Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
May 15th, 2012 | 
Author: Learning to compete is yet another of the vital pieces to becoming a next-level player. Athletic ability alone gets very few to the top of the pyramid with the exception of names like Albert Pujols, Joe Mauer, Andrew Jones, Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez; guys just born with such amazing skill and size. Yet even they needed to learn to become great competitors.focused and prepared to do battle.
Even Derek Jeter, once viewed as the third best shortstop in the American League (and owner of 4 World Series rings as of this writing), talks about the countless hours of his teen years spent hacking with his SoloHitter Hitting Trainer. You watch how he approaches every at-bat and how hard he competes and you just know that this is how he is wired. it may have started from the head of his dinner table, or a coach, but those who know him say that this guy was always a tough out!
Watching Jeter play, you just have to appreciate how many of the best become their best!
So who & what is a great competitor?
In Practice – He’s the guy who knows what he is supposed to do and does it correctly. and not just when coaches are watching. He understands the value of practicing hard & correctly and knows its importance to himself and his team. He practices how he plays! He challenges himself and is interested in becoming his best.not just better!
In Games – He is mentally prepared and has a plan for every at-bat and every situation. Because of his great practice habits, he can kick his game plan into gear with little concern for not being prepared. Coaches know they can count on him!
The Ultimate Competitor is the Ultimate Team Player!
- He doesn’t care who the hero is.
- He’s going to compete to help his team win!
- He wants his teammates to do well!
Players come in all shapes, sizes & personalities.
but successful players all learn the importance of being a great competitor!
The Young Player
Teach & Learn The Love of The Game!
A competitive nature can start at a young age but first a player must learn to love the game. Without that love, he may never get to that point where the rest even matters. This is overwhelmingly more important.
My own observation is that few 10-year olds are equipped to understand this; maybe half of 11-year olds seem to and most 12-year olds who get the concept are emotionally equipped to do battle and understand the euphoria of winning and the agony of losing. and what it takes to get there.
This knowledge can come from the head of the dinner table, an older sibling, a teacher or coach, older or other teammates, opposing players.anywhere really. What’s more important is that it becomes how a player goes about his business on the field.
It’s Just Baseball
One 10-year old may love to play every day and will play 60+ games a year while another may be burned out by age 12 with that sort of schedule. Love the game first and the competitive juices will just kick in when they are supposed to.there is no schedule. Know your player(s) and you will know when to prod and when to back off and let them find it themselves. THEY’RE ALL DIFFERENT!
Some Examples of Great Competitors
- The 4th best player on my best 14-year old team ever is now a 2nd year pro after a stellar college career and a trip to Omaha as a freshman. He made himself into a ballplayer. He wanted it more than anyone else on that team. and is still playing while those who were his superior are now out of the game or finishing their college careers as their last stop.
- A leftie outfielder of mine was drafted in the 38th round out of high school, went to a JUCO (junior college) instead, redoubled his efforts to improve, and is now a 1st year pro. redrafted in the 4th round and, as of this writing, he is rated by Baseball America as having the best raw power in the Anaheim Angels organization!
- The Chicago Cub infielder I played golf with recently was kidded by a member of our foursome with a reminder of the pressure putt he had.it was quite testy. I will paraphrase him as he shot back at the heckler. Are you kidding, I love this stuff. referring to that pressure. And believe me, this guy has made himself into one tough Big League competitor.he is a tough out and will battle you with all he has.even at a charity golf tournament!
- My buddy Steve Springer played 14 years of pro ball with very little Big League time but he is content with his years in the game. He was 4 foot 11 inches tall and weighed 90 pounds as a freshman high school player. Can you imagine how many times older players tortured him?
He didn’t even start his senior year in high school. yet he didn’t quit! He grew late. but he grew into an All-Conference college shortstop. and that’s how he got seen and ultimately drafted by the New York Mets!
As Spring says, “The great thing about this game is that you get judged every day. So be a great competitor. Be a tough out!”
http://www.baseballtips.com/
Baseball tips & youth baseball equipment, training aids & instruction! It’s all here for baseball coaching of pitchers & hitters, little league to high school.
Posted in 
Excess amounts of salt, evidence continues to suggest, are connected with high blood pressure, heart disease and kidney problems.
It is also said that taking too much salt in your diet can cause water retention in your body and among other problems can be the cause of those puffy eyes.
Too much salt is also often believed to be one of the main enemies of the skin and therefore it would be sensible to limit the intake for reasons not only of health but cosmetic too.
Salt also labeled as Sodium is a necessary element in the body for the maintenance of fluid levels and other functions but like most things in life “everything in moderation” tip the balance and those functions that were working perfectly OK start to become a cause for concern.
So how can we ensure that our salt intake remains at sensible levels?
In our hectic and busy lives one of the biggest mistakes we make is to eat a diet containing lots of processed foods.
Fast food take-aways, ready-made meals are convenient yes and will do us little harm if eaten only now and then but how many of us are relying on them as our main meal more than just occasionally? These foods are often containing preservatives and often too much salt. Manufacturers want the longest possible shelf life for their products. How else can they do that without the use of preservatives?
Do you love to use salt on your meals because it enhances the flavour and have you always done this as a matter of course? The cooking process may have already included the use of salt and so perhaps sometimes you do not really need the cruet set before you start your meal. Many recipes include “a pinch of salt”. Try a new approach to improve flavours, in place of salt you could use herbs, spices, a little garlic or lemon/lime juice.
After a little while with using this reduced salt strategy you may well find that your palate has regained it’s sensitivity to salt free flavours. Then not only will you eat healthier and enjoy the foods you eat but you will be helping to keep your blood pressure low, your heart healthy and your skin healthier looking too.
Brian Potter can help you with anti aging skin care problems including bags under eyes, puffy eyes and how to remove dark circles under eyes.
Visit http://www.takingcareofskin.com to Download a Free eBook when you sign up for a free newsletter packed full of all the latest information you’ll need for a more Youthful, Healthier Looking Skin. Also visit http://www.stores.ebay.co.uk/soft-option-skin-care for products that can help with improvements to the look of your skin.
A great way to cultivate spirituality is through a rigorous routine. Specifically, the foods we put in our bodies are very connected to how spiritually grounded we are on any given day of the week.
One way to cultivate your spirituality is selecting one day out of the week to fast from something. For example, for 2 years now I’ve been taking Monday’s to observe not eating-experiencing solidarity with those who don’t eat because of material circumstance-for two years this has been a cornerstone to my spiritual development and practice. However, lately I’ve found it difficult to stay with it, so I’m remaining flexible and slightly changed my routine. Now, I eat one meal every Monday-since many people live off one meal a day-I keep this meal as simple as possible, beans and rice or lentils.
That may not be for everyone, so there are always variations that you can try. For example, you may want to select one day a week when you ingest only juices or perhaps only fruits and nuts? Or maybe, that one day a week is the day that you decide you will go without turning on the television, or, for coffee drinkers, that may be the day you do not have any coffee? Some, who are more adventurous, may want to spend that day going to somewhere they’ve never been before, even if that is a place down the road from where you live. Not only will this augment discipline, in the cases with food, it will give your internal organs a necessary space and time to cleanse and release toxins from your body.
No matter what it is, fasting from something, or, trying something new one day a week, allows us to explore different perspectives and ways to see our lives and hence the world.
Another practice to experiment with is not eating out more than once a week. Personally, I feel better about myself when I’m not spending money lavishly. For those living in the western, industrialized world, we must constantly remember that 8 or 9 US dollars on a meal is what many families around the world have available to them for an entire month of food.
Not snacking between meals is another steadfast way to increase one’s awareness and discipline. No matter what you strive to do, it is important to stick to a practice because that cultivates will power, which will help us grow spiritually (sometimes denying ourselves what we WANT in a particular moment and seeing that it may not be what we NEED, is what allows us to fortify our values/ principles).
I also understand that sometimes (for our own sanity) we’ve got to treat ourselves. This means that the lines may occasionally blur at midnight, when we don’t need that apple and peanut butter to stay alive, but we do need that apple and peanut butter to help us smile… and that’s ok (except maybe for the most ardent spiritual seekers)! It’s important to have faith that we will make the right decisions, especially in those moments, and have to be kind, gentle, forgiving, and open to accepting the occasional exception to the rule.
No matter how you chose to develop your spirituality and discipline, two of the things I have been meditating on extensively over the past years, is one: consistently remembering how thankful I must be to have food to eat. And two: checking consumerism and excessive use of resources that keeps others in the world oppressed and exploited. It’s important to find out where what we’re buying is coming from; and then, finding alternatives to that which is damaging to the environment and the lives of other people.
Maintain your composure and transform the self without being motivated by guilt. Transform your being patiently, and for many, you will find it necessary to isolate the self in order to explore it more freely and intimately. Isolation means spending time alone. This is always an essential part of spiritual growth.
Stay balanced. Focus on how your life is part of something greater, and allow tremendous spiritual experiences to flow.
I encourage exploration of self and trying something new whenever possible. The universe is filled with possibilities for endless growth, seize them and transform!
written by HAWAH – an artist, organizer, peace educator and yoga instructor currently living in Washington, D.C. He has independently published 3 books, including “Trust Before Suspicion,” “Escape Extinction,” and the newly released “zerONEss.” He serves as executive director of the non-profit organization One Common Unity, Inc. and can further be explored at http://www.EVERLUTIONARY.net
Traveling the world-in less than 7 years over 23 countries-sparked a commitment in Hawah to empower those less materially privileged. In 1999, working as an Americorps community organizer and mentor in Washington DC’s most under-resourced neighborhood, he encouraged youth to explore the roots of oppression.
After graduating from American Univ. with a degree in Peace and Educational Philosophy, he was awarded a fellowship with the RFK Foundation to work as a special rep. to the U.N. and the World Conference Against Racism. Hawah is co-founder/ executive director of One Common Unity, a non-profit org. that nurtures sustainable communities through innovative peace education, arts, and media.
For 3 years he directed the Peaceable Schools Program in DC’s largest high school-specifically leading Alternatives to Violence, Positive Stretch, Deep Breathing & Yoga classes. A spoken word poet known as Everlutionary, Hawah has authored 3 books: Trails: Trust Before Suspicion (2001), Escape Extinction (2003) and zerONEss (2006). His work can be further explored at http://www.everlutionary.net
Schizandra (schisandra chinesis) is a fruit that originates in Asia. It is found on a vine with clusters of tiny, bright red berries. It’s Chinese name, “wu-wei-zi” means five-taste fruit. It possesses all five basic flavors in Chinese herbal medicine: sweet, sour, salty, spicy, and bitter. The dried fruit has been used medicinally for many years. It was first mentioned in Chinese medical textbooks around A.D. 220. Schizandra is one of the six complementary botanicals of Zrii™. The Chopra Center for Wellbeing wholeheartedly endorses Zrii, The Original Amalaki™.
Schizandra has been considered useful for a wide variety of conditions. It is renowned as a beauty tonic and is considered to be a youth preserving herb. It is also said to be a powerful tonic to the brain – improving mental clarity, concentration and memory. For the body, it is known to improve overall strength, reduce fatigue and improve endurance.
In traditional Chinese medicine it is used to resist infections, increase skin health, and combat insomnia, coughing, and thirst. Modern Chinese research suggests that Schizandra has a protective effect and may help people with chronic illness. It has adaptogenic properties, helping the body to fight disease and adapt to stress from physical, mental, chemical and environmental sources.
The seeds of Schizandra fruit contain lignans which have liver-protective and regenerative actions. Antioxidant activity is partly responsible for the liver-protective effect. The lignans also facilitate anti-inflammatory activity.
Due to its potential health benefits and wide variety of uses, Schizandra is gaining attention within the scientific research community. The five flavor fruit will continue to draw attention from the public as one of the six main botanicals of Zrii™.
Zrii and The Original Amalaki are registered trademarks of Zrii LLC.
Carolee has a background in science research. She has chosen Zrii™ as an opportunity to build health and wealth in her life. She invites you to learn more about the Zrii™ product and business opportunity.
For more information, please visit my website and blog:
[http://AbundanceStartsNow.com]
[http://nutritional-amalaki-juice.blogspot.com]
Walk into any gym, or sit in a café on the waterfront and watch the cyclists and joggers go by, and you will see most of them drinking a strange, brightly coloured liquid. It has exotic sounding names such as Mountain Blast and Tangy Apple and Berry Ice and Cherry Rain; and it’s all being sucked down by the bucketful.
When asked their reasons for drinking this stuff, the standard reply is ‘to give me energy’. But, energy for what? I saw you ride past me twice from my seat at the café, which means you clocked up about 15 km, and now you’re in here after draining two bottles of ‘optimized energy and electrolytes’, and ordering the ‘Big Breakfast’ because you deserve it after all that hard work this morning. Four words for you my friend, ‘that ‘aint hard work’.
Now, please don’t get me wrong, I am the Supplement Guy. If you take a look in my kitchen cupboard, you would think I’m sponsored by a supplement company (I wish), and understand why I need an extra recycling bin for empty 5 litre plastic containers. However, I appreciate that there is a time and a place for supplements, otherwise I’m just throwing my money away. As far as sports drinks go, if I guzzled a litre down every time I got on my bike or went to the gym, I’d soon be downgrading from carbon to a steel frame because it would no longer support my weight. Not to mention leaving my teeth in a jar beside the bed before I’m 40.
Most sports drinks are pure carbohydrate in the form of glucose, with some fructose (fruit sugar) and maltodextrin (complex sugar); the odd product these days may contain a couple grams of amino acids as well, but I’m just going to talk about the carbohydrate and the energy content. The average 750 ml bottle of sport drink can contain up to 80 g of CHO totaling nearly 1200 kJ. That equates to enough energy to cycle for about an hour at 20 km/h or half an hour at 30 km/h. Looking at the math some of you might be thinking that you will need THREE bottles because you ride really really fast.
But you have to factor in the toast/banana/smoothie/cereal etc you had before the ride, and the café breakfast that often comes after. If you are just heading off to the office to sit on your butt after that, then perhaps you need to re-think a little. Moderate exercise stimulates the appetite and so it is easy to end up well into positive energy balance when you are drinking energy containing fluid as well.
What about all you ripped athletes who don’t have this problem, you still need sports drinks for their performance benefit right? Sure, as long as it’s a workout/race that requires it. Anything shorter than 70-90 mins and/or of low intensity and you should do fine on a decent breakfast, a small pre-race snack if a late start and a good dinner the night before.
So ask yourself what you are training for. If it’s to get fitter and look better, maybe you don’t need as much sugar coursing through your veins. If you’re riding for performance, and the ride/race/workout is a tough or long one, then sports drinks are a necessity.
If you’re not a pro, but still like to perform like one, and you’re juggling a sedentary occupation at the same time, then it’s up to you to balance your sugar intake with your activity levels. A general rule of thumb is:
If exercising less than 90 min, or at a moderate or lower intensity, then water should be the drink of choice. This doesn’t mean that pre and post-workout nutrition shouldn’t be optimized; your ‘during-workout’ nutrition however, is likely unnecessary.
If the rest of the day is spent in front of the computer, then focus on veggies and fruit, lean protein and healthy fats during this time. Carbohydrate consumed outside of the exercise period should be high fibre, low GI, whole grain, to ensure stable blood sugar and prevent unnecessary fat storage. The exception would be when carb loading as it can be difficult to eat enough carbohydrate without adding sugars. In this case adding a glass of juice, sport drink or milk to meals can help to squeeze in extra carbs during a tapering week.
Carbohydrate drinks are a great addition to an athletes’ toolbox and will help you push on harder and for longer. But make sure you only use ‘em when you need ‘em. Your bike frame will thank you and so will your dentist.
Darren Ellis has a Postgraduate Diploma in Exercise Science, specializing in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition and is currently completing an MSc. His passion is nutrition and strength training for improved performance, health and body composition, which he practices with youth athletes to world champions to regular people wanting to get in great shape. If you need help with strength, conditioning or nutrition to improve either your lifestyle or your sport performance you can contact Darren at: Darren@primalathlete.com
Well, let’s see. According to the British Coffee Association, its research shows that drinking three cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk of fatal liver disease by up to 40 percent. But, that is the Coffee Association! Could they be just more than a little biased? In my quest to find out if coffee really is good for you, I discovered some interesting facts.
In 2006 Data gathered on 88,259 women in a Nurses Health Study found that coffee drinkers lowered their risk of type 2 diabetes by 13% if consuming 1 cup per day, 42% for 2-3 cups per day, and 47% for 3 cups per day, compared to non-coffee drinkers. Interestingly, coffee’s beneficial effects were not due to caffeine; these reductions in disease risk were similar for those drinking decaffeinated as well as caffeinated, filtered, and even instant coffee.
As well, research has found that drinking coffee is in no way associated with increasing a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. Nor is there any conclusive evidence that coffee/caffeine consumption increases the risk of ovarian cancer.
A study in the January 2006 issue of the Journal of Nutrition found that among premenopausal women, consumption of regular (caffeinated) coffee, but not black tea, was associated with linear declines in breast cancer risk. A 40% reduction in risk of breast cancer was seen in premenopausal women drinking at least 4 cups of coffee a day.
Although caffeine can be found in breast milk, it is present in very small quantities, and normal coffee drinking women do not put their infants at risk. In any case, a moderate intake does not constitute any risk.
Then I read a thing in “You, The Owner’s Manual” that moderate consumption (2-4 cups per day) appears to have significant benefits, including improved memory, and a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s by 25% and Parkinson’s by 50%!
The National Osteoporosis Society in the UK states that, `We have yet to see any conclusive evidence that moderate coffee consumption is a significant risk factor in the development of osteoporosis.
Note: apparently this does not apply to women receiving hormone replacement therapy (HRT)! Other aspects of the diet and lifestyle, such as stress, smoking habits and obesity, are however, well established risk factors.
Osteoporosis is a condition in which the bones are weakened or demineralised, which in turn can lead to an increased risk of fractures occurring. A two-year study of 92 post-menopausal women by researchers at Pennsylvania State College of Medicine has confirmed that any apparent relationship between caffeine consumption and bone mineral content completely disappears if known risk factors are controlled. You can help reduce that risk by following a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and taking calcium, vitamin D and antioxidant supplements.
In summary, while it might not be great for people with nervous stomachs, irritable bowel syndrome, or acid reflux, some studies have shown that coffee has quite a few health benefits, including lowering the risk of many diseases by 20-25%, including Parkinson’s, type 2 diabetes, liver cirrhosis, and colorectal cancer.
The bottom line is that the coffee bean is the fruit of the coffee plant, which is comprised of antioxidants! Personally I do not believe that it’s the coffee itself, or the caffeine, but the antioxidant qualities!
I do NOT suggest, therefore, that you increase your coffee consumption or even start on a “coffee kick” just because it may have antioxidant benefits! The best and most potent antioxidants are specially formulated, concentrated whole fruits in their own natural juices for optimum consumption and benefits.
At the same time I am happy to reassure the coffee lover that most evidence suggests that regular consumption of coffee has no significant relationship with the risk of cancer at any site.
However, you know your own body best. If you get the jitters every time you so much as look at a cup of coffee, then you know it’s not for you!
As in everything: Moderation and common sense is the key! And remember: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
N.B. As always, any health article submitted by me is for informational use only. It is to prompt YOU, the reader, to further do your own research and due diligence regarding your own health factors.
Ann Stewart, author, inspirational writer and wellness coach, shares tips on how to fight off disease and feel your best in her weekly newsletter, Youth Makeover