 By: Coach Travis
I assume we all have a bucketlist of some sort. That list of awe-inspiring, self defining moments that you want to accomplish in your lifetime and relish in forever. You may even daydream about them and what it would feel like to be there in the remarkable moment. I know I do. And it really is quite inspiring for me. It picks me up and gives me a boost of direction when I need it most. How many of your bucketlist moments are fitness based or require a certain level of fitness? Do you want to run in a marathon- maybe not just any marathon, but the Boston marathon? Do you want to hike Half Dome? Or maybe take up surfing? How about snowboarding in the Alps? Or chasing after the grandkids and playing catch with ease? Maybe trekking to Disneyland for 3 days of endurance training ;-)? Or dancing gracefully, confidently on your cruise? Many of my clients have a bucketlist item that inspires them, keeps them motivated on their least motivated days and keeps them honest with themselves about their dedication to their preparation. There is something magical about preparing my clients to reach their desired acheivement. I enjoy every minute of it and am honored that they trust me to get them to creating their unforgettable memories. Some of my clients don't have fitness bucketlist, and here's what I tell them to get them started. If you don't have a fitness bucketlist, start with the question, What would make this year remarkable? The only rule is that it has to be fitness oriented, and event based- for example: hike Grand Canyon, complete a marathon or triathlon, cycle the HWY 1 coast, jog with my puppy. It should not be based on body or image. Next, begin your preparation. Rather than trying to lose those last few pounds, or sculpt those ab muscles before working towards your bucketlist moments, commit. Start preparing for your goal. Don't wait another day. Your moment doesn't have to be a far off dream, it can be a reality, and the sooner you begin, the sooner it will come to be. What's on your fitness bucketlist?  By: Coach Nettie Being centered and grounded is paramount to performance. When your mind, body and spirit are in alignment, you are performing in the present moment. That is the focus that some athletes call “the Zone.” Athletes figure out how to access this “zone” in various ways. I’m an endurance lover, energy practitioner and yoga trainer. Over the years, combining all of my tools has given me the greatest gift in identifying how to strengthen my efficiency in getting into my present moment. I can quite literally kinesthetically understand when the trifecta comes to be, and I am in “my zone.” The dedication of spiritual discovery and athletic passion has amortized life lessons that I could never have imagined. One of the greatest gifts that I could receive in this lifetime is that my spiritual practices are the key to running longer distances with less effort and pain. My endurance training was the key to understanding my spiritual being. I pushed my body to feel my spirit. On the flipside, when I learned to listen to my inner being, I could push further without injury and found passion in my body, it’s optimization and not its physical shape. Within the discovery of working hard, and harder, I learned that harder isn’t always best for a lifetime of athleticism. “Harder” does produce results, but it is satisfying to all ends, and doesn’t equate to a lifetime of continued movement. At some time, there is an end to how hard we can work. Our physical being becomes injury prone. I have come to understand this, and become curious about how to overcome this challenge of being in the zone without working harder. My most current athletic practices are pursuant to translating my world to my children. In doing so, these little gifts of knowledge help them help themselves become the lifetime athletes that they desire to be. I developed this athletic meditation that I take them through before each practice and game. It boosts their confidence, and bonds us in the shared moment. They walk out with strength, and knowingness in their presence.  A Champion Mindset
Imagine your feet rooted to the ground, you’re centered in your physical body. Tap your forehead between the center of your eyes. Still your mind. Become one. Mind, body, spirit. In this alignment you find clarity. This is the present moment. Only in the present moment are you in control. Be in control. You are in control. This is NOW the moment to bring your mental acuity, practiced skill and mindfulness together to play the best game of your life. You are a champion. Your skill gained from practice meets opportunity. You feel it in every cell of your body. You are the champion that you set in your mind. If you don’t think you can do it, you can’t. But the reality is, you can be anything you want to become. Be. Just be. Be present in the moment. You are stronger than you ever thought you could become. You are more skilled than you’ve ever been. You are focused like a laser, and in tune with your team. In tune with your coaches. You know the game. You own this game. You are the boss of you. You are a champion. And you are out to have the best game of your life. The best game is the game that you feel in power of your strength. In power of your courage. In power of your love for sport. In power of your heart for the team. In power of your presence. Be one with your mind, body and spirit and own the present moment. You are a champion. Now, go have fun!  "You only get out of life what you demand!"~Jim Valvano
Three touching books to keep you moving toward you goal,to help you overcome your obstacles, and to inspire you. Based on sports- stories, quotes and players, these books may, like coach Jim Valvano expresses, "make people leap, make them laugh, make them cry, make them dream." Only when you dream, and demand that dream come true, will you become. These doses of that inspiring reality express many wonderful dreams. Yours is next.
Setting Sites on Collegiate Sports By: Coach Travis
Saturday’s Big Sky win by my Alma Mater, the Sac State Hornets, is extraordinary! When I look to the future of what this means to my kids, little athletes, still in elementary and middle school, I see a strategic win for the Greater Sacramento Region when it comes to athletic player development. Having been a Cross Country and Track & Field scholarship athlete at Sac State, myself, and having coached and held board positions of our kids' local leagues, we know that this location is a hub for leagues (of all sports & sizes), players, and has the infrastructure in place to excel strategically. As the years grow, Sacramento region’s collegiate sports are news breaking, and winning BIG! A question I often get from parents: “When do you start looking into college level sports?” Here is what I have seen in my industry, happening amongst players.
Do you want to be a college athlete? Here are some additional resources for inspiration and goal setting from Sac State Hornets Athletics Department: SacState Student Resources https://www.csus.edu/student-affairs/centers-programs/student-athlete-resource-center/ Eligibility to Play as a Student Athlete at SacState https://www.csus.edu/student-affairs/centers-programs/student-athlete-resource-center/_internal/_documents/what-it-takes-to-be-a-hornet-pdf.pdf Eligibility to Play in the NCAA https://www.csus.edu/student-affairs/centers-programs/student-athlete-resource-center/_internal/_documents/ncaa-initial-eligibility-for-the-college-bound-sa-pdf.pdf Sports Camps & Clinics at Sac State https://hornetsports.com/fan_info/camps/index Going to Games- Hornet Tickets and Youth Tickets https://hornetsports.com/tickets/index Future Hornets Kids Club! (BEST VALUE! Kids 12 and under get in to any home games for a $25 membership.) https://hornetsports.com/sports/athletics_fund/kids_club Hornets Sports https://www.hornetsports.com/landing/index *Note: Sac State Hornet's Athletic Department has done a fantastic job on their website and resources for the prospective and present student athletes, alike, offering an abundance of inspiration. Let's talk about: Setting Fitness Baselines and Measuring Progress - Inspiring Healthy Exercise Habits Hi There!
With the start of the school year, now is a great time to start an exercise log, setting baselines, goals and benchmarking progress. The school year is a natural beginning, with a natural end, making it a great S.M.A.R.T. goal, and goal setting lesson! Beyond the exercise, this also makes for great math skills. Check out the At Home site of the Presidential Youth Challenge. We love the exercise tutorials, and downloadable tracker! This is a great way to incorporate healthy exercise practices in the home and start exercise discussions, beyond P.E. and training sessions. Smooth Moto Coaches love it when parents and kids ask about things like the Presidential Youth Challenge. During P.E. class, they work on building their abilities to excel at testing like this. P.E. class is a great time for kids to ask questions, get specifics on how to do an exercise, learn how to benchmark progress, or have Coach take a baseline for them. Coach will even help parents define appropriate "P.E. homework", if you choose. Using the tracker as a goal setting experience, and point of discussion with Coach is also a fantastic use of this resource. Just ask! Anytime! Resources: Presidential Fitness Challenge at Home (url: https://www.pyfpstore.org/pages/pyfpathome) With Gratitude, The Smooth Moto team - P.E. for kids! where kids Learn Safe Movement (originally published in Gold Country Media 1/24/2012)
Being active throughout life is undeniably vital for good health, physical independence and longevity. It is widely known that workouts should integrate cardiovascular conditioning, balance, core, strength and flexibility exercises. As we age, our workouts should change with us, and though they naturally evolve through change in interests, the key to staying in great shape and health is modifying your workout to address the needs of your body. Apply these simple guidelines to your workout to achieve better health at any age. Children (1-5) The goal of physical activity within this age range is to build and develop cardiovascular health, spatial awareness, coordination, motor skills and lifelong habits of activity. Integrate active play, such as tumbling, tag or climbing, into your child’s day for a minimum total of two hours, accumulated over several sessions. Adolescents to teens (6-17) As an adolescent it’s important to continue developing the healthful benefits and habits of childhood exercise and introduce resistance-training exercises, using proper form and technique. Put the video games aside. Aim to participate in one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity, like soccer, running, swimming or cycling, each day. Resistance exercise before age 13 should be body-weighted only, but after age 13, adding three weekly 30-minute total-body strengthening and weight-bearing workouts consisting of eight to 12 exercises performed in two to three sets of 10 to 15 reps is safe and extremely beneficial. For balance, power and strength, make it a lifelong habit to select resistance exercises like TRX that integrate core training. Adults (18-64) In adulthood, the goals of exercise grow to en-compass weight control, cardiovascular conditioning and disease prevention. Aim for five weekly 30-minute sessions of moderate- to high-intensity aerobic exercise. Tennis, boot camps and running are all great options. Research shows that multiple bursts of activity are nearly as effective as one continuous session, so break it up if needed. As a general rule, three weekly 45- to 60-minute resistance workouts are a great start. Try eight to 12 different exercises targeting all major muscle groups, performed in one to three sets of 10 to 15 reps for a good full-body routine. Stretching is often overlooked. Just 10 minutes every other day, post-workout, when muscles are still pliable, will maintain healthy range of motion and reduce the risk of injuries. Older adults (64+) Strength, flexibility and balance training is paramount in maintaining mobility and reducing the risk of falling. Aim to exercise like a younger adult as long as it is sustainable. Perform moderate- to low-impact aerobic exercise in three to four 30-minute weekly sessions. Two weekly resistance training sessions are enough, but wait at least a day, possibly two, between sessions, as muscles need more time to recover. If weight-bearing exercises have become difficult, try water exercise. Continue to stretch at least every other day. Start now! There is no end date to when you can start exercising. At any age you can make significant positive changes in your health, slowing or even reversing age-related physical declines. It’s never too late! |
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