key routine of our body is circadian rhythm.  Think of circadian rhythm as a fancy term to describe your body clock.  It’s a biological process and going to bed and waking up at the same time every day will help stabilize your circadian rhythm.  As a result, you should naturally become tired at the same time every night and awake more smoothly, alertly, and energetic.

A good reference is to be in bed between 9:30-10:30pm and awake between 5:30-7:00am.  This ensures you get good quantity of sleep but also ensures you're resting and rising near the setting and rising of the sun - which is another key contributor to a solid circadian rhythm.


5. Make A To-Do List

Write down 1-2 KEY things you want to accomplish during that day and set out to accomplish those things.  This may be tasks or errands, but I encourage you to make a list of things that PROGRESS towards a bigger goal and outcome.  What are 1-2 things you can do to make each day better or one step closer to a higher goal?  What are 1-2 things that will make the lives of people around you better?  How can you enhance your presence and make an impact? 

It's a lot easier to viscously attack 1-2 goals rather than a laundry list to-do lists.  So pick, 1-2 major things you want to tackle so when you lay your head to rest, you feel accomplished - and tackle those things with vigor!



Go Get 'Em!


References

1. Leidy, H. J., & Racki, E. M. (2010). The addition of a protein-rich breakfast and its effects on acute appetite control and food intake in ‘breakfast-skipping’adolescents. International journal of obesity, 34(7), 1125-1133.

2. Leidy, H. J., Ortinau, L. C., Douglas, S. M., & Hoertel, H. A. (2013). Beneficial effects of a higher-protein breakfast on the appetitive, hormonal, and neural signals controlling energy intake regulation in overweight/obese,“breakfast-skipping,” late-adolescent girls. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 97(4), 677-688.

3. Shevchuk, N. A. (2008). Adapted cold shower as a potential treatment for depression. Medical hypotheses, 70(5), 995-1001.
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    Michael Zweifel CSCS-

    Owner and Head of Sports Performance. National Player of the Year in Division 3 football. Works with athletes including NFL, NHL, and Olympic athletes.

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