1. Diet
"The first wealth is health."
Your diet plays a monstrous part in how you think, feel, perform and recover. Think of it like this: you the “Ferrari” of the PCH, are cruising along filled with a full tank of premium gas (lean protein, whole grain carbs, fruit). Like wise, your teammate also a Ferrari starts along side of you with a tank full of regular (a Double Double w/ fries, Carne Asada nachos, or last nights left over pizza). You both start strong and powerful, handling the turns with precision. Soon after however you will continue to excel from the cleaner energy source while your teammate becomes sluggish, bogged down with gunk buildup in his engine from the subpar fuel. As simple as it gets, the better quality fuel you put into your engine, the better that engine can perform. Fill up with the best to out perform the rest!
2. Training
“The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual.”
Each year incoming athletes come into the weight room with the intentions of becoming stronger, faster, and better conditioned to excel above the competition. With that, the Strength and Conditioning staff welcome the challenge EVERYDAY to improve your overall athletic capabilities by pushing you to your limits and beyond! Now think for a minute what you could do if you came in 3 months better then when you left for summer? Think of all the sweat, hard work and devastating fatigue you experienced throughout the school year in order to become better, faster, and more agile. Why waste it by not utilizing a summer strength and conditioning program. Think about your teammates, hold each other accountable, and prepare to come back the following year ready to train hard and build upon your efforts from the previous year.
3. Recover Strategically
"You have to do what others won't to achieve what others don't."
Recovery from exercise can be accelerated with proper attention to stretching, massage, nutrition and sleep. Some techniques like stretching, massage, and contrast showering draw fresh oxygenated blood in to muscles and promote the elimination of waste products. After your weight training session its imperative to cool down properly to regain proper muscle length, improve tissue quality and release tension held around joints. Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) is one of the methods of stretching most used by today's athletes, massage therapists, personal/athletic trainers, and professionals. Active Isolated Stretching allows the body to repair itself and also to prepare for daily activity. The Active Isolated Stretching technique involves the method of holding each stretch for only two seconds. The contrast shower is a simple and convenient way to stimulate vitality and promote detoxification, as well as treat generalized areas of pain and soreness. The idea is simple: alternating between hot and cold water while you are showering to stimulate your body to heat itself up and cool itself down, in order to compensate. This temperature contrast helps strengthen and normalize the nervous, circulatory, endocrine (hormonal), musculoskeletal and immune systems and is excellent for helping the body cope with physiological and psychological stress. Deep tissue massage is not spa-type relaxation massage. Deep tissue massage can and will be uncomfortable at times. In addition to deep tissue massage, athletes will also benefit from a massage technique known as “myofascial release”. This technique specifically affects the connective tissue and works to restore fascia to its’ natural state. Connective tissue dehydrates as we lose fluids during training and “shrink wraps” (much like Saran Wrap does in the microwave). This “shrink wrapping” compresses muscle tissue; therefore, limiting range of motion and reducing circulation. Below are just some of the benefits from deep tissue massages:
- Relieves muscle tension through improved circulation.
- Reduces muscle soreness and fatigue through enhanced circulation.
- Increases the amount of oxygen and nutrients.
- Increases circulation disposes of waste products and hastens recovery time.
- Increases/restores range of motion; thus improving running efficiency and performance.
- Improves flexibility- this reduces the risk of injury, improves running efficiency and performance.
- Restores posture and gait.
- Reduces excessive scar formation.
- Decreases adhesion formation.
- Releases fascial restrictions.
- Improves connective tissue healing.
4. Practice, Practice, Practice
“Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all time thing. You don't win once in a while, you don't do things right once in a while, you do them right all the time. Winning is habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.”
A staple in any athletes regiment is practice. This is a quiet reminder that those who allow their skills to become dull and unrefined allow the competition to surpass them. The idea is to be better then you were yesterday by any means necessary. It doesn’t mean you must practice, lift or run everyday. It means that you constantly evolve your knowledge of the sport or activity your going to engage in. This might mean watching a professional game, learning a lift better by seeking out mentors for tips or just recovering smarter. The idea is to continually refine that blade so the next time competition comes knocking you’re not only better but able to slice and dice.
5. Continuing Education
“Education is learning what you didn't even know you didn't know.”
Choose a book that requires effort and concentration and read a little of it every day, so that you read it from cover to cover in 100 days! Make it a point to learn at least one new thing daily (think of a year’s time). The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will each day: Learn the name of a new muscle and how it works, a new book to read, or a new skill such as surfing. The continual growth mentally with effect other facets of your life. Better balance surfing will give you better balance on the field, improved knowledge of a muscle group can help you learn a more effective way to train it, a new book will expand your vocabulary and provide though provoking concepts about life. The only limitation you have is YOU!
