SB Coaches College

 Athletic Training, Coaching, Motivation/Inspiration, Physical Therapy, Strength and Conditioning  No Responses »
Nov 042009
 

n92801925665_5507Part of what I want to do here on the blog is to let my readers know of some websites that I check out and find to be valuable resources in the Strength and Conditioning field.  The sites that I will recommend will always be sites that I endorse based on the fact that I think they are great places to get information.

SB Coaches College is a site that was founded by Strength and Conditioning Coaches Shawn Windle, Brijesh Patel, and Robb Rogers. Shawn is currently the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Indiana Pacers. Brijesh is currently the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Quinnipiac University. Rob is now working for the National Strength and Conditioning Association. All of these guys are very good and very bright strength and conditioning coaches who I have gotten to know over the last couple of years. They are also really good guys.

The site contains several well written articles, programs, and power point presentations, as well as a store where you can buy some of their products.
Check it out at http://www.sbcoachescollege.com/

Friday's Thoughts

 Athletic Training, Coaching, Motivation/Inspiration, Physical Therapy, Recovery, Strength and Conditioning  1 Response »
Oct 302009
 

I’ve decided to get on the bandwagon of posting some of the things I have been thinking about and have done during the past week in addition to my coaching responsibilities.  I will try and update every Friday.  So here it goes:

1-      The P90X may be the best workout system that I have seen advertised on television (Perfect Pull Up is second).  A few of my friends have started the program.   What I like about it is the organization of the program and most importantly, you are required to move.  Although, I don’t think I would use it with my athletes, I think it is great for people who need a regimented routine. 

2-      I read the book  Crush It- Why Now is the time to cash in on your Passion, by Gary Vaynerchuck.  I actually finished it in a day.  I really like the concepts described in the book to help utilize social media.  What I also really like is the fact that the author explains that by having a passion for something and applying hard work, you can see positive results.   Kind of a breath of fresh air to read a book where they promote hard work.   I’ve actually taken action on a few of the tips in the book. 

3-      Strength Coach and friend, Mike Boyle, has released his Functional Strength Coach 3.0.  I got mine yesterday and watched the first dvd last night.  As usual, Mike has done it again by releasing a great product.  It seems like Mike is always one step ahead when it comes down to program design implementation and progression.  I look forward to watching the rest of them. 

4-      On T-muscle this week, there was another great article called “Bigger, Better, Faster, Longer” featuring an interview with Dan John.  Dan is a really good writer and seems to be an even better coach. 

5-      Speaking of Mike Boyle, check out this funny video Anthony Renna put together.   

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/5543021/

That’s it.  Let me know what you think.  Have a great weekend.

Be Athletes First

 Coaching, Hockey, Motivation/Inspiration, Strength and Conditioning  No Responses »
Oct 032009
 

Since I’ve been working with hockey players, I’ve been really fortunate to be around some very talented players from all over the world.  What I have realized is that their superior talent level combined with their incredible work ethic, has allowed them to play at the highest level possible.  What most of these players also have in common is that while they were growing up, they also have played other sports.  Some of the sports that were played include baseball, football, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, and golf.  Players who I know of who were also outstanding at other sports include former Duck Adam Oates, who was also an outstanding lacrosse player, and current Head Coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins and former Duck, Dan Bylsma, who was a great baseball player and also an outstanding golfer.  Chris Drury, who currently plays for the New York Rangers, was a pitcher on the USA little league baseball team that won the world championship over 20 years ago in 1989. There are several players on the current Ducks’ roster who were great at other sports.  The list can go on and on for current players in the NHL.

My point is that these guys all played different sports while they were growing up.  They didn’t just play hockey or “specialize” in hockey.  The skills that they learned in other sports have helped them develop the skills that they now have in professional hockey.

Today’s young hockey players are spending way too much time just playing hockey.  Hockey is now a year-round sport for many young kids (especially if they’re good).  There is always the next team to try out for or the camp that “all of the top players in the area” are going to.  What is also really interesting to me is how many of these kids have their own “private” lessons.  Why?  Tell me how taking private lessons is going to help kids become better team players who work hard together to achieve common goals.

With physical education in the United States drastically decreasing, the need to play more sports is more important now than it ever was before.  Sports like soccer, football, lacrosse, basketball, baseball, field hockey, volleyball, and softball which emphasize team work should also be played throughout the year.  Developing speed, agility, quickness, balance, and body awareness in other sports can translate to having those attributes on the ice.  What I find most important, especially with the absence physical education, is the general fitness gained in playing other sports.

Hockey is a team game.  The better teams in the NHL have a bunch of hard-working players who play for each other and put team success before individual success.  The really good players realize that their team’s success will help them have individual success in the long run.  Playing different sports while learning life lessons in teamwork and accountability, all while having fun, will help any youngster develop into a better hockey player.

Perform Bettter 3-Day Functional Training Summit

 Athletic Training, Coaching, Motivation/Inspiration, Physical Therapy, Recovery, Strength and Conditioning  No Responses »
Aug 052009
 

Wow, what a great weekend I just had at this year’s Functional Training Summit on Long Beach, CA.  Chris Porier and his staff at Perform Better know how to get it done!  You can’t beat 3 days of seeing some great presentations while also getting to hang out with may colleagues and friends and also meeting a lot more. Here is my top 6 presentations that I saw based on how good it was and what I learned and will apply with my athletes (I couldn’t get it down to 5 as it was tough to pick as I saw 14 presentation and learned something in all of them:

1- Vern Gambetta- Foundational Legs- Building the Athlete from the Ground Up.  What I really like about Vern is that he is a coach.  He tells it like it is all the time.  Like Al Vermeil, when he speaks, you should write what he says down.

2- Todd Wright- Vertical Core.  Todd is a pretty funny guy who shows his passion for helping his guys get better every time he speaks.  He is definitely a guy who has figured out a way to use Gary Gray’s information and break it down to a system that works for him and his athletes.

3- Todd Durkin- Going for Greatness.  This lecture was very motivational and it was something I needed to hear (especially with training camp only weeks away).

4- Thomas Plummer- The 7 Habits of a Financially Successful Trainer. Like Todd Durkin’s, this was something I needed to hear.  Thomas has obviously been doing this a while and knows what he is talking about.

5- Alwyn Cosgrove- The Evolution of Personal Training. I always have to see Alwyn speak.  Very entertaining and a great guy.  Always tells it how it its.

6- Robert Dos Remedios-  Building Better Athletes: Getting Stronger and More Powerful Outside the Weightroom.  I love seeing real coaches talk about what they do. Dos was awesome.

Besides seeing those guys and others speak, I also got to meet up with some other people such as Mike Boyle, Anthony Renna, Mike Potenza from the San Jose Sharks, and Pete Friesen from the Carolina Hurricanes.

Training Camp

 Coaching, Motivation/Inspiration  No Responses »
Jul 242009
 

Just read a great book called Training Camp by Jon Gordon.

It is a great inspirational, motivational book about a football player trying to make it as an un-drafted free agent during training camp.  I am recommending it to the guys who are in town this summer and to all the young players I work with at camps and clinics.  It even has a character in the book who is a strength and conditioning coach from Boston with a thick accent! Check it out.

Books That I'm Reading

 Coaching, Motivation/Inspiration  No Responses »
Jun 112009
 

I always enjoy reading other peoples blogs when they post what they’re reading or the list their “top 5” books in a certain field.  For me, I am always reading several books at a time.  Their really isn’t a time when I am not currently reading at least one book.  Here are the books I am currently reading.  

How to Be Like Coach Wooden by Pat Williams.  I really enjoy any book about coach Wooden.  He is definitely someone who I aspire to be like.  

Blink by Malcom Gladwell.  I really enjoyed Gladwell’s other books such as The Tipping Point and Outliers.  This one is pretty good so far as well.

Talent is Overrated by Geoff Colvin.  Good book showing how people who work and practice really hard at specific things within their field can excel without being really talented.  

Peaks and Valleys by Spencer Johnson, M.D.  A great story about the ups and downs and how we can have more peaks than valleys.  Johnson is also the author of Who Moved My Cheese.  Both of these books bring their message through easy to read stories.  

Little Teal Book of Trust by Jeffrey Gitomer.  I’ve also read Gitomer’s book, Little Gold Book of Yes Attitude.  I really like Gitomer’s books.  I find them to be very inspirational and help facilitate a positive attitude.

Team Hoyt

 Motivation/Inspiration  No Responses »
Feb 152009
 

hoyt1I was driving down the street the other day and went by a billboard.  It was an add that featured a picture of Rick and Dick Hoyt- some really inspiring people to me.  For as long as I can remember, I always recall seeing a man pushing a boy in a wheelchair in the Boston Marathon.  I remember thinking to myself that “Man, that must be hard”.  To this day, they are still doing it amongst other challenging events such as triathlons.  Please take the time to check out their site and read their story.  You will be inspired to.

Heavy Weight Fight

 Motivation/Inspiration, Strength and Conditioning  No Responses »
Feb 122009
 

Great article in Wednesday’s USA Todayimages-22 on University of Texas basketball player Dexter Pittman and Strength and Conditioning Coach Todd Wright.  It talks about how Dexter has dropped 93 lbs and transformed his body to help him be the player he is today.  It also mentions how he now mentors young overweight people who are inspired by him.  Its great to see athletes be positive role models, especially in regards to fitness and health.  He probably couldn’t have done it without the help of Todd, who has been there for Dexter every step of the way.  Todd, who is an outstanding strength and conditioning coach, has influenced several players who have gone to succeed in life and the NBA.  I really like his vertical core ideas which he frequently gives presentations on at seminars.  He is always learning and doing whatever he can to help his guys such as introducing them to a MGB Treatment Webinar  after they have tried everything and still cannot lose weight.

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