Sports Illustrated Writer and Author David Epstein on Genetics Role in Training and Sport
Author David Epstein of The Sports Gene:Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance joined Stephen McCarthy of The McCarthy Project to discuss his book and his motive for writing Sports Gene. Secondly, we discussed how to apply his findings to athletes and the future application of dna or genetic research. Complete interview will be aired on Friday September 6th at 8am CST.
David’s motive was his joy for researching, science and sports. He has always been fascinated with elite performance and why certain athletes from certain areas of the world perform at higher levels. To listen to this portion of the interview, visit David Epstein and His Story.
During the second part of the interview, we talk about future applications of his research and the trend of analyzing your DNA for the purpose of understanding how you can train at a higher level. We also discussed some of the pitfalls of the science and how athletes can use the information for their benefit. Click here to listen to David and Stephen’s thoughts on The Future of Genetic Testing and Its Application.
Author and Writer David Epstein
Sports Illustrated Senior Writer David Epstein writes about sports science and medicine, Olympic sports, and is an investigative reporter for SI. His science writing has won a number of awards, including the Society of Professional Journalists 2010 Deadline Club Award for an article on the genetics of sports performance; Time Inc.’s Henry R. Luce Award for public service for an article on the dangers of the dietary supplement industry; and the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association’s “Big Hearted Journalism” award for his story “Following the Trail of Broken Hearts,” on sudden cardiac death in athletes. Epstein was a 2011 Livingston Award finalist for a package that included articles on pain in sports and the anticipatory skills that allow Major Leaguers to hit 100 mph fastballs.
Triathlon Legend and Hall of Famer Dave Scott on Developing Young Talent within Endurance Sports
Dave Scott and Mark Allen from 1989 Iron War
6-Time Triathlon World Champion Dave Scott joined Stephen McCarthy of The McCarthy Project to discuss current trends in the world of triathlon and the development of young athletes.
We covered the following areas specific to endurance athletes.
1. Strength and Conditioning needs to remain or become a vital part of a triathlete’s overall program.
2. Balance within each athlete’s training program is a key to success, not survival of the fittest training or who works the hardest as method of choice to develop your talent as an endurance athlete.
3. Art and Science are feathered together to find the best program based on the individual athlete, not “mythical, old-wives tales or “science says do this” training programs.
4. Recovery must be promoted as one of the pillars to success in triathlon.
Dave currently devotes his time educating and inspiring athletes of
all abilities and ages, leading sport camps, clinics and races across the country and running his own training group in Boulder, CO. Dave combines years of wisdom, wit and creativity to his passion for helping others. He has been the head coach for Team In Training since 1999, helping to certify TNT coaches nationwide and is actively involved in the running of his business.
Dave Scott, Inc. offers individual and group fitness and nutrition consultations, innovative strength & flexibility e-program exercises, multi-media sport analysis and training tips, video analysis and corporate and tri club speaking engagements and clinics. Dave is based in Boulder, Colorado and greatly enjoys spending time with his three children and maintaining a healthy and physically fit lifestyle.
South Dakota State Basketball Coach Scott Nagy on Balance in Life and Sport, Winning and Losing
South Dakota State Basketball Coach Scott Nagy
Coach Scott Nagy will be joining Stephen McCarthy to talk about life growing up as a coach’s son to becoming a Division I coach at South Dakota State University.
Coach Nagy’s will be sharing his unique story of taking South Dakota State from Division II to Division I and how the experience taught him about winning and losing. He will talk about his special approach to recruiting and the process of attracting the proper athletes to his program. He also will explain how Nate Wolters became a part of SDSU and how he helped the program to compete with the more established programs, both on and off the court.
Lastly, Coach Nagy will discuss the difference between a Top 150 athlete without character and the athlete who has the desire to compete with character.
Scott Nagy returns for his 19th season at South Dakota State after guiding the Jackrabbits to the NCAA Tournament for the first time at the Division I level, after doing so eight times in Division II. After a 2011-12 season filled with milestones, both personal and team related. The milestones started with a 92-73 win at Washington on Dec. 18, continued when he won his 300th career game 10 days later at Frost Arena and rolled through The Summit League Championships, when the Jacks tied a school record with 27 wins and earned a chance to dance for the first time in Division I.
University of Iowa Volleyball Coach Sharon Dingman on Purposeful Training and Common Sense
University of Iowa Volleyball Coach Sharon Dingman
Stephen McCarthy and Iowa Volleyball Coach Sharon Dingman talked about life as a coach ,as well as, the concept of purposeful training and getting back to the common sense, basics of athlete development.
Today’s world of youth sport has changed over the last 30 or so years from her start as a high school player looking to make friends. Coach talked about her thoughts on her coaching career and the simple motivation of assisting young athletes in their life as people and athletes.
We discussed the role of club teams and attending the big tournaments is double-edged. Coach mentioned that the players really benefit from the extra coaching and experience, but sometimes at what cost to the parents and families. Sharon also developed her thoughts around purposeful training, not just going to the gym for 5-6 hours without a goal or idea on why you are going.
Another area of focus for her athletes are the common sense aspects of elite performance. Proper nutrition, sleep, learning to recover and focusing on the task at hand.
Tune in for the complete interview, Sept 30 at 9:00am CST.
Sharon Dingman was named the eighth coach in the history of University of Iowa volleyball March 21, 2008. In five seasons at the helm of the volleyball program, she has imposed a winning attitude and established a volleyball culture. She has previously coached at Butler, Illinois State University and Auburn University.
Foluke Akinradewo of USA Volleyball on Life as a Student First-Athlete Second
Foluke Akinradewo of USA Volleyball
All too often we hear the stories about athletes who are given a passing grade just because they are an athlete. Well, Foluke Akinradewo of USA Volleyball broke that mold. Foluke joined Stephen McCarthy of The McCarthy Project to talk about world of high level volleyball and staying focused on pursuing an education.
Foluke grew up in a household that education was priority and sports came second. She excelled in school and eventually attended Stanford University to play volleyball and complete her education. She graduated with a major in Human Biology. She was named the PAC Ten Player of the year in 2007 and 2008,
She continued her career with Team USA narrowly missing the 2008 Olympics. Foluke returned for the 2012 London Games to help the team win a silver medal.
She talked about the balance of studying, playing a sport and the value of completing your education.
Frank Bradley, Head Coach of Florida State University Swim Team, Shares Thoughts on Individualized Training
Florida State University Head Swim and Dive Coach Frank Bradley
Stephen McCarthy of The McCarthy Project will sit down with Florida State University Swim Coach Frank Bradley to talk about “old school vs new school” training systems and his thoughts on individualized training for swimmers.
Coach Bradley will share his story on growing up in Florida as a swimmer through his time as a athlete on the swim team at Florida State University to ultimately returning to his alma-mater as the head swim coach.
Over the years, he has had tremendous success focusing his philosophy on the concept of individualized training and athlete development. He will be sharing his perspective on how he develops the complete person, student and athlete.
Florida State Director of Athletics Randy Spetman announced the hiring of Frank Bradley as the head coach for men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs at FSU. Bradley, who swam for the Seminoles from 1994-1997, has been the associate head coach at Auburn for the past three seasons and previously served as head coach at Indian River Community College and as an assistant at South Carolina.
North Carolina Head Coach Sylvia Hatchell Discusses Passion and Distractions In Sport
North Carolina Head Coach Sylvia Hatchell
University of North Carolina Head Women’s Basketball Coach Sylvia Hatchell joined Stephen McCarthy of The McCarthy Project to discuss passion, distractions, technology and relationships.
Coach Hatchell was recently inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame. While on a trip to Massachusetts, she spoke about the concept of passion and what it takes to succeed at the elite level in life and sport. Or more specifically the game of life and women’s basketball.
Coach mentioned that the relationships built within the team are paramount to building the desire or passion in her athletes. She also talked about the power of distractions and how they decrease the ability of the team playing with passion.
Over her career as a coach, she had seen distractions in many different sizes and shapes. One newer area is the concept of technology and social media. Coach Hatchell talked about her policy of no phones at any team events. She also mentioned that when curfew arrives phones are handed in until breakfast. Limiting technology improves performance and builds relationships within the team.
After over 1,000 career games and 36 seasons of coaching, it stands to reason that North Carolina head coach Sylvia Hatchell would belong to some exclusive clubs. She was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004. She is one of only four head coaches in Division I history to reach the 800-win plateau. She is the third-winningest active coach in the nation. She has been named national coach of the year three times and has led teams to at least 20 wins 27 times, fourth-most nationally.
“Art, which is to say, imagination, is the path to enlightenment, an infinite voyage in which there is no final state. Contrary to every system, illumination is not received passively. It is literally created by each person. Like it or not, we are all artists?Art radiates its currents into future time, and a major crossroad of that future is here. Reality, as we know it and accept it, is breaking apart like icebergs in the waves. The minor stage play called civilization-as-we-know-it is surviving only because it continues to turn out replicas and cartoons of itself.”
“People are educated to believe that it takes special, inborn talent to imagine and create. That is one incredibly destructive teaching. It stunts natural development to the point where passivity becomes the order of the day—and of a life.”
Stephen McCarthy of The McCarthy Project will be breaking down the time-space continuum and your ability to create new art with Jon Rappoport. He will be joining us to develop his thoughts around the concept of individualism, creativity, and the ability to create art, no matter what your are doing.
The author of an explosive collection, THE MATRIX REVEALED, Jon was a candidate for a US Congressional seat in the 29th District of California. Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, he has worked as an investigative reporter for 30 years, writing articles on politics, medicine, and health for CBS Healthwatch, LA Weekly, Spin Magazine, Stern, and other newspapers and magazines in the US and Europe. Jon has delivered lectures and seminars on global politics, health, logic, and creative power to audiences around the world. A painter, Jon’s work has been in shown in galleries in Los Angeles and New York. His poetry has been published by The Massachusetts Review. He is a graduate of Amherst College (BA, Philosophy), and lives with his wife, Dr. Laura Thompson, in San Diego.
Erwan Le Corre of MovNat on Moving Naturally in The World
Erwan Le Corre of MovNat
Stephen McCarthy of The McCarthy Project will cover the weekly news and Erwan Le Corre of MovNat will join us to discuss the world of physical education and fitness. The concept of mastery of self and your surroundings will create the foundation of the show and provide a platform for a great discussion on the world of human development.
Erwan started MovNat to open the world thought on the freedom that can be created through human movement. And to provide a unique approach to the development of efficient movement. He has traveled the world researching and developing his philosophy of physical, mental and spiritual development.
Subjects to be covered:
1. The MovNat and Erwan Le Corre story and philosophy of human movement.
2. The fallacy of bodybuilding or bicep training as the only way to true fitness
3. The art of human movement as it relates to the brain or central nervous system
4. The discussion of the true power in life: an accurate knowledge of self and your surroundings.
5. The definition of recovery training and some basic concepts on implementing recovery into your life.
6. Repetitive stress injuries and their prevention by training for human movement, rather than specialization in sport.
For more information on MovNat and Erwan Le Corre, visit his website.
Kelly Kremer, Head Coach for the University of Minnesota Swimming and Diving team, Talks About Developing Young Swimmers in Life and Sport
Kelly Kremer of Minnesota Swimming
Coach Kelly Kremer of the University of Minnesota Swimming and Diving team will be joining Stephen McCarthy of The McCarthy Project to discuss his views on developing young swimmers from age-group to the Olympics. The show will be airing Wednesday, August 28th at 9:00am CST. Tune in to listen to the complete show.
Coach will be covering his path from a club swimmer in Mandan, ND to NAIA champion Drury University to his current position as the Head Coach for the University of Minnesota Swimming and Diving team.
He will be discussing how he develops team chemistry with 75 swimmers from all over the world and how they can maintain their individuality while being a part of the team. Secondly, he will be commenting on the role of parents, athletes and coaches in creating a elite level swimmer.
Michael Much of Minnesota Preps/Yahoo Rivals on The Recruiting Game
Michael Much on The Recruiting Game
Stephen McCarthy and Michael Much of Minnesota Preps/Yahoo Rivals talked about the recruiting game and the cold hard truth about how initially numbers do matter. Secondly, we broke down the ways athletes can develop their mind and their game if they are not on the Top 150 list.
Michael has worked with the Yahoo Rivals group for over 6 years and has observed the development of football and basketball in Minnesota. The unfortunate reality is that to be ranked on their site you need to be an outlier. If you are 6’5″ with skills and 275 lbs in high school, you will be on the list as an offensive linemen. If you are 6’6″ with a 35″ vertical and can shoot. You will be on the list. Harsh but true. If you don’t, you will not be on the list.
Does that mean that there is no hope as an athlete if you are not an outlier. Absolutely, not. Just stick to your craft and master your sport, there will be a place for you to play at the next level. You just have to take a different path to elite level performance.
Stephen McCarthy of The McCarthy Project will be breaking down the frontrunning health news of the week, as well as, the concept of efficient movement in sport. When you look at a top-end sports car, what do you see? Sleek, power, efficient, high performance. The majority of the training programs in our world are not creating sports cars, we are creating muscle cars. Over the top show pieces that have a lot of power, but ask them to change directions and it is over.
Stephen will be joined by three distinguished guests in the world of sports performance. We will be discussing the foundational concepts of talent development. Once the foundation is solidly in place then you can account for the variables of each individual athlete. (1) Current body composition (2) The sport (3) Past and Current Injuries (4) Goals of the program. Then get to work creating the ability to create the necessary force to move efficiently in space to become elite and accomplish your goals.
Lastly, check out this youtube video of Erwan LeCorre moving naturally through space. This is the end result a well rounded athlete should be able to accomplish. Once this level of mastery is obtained, add your goal specific training and your program will be complete.
Guests on today’s show include:
1. Jack Woodrup of Vertical Jumping on goals, variables, and other components of training properly for performance.
2. Shawn Myszka of Explosive Edge Athletics on assessment of energy leaks, proper movement and how to correct with training
3. Andy Barr, Sports Performance Coach of the NBA New York Knicks, will be talking about how to fix structure in your body and then move onto development. Visit Andy at twitter.
National Championship Basketball Coach Dr. John Tauer on “The ESPN Effect, Individualism and Creativity
Dr. John Tauer, University of St. Thomas Basketball Coach on “The ESPN Effect”
Dr. John Tauer, Associate Professor of Psychology and basketball coach for the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, joined host Stephen McCarthy of The McCarthy Project to discuss the role of technology (The ESPN Effect) on future generations of athletes.
In 2009, Dr. Tauer published a study “The ESPN Effect: How Slam Dunks Affect Individualism, Competitiveness, and Optimism” in the International Journal of Sport Communication. He shared his viewpoints on the culture of sport and how technology changes athletes outlook of themselves and their abilities based on what they see on tv or highlight videos. He also talked about the ability of athletes to think creatively based on what they see in these videos.
John has implemented his findings into his basketball team. It is hard to argue with his results to this point. 1 NCAA D-III National Championship, 7 consecutive MIAC Conference Championships, and the 2012-2013 team was ranked #1 in the nation with a record of 30-2.
Lastly, Dr. Tauer developed his ideas on winning and losing, raw talent vs. talent with skills. He put out his thoughts on how coaches and athletes should view their game, how they can get better and ultimately, master life and sport.
17 year NHL Vet Bret Hedican Talks About Life and Staying in the Moment
By Stephen McCarthy, The McCarthy Project
Bret Hedican “Staying In The Moment”
Host Stephen McCarthy was joined by Bret Hedican last week to talk about the concept of staying in the moment and how to master your sport.
Bret is a 17 year NHL veteran, played on Team USA, and won a Stanley Cup. The amazing part of the story is that he had only one college scholarship offer out of high school. And the offer was not a full ride.
He tells of the challenges he faced his first couple years of college, his Team USA experiences and ultimately, arriving in the NHL.
The best part of the show was the story of playing in the NHL and realizing that he needed to make some changes in how he thought. The 10-15 minute segment on how to develop the ability to stay in the moment, how to practice the concept, and how to own it is timely for all athletes, no matter what you do in life.
2. Bret Hedican, 17 year NHL veteran, will be sharing his thoughts on how to develop your mind to “live in the moment” and master your sport.
3. Quincy Caldwell, NBA trainer and former pro basketball player, will be talking about the attitude and perspective needed to compete at the highest level.
4. Keith Lockwood, former collegiate football player and high school coach at White Bear Lake High School in White Bear Lake, MN, on the role of creativity and imagination in the game of sport.
One of the lost arts in life has become mastery of life. We are a very distracted bunch who only listen to random bites of information at almost every opportunity, rather than think strategically and in wholes for a longer duration of time.
Bret Hedican with The Cup
I dare you to try this project:
Read a book, research the author’s life and their viewpoints, the influences these viewpoints had on their life and work, develop out the message of the book and write a one page report on your findings.
Why would this be a big deal? You would be reading to understand the whole, rather than being entertained and compartmentalized.
The first time I did this project I was amazed about how little I knew about the world of creativity, the motives of author, and how the viewpoint was bias. I just assumed what they had told me in the book was true.
“From a child I was fond of reading, and all the little money that came into my hands was ever laid out in books. Pleased with Pilgrim’s Progress my first collection was of John Bunyan’s works in separate little volumes. I afterwards sold them to enable me to buy R. Burton’s Historical Collections; they were small chapman’s books, and cheap, 40 to 50 in all. My father’s little library consisted chiefly of books in polemic divinity, most of which I read….Plutarch’s Lives there was in which I read abundantly, and I still think that time spent to great advantage. There was also a book of Defoe’s, called an Essay on Projects, and another of Dr. Mather’s, called Essays to Do Good, which perhaps gave me a turn of thinking that had an influence on some of the principal future events in my life.”
What man, woman or child has read any of these pieces of literature (or current works) and understood the concepts therein?
None of us. We must learn to think at a higher level. To diligently apply ourselves to think at a deeper level than entertainment value. Here are areas to research and develop your cognitive ability in order to become a master in life and sport:
In John Taylor Gatto’s Underground History of American Education, he writes, “At the top, one-half of 1 percent of the students,where, as future policy makers, they learned to think strategically, contextually, in wholes; they learned complex processes, and useful knowledge, studied history, wrote copiously, argued often, read deeply, and mastered tasks of command.”
The simple solution is to elevate your thoughts from controlled do’s and don’ts to free, individualistic, and creative. Then spend time looking at other opinions and comparing them to your own. Develop out your viewpoint of right and wrong in life. Stand up for yourself, see the complete picture and get to work studying. This is entry point of the process of mastering life and sport.
Lindsey Berg of USA Volleyball Discusses Team Building
Lindsey Berg on Team Building
Leadership and team building are two of the most discussed topics in today’s business world. Lindsey Berg, Olympic medalist and entrepreneur, joined host Stephen McCarthy to develop out her ideas around developing a successful team or company.
Lindsey has been known as a leader through out her career in volleyball. She talked about how she applies the same concepts to business.
Lindsey talked about the balance between being a team player and maintaining your individuality. In the end, you do not have to choose, you can have both.
Secondly, they talked about the power of assumption in leaders and how wrong it is to use a tool of management. Earning the right to talk and lead and much, much more.
The Role of Central Nervous System in Life and Sport
Central Nervous System in Life and Sport
Could you perform at a higher level both mentally and physically by eating processed foods? False. Could you have a greater result from your training by not touching cash register receipts? True.
Why do we care, when we are talking about the central nervous system and improving athletic performance?
Answer: If you don’t take care of the foundational parts of your central nervous system, it will not work with the efficiency that it was created. The house built on the wrong foundation will not stand. The work capacity you are looking to build and the time you put into improving at sport will be futile and useless because your body will break down eventually. There have been numerous prominent doctors talking about the affects of the food, air and water on the central nervous system, more specifically the brain, of young people and ultimately, their performance in life and sport.
Today we are taking a look at some general areas that force our central nervous system to not perform at maximum efficiency and clarity. If you would like to learn how to focus your thoughts without feeling like you are in a fog, stop getting headaches after you eat, have more energy when you workout or maximum restoration from my workouts. These are only of few of the things we will be covering on the show and are occurring at a cellular level in your entire body.
Here are the basic components of brain care that should be addressed. Dr. Russell Blaylock, known as the foremost authority on excitotoxins such as MSG and aspartame. Dr. Blaylock is the author of “Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills.”
The quality of our food, water and the environment will cause long term negative result by not paying attention to these factors. For additional information from Dr. Blaylock, listen to the complete interview with Mike Adams of Natural News.
A third source for information would be the Paleo Diet for Athletes by Dr. Loren Cordain and Joel Friel. They cover complete details numerous other threats to your long term heath and performance.
During the second part of our show, we will address the subject of BPA or bisphenal A in the things we touch and use to in our life on a daily basis. Here is an post related to the use of BPA on cash register receipts at major retailers. BPA was thought to be only a problem for microwaving baby formula and causing problems with the young children. The central nervous system is adversely affected BPA. The endocrine system not producing the proper balance of testosterone, estrogen and growth hormone will cause your brain to be confused who you really are as a person, inhibiting your ability to think high quality thoughts. change how your body responds to workouts and at some levels, will change who you are as a person.
Testosterone and Estrogen levels in athletes based on BPA, excitotoxins like MSG and aspartame, and other environmental concerns are building blocks to receiving the benefits of your training.
Some common causes of Low T (low testosterone) include mineral deficiencies, and especially a lack of zinc; excess stress, which is often associated with raised cortisol production and lowered DHEA levels; too much exercise and weight training without enough rest; head or gonadal trauma; exposure to estrogens in the environment and from bad food; and accumulation of visceral, or belly, fat, and corresponding insulin resistance.” Natural News
For the complete show, tune in to Central Nervous System on The McCarthy Project Talk Show.
Now that the foundation has been built, next week The McCarthy Project will look at how to develop the central nervous system for improved performance on the field or court.
“Dont have the phone smarter than you. So it they are looking at that as cultural contraband than that will let you know where we are at.” Rapper Chuck D. of Public Enemy
Limited technology is a foreign concept in today’s world. The television, the smart phone, computer and video games have taken over a large part of our time, especially with young people. We have all heard the stories and read the studies, that on average, we invest over 20 hours a week on television, now add 3 hours a day looking at our phone, watch a couple youtube videos, and read the sports on the Internet. What maybe, 50-60 hours a week! Add to this a scene from the movie, Children of Men. The scene where Theo is talking Nigel over lunch and Nigel’s son is sitting on the computer stuck in a coma-induced state taking drugs for depression. This it what could happen to athletes or is already happening right now.
So the concept of limiting technology takes on a whole new level within the context of Nigel’s son. It is not a false reality, it is reality that we need to look into decreasing the use of technology to improve performance.
So the concept of limiting technology takes on a whole new arena with the context of Nigel’s son. It is not a false reality, it is reality.
Here are a couple articles for further reading on the subject of decreased performance from technology. These are articles are simply the start of the information around the subject of decreased performance of the mind and body after long-term bouts with technology.
The end game is limited technology will improve your performance in your life and your sport. Get up and get off the technology.
Tune in to listen to the complete show on Wednesday July 10th at 11am CST.
The question was asked what is the biggest source of power in the world today. “Knowledge of self and knowledge of your surroundings.” Rapper Chuck D. of Public Enemy
Secondly, Shaun Goodsell of Mental Edge Today and I recorded a powerful show on the concept of high performance. We talked about the power of vulnerability and its importance in life and sport.
Lance Kendricks on Growing Up in Middle Class America to Play NFL Football
Lance Kendricks of the St. Louis Rams joined Stephen McCarthy of the McCarthy Project at the Minneapolis Club Downtown Minneapolis while attending the #C4CT Concussion Awareness Summit.
Lance talked about his rise from middle class America in Wisconsin to become a tight end in the NFL. He mentioned his life has a high school athlete and playing college at Wisconsin.
He also discussed some of the things he did outside of football, as well as, the what he does to stay on top of his game while playing.
Thomas Jones, 12 year NFL Veteran, On Real Life, not What You See on TV
Last Friday, I had the chance to meet Thomas Jones, the real one, not the NFL star running back. He sat down to talk about his life in football, as well as, life after football.
Thomas talked about the talking heads of sport, the reality of life after football, some of the projects his production company has been working on for the last couple months.
One of the big reasons, he came to Minnesota was for the Jack Brewer #C4CT Concussion Awareness Summit. His documentary encompasses the world of NFL and concussion. He has interviewed numerous athletes and high level doctors for his documentary. He previewed the portion related to concussions. It will be a must see for all athletes.
Secondly, his documentary is looking to debunk many of the stereotypes of NFL players. The documentary will include segments on family matters, finances, concussions, and domestic violence. And after my time with Thomas and seeing the preview. I look forward to the full release in the near future.
Restoration Training or Recovery Training: Just As Important as Regular Workouts
Restoration Training or Recovery Training for Elite Performance
Constant Action Lifestyles, Survival of the Fittest or Workouts to Failure are the rage in youth and adult athletics. Two weeks of this training by this coach and then the next two weeks a different coach. Lack of rest, sleep or even too much technology.
Well.. That is what I did when I was a kid. Most athletes need to have a clean break from their current training and development programs. Why do you say a clean break you might ask? Parents, coaches and athletes feel that doing something rather than nothing is a training strategy. Would parents do this at work? Shoot from the hip on the action steps to develop success. Would a coach do this on the field or court? Of course not! Then why do we do it with training.
What about recovery after loading? What about recovery post race? How do you restore your body so that it can take another workout? Why do so many athletes burnout before high school?
Today on The McCarthy Project, Stephen McCarthy will answer all of these questions and more. All parties should coordinate a schedule based on the proven science of mastering a sport with the proper training and the proper restoration training or recovery training.
Former Navy Seal David Rutherford on Limiting Technology
Guests today include:
1. Kris Swarthout, USA Triathlon Coach and accomplished triathlete.
2. David Rutherford, former Navy Seal and Division 1 lacrosse player and Behavior Training Specialist.
3. Shaun Goodsell, Sports Performance Coach and former college athlete.
Rikki Keen Talked on The Basics of Sports Nutrition
Rikki Keen of FRS and Fuel and Foods
Stephen McCarthy of The McCarthy Project and Rikki Keen, CEO of Fuel and Fluids, Scientific Advisor of FRS and Nutritionist to Coach Tom Shaw, broke down the basics of sports nutrition. Major areas include: type of food sources, hydration, promotion of recovery, and timing.
In today’s world, nutrition has become one of the most talked about subjects in sports. The main problem is people are confused, use buzz words to sound knowledgeable on the subject of sports nutrition, but do not have a clue.
Through her education and experience with high school, college and pro athletes, Rikki has found the following areas should be addressed when developing athletes:
1. Daily Fuel and Hydration: High quality food sources and proper hydration levels are important for success in all conditions
2. Nutrient Timing: Nutrition at the right time can promote recovery and increased performance during your event.
3. Recovery: Sleep and proper nutrition will assure you receive the complete benefit of your training.
4. Supplementation: Fill in the cracks in your nutrition profile with proper, high quality supplements. Vitamin D is a major area to focus your attention.
5. Food Politics and the future of sports nutrition: Non-GMO, Natural and Organic foods need to located and used as much as possible. While the volume of data is lacking, the initial results show that these type of foods will benefit your performance.
Jack Brewer of Jack Brewer Foundation and The Concept of Empowering From Within
Jack Brewer on “Empowering From Within”
Jack Brewer joined host Stephen McCarthy of The McCarthy Project to discuss his foundation and his passion to help other people in the world today. The tagline for his foundation is “Empowering From Within.” After listening to the show, you will hear his passion for the people of the world who are facing extreme poverty.
Jack talked about his history being raised in Texas as a student-athlete. He mentioned the challenges of wanting to be a great student in an sports or football-crazy area that did not reward student-athletes.
Jack Brewer of the Jack Brewer Foundation
Education was very important to Jack and he used football to gain the resources he need to continue his education. He landed at the University of Minnesota and graduated with a bachelors and a masters degree in Sports Management. After completing his college career, he played in the NFL for 5 years.
During this whole time, he had a desire to give back to people who did not have the same opportunities that he had received because of sports. This desire become the inspiration for the Jack Brewer Foundation.
The Jack Brewer Foundation has become one the leaders on a global basis sharing with athletes the possibilities of helping others with the resources they have been given through sport.
The 8th Annual Blue Carpet Celebrity Weekend has become the signature event for the foundation. The weekend includes a 5K Race to End Extreme Poverty, a Concussion Awareness Summit, and a goal of packing 50000 meals for other in need.
Shaun Goodsell of Mental Edge on How to Work with Unmotivated Athletes
Shaun Goodsell on Unmotivated Athletes
The world is littered with unmotivated athletes and coaches are notorious for letting everyone know how unmotivated athletes take down their teams. Shaun Goodsell of the Mental Edge will change your perspective on these athletes.
You will begin to see that the coach is responsible for the majority of their athletes that fall into this category. While each age-group is slightly different, the athletes follow their coach. The coach has the power to create a atmosphere of communication. The type of communication is the variable in each equation.
Shaun and Stephen covered the subject of unmotivated athletes on Friday’s show. Here are a couple thoughts from the show.
1. Each player and coach are different, therefore do not feel that you always have to use the same style or type of communication as this really successful coach.
2. The playing field is not always equal for every player. Understand each player, their circumstances and then implement a plan.
3. At the youth level, it is the job of the coach to create the channels of communication with the parents, not the parents to the coach.
Additional areas and ideas covered include coaching youth athletes when Johnny only there because his parents signed him up to pro coaches and the challenges the pro’s bring to elite performance.
Judy Freeman Talks About Start of the Season Results
Pro Mountain Biker Judy Freeman
Stephen McCarthy of The McCarthy Project talked with Pro Mountain Biker Judy Freeman. Judy just returned from her trip to Europe to talk about her early season results.
Judy candidly spoke about her results and how they stem from changes she made earlier in the year. She talked about how they have negatively changed her position on the bike and lead to major power leaks.
She mentioned that sometimes science is not always the best way to go. She returned to a previous setup on her bike. Her injuries and performance have increased since the retro-fitting of her bike.
Other areas covered during the show include:
1. The trickiness of elite performance.
2. Pursuit of a dream when others give up.
3. Does science always trump the art in elite cycling?
Stephen McCarthy of The McCarthy Project and Jill Magee of Rock Tape talked about building the structure for athletes physically and then adding a balanced development program to the structure created.
Points made on the show:
1. Understand what your past health history; down to sprained ankles, stubbed toes, etc and build a high-quality health history.
2. Do not take extremes on training philosophies related to optimal position of the your anatomy or on the other side, just train through the pain.
3. Movement must be efficient to produce high level results and if the structure is wrong. You will break. So fix it early.
Stephen McCarthy of The McCarthy Project Broke Down His Philosophy of Attaining Elite Performance
Stephen McCarthy on Elite Performance
Attaining elite performance is easy to talk about, filled with blood, sweat, tears and failure. It is a road less traveled. Over the last 20 years, Stephen McCarthy has been involved in the sports community in Minnesota. He started his journey as a young sports junkie in Spring Lake Park, MN. Attempted to play pro golf, while training young athletes. He has worked with over 10000 young athletes through the years, some have gone on to compete at a high level. Others have not.
Today on the show, Stephen discussed his thoughts on on attaining elite performance related to training, nutrition, sleep, recovery and the digital age. He described a path to elite performance that he has seen numerous athletes travel.
For the complete story and philosophy, listen here.
In the second hour, Lindsey Berg of USA Volleyball joined the show to tell her story of growing up a coaches kid to the Gold Medal Game at the London Olympics. Her story and successes are amazing similar to the philosophies at The McCarthy Project. Could that be just a coincidence? Or truth?
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 – FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Rounds…Olympic Games (Silver). 2011 – FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)…NORCECA Championship (Gold)…FIVB World Cup (Silver). 2010 – FIVB World Championship (Fourth). 2009 – Final Four Intercontinental Cup (Silver)…NORCECA Continental Championship (Fourth) 2008 – U.S. Olympic Team Exhibition for Volleyball versus Brazil…FIVB World Grand Prix (Fourth Place)…Olympic Games (Silver Medal). 2007 – NORCECA Championship (Silver Medal)…FIVB World Cup (Bronze Medal). 2006 – World Grand Prix (Seventh Place). 2005 – Front Range Tour vs. Brazil…Pan American Cup…World Grand Prix…FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament (gold medal)…NORCECA Continental Championships (gold medal)…World Grand Champions Cup (Silver Medal). 2004 – Yeltsin Cup…Montreux Volley Masters (Silver Medal)…Pan American Cup (Silver Medal)…World Grand Prix (Bronze Medal)…Olympic Games. 2003 – Montreux Volley Masters…Russia Tournament…Pan American Cup (Gold Medal)…World Grand Prix (Bronze Medal)…NORCECA Zone Championships (Gold Medal)…Texas Tour…World Cup (Bronze Medal).
PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2008 – Led Asystel Volley Novara to the Italian Serie A semifinals. 2007 – Played for Scavolini Pesaro in Italian Serie A League. 2006 – Played for Scavolini Pesaro in Italian Serie A League. 2005 – Played for Scavolini Pesaro in Italian Serie A League. 2002 – Helped lead the Minnesota Chill to the United States Professional Volleyball league championship…Berg earned Outstanding Server, Outstanding Setter and All-USPV honors for her efforts.
COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: Berg was a three-time All-Big Ten selection at the University of Minnesota (1999, 2000, and 2001)…She finished her collegiate career in 2001 ranked third in the Big Ten in all-time assists (5,913).
Lindsey Berg of USA Volleyball: Her Story and How She Rose to Become Captain of the Olympic Team
Lindsey Berg of USA Volleyball
Lindsey Berg of USA Volleyball joined The McCarthy Project to talk about her life growing up in Hawaii to the gold medal game during the London Olympics. She talked about growing up as a coaches kid in Hawaii and traveling to the mainland to play in travel volleyball tournaments.
She also shared why a athlete from Hawaii would choose the University of Minnesota to go to school. Lindsey discussed her vision for volleyball in the United States. Currently, there are few opportunities for volleyball players post college and the ones that are available are in Europe.
She covered a whole host of other subjects, like how to be the best when you are not the best pure athlete, the recruiting game, and leadership.
For the complete interview, visit here and on the 2012 Olympic games, visit here
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 – FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Rounds…Olympic Games (Silver). 2011 – FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)…NORCECA Championship (Gold)…FIVB World Cup (Silver). 2010 – FIVB World Championship (Fourth). 2009 – Final Four Intercontinental Cup (Silver)…NORCECA Continental Championship (Fourth) 2008 – U.S. Olympic Team Exhibition for Volleyball versus Brazil…FIVB World Grand Prix (Fourth Place)…Olympic Games (Silver Medal). 2007 – NORCECA Championship (Silver Medal)…FIVB World Cup (Bronze Medal). 2006 – World Grand Prix (Seventh Place). 2005 – Front Range Tour vs. Brazil…Pan American Cup…World Grand Prix…FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament (gold medal)…NORCECA Continental Championships (gold medal)…World Grand Champions Cup (Silver Medal). 2004 – Yeltsin Cup…Montreux Volley Masters (Silver Medal)…Pan American Cup (Silver Medal)…World Grand Prix (Bronze Medal)…Olympic Games. 2003 – Montreux Volley Masters…Russia Tournament…Pan American Cup (Gold Medal)…World Grand Prix (Bronze Medal)…NORCECA Zone Championships (Gold Medal)…Texas Tour…World Cup (Bronze Medal).
INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Started the first six matches of the FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round, including victories over Olympic qualified teams Brazil, Italy and Dominican Republic…Averaged 4.75 running sets…Starting setter in seven of eight Olympic Games matches helping squad to the silver medal…Averaged 10.96 running sets and 2.21 digs…Added five kills on 13 swings…Missed quarterfinal round victory due to injury, but came back to lead U.S. to sweep of Korea in semifinals with a .400 hitting efficiency…Helped Team USA to an overall .347 hitting efficiency during the Olympics…Finished 2012 with 18 points and 118 digs with 16 starts and 53 sets played. 2011 – Named USA Volleyball Indoor Female Athlete of the Year for her performance during the 2011 season…Started 12 of 14 matches of the FIVB World Grand Prix and helped the Americans win their second straight title…Aided the U.S. to a .293 team hitting efficiency with 7.57 sets per set…Added 78 digs (1.86 per set), eight blocks (0.19 per set) and seven aces (0.17 per set)…Scored three blocks and a kill versus Italy on Aug. 20..Helped Team USA hit .302 in gold-medal match versus Brazil on Aug. 28…Named Best Setter of the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship after averaging 7.07 assists per set and helping the squad to a .364 hitting efficiency on the way to winning the gold medal…Added a 1.13 dig average during the NORCECA Championship…Turned in 29 assists leading the U.S. to a .342 hitting efficiency in a three-set victory over Dominican Republic in the NORCECA gold-medal match…Started 10 of 11 matches in FIVB World Cup leading to the silver medal and 2012 Olympic Games qualification…Averaged 10.27 assists per set at World Cup, helping the squad to a .368 hitting efficiency and 46.5 kill percent…Ranked third in Best Setter at FIVB World Cup…Scored 53 assists, two kills and an ace in four-set win over Brazil…Totaled 51 assists in four-set win over Italy as U.S. hit .314. 2010 – Played in 17 sets during the FIVB World Championship…Started the bronze-medal match versus Japan on Nov. 14, recording 26 assists, nine digs and a kill in a five-set loss…Came off the bench to provided 40 assists, 11 digs and a block in the semifinal match versus Russia on Nov. 13. 2009 – Tallied 115 assists in 39 sets after taking much of the year off to recover from surgery after 2008 Olympic Games…Averaged 2.63 assists per set at Final Four Intercontinental Cup to rank second among all players…Added four kills, six blocks and two aces during the Final Four Cup, her first tournament competition of 2009…Totaled five points (2 kills, 2 blocks, 1 ace) and 10 digs versus Brazil on Sept. 9…Provided 3.17 assists per set during NORCECA Continental Championship in starting all six matches and playing in 23 sets…Contributed 34 assists, two blocks, an ace and five digs versus Dominican Republic on Sept. 26. 2008 – Named USA Volleyball Female Indoor Athlete of the Year…Started four of six sets played during three-match exhibition series with Brazil, including three set starts on June 11…Started 43 sets of 51 sets played at World Grand Prix…Ranked seventh in setting based on assists per set (6.58) during the FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round…Scored three blocks in match versus Italy on July 12…Despite only nine set starts and 25 overall sets entered during the Olympics Games, played a key role at setter in leading USA to a silver medal at the Olympic Games…Started the fourth and fifth sets against Italy in the Olympic Games quarterfinals, which led to scoring runs of 8-0 and 5-0 to begin each set to help USA advance to the medal round…Tallied three aces and a block in the victory over Italy, along with 21 assists…Served as co-captain for the team at the Olympic Games. 2007 – Provided 37 assists in mainly a reserve role at the NORCECA Championship…Started the final three sets of the NORCECA Championship gold medal match against Cuba…Contributed four points, all aces, against Mexico on Sept. 18…Started 17 of 27 sets played at the FIVB World Cup with an average of 5.74 assists and 0.70 digs per set…Started first six matches of the World Cup resulting in a 6-0 record, in addition to the final match against Italy. 2006 – Named Best Setter during two of the three legs of the World Grand Prix (Macau and Bangkok)…Ranked as the second-best setter through the World Grand Prix Preliminary rounds…Averaged 9.59 assists per set (355 total assists) in the World Grand Prix…Helped U.S. to an overall .303 team attack percentage for the entire World Grand Prix. 2005 – Starting setter for the USA Women’s National Team that captured the silver medal at the season-ending FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in Japan in November…The United States finished the tournament with a record of 4-1 as it earned wins over Korea, 2004 Olympic gold medalist China, Poland and Japan along the way…Captured “Best Setter” honors and earned a gold medal as Team USA won its third-straight NORCECA Continental Championship with a five-set victory over Cuba on Sept. 11…The USA Women qualified for the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup with the win…Also named “Best Setter” as she earned a gold medal in August at the FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament as the USA Women qualified for the 2006 World Championships…Named “Best Setter” at the Pan American Cup tournament in the Dominican Republic in June as the USA Women finished fourth and clinched a berth in the 2006 World Grand Prix. 2004 – Lindsey made her first Olympic appearance in Athens, Greece, as Team USA finished fifth overall… Earned “Best Setter” honors at the Pan American Cup in Mexico as Team USA earned a silver medal and a berth in the 2005 World Grand Prix. 2003: – Earned “Best Setter” honors at the Pan American Cup in Mexico after guiding the United States to a perfect 5-0 record and a berth in the 2004 World Grand Prix…Finished third in assists per set at the World Grand Prix in Italy with 11.42 assists per set…Helped the United States earn a bronze medal at the 2003 World Cup and a berth in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece…Played in a team-high 156 sets during the year as she saw action in all 44 matches…Led the team in total assists (1,093) and finished third on the team in digs (177).
PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2008 – Led Asystel Volley Novara to the Italian Serie A semifinals. 2007 – Played for Scavolini Pesaro in Italian Serie A League. 2006 – Played for Scavolini Pesaro in Italian Serie A League. 2005 – Played for Scavolini Pesaro in Italian Serie A League. 2002 – Helped lead the Minnesota Chill to the United States Professional Volleyball league championship…Berg earned Outstanding Server, Outstanding Setter and All-USPV honors for her efforts.
COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: Berg was a three-time All-Big Ten selection at the University of Minnesota (1999, 2000, and 2001)…She finished her collegiate career in 2001 ranked third in the Big Ten in all-time assists (5,913).
PERSONAL: Born Lindsey Napela Berg on July 16, 1980 in Honolulu, Hawaii…Parents are Dennis and Tina Berg…Also has a sister, Erin…Enjoys fashion, music and traveling…Her happiest moment in sports was winning a Silver Medal at the 2008 Olympic Games and getting an opportunity to play in the Gold Medal Match…Graduated in December 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in business/marketing…Graduated high school from Punahou High School in Hawaii, which has notable alums such as U.S. President Barack Obama and women’s pro golfer Michelle Wie…Will be inducted into the University of Minnesota M Club Hall of Fame in September 2012.
Jack Woodrup of VerticalJumping.com Talked About the Myths Around Jump Training
Jack Woodrup on Jump Training
The internet is full of jump training programs or ways to increase your vertical in 6 weeks. Jack Woodrup and your host, Stephen McCarthy, talked about the marketing hype surrounding these programs. We covered the following:
1. Guaranteed Results
2. Inflated value for low price
3. Testimonials
4. Immediate deadline to purchase at low price
On the other side, we discussed what the good programs have the also-ran’s don’t:
1. Customization to the individual.
2. Program changes the exercises based on the assessment
3. Attempts to manage more variables than just assessment info
If you are interested and increasing your vertical jump and learning how to jump higher then you have come to the right place. VerticalJumping.com contains all the information you will ever need to know about vertical jump training and then some.
Here you will find plenty of free and well researched information about the principles of training, recovery and nutrition as they relate to improving an athletes vertical jump. As well as that we have prepared the most honest and detailed reviews of all the well known commercially available jump programs and related training equipment out there.
If you aren’t too fussed about all the training theory and just want a great vertical jump training program we suggest you take a good look at our vertical jump program – Vertical Mastery. Unlike other programs this is not an e-book, but an interactive software application that creates custom workouts to strengthen your weaknesses. This is the quickest way to make gains. It is a terrific product and it really does set the bar for jump programs.
For those who do want to learn more about how to increase your vertical jump We suggest you start by reading the vertical jump ‘FAQ’ page. This broadly outlines the basic fundamentals upon which all vertical jump training is based and should give you some ideas about how you might structure your program.
Once you have finished reading the FAQ there is a whole lot more training ideas and information to be found in the “Articles” section on the Navigation Bar of the site. For the the latest updates to the site check out Whats New. This is where you can find out about any new articles and modifications to the site.
So whether you are a weekend warrior just wanting to impress your friends, or an athlete of the more serious kind, you will find plenty of useful information that will help make your jumping ability the envy of friends, teammates, and opponents alike.
Tricia O’Hara: Mental Toughness From Her Perspective
Tricia O’Hara on Mental Toughness
Today Tricia O’Hara and Stephen discussed mental toughness from two different angles. The first viewpoint was one of having lived it out in real life being an orphan as a child, passed from home to home and having to pick herself up mentally every day. The second as a person who has accomplished some of her goals in life and what young people of today need to hear.
Tricia knows a thing or two about Adversity. Having to overcome the death of her parents as an infant and finding herself in foster care w/ numerous families till age 7, she learned through relentless pursuit of not giving up, not giving in, to rise above it all. At this time she along with her biological brother and sister were adopted by a family that was unable to have children of their own. Though it seemed to Tricia their reasoning for adopting was for all the wrong reasons, she would remain here for the next 7 years. She believed it wasn’t so much to provide a loving, stable environment, rather to replicate the “Perfect Children” they could never have.” “When they found that we weren’t amenable to this, they would use control tactics such as grounding, whipping, locking us out so we had to sleep in the garage, verbal, physical and psychological abuse.”
Although Tricia excelled at academics, with straight A’s and advanced studies,and was a high level athlete, “Good” was not good enough.
In their eyes she still was not the perfect child and was constantly reminded she would never amount to anything and not make anything of her Life.” yet with Tricia’s Iron Will, she would not fall prey to these negative words, instead, this was the “fuel to the fire” that instilled in her –
“Your words will not Define Me…You will not Break Me”
Tricia made up her mind at a young age that she would not except these “Jaws of Defeat” She knew somewhere there was a door to a better life, a more positive, supportive environment. “I WILL find a way”
As a way to rise above it all, Tricia turned to sports as a coping mechanism. “Sports,namely running was something no one could take from me. It was my way of temporarily escaping the constant chaos I was living in” Also at this time Tricia was told frequently, “I don’t care what you think, it doesn’t matter!” So she learned to be silent and keep her thoughts and feelings to herself. “My only release was to transform these thoughts into writing, poems mainly, as well as drawing.
~ which years later, I won awards for my writing and at age 15 was awarded a certificate from the House of Representatives
for my artistic talent and was given the honor to display a piece of my artwork in the Bellevue Art Museum.” Tricia wrote this when she was 13, along with a hundred others.
“What are you thinking
and how are you feeling,
for your mask cover up is un-revealing
Why, when I look into your eyes
you’re close by yet far away…
Just that, I try to mold and shape,
Only blank expressions, I observe
fly free from escape”
Finally,when it was apparent that Tricia would never be the child they could manipulate into being the person they wanted, she was kicked out. Tricia was 14. “Being homeless, living with friends, living on the streets, on a park bench and at one point, my girlfriend’s horse barn, I had a choice to go left or right, I chose to go right.” “Fast forward to years later, Tricia felt this compelling need to give back, and to share her story. To help others to find their path of greatness through academics and sports.” Not having a family to spend holidays with, she began to volunteer feeding the homeless; delivering food.
It was then she realized how much these people needed love and attention too and having experienced a version of their lives in her formative years,she felt her presence was needed more than just the holidays. “Its easy to do a grand gesture like this when it’s publicized, but what about the 363 other days of the year?” She would continue to help serve food and also volunteer doing odd jobs at a Convalescent home. “I would always love to hear their stories…and when you’re 98, you have a lot of stories!”
Last winter Tricia spent the holidays back home in San Francisco where she volunteered feeding the homeless in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District, one of the worst Ghetto’s in America. It was here she was inspired to volunteer and work with the low-income kids, tutoring and involving them in sports. “It was so rewarding for me that I continued to volunteer the duration of my stay. …and the hardest part was, leaving. They had become a part of me.
As I was leaving, one little girl said to me with a tear in her eye, “You can’t leave, you’re my mommy.” “I know in my heart, this is one facet in my Life I must continue to pursue. There’s too many children out there that are not provided with the right role model, peer group or motivation to push beyond their current limits.”
Recently, Tricia was asked to appear as a Guest Speaker on The McCarthy Project, Sports Talk Radio. The Producer had come across her story and felt it needed to be heard. The listeners and staff were so moved, she was asked to come on air weekly. “I am truly flattered that someone would want to hear my story. If I can help inspire, motivate and encourage people that with a lot hard work, anything is possible then I will do whatever it takes to get the message across.”
Tracy Lynn Bezeau of Pigskin Lipstick Talks Life Outside of Football
Tracy Lynn of Pigskin Lipstick on Football
Tracy Lynn and Stephen explored the area of women and pro football. But not in the way you would expect. We talked about “sports divorce”, helicopter parenting and control freak parents. And lastly, how to build strong, stable, real young people who can handle life.
They are all related to one another. You are going to have to listen to the show to find out how. The show might be the one that will wake you up to reality or will make you really upset.
Talk show co-host / internet radio co-host and producer for “Outside the Pocket with Damon Allen” which is a radio talk show based on health & wellness, sports & entertainment from the inside out and we are not afraid to step out of bounds.
From Parenting to Home, Fashion to Sports and Fitness to Entertainment Tracy Lynn covers a wide range of programming and events.
For more information on Tracy Lynn, visit her website.
Shaun Goodsell of Mental Edge Discussed the Proper Uses and Types of Communication in Sport
Shaun Goodsell on communication in Sport
In today’s world, social media dominates communication in sport and life. Shaun Goodsell broke it all down on how to be a great communicator in sport and life that includes talking and the computer.
Shaun talked about the arena of communicating via social media and on a interpersonal level. The coach and the player have specific roles and uses for technology. On the other hand, the interpersonal skills are lacking development. How can both of them work in tandem? Athletes and coaches could use the following 3 steps to improve their communication skills:
1. Be clear when you say or do something
2. Be very concise. Don’t think that volume is the key to good communication.
3. Analyze the feedback you receive from the communication.
Shaun and Stephen covered these steps of successful communication and much more on the show.
Shaun has worked with LPGA Golfers, National Championship Hockey Players, Professional Triathletes, State Champion Football and Hockey Players, as well as those athletes who simply want to make “the team.” Every athlete deals with certain mental interferences and life impairments no matter what level they may be at competitively. There is no such thing as right and wrong, or, good and bad, in Shaun’s mind. I do not look at life in these terms. As a Performance Coach, it is my challenge to help each individual athlete develop a new way of defining his/her performance – it is not about good or bad, but about looking at what factors go into a quality performance and what each athlete can do and/or change, individually, to experience just that. With Shaun’s ability to teach and to inspire, along with his ability to communicate abstract ideas clearly, he is able to help each person he works with identify and look at ways they might be engaging in self-defeating patterns of thinking and/or acting, which results in an overall empowering experience for the individual, raising their level of mental toughness and overall self-esteem. Shaun also works extensively with coaches and parents of athletes in large groups, focusing on their integral roles in athletes’ overall mental development and their lives in general. Each coach and parents leaves these presentations and workshops inspired and better equipped to manage athletes with aim, purpose and compassion.
Shawn Myszka of Explosive Edge Athletics Defined Performance Coach
Performance Coach Shawn Myszka
Shawn Myszka talked with host Stephen McCarthy about the task of defining a great performance coach for your athlete. Agents and parents have many choices on the direction of training and speed development for their athletes. The major disconnect is how do yo separate the marketing hype and name dropping from training philosophy.
Here are a couple points Shawn made during the show:
1. Letters behind the name are important, but not the only thing.
2. Put together a list of questions specific to your athlete to ask the trainer directly.
3. Test and see the test results to make sure measurable performance increases are occurring.
Shawn Myszka of Explosive Edge Athletics Bio Information:
His wealth of experience begins at a personal level as a competitive bodybuilder, winning the NPC Wisconsin State Championship in 1999 and 2001, and eventually competing at the National-level. Shawn took his passion for training athletes to the next level, the professional level, as a strength coach on the Strength & Conditioning Staff with the Chicago Bears in 2003. Shawn has also spent time working with Louie Simmons, regarded by many as the top strength coach in the world, as well as 6-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates. In addition to all of this, he has trained Collegiate National Champion Athletes, Professional Athletes, and has also worked closely with various high schools / sports organizations to implement the best possible athletic performance program available for them.
Industry Leader Kurt Hester Discussed the Role of Strength Coach
Strength Coach Kurt Hester of theDominant1 Speed Training
Kurt Hester of thedominant1 joined the show to talk about the perils of choosing the proper strength coach. The decision more times than not is made based on the number of pro athletes a strength coach work with or name dropping who the coach knows. The truth is that if that is the only reason you are working with a particular coach, you need to do your homework.
Here are a couple points Kurt made on the show today:
1. Athelete development programs need more emphasis on balance.
2. As a follow up, the also need more exercises that include reaction times or teaching angles.
3. A basic strength program is the foundation, not how many different pieces of equipment you are using at one time to balance on one foot.
For the complete appearance, visit the following here.
Kurt Hester’s Bio Information:
Kurt Hester serves as D1’s director of training. In addition, he is an active strength and speed consultant for Florida State, Tennessee, Illinois, Ole Miss, Alabama, Nicholls State, Grambling State and Miami. Prior to D1, Hester ran and owned HS2 Athletic Performance in New Orleans, where he turned out more than 400 collegiate scholarship athletes and trained more than 50 NFL Draft picks. He also trained numerous MLB Draft picks, high school All-Americans, state championship teams and collegiate national track & field finalists. A graduate of Tulane University, Hester was inducted into the Strength Coach Hall of Fame, and he holds certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, United States Weightlifting and the Speed, Agility and Conditioning Association.
Rapper Thi’sl Talks Music and the Role it Plays with Athletes
Thi’sl on The Role of Music in the World
Rapper Thi’sl joins the show to talk about the world of music and sport. Almost every athlete today has a pair of headphones and a mp3 player. So it is a given that the world of sport is influenced by music. But how far? and in what ways? He will be addressing these questions and much more.
Travis “Thi’sl” Tyler, an ex-hustler turned urban missionary and rapper, check out his website and his new album, Free From the Trap. He is currently based in St. Louis, MO.
Thi’sl had a burning desire to reach his generation and culture. He prayed for direction, and God impressed upon his heart to return to rap. Initially, he tried to mimic the heavily theological raps he had been exposed to, until finding his own lane. He eventually started an independent label and released his national debut album, Chronicles of an X-Hustler, which debuted at No. 4 on the iTunes Hip Hop chart. Chronicles is a self-described “audio biographical” look into Thi’sl’s life as he addresses real life situations through a biblical lens and provides practical/biblical solutions to everyday situations. That’s his mantra—let his biblical knowledge meet real people in their current realities. Having been featured on several albums since his national debut including features with Lecrae’s Rehab: The Overdose and Flame’s Captured, Thi’sl recently released his sophomore album Beautiful Monster. Driven by his mom’s words, “While people are sleeping, I’m working,” Thi’sl is dedicated to making the most of his platform and changing the world.
Principles of High Impact Coaching with Shaun Goodsell
Shaun Goodsell on HIgh Impact Coaching
Shaun Goodsell of The Mental Edge was in rare form on the show. He spoke directly to the issues related to coaching at all levels and the principles of high impact coaching.
He covered the basics:
1. Taking the time to know what your players are thinking no matter what the age and build that sense of rapport with each athlete.
2. Take the role of coach with great care, honor and responsibility.
If you are interested in getting better as a coach, to listen to the complete appearance visit here.
For more information on Shaun Goodsell, visit his website.
Jill Magee of Rock Tape/ ETS Gym Covered Active Recovery
Jill Magee on Active Recovery
Athletes in today’ society do not understand the word active recovery or recovery in general. Only if they work harder, they will win. The truth is almost directly opposite of the survival of the fittest or only work harder athletes. She mentioned that you need to plan your recovery just as much as you plan your workouts.
Shawn Myszka is currently the Co-Founder/Athletic Performance Director of Explosive Edge Athletics in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which currently trains many of the top athletes in the state of MN on all levels including a host of high performance NFL players. He also serves as a trusted consultant to coaches at numerous professional, collegiate, and high school athletic programs nationwide. Shawn is a former National-level competitive bodybuilder who has become a well-known and highly sought-after clinician and leader in the field of jump training/plyometrics, sport-specific power development, and the transfer of training to sport performance. He is a frequent presenter at strength coach and sports conferences nationwide. Shawn, who is the Founder of the Plyometrics/Jump Training Special Interest Group, has also recently developed the first-ever Jump Training Certification designed for coaches looking to utilize plyometric and other jump training methods to increase sports performance. In 2011, Shawn was responsible for the design and development of the world renowned BoingVERT Jump System which quickly established itself as the standard for all jump programs on the market. In addition, Shawn has served as an adjunct professor in the Applied Human Kinetics Department at Bethel University in St. Paul, MN, since 2010. Finally, he is a founding member of the Minnesota NSCA Advisory Board and was voted the 2008 Minnesota NSCA Trainer of the Year.
What Does Balance in a Family Look Like for Young Athletes?
Tricia O’Hara
Today Stephen McCarthy and Tricia O’Hara, an accomplished athlete, personal trainer and coach, worked through decisions that parents of young athletes must address somewhere in the athlete’s development. When is the best time to push? Is it ok to use bribes to motivate? Who is in control? And Why? Should the athlete have some downtime?
We answered these questions and much more in the second hour of today’s show.
For more information on Tricia O’Hara, visit her website.
Building Young Athletes: Ideas on the Road to Success
Lea Olson of Fox Sports Net
Lea Olson of Fox Sports has been a college athlete and worked with families on the process of developing young talent. She has seen the good and the bad of the process. She mentioned a couple areas that are most important for young athletes.
Author David Epstein of The Sports Gene:Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance joined Stephen McCarthy of The McCarthy Project to discuss his book and his motive for writing Sports Gene. Secondly, we discussed how to apply his findings to athletes and the future application of dna or genetic research. Complete interview will be aired on Friday September 6th at 8am CST.
