You know what this blog will be about, yesterday, USC running back Stafon Johnson was nearly killed in the weight room after losing his grip during a bench press and the bar landing on his neck! Would this have even been a concern if a spotter was used?
It seems almost ironic that yesterday morning I noticed some BU athletes not using spotters (or spotting with poor technique) and raised the issue with them and later the entire S&C coaching staff in a meeting. Luckily for Johnson, it sounds like things were taken care of in an emergency surgery and hopefully he will recover. Luckily for athletes around the World, his story (and the rampant and immediate media coverage) could save many more from the same experience.
Spotting is the easiest precaution you can take when exercising. However, many coaches neglect teaching proper spotting techniques and I have no idea why. Here's a link to the unfortunate story of Johnson from yahoo.com and thank you for reading today: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-t25usc-johnsonhurt&prov=ap&type=lgns
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Are Buffets Killing You?
Today I ate at the dining for the first time in a while and I realized that buffets are literally killing me and most likely others in our country for numerous reasons.
To start- The whole idea behind a buffet (and number 1 reaosn I like them) is to eat as much food as you want for the same price. Now, if this doesnt sound like a recipe for disasterous nutrition, I don't know what will. Portion control is one of the most impoartant considerations for good nutrition.
Secondly- The food quality in a buffet, especially a school dining hall (in my case) is often times fried food and is pretty much like eating at McDonalds or Burger King. A diet high in fat, like fried food, is proven to cause significant health problems.
Lastly- The mindset you bring to the table at a buffet can also negatively effect your nutrition because when you think about getting your money's worth and the effect of numerous foods sitting in front of you can profoundly affect your thoughts and actions at a buffet. The psychology of a buffet could probably be a whole different blog, but I will leave it there.
Thank you for reading and please come back tomorrow!
To start- The whole idea behind a buffet (and number 1 reaosn I like them) is to eat as much food as you want for the same price. Now, if this doesnt sound like a recipe for disasterous nutrition, I don't know what will. Portion control is one of the most impoartant considerations for good nutrition.
Secondly- The food quality in a buffet, especially a school dining hall (in my case) is often times fried food and is pretty much like eating at McDonalds or Burger King. A diet high in fat, like fried food, is proven to cause significant health problems.
Lastly- The mindset you bring to the table at a buffet can also negatively effect your nutrition because when you think about getting your money's worth and the effect of numerous foods sitting in front of you can profoundly affect your thoughts and actions at a buffet. The psychology of a buffet could probably be a whole different blog, but I will leave it there.
Thank you for reading and please come back tomorrow!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
S.M.A.R.T. Goal Setting
I'm sure most of you have heard this acronym for goal setting, but I know it will be helpful for those of you who haven't. This is a great acronym to remember when trying to set goals for yourself and when outlining team or individual goals with athletes or clients.
S- Specific: Goals must be specific. If you don't know exactly what you want to achieve, how will you know when you get there? Additionally, non-specific goal setting leaves room for excuses.
M- Measurable: Goals need to be in some way measurable, not necessarily quantifiable. If you are setting goals that are subjective, it will be much harder for you to measure your success.
A- Attainable: Goals should be set that are attainable. For instance, me setting a goal to win the Boston Marathon is probably not attainable. Goals that are not attainable will lead to more disappointment. Both long-term (1-3 years in advance) and short-term (weeks to months) are important to set.
R- Realistic: Similar to Attainable goals, you must set goals that are realistic. If I saw this afternoon that my goal is to be the strongest 8th grader in my class, that is just not realistic because I am already out of 8th grade.
T- Timely: Goals should be set with a time frame in mind that fits their level of commitment, etc. For example, nobody in their right mind would set a goal to lose 20 pounds in one week, this goal is just not timely.
I hope this helps you out next time you are setting goals for yourself or others.
S- Specific: Goals must be specific. If you don't know exactly what you want to achieve, how will you know when you get there? Additionally, non-specific goal setting leaves room for excuses.
M- Measurable: Goals need to be in some way measurable, not necessarily quantifiable. If you are setting goals that are subjective, it will be much harder for you to measure your success.
A- Attainable: Goals should be set that are attainable. For instance, me setting a goal to win the Boston Marathon is probably not attainable. Goals that are not attainable will lead to more disappointment. Both long-term (1-3 years in advance) and short-term (weeks to months) are important to set.
R- Realistic: Similar to Attainable goals, you must set goals that are realistic. If I saw this afternoon that my goal is to be the strongest 8th grader in my class, that is just not realistic because I am already out of 8th grade.
T- Timely: Goals should be set with a time frame in mind that fits their level of commitment, etc. For example, nobody in their right mind would set a goal to lose 20 pounds in one week, this goal is just not timely.
I hope this helps you out next time you are setting goals for yourself or others.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Hazing vs. Team Building Exercises
I'm not too sure if hazing is still a big deal in high school or college level sports, I certainly do not see much of it anymore at all at the college level, but I know it was a huge concern no more than 5 years ago in most areas of the country so I will share my thoughts here.
First of all, from a personal standpoint, I was always a player that did not believe freshman were obligated to do anything that any other team members did not have to do. My High School hockey team had a long tradition of cutting the hair of any Freshman that made the Varsity team (However, this was not like a buzz haircut, the returning team members were allowed to cut anything they wanted into your head) and the player had to wear this hairdo for one whole school day so everyone knew they were on the hockey team. Of course I had to go through this process and actually did not mind this tradition, but I know a lot of kids my age were being succumbed to much worse around the country at that time, which is unfortunate.
There were, however, other duties Freshman or rookies were expected to do on other teams that I did not feel as warm about. As little as picking up practice fields or filling water bottles, I just always felt like this should be the responsibility of the whole team, not just the Freshmen. I would try and voice my opinion, but was always out voted for silly reasons like "tradition" or "respect".
As a coach, I don't think I could ever believe in this sort of behavior as a team is a group of individuals working together to achieve a common goal.
Singling individuals or groups of people out by hazing them is not found in my definition of a team and therefore I do not think it has any place within a team structure. In contrast, I do believe highly in team building exercises and team cohesion. I think there are plenty of ways for a team to become closer through these types of exercises that get everyone involved and may lighten the mood. If a coach is creative, many different goals can be achieved through team building exercises including trust, confidence, teamwork, unity, etc. For a list of some team building exercises visit: http://www.usscouts.org/usscouts/games/game_t.asp
Thank you for reading today and see you tomorrow.
First of all, from a personal standpoint, I was always a player that did not believe freshman were obligated to do anything that any other team members did not have to do. My High School hockey team had a long tradition of cutting the hair of any Freshman that made the Varsity team (However, this was not like a buzz haircut, the returning team members were allowed to cut anything they wanted into your head) and the player had to wear this hairdo for one whole school day so everyone knew they were on the hockey team. Of course I had to go through this process and actually did not mind this tradition, but I know a lot of kids my age were being succumbed to much worse around the country at that time, which is unfortunate.
There were, however, other duties Freshman or rookies were expected to do on other teams that I did not feel as warm about. As little as picking up practice fields or filling water bottles, I just always felt like this should be the responsibility of the whole team, not just the Freshmen. I would try and voice my opinion, but was always out voted for silly reasons like "tradition" or "respect".
As a coach, I don't think I could ever believe in this sort of behavior as a team is a group of individuals working together to achieve a common goal.
Singling individuals or groups of people out by hazing them is not found in my definition of a team and therefore I do not think it has any place within a team structure. In contrast, I do believe highly in team building exercises and team cohesion. I think there are plenty of ways for a team to become closer through these types of exercises that get everyone involved and may lighten the mood. If a coach is creative, many different goals can be achieved through team building exercises including trust, confidence, teamwork, unity, etc. For a list of some team building exercises visit: http://www.usscouts.org/usscouts/games/game_t.asp
Thank you for reading today and see you tomorrow.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Coaching Styles/ Coaching Philosophy
http://http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/rosenblog/2009/09/you-want-the-manager-who-blows-up-at-his-players-or-lays-down-for-them.html
I had this Steve Rosenbloom (courtesy of the Chicago Tribune) blog forwarded my direction and although the article is written fairly at best, it does bring up a great idea: differences in coaching styles. Although there are many different styles of coaching, the two ends of the spectrum are Authoritarian and Humanistic.
Authoritarian: Authoritarian coaches are the ones who makes all the team's decisions themselves. They often use a directive, demanding tone and run the team like a dictatorship.
Humanistic: A humanistic coach would be considered the opposite of an authoritarian coach. Humanistic coaches allow some leeway within team decisons and often times decisions are made like a democracy rather than a dictatorship. A humanistic coach also takes into account the feelings and well-being of the atheltes.
The above article tries to pit the two managers against each other and is asking the audience which style they would prefer, which was probably an effective method to get interaction on his blog. From a coaching standpoint, the most important thing to me is that you know your style and work to get better at whatever style that is. There is not necessarily a blanket style for any one team, sport, level, etc. Find something that works for you and develop that style. At times, it may be necessary to make minor adjustments to your style, but for the most part that's what Assistant coaches are for. Like a business, you want to surround yourself with different minds, different styles for maximum growth. Thank you for reading.
I had this Steve Rosenbloom (courtesy of the Chicago Tribune) blog forwarded my direction and although the article is written fairly at best, it does bring up a great idea: differences in coaching styles. Although there are many different styles of coaching, the two ends of the spectrum are Authoritarian and Humanistic.
Authoritarian: Authoritarian coaches are the ones who makes all the team's decisions themselves. They often use a directive, demanding tone and run the team like a dictatorship.
Humanistic: A humanistic coach would be considered the opposite of an authoritarian coach. Humanistic coaches allow some leeway within team decisons and often times decisions are made like a democracy rather than a dictatorship. A humanistic coach also takes into account the feelings and well-being of the atheltes.
The above article tries to pit the two managers against each other and is asking the audience which style they would prefer, which was probably an effective method to get interaction on his blog. From a coaching standpoint, the most important thing to me is that you know your style and work to get better at whatever style that is. There is not necessarily a blanket style for any one team, sport, level, etc. Find something that works for you and develop that style. At times, it may be necessary to make minor adjustments to your style, but for the most part that's what Assistant coaches are for. Like a business, you want to surround yourself with different minds, different styles for maximum growth. Thank you for reading.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Flow
The concept of flow is often preached by coach educators representing both the coaching realm of thought as well as sports psychology thought. Flow is a concept described simply as a time period when challenge meets, or slightly exceeds, athlete skill level. During flow, an athlete's skill set appropriately matches the challenge in front of them. If the challenge does not reach an athlete's skill set, they will be bored, but if the challenge is too hard, anxiety may set in. In either case, flow is lacking and the practice or game will be interrupted.
Why Flow?:
Coaches want to achieve flow within a practice so there is continued learning and skill development. Flow is also important to keep practice on schedule, keep everyone involved, and mimic game situations.
Sport psychologists study flow and want to recreate these flow experiences for atheltes because often times these flow states are when athletes are benefitting most from enjoyment of the game and likely to perform at their best. Therefore, if flow experiences can be created, more athletes will benefit more often from their experiences within sport.
Thinking about flow and trying to achieve maximum flow within practices is a serious consideration for all sport coaches. Design practice around what flows the best way, this will hopefully eliminate time setting things up and maximize your practice.
Why Flow?:
Coaches want to achieve flow within a practice so there is continued learning and skill development. Flow is also important to keep practice on schedule, keep everyone involved, and mimic game situations.
Sport psychologists study flow and want to recreate these flow experiences for atheltes because often times these flow states are when athletes are benefitting most from enjoyment of the game and likely to perform at their best. Therefore, if flow experiences can be created, more athletes will benefit more often from their experiences within sport.
Thinking about flow and trying to achieve maximum flow within practices is a serious consideration for all sport coaches. Design practice around what flows the best way, this will hopefully eliminate time setting things up and maximize your practice.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Michael Jordan
It was great to see Michael Jordan get inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame the other day and I have only heard exerpts of his acceptance speech, but from what I've heard it was a great one.
In one part of the speech, Jordan recalls playing a game where his team was losing by a considerable margin and he provided many of the points in the come from behind win while being a ball hog. After the game, his coach offered some constructive criticsm by saying:
"Michael, you know there is no I in team"
Jordan replied
"but there is an I in win"
I'm not sure how his coach responded, but Jordan's response reflects soemthing that is simply uncoachable at any level of sport: competitiveness. I think all successful atheltes, and even successful people, have an innate drive to win at all costs and that is something very unique about their personality.
This crossover between sport and life is one of many comparisons that can be made and a main reason I believe sport is good for all of our youth. Learning or developing (depending on your school of thought) some of these "life skills" within a sport context is truly remarkable and becomes a magnificant testiment to the power of sport.
On another note, as a coach within sport, one thing I think you can do is feed off this competitive nature. Make games in practice or tailor drills to make them competitive or incorporate a life lesson/skill. Any coach can make a drill where athlete 1 passes to athlete 2 for a shot, but it takes great skill to create something in practice that will teach technical or tactical parts of the game as well as life lessons. Thank you for reading and please come back tomorrow.
In one part of the speech, Jordan recalls playing a game where his team was losing by a considerable margin and he provided many of the points in the come from behind win while being a ball hog. After the game, his coach offered some constructive criticsm by saying:
"Michael, you know there is no I in team"
Jordan replied
"but there is an I in win"
I'm not sure how his coach responded, but Jordan's response reflects soemthing that is simply uncoachable at any level of sport: competitiveness. I think all successful atheltes, and even successful people, have an innate drive to win at all costs and that is something very unique about their personality.
This crossover between sport and life is one of many comparisons that can be made and a main reason I believe sport is good for all of our youth. Learning or developing (depending on your school of thought) some of these "life skills" within a sport context is truly remarkable and becomes a magnificant testiment to the power of sport.
On another note, as a coach within sport, one thing I think you can do is feed off this competitive nature. Make games in practice or tailor drills to make them competitive or incorporate a life lesson/skill. Any coach can make a drill where athlete 1 passes to athlete 2 for a shot, but it takes great skill to create something in practice that will teach technical or tactical parts of the game as well as life lessons. Thank you for reading and please come back tomorrow.
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