Sports Training, Sports Fitness Training, Athlete Training Program, Sports Workouts

Use Fructose to Help Your Sports Workouts

Posted by admin on October 4th, 2010

Many athletes consume a specific amount of carbohydrates each day to fuel their sports workouts. Athletes have many options to choose from when adding carbohydrates to their diet. It does not matter whether it is yams, kidney beans, fresh fruit or green vegetables there is always a carbohydrate decision that needs to be made.

Fructose is a carbohydrate source that can be found in powder form that is easy to mix into a protein shake. Best of all it is cost effective and actually one of the best sugars for you as far as staying lean and energetic. If found at the right price fructose can be added to an athletes diet for under .05 cent per gram.

That’s $.25 cents per 50 gram shake!

Fructose is derived from natural corn starch. During this process the starch of the corn is processed and isolated to present the raw form of fructose. Fructose is a monosaccharide and is one of the most common sugars around, some considered fructose as “fruit sugar”

Why is fructose so important? First off fructose is over 40% sweeter than regular table sugar (sucrose), so less is needed to sweeten any protein shake. Fructose is absorbed relatively slow compared to other sugars. Most sugar substances are metabolized primarily in the small intestines; fructose on the other hand is metabolized primarily in the liver.

The amounts of insulin that is needed to metabolize fructose is very little as well as fructose’s properties of slow absorption place fructose low on the Glycemic Index (GI) (32-40 depending on which authority you talk to, compared to 92 sucrose, 99-100 dextrose).

This low number on the glycemic index allows the body to have steadier blood sugar levels. This is an important factor when trying to keep muscle mass up and body fat levels at optimal levels.

When fructose is mixed in a combination of micellar casein, flax seed oil powder and psyllium seed husk fiber it creates an extremely low-glycemic, amino acid rich, slow digesting meal replacement shake. This shake can keep you hunger free for 2-4 hours.

Fructose has a sweet taste similar to table sugar (sucrose), but is about 40% stronger in sweetening ability. Fructose easily mixes and dissolves in any liquid and needs no blending or vigorous shaking to be palatable.

Try this carbohydrate source in your next meal replacement shake to improve your sports workouts.

The Difference Between Whey Protein Isolate Powder & Micellar Casein Powder

Posted by admin on October 1st, 2010

Many athletes and fitness enthusiasts today use protein powders to improve their physique. These athletes trust that these powders will help them get stronger, faster, leaner and more athletic.

There are two very popular versions of protein powder that top level athletes are using today. They are whey protein isolate (WPI) and micellar casein. Both are effective but have different purposes. It is important to know the difference.

Whey protein isolate powder is very effective for building new muscles and micellar casein powder is very effective for maintaining muscles.

After a hard workout it is a good idea to take whey protein isolate because it has a strong muscle building effect. Whey protein isolate has a high amount of ready to use amino acids which are the building blocks for new muscles. The way that whey protein acts in the body allows these amino acids to get into the body quickly and help build the newly exercised muscles.

This is just what you want after working out hard. Many athlete use this powder in what is called a “Post Workout Shake”

Muscles are always looking for amino acids to keep them strong and avoid breaking down. Micellar Casein is a very good protein powder for providing amino acids in slow and sustained amounts for long periods of time.

If muscles go for long periods of time without getting amino acids the body will start to break down the muscles and use them for energy. This will make you weaker and then have to workout again and keep eating to rebuild them. What I just mentioned is what is called catabolism.

This can happen when a person sleeps for long periods of time, gets sick or takes too much time in between meals. To avoid this many hard training people are taking meal replacement shakes with micellar casein in it.

This is the reason why it is recommended that you eat every 2-3 hours providing the body with quality sources of protein like chicken, eggs, cottage cheese, fish or micellar casein.

It is a good idea to take whey protein isolate after intense exercise (Post Workout Shake) and micellar casein between or in place of a meal.

Just remember to be careful where you purchase your protein and what to look for. If you are not sure read my article on whey protein isolate vs. whey protein concentrate to brush up. Click here to read.

If you are looking for a great source of high quality whey protein isolate or micellar casein for the best possible price, email me at alex@ssi1.info

Get Your Protein Facts Straight To Maximize Weight Lifting Training

Posted by admin on September 29th, 2010

Protein is one of the most important and expensive components of an athletes overall diet program. This macronutrient helps add calories to an athlete’s diet that will allow for enhanced growth and repair of hard working muscles. Protein is also helpful for many other bodily functions like growth of skin, hair and organs.

Depending on which authority you talk to an athlete can be required to eat anywhere from 1 gram to 2.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. For a 200 lb. athlete that could add up to 200-450 grams of daily protein.

With this fact in mind athletes today are looking for economical ways to add these protein grams to their diet without breaking their bank account. Some of the most economical and quality protein sources are cottage cheese, boneless skinless chicken breast, eggs and egg whites.

The most economical and highly effective source of protein grams is protein powder.

Cost of Protein per Gram Chart

2% Milkfat Cottage Cheese	$0.03436
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast	$0.04000
Eggs	$0.02315
Egg Whites	$0.03472
All The Whey (WPI) 50 Lb. Bag	$0.01998

Red meats and fish can cost almost 2-3 times as much as these protein sources mentioned above.

The example above of the cost of whey protein isolate is in the form of a 50 lb. bag. This amount creates a good price break. However, most people purchase smaller quantities like 2-10 lbs. at a time. When purchasing in these smaller quantities the price can increase dramatically.

Many manufacturers charge $8.00-13.00 per lb. for whey protein isolate. That’s anywhere between $.02-.032 per gram.

Even though these powders are very effective and economical there are big differences between them. It is important to know the difference between them in order to choose the right ones for the purpose you need.

Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) vs. Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC)

Whey isolate protein and whey concentrate protein or both forms of whey protein. Whey protein is considered a “fast acting” protein because it starts to get into your muscles in as little as 30 minutes and continues feeding them for up to 3 to 4 hours. Whey concentrate protein will contain between 34% up to about 82% protein, the rest mainly being sugar from lactose and fat.

Whey concentrate is what is sold in Costco and other large chain stores. These large bags of protein come with a cheap price but the quality and actual amount of protein you get is not that of whey isolate.

Whey isolate is a much better form of whey protein, in that it contains 90% or more protein content and is virtually free of fat and carbohydrates. You want to make sure your whey protein isolate has a typical protein content of 93% or more. 5% of the remaining 7% is moisture with the remaining 2% being a combination of trace amounts of sugar, fat, vitamins and minerals.

These protein sources are best used in post workout shakes.

Here is a direct quote from a retailer on the percentage of the whey protein concentrate they are selling.

They had a great price but at 50% protein you are only receiving half the protein grams of whey protein isolate. This is something you have to really look out for. Many manufacturers do not disclose how much true protein or quality is in their formulas.

“Good morning Alex and thanks for the e-mail, we source this blend from another leading manufacturer, but while we do not have the exact percentages, we are able to tell from the nutritional and amino acid profiles that the material is over 50% Whey Protein Concentrate as the leading ingredient in the mix. Thanks again and please feel free to reach us with any additional questions or requests.”

What to Look for in a Whey Protein Isolate

When choosing a whey isolate protein, look for one that is not denatured, meaning the protein chains are still intact and have not been broken down. Then simply determine how much protein you are actually purchasing. To do this, just look at the nutritional facts label and you should see how many servings are in the container. Take the number of servings in the container and multiply by the amount of protein per serving. This will give you the total amount of protein you are purchasing.

Next look at how many calories are in the container. Whey protein isolate contains 4 calories per gram of protein. So, if you are buying something with 26 grams of protein per serving, you should only have about 104 calories per serving. If the labels says there are 130 calories, the additional calories are coming from something other than the whey isolate and you want to keep these to a minimum, especially if you are trying to stay or get lean.

What is Whey Protein

Whey protein is the name of globular proteins that can be isolated from whey. It is typically a mixture of globinstagers beta-lacto globulin (~65%), alpha-lactalbumin (~25%), and serum albumin (~8%), which are soluble in their native culture forms, independent of pH. Whey has the highest Biological Value (BV) of any known protein. Whey protein has an even higher bioavailability than egg white protein (BV = 98), which is considered the “gold standard” of protein, and has a bioavailability rating of 100. Bioavailability refers to how efficiently a substance will be digested and absorbed through the villi in the small intestine into the blood stream while maintaining its original form. Because of this high bio-availability, amino acids from whey protein are thought to enter the blood stream faster than other protein sources.

How Mental Commitment Can Improve Sports Fitness Training

Posted by admin on September 27th, 2010

If you really want to be a great athlete and make it to higher levels you have to be fully committed to improving your sports fitness training. You have to have a vision that consumes your mind everyday. It has to be the number one thing you think about. Without this focus you will just be mediocre. Every great athlete I have coached was committed and totally focused.

If this meant no vacation, no girlfriend, no partying, no messing around then it has to be done. I am not saying to blow things off like school and loved ones or other enjoyable activities. What I am saying is the thought has to always be how I get my sleep, my workouts, my meals, my practices and my social life all in at once. If this means you cut social life more to train then you must do it. You have the rest of your life to party, socialize, date etc. If any of these things causes you to miss any part of your training then you need to re-evaluate your priorities or you are just wasting your time.

Ever since I was in high school I would not date a girl that did not allow my sports fitness training to be number one. I never went on vacation unless there was a place to train and good food to eat. My training was always number one. Needless to say I did not get married until I was 30 but I did reach my goal of making it to professional sports and into an N.F.L camp.

You have to see yourself where you want to be. In college at San Diego State University I would walk to class and tell myself you will run a 4.5 40 yd. dash, you will weigh 250 lbs. you will bench press 400 lbs. and whatever other numbers I felt I needed to get into the N.F.L.

I know all the best athletes I have trained had this mentality and that is why I love training athletes and get along with them so well. I know how they think and feel and it is just awesome to be around like-minded motivated people.

I did have fun in college and I did date girls and I did go on vacation but training was always number one. Honestly that mentality was transferable to my coaching. I would not be denied as a coach either to come up with information for my athletes to succeed. This has shown in the amount of kids that I have trained and parents that have brought their kids to me. It is because of my commitment to be great that kids and parents trust me.

Many of my clients like Mike Tyson, Loren Howard, T.J. Beam and the numerous sports teams all trusted my mental commitment to push them to get the best results out of their sports fitness workouts.

Take some time each day to make a mental inventory of where you are spending your time. Evaluate the people you are surrounding yourself with and what they bring to the table as far as making you a better athlete. Evaluate the food you are eating and the habits you have developed and think about whether they are helping or hurting you.

Once you make this a habit then you can start asking yourself where you can start to either spend more or less time with people and habits that you have surrounded yourself with.

As an athlete it is necessary to think about your commitment to your sport and the preparation time necessary to succeed at it. If you focus in on what is necessary and work to eliminate wasted energy it is easy to improve you sports fitness training.

Online Sports Nutrition Coaching

Posted by admin on September 24th, 2010

Are you an athlete looking for an online sports nutrition coaching system? If you are self motivated and looking for great information to take your training to the next level, look no further.

The teamsportstraining.com online nutrition program will help make you faster, quicker and more competitive at your chosen sport. The increased endurance and improved flexibility will help you prevent injuries and feel confident deep into your competition.

Some of the unique features included in the program are our in depth teaching videos, detailed training programs and our Athlete Training and Nutrition Manual. We also have an updated member area with bonus reports and specialized workouts.

Online Training Program Promo Video from Alex Semenik on Vimeo.

As a self-trained athlete you will be able to get similar benefits to the athletes I train personally on my sports teams and individual clients. The nutrition programs I have developed are easy to follow and have been proven very effective time and time again for the numerous Professional, College and High School athletes that have used them.

Just recently one of my athletes named Tanner Galusha (Stevensville H.S. Stevensville MT.) subscribed to my online training program and at our first meeting for personal training he had already printed off the nutrition manual. He had his food logs printed, questions written down and had already started the diet.

I answered a few questions about his diet and he was on his way towards transforming his physique. Today he has gained almost 20 lbs. of muscle and has noticeably increases

This is the beauty of the program!!

Our Athlete Nutrition Manual/section will explain how much, what type and when to eat the optimal foods for your progress. This online education will allow you to become an aware athlete that can pick and choose the right foods to eat at the right time.

One of the key components to my strategy for improving athletes is improving their strength to weight ratio. I talk about this a lot because it is very important. In my training manual I explain it in detail. Because this is a short article I will give a brief synopsis.

This concept is basically lowering an athlete’s body fat level to a point that still allows an athlete to function at optimal levels while improving overall strength.

One tool for accomplishing this mission is controlling carbohydrate intake to lower body fat levels. This tool works wonders and makes athletes feel so much better. By mastering this concept you can expect to see dramatic differences in body composition and energy levels.

It is very important to take the time to learn about food. Having a solid education about nutrition will give you the tools to succeed. Bottom line from my experience is that those whom read and study succeed and those who don’t make excuses and fail.

It’s helpful to understand Food Blocks / Macronutrients. There are three different Food Blocks / Macronutrients. The foods are Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fat. All three of these food blocks will count for a certain part of each meal you eat.

Carbohydrates are your body’s main energy source. The body can use proteins and fats for energy but are harder for the body to use. We want to eat just enough carbohydrates to give the body energy but not so much that the body will store fat.

The Glycemic Index or (GI) is a helpful tool. Not all carbohydrate foods are the same. Different carbohydrates can act differently in our bodies. The glycemic index shows you the difference by measuring carbohydrates from how they affect your blood sugar levels. Choosing low (GI) carbs is the key to your improvement of body composition.

By using the teamsportstraining.com online sports nutrition coaching program you will arm yourself with a powerful tool. This tool will allow you to maximize your athletic talent through the power of eating the right foods and supplement

Online Speed and Agility Training

Posted by admin on September 23rd, 2010

Are you an athlete looking for an online speed and agility training system? If you are self motivated and looking for great information to take your speed and agility to the next level, look no further.

The teamsportstraining.com speed and agility program will make you faster, quicker and more competitive at your chosen sport. The increased endurance and improved flexibility will help you prevent injuries and feel confident deep into your competition.

As a self-trained athlete you will be able to get similar benefits to the athletes I train personally on my sports teams and individual clients. The programs I have developed are easy to follow and have been proven very effective time and time again for the numerous Professional, College and High School athletes that have used them.

Your workouts will have video instructions on how to follow the program and videos that explain all exercises in depth. This will be similar to how I take my clients through their new workouts at the beginning of each training phase.

Our training video library has videos on sprinting, agility drills like the short shuttle, vertical jump improvement and our popular sports fitness games. These games combine many variables together and turn your training into a fun workout.

Our weight room resistance training program will make your posture more balanced, increase your strength and improve your flexibility. The program will also bring very noticeable changes in body composition like decreasing body-fat and increased muscularity.

Online Training Increases Muscularity and Reduces Body Fat

Our Athlete Training Manual will educate you on the concept of training optimally for athletics. Our Nutrition Manual will help you understand what foods and food amounts are necessary to make dramatic improvements in your physique.

Our Member Area also includes specialized workouts to make your arms bigger, special reports on what supplements to take and updated information on the latest training techniques.

If you are truly serious about learning how to be a better athlete online this product is what you need. For less than $20.00 per month you will have access to the information that organizations and individual athletes have paid thousands of dollars to acquire.

We hope you are ready to take your next step and commit to our online speed and agility training program.

Teddy Ruben #5 – All State QB – Scottsdale Saguaro H.S. (AZ.)

Posted by admin on September 21st, 2010

Teddy Ruben is an athlete that has followed my training program for almost 5 years. He is currently an All-State football player for the Saguaro High School Sabercats in Scottsdale, AZ.

As a small kid Teddy used to come out to the track and watch as I would train my High School and College athletes. He always wanted to participate but was too small at the time and we would not let him play in our sports fitness conditioning games.

After years of waiting I finally let him participate in our workouts in the weight room and in our speed training program. It did not take long to see he would fit in easily.

In time he was juking and throwing touchdown passes in our fitness game called potato ball. Some of these moves were performed against college athletes like Craig Roh (#88 starting outside linebacker for the Michigan Wolverines).

Teddy is currently tearing up the competition leading his team to a 3-0 start and putting up game performances like the one in this next video clip.

He piled up almost 500 yards of total offense by himself against Sunnyslope H.S. (Phoenix, AZ.)

Here are some quotes in the local newspaper about Teddy:

“Scottsdale Saguaro quarterback Teddy Ruben has proven time and time again to be a dangerous threat that leaves defensive coordinators scratching their heads.

The senior signal-caller continued his trend of perplexing opposing coaching staffs Friday, turning in a dominant offensive performance that led his team to a 35-7 win over host Peoria in a Class 4A non-region game.”

“Teddy is the man here,” Saguaro coach John Sanders said. “You can’t measure that kid’s heart. We’re going to go as far as Teddy takes us.”

Stevensville (MT.) Yellow Jacket Football Revival

Posted by admin on September 21st, 2010

In April 2010 I was hired by the Stevensville High School Yellow Jackets in Stevensville Montana to be a football team consultant. This job included starting a year round strength and conditioning program for the team. As time went on my expertise in the game brought more inclusion into the total team role.

The first phase of my consulting was to bring an overall attitude adjustment to the whole program. This included helping the new coaches instill a new attitude for the whole team. We started a chant after some of the workouts that we now use today as a pre-game chant to build excitement before the games.

It goes like this “What are we? SOLDIERS, Who are we? YELLOW JACKETS, What do we do? DOMINATE!”

We use this every time we go out on the field and back out at half time to get the juices flowing!

Take a look at this video to see how we do it!

I had used this at all my other schools and camps and the kids all loved it. The Notre Dame Prep (Scottsdale, AZ.) baseball team – 4 time state championship runner up used this for 5 years after every workout.

This was important because it is necessary to start building new confidence and excitement to get the kids believing in the future.

The sports organization was looking for a new fresh new start after replacing the former coach with new skipper Hank Praast. The Principal, Athletic Director and Head Coach had talked to me about helping the team build a winning tradition like other teams in Montana such as Dillon, Frenchtown and Billings Central.

After a 1-9 season last year a commitment was made towards excellence and I was happy to be a part of it.

After working with kids from powerhouse schools in the metro Phoenix area like perrenial state championship contenders Brophy Prep, Scottsdale Saguaro and Scottsdale Chaparral I was up to a rebuilding challenge. This was the steepest I had encountered.

The team morale was very low and there was no commitment towards excellence in place for the kids to follow. A plan and system for success was needed to be put into place to start the overall attitude adjustment.

Head coach Hank Praast got the kids together and set up a schedule for the kids to follow that included 4 days of weight lifting. The first goal was to get the kids lifting weights consistently and keeping the weight room organized.

At first the process was slow. Only a few kids would show up for the strength and conditioning sessions. However after a few of the kids started seeing results like increased strength, speed and larger muscles others were drawn in to try the program.

One of the kids who emerged as a team leader and was one of the most productive kids in the strength and conditioning program was Tanner Galusha. He is currently the starting middle linebacker for the team. He gained over 20 lbs. of solid muscle and became the second fastest kid on the team while being one of the heaviest kids on the team.

After this I started to introduce some of my regular sports fitness games and the kids that participated loved it. Once the word got out more and more kids started to participate. These games really started to build the momentum.

Once the summer started even more kids showed up. The weather was great in Montana and we had fun doing the fitness games and doing weight lifting workouts. As the kids started to enjoy the process I was able to start holding kids accountable for the systems I was putting into place.

Stevensville High School Yellow Jacket Football Potato Ball Game

One of the simple and easiest ways to bring organization and accountability was to re-organize the weight room. Once this happened we had the kids keep it that way or there would be a consequence like performing up downs or running wind sprints.

At the beginning of the summer the team attended a full contact football camp that included 10 or so other teams. This was the first time I saw the kids in real action. After knowing that the team was 1-9 I was not expecting much. After the camp was over I was real excited to see the fire in these kids. After some strength and conditioning work, some positive talk about the future and some new belief I honestly thought this team had room for major improvement.

At the time of this writing the team is 4-2

Game 1: Stevensville @ Columbia Falls – Stevensville 41-20

After a 0-12 start down to the home team Stevensville exploded to defeat the home team and enjoy a nice 3 hour bus ride back home.

Game 2: Ronan @ Stevensville – Stevensville 39-13

Stevensville started slow but then got all cylinders clicking in the second half to defeat Ronan.

Game 3: Stevensville @ #1 ranked Billings Central – Billings Central 34-14

Billings Central was a big, tough, well-coached team. It’s never good to lose but we got a taste of what top flight competition is like and learned about what we needed to work on. Not to mention what it feels like to travel 7 hours one way, get off a bus, warm up, play and then get back on the bus for a 7 hour trip home. Not my idea of traveling but you have to do what you have to do.

This game reminded me of my days playing junior college football at Scottsdale Community College.

Game 4: Stevensville @ Whitefish – Stevensville 59-0

Whitefish was a little undermanned without their star quarterback but I don’t think it would have mattered. We were hungry to get the taste of defeat out of our mouth from the previous game.

Game 5: Frenchtown @ Stevensville – Frenchtown 28-6

Defending state champs and ranked in the top ten showed us a little about what the wishbone and some tough physical kids can do. Once again the loss is a bit disheartening but we saw what a developed program with kids that hit the weight room consistently can do. The loss the year before to this team was by almost 60 points. Closing the gap scorewise that much showed noticeable improvement as a program.

Honestly most of the damage was done right in the tail end as the bigger kids size and strength was the straw that broke the camels back!

Game 6: Anaconda @ Stevensville – Stevensville 51-0

Once again the kids got the taste of defeat out of their mouths with a good old fashion butt whipping. It’s always better to be on the winning side of these than the other! This game is setting up a huge match up this week against rival Hamilton. It’s been 5 years or more since Stevensville has beaten Hamilton and 2004 since going to the playoffs.

This is the first time the Yellowjackets have won their homecoming game in nine years.. The Stevensville players demolished the Anaconda Copperheads in a Southwestern A football contest in front of a large and rowdy crowd.

Josh Lords caught two touchdown passes of 42 and 50 yards from junior quarterback Caleb Vance in the first half to lead the Yellowjackets in receiving. Lords finished the night with four catches for 101 yards and the two scores. Vance finished 11-for-18 for 181 yards. He accounted for six touchdowns in the game: four through the air and two keepers on the ground.

When interviewed by the paper here is what head coach Hank Praast said. “We started out a little slow, but once we figured out what Anaconda was doing, we just opened the floodgates.”

Game 7: Stevensville @ Hamilton – 48-47 Stevensville.

But a huge hats off to the Hamilton team! Those kids fought hard.

WOW!

That is all I can say.

“Sometimes it better to be lucky than just good.” Not sure who made that one up but I’m gonna use it.

This game might have been the most amazing game I’ve been apart of. Talk about an emotional roller coaster.

Let me set the stage. The game is at Hamilton High School (Hamilton, MT.), it’s their homecoming, their senior night and we have to win to go to the playoffs. Somethings big has to give!

Stevensville comes out strong and scores and shuts Hamilton down on with the Yellowjacket defense. Hamilton however came to play and play big. They came back strong and really looked like they were going to mop up and take this one home. 20-6 at half Hamilton.

Caleb "Boomer" Vance scores a touchdown vs Hamilton

Stevensville had been dropping passes, missing blocks and playing tennative. Against Columbia Falls the team was in a similar position and came back to win 41-20 at C-Falls. Hamilton is not Columbia Falls, they are much better in my opinion.

After a very deep locker room talk between players, coaches and then players again the team came out strong and tied the score up at 20-20. Hamilton took the punch and threw a couple right back. They were up 34-20 in the blink of an eye.

This game turned into an absolute slug fest. As a coach player after player kept coming off the sideline with an injury that would put them out and then regroup and get right back in the game. One of our stars Josh Stevens went out due to his whole side of his body being numb. He shook it off and came back to help the defense battle.

From a coaching perspective all that could be done was keep telling the players to keep fighting no matter what the score went too. Anything could happen in this game and it took an anything that it takes attitude to win. And by the looks of both sides that is what was going on.

Honestly as a coach I was thinking what a tough game but as a spectator I was thinking this would be a great game to be watching if I was in the stands. That is what many said after the game.

I’ll come back with more details later but we won the game on a two point conversion after being down 14 points with around 4:00 left on the clock. We scored the last touch down with around :16 seconds left in the game.

The final score was 48-47. We are guaranteed of a winning season for the first time in a while and if we win next week against Corvallis we go to the playoffs.

This is another big rivalry type game as there is a subplot. Last years starting quarterback for the Jackets plays quarterback for Corvallis after transferring. The former coaches son is the quarterback for Corvallis so there is some familiarity there between players. It will be interesting to see the chess match!

Game 8: Corvallis @ Stevensville – 28-12 Stevensville.

Corvallis came out fired up and made a real interesting game of it in the first half. For a team with no wins they sure did not play like that. Stevensville dug deep in the second half and shut Corvallis down on defense and started to move the ball more easily in the second quarter to build the lead after a serious half time talk from head coach Hank Praast and the seniors.

Coach left it up to the players to figure it out for themselves if they wanted to play to their potential or squander a playoff run. I think his speech helped rally the troops.

As a coach and spectator, I felt Corvallis had good athletes and has potential to be a good team. After watching the film of Corvallis leading up to this weeks game Corvallis actually played Dillon tough in the first half. Dillon won tonight 47-0 against Frenchtown and I believe is #1 in our conference. Frenchtown beat Stevensvills earlier in the year 28-6 so next weeks game is going to be tough.

It was a great night for the seniors as they walked off the field for possibly the last time victorious. However, if the season is to be extended past the first round of the playoffs Stevnesville will need to shore up some areas on both sides of the ball.

All and all things remain on a positive note as the team is 6-2 and going to the playoffs after years of losing and a long playoff drought.

Game 8: Stevensville @ #2 Ranked Dillon – 47-0 Dillon

Sometimes it’s just not your day! Dillon ran back the opening kick off for a touchdown and it felt like someone knocked the wind out of you. From there they returned a fumble for a touchdown and before we could blink we were down 14-0. This game was one of those reality checks for everyone associated with the program.

Dillon in my opinion was a great example of what you want to model your program after. They were big, athletic, well coached and disciplined. It was almost like they just sat back and knew we were going to keep stepping on our own feet.

After the game a buddy of mine found a manual that Dillon puts online that is an outline for their team. I read it and think it would be a good idea for us to put it to use as a model to follow for greatness.

We had a great week of practice this week and prepared the best we had all year. One of my best friends and a former kid who I trained when he was in High School and College flew into town to help with my consulting. His name is Loren Howard. He is a former projected 1st round N.F.L. draft pick, All-Big 10 defensive end who played at Northwestern.

We got into pads and helped the players by competing against them to help simulate the size and athleticism of Dillon’s athletes. Dillon is a great team and we had to be ready.

Stevensville @ Libby – First Round of the Playoffs – Stevensville wins 19 -13.

This was an exciting week for the players. The kids got their first free meal on the way up to the game. Along with this the school came out and wished them good luck as the bus drove away from the campus. Pretty exciting I thought. There were also a few signs in front of small convenience stores and car washes wishing the team good luck. From what I have heard that is a rare experience around here.

It was especially cool for me that the parents put my pre-game chant “What are we – Soldiers, Who are we – Jackets, What do we do – Dominate on the side of the bus. I am just glad that the MENTABOLIC SHIFT that I tried to put into motion has carried over to the players and parents and we now have a belief system of winning!

It was a long 5 hour ride to Libby and the field was wet after a hard rain. The mood in the locker room felt good as we prepared to take the field. Libby looked like a good team by sizing them up in warm ups but not quite the bodies like Dillon or Billings Central. I think the players felt size wise they could hang with these guys.

Once again we let the opening kick off go for a touchdown for the other team. Special teams has been a bit of our limiting factor lately but we had enough money in the bank to cash some checks to mount a comeback.

Our defense played great from a point stopping perspective but there were still a lot of fundamental breakdowns. The main thing is that the kids played with a ton of fight and enthusiasm. That can go a long way at this level.

Offensively we just sort of struggled. However we caught the ball a lot better than we had the whole year against top competition. This is huge as we have had a ton of drops against the likes of Billings Central, Frenchtown, Hamilton and Dillon. Better focus on ball skills this week is what is needed if the team is going to upset Billings Central.

It is Monday November 1st and we start our practice week in preparation for Billings Central. This team is ranked #1 in the state and we have to travel 7 hours to get their. The good thing about this game is we get a paid for hotel room the night before the game. Last time we traveled 7 hours, got off the bus, warmed up and then played.

Stevensville @ Billings Central -Second Round of the Playoffs – Billing Central Wins 55-13

It was a fun trip to Billing Central even though the outcome was not what the team envisioned. As we left the school the whole student body congregated at the front of the school to see the team off. Even as we left town businesses put up signs in the front of their buildings to wish the team good luck. It has been years since the optimism has been this high for jacket football.

When we got into Billings we checked into the hotel. Staying in a hotel for a football playoff game was a first for many if not all the players. It was the first time I had done it as a coach. From there we went to a dinner paid for by the school for being a playoff team. The kids were excited to go out for dinner and were looked at by many of the patrons at the restaurant almost like rock stars.

When we got up everyone was in a good mood, ate some breakfast and got onto the bus. When we arrived the players seemed confident and there was a good feeling in the air. Once the game started we played very well for about a quarter of football. We held them on their first offensive series and actually moved the ball a little bit on offense.

However, as the game went on Billings experience, size, speed and strength along with some good coaching calls put too much pressure on our team. We started to break down in all areas and the game got out of hand.

In the end the season was a success. The team went 7-4 from 1-8 a year earlier. The coaches and players all got to know each other better and gained experience. With some hard work in the off-season and the fact that many of the kids are back and will be a year older there is going to be some great optimism.

EFX Green Fuel Drink

Posted by admin on September 20th, 2010

EFX Green Fuel Drink will make you feel great by increasing your alertness, energy and overall health. Another added benefit is that it promotes an alkaline state in the body. The new age of being healthy is all about your ability to keep your body in an alkaline state. Green Fuel by Optimum EFX will do that.

EFX Green Fuel Drink has the equivalent of 10 servings of vegetables in one small scoop. It also greatly increases alkalinity to protect the body from developing an acidic environment. With so many people trying to get their servings of vegetables in daily this product solves that problem for less than $2.00 per serving.

Most people don’t realize that an acidic environment in the body will cause you to store fat and make it harder to lose weight. By off setting the acidity caused by poor diet including alcohol and other unhealthy habits it is possible to accelerate weight loss.

Green Fuel Provides The Equivalent of 10 Servings of Alkaline Foods

Green Drink will not only help you lose weight but will make you feel great and do a lot of good things for your body. Green Drink helps you keep your calories low while providing mental energy and important nutrients. This combination will help you lose weight on any type of low calorie food program.

For example, I can eat a portion of protein, small portion of fat and a very small portion of carbohydrates and a serving of Green Drink and feel great for the next 3-4 hours. Green Fuel gives you the ability to keep your carbohydrates and calories low to lose weight while maintaining energy.

Green Drink is one of the best weight loss supplements I have found. I use this product and I recommend it to my clients as a great low calorie, highly nutritious food supplement to lose weight.

To maximize your overall nutrition and health plan try adding Optimum EFX Red 54 to your diet for maximal anti-oxidant support!

Be A Great Team Sports Training Coach

Posted by admin on September 9th, 2010

To be a great team sports training coach one must develop three bonds between them and their athletes. Credibility, Trust and Respect are what is necessary for any coach to be truly successful.

Credibility

Credibility is built in many different ways. A coach who is a former athlete that played the sport of the team being coached has an advantage over a coach who has not. This is due to their direct knowledge of the sport.

However the same former player/coach can also have a disadvantage if they do not possess quality coaching skills. It is said that those who can play, play and those who can’t coach. Many great former players don’t have the patience to be good coaches and can turn the players off with their impatience. This is a fine line area.

I personally played in college and played briefly in the professional ranks. This experience helps me when coaching football athletes in skills for that sport. This allows me to have a very strong grasp of almost every variable when it comes to training kids in football.

In other sports I focus mainly on motivation, team building and strength and conditioning. Since I have some limited High School basketball and baseball experience I don’t try to give advice on sport specific skills and stick to my expertise in strength and conditioning.

I have seen many coaches try to wear too many hats like strength and conditioning, sports specific skills and team coordinator. If a person tries to do too much athletes will sense they are being watered down with weak information and the coach can lose credibility.

It is my advice to stick with what you know and focus on that. This will keep credibility levels high with athletes. This leads to bringing in other experts to fill in areas where a coach is not as competent and athletes will respect that you are giving them the better product and show that the coach is not so ego driven to make the right decision.

There are many great coaches who did not play or played on a very low level that can be tremendous coaches. The key for any coach is to have a true understanding of how the game is played then how to translate that into teaching it to their players.

Implementing knowledge based on experience or learned from coaches that had great knowledge will bring credibility to a coach if the players can sense that what they are learning is real. This sense of truth in information will help bring credibility to the coach.

Trust

Trust is built by setting up systems that work. If workouts, game plans and other important systems produce noticeable positive results kids will start to trust the coach. This trust will build willingness from the athletes to work harder and participate even more wholeheartedly than before. A great coach will spend the time necessary to create or find systems to implement into their overall coaching game plan.

Some of the best coaches I have worked with understand this and pay me to come in a do something they are not experts in. This saves them time and ends up producing more efficient results because they have players who are team oriented, motivated and physically prepared to compete in their sport.

On the other hand I have coaches who use my online training system to educate themselves and have become pretty good strength and conditioning coaches. In the end the important principle is to be teaching quality information that produces great results.

Respect

If kids respect their coach they will do almost anything a coach asks of them. Earning respect is done by treating kids fairly and setting clear boundaries as to what is expected of them.

Being truthful about their ability and what is expected of them is important. If you are not truthful and it shows up later they will lose respect for the coach.

It is important to take the time to show athletes how to do all things expected of them correctly. It is then important to take the time to make sure they understand the concept and are performing the skill correctly. From there it is necessary to monitor the skills and be sure the athletes keep doing them correctly.

This systematic approach will produce a sense of sureness from the athtletes that will allow them to feel confident going into competition.

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