It’s not Conditioning It’s Training, as long as…
It’s not conditioning it’s training, and not even training, if we are not teaching. Conditioning is Pavlovian. That is, every time I do this, they do that. That’s not training. It’s brain-washing, manipulating, mechanizing, automacizing. Is that what we are really after when we hold practice to prepare them for the upcoming contest? Training is […]
Washington Spirit’s Ali Krieger Inspires After ACL Repair
“Soccer or Basketball?” That’s all I need to ask the girl at the gym. She looks about 16 and she’s got a 4 inch vertical scar down the middle of her left knee. She’s newly post ACL surgery. That goes without saying. “Soccer,” she says. She tore it on Halloween but “just had surgery in […]
What Makes A Sports Hero? Not Potions
Who did you idolize when you were a kid? Here’s a multiple choice: a parent or grandparent a community leader or public figure? someone with a cool job? an entertainer or a movie star? a sports figure? Sports figure, right? Yeah, if you’re reading this blog, at least one of your heroes was a sports […]
Core Fitness: Plank Exercises for a Strong Core
Don’t have an exercise ball? No problem. All you need is your body and a padded but solid surface. (And I’ recommend securing your pets in another room. My husky sometimes gets a bit “too helpful.”) Let me first distinguish this from the planking fad (balancing face down with arms at sides in tricky and […]
Core Fitness: Fitness Ball Exercises for a Strong Core
In my previous post called “Who Needs Core Fitness?” I made the case for the central role (no pun intended) for core strength in your body’s ability to move efficiently and hold still effectively. Sports require we are both stable and still. There are many exercises to strengthen the core. To make the grade with […]
Who Needs Core Fitness?
At the VYSA convention this weekend I presented on two topics: Game Fitness and Concussion Protection. The common denominator: Core Fitness. Seem strange? Not really. Because strength in your core muscles – your torso, both front and back – allows you to do two seemingly opposite things, move and hold still. How? Glad you asked… […]
Runners:5 Easy Ways to Stay Motivated
How’s the motivation coming? Somehow, things are easy to start. And when we see the finish line, they’re easy to finish. The problem comes in the middle. How do you stick to your training plan when you’re on down the road but don’t yet see the finish line? Here are 5 hints to help you […]
5K Run Training Plan: This Schedule Will Get You Across the Finish Line
Training for a community 5k is a great way to boost your fitness and contribute to a terrific causeYour fitness needing a little boost? Signing up for a fall 5K race is the perfect motivator. Are you hesitating? Maybe you’ve never run a 5K? Or maybe you’re thinking about getting into (or back into) running, but […]