Weightlifting is seen as a positive and a negative in the eyes of parents and people everywhere. Some say it affects their son or daughters body in a negative way by putting too much strain on their bodies to early in their life. Others argue that it is very effective because it allows for their child to get stronger and fit during a time of development. I agree with the fact that lifting is a great thing for kids to do, although there are some caveats if the exercise is not done properly.
I started lifting in seventh grade. I started because I wanted to get stronger so I could have more success in my sporting activities, and so I could stay physically fit. In middle school I did common lifts so that I could get my arms and legs stronger, but didn't do anything too strenuous so I wouldn't hurt myself. Once I got to high school however, I started lifting more often and made it into a lifestyle.
One reason why lifting is important is because it helps keep your body fit. As I talked about in a previous blog staying active is very important, and this is one activity that can be done for an hours worth of time. One thing to keep in mind when you lift though is that the body needs a break. Lifting every day of the week, every week is not good on your body at all. Lifting builds up lactic acid in your muscles because it uses all of them, and if a days rest between lifts is not used, then injuries can occur. Especially for heavy lifters, one day between lifts should happen otherwise eventually the body will get to warn out and eventually injure itself.
Another important thing to keep in mind is to lift smart. Lifting with friends or teammates is a great thing to do because it gives you a person to work with and they can also help motivate you. The one thing to be careful of is to not "overdue" yourself. Many kids try and match what their friends do, but in lifting this can't happen. The most injuries come from having to much weight on the bar, causing bad form, which leads to injuries. The lifter needs to know in their mind how much they can do and stick with that number no matter what their friend or partner is doing. It is a great thing to push yourself when you lift because that allows you to get stronger and make gains on your weights, but trying to do too much at one time can end badly.
Lifting is used in sports because it helps the athlete get stronger and more "athletic". I started lifting because of sports and then once I started, enjoyed it so much that I continue to do it in my daily life. The reason why coaches stress lifting as much as they do is because it can help prevent injuries during the season. The stronger your muscles are the better! A lot of injuries in sports are muscle related, whether that be a tear or strain of a muscle. Lifting can help strengthen this muscles so it is harder to injury yourself. It by no means prevents injuries 100%, but does help lower the number of injuries.
I use lifting as a common way to stay active and stay fit in my life, and it has allowed me to make new friends and grow closer to teammates. As long as the right protocols are taken by the lifter, I don't see any issue in doing it. It makes you look better, makes you feel better, and helps you in athletics. This is a fun activity to participate in, and I think all people should experience!
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Preparation
The key to winning a game or losing a game is determined by the preparation the team puts forth. If a team looks past an opponent or doesn't watch film and discover what plays they like to run, it will be difficult for them to win the game. Preparation is looking at the opponent, practicing what the opponent does, hard work, and creating a strategy that will hopefully beat the opponent.
In football, preparation is the difference between good teams and less successful teams. Good teams study their opponents and train for them week by week. Poor teams don't care what the other team does because they think they are better than them no matter what. If a team does this wins will be very hard to come by. As a football player I watch film every day for the opponent I have the next week. This allows me to look and find their "star" players, and get a sense of the offense and defense that they run. This also allows me to look at the guy/guys I will be blocking that night and see what they are like.
Each week at practice we have what's called a "scout offense" and "scout defense" units. These teams mimic what the opponent will look like. These players are very helpful to the team because they make the starters better by giving them a good look, and allows the coaches to see their skill even though they aren't the starters. The only thing a scout team normally can't simulate is the speed at which the other team does their plays. Since the opponent runs these plays every day for months on end, a week of doing the plays will be the same speed as in a game.
Another part of preparation that is important is never overlooking an opponent. Teams tend to do this all the time! When a better team faces a team that might not be the same level that they are, teams tend to look towards the team the play the following week, or just don't prepare. This is a terrible habit! This leads to upsets in sports, and asks for unsuccessful play if this occurs.
The last thing a team needs to do to be as prepared as possible is work hard all week. No matter the opponent the effort should always be there. Naturally teams work harder if they have a difficult opponent the next week, but if a team works hard every week, success happens. Hard work has a correlation with success, and it feels great when you know you have done everything in your power to prepare for a game, and when you play well. This leads to confidence and a sense of pride of what you're doing, and that leads to success and winning.
In football, preparation is the difference between good teams and less successful teams. Good teams study their opponents and train for them week by week. Poor teams don't care what the other team does because they think they are better than them no matter what. If a team does this wins will be very hard to come by. As a football player I watch film every day for the opponent I have the next week. This allows me to look and find their "star" players, and get a sense of the offense and defense that they run. This also allows me to look at the guy/guys I will be blocking that night and see what they are like.
Each week at practice we have what's called a "scout offense" and "scout defense" units. These teams mimic what the opponent will look like. These players are very helpful to the team because they make the starters better by giving them a good look, and allows the coaches to see their skill even though they aren't the starters. The only thing a scout team normally can't simulate is the speed at which the other team does their plays. Since the opponent runs these plays every day for months on end, a week of doing the plays will be the same speed as in a game.
Another part of preparation that is important is never overlooking an opponent. Teams tend to do this all the time! When a better team faces a team that might not be the same level that they are, teams tend to look towards the team the play the following week, or just don't prepare. This is a terrible habit! This leads to upsets in sports, and asks for unsuccessful play if this occurs.
The last thing a team needs to do to be as prepared as possible is work hard all week. No matter the opponent the effort should always be there. Naturally teams work harder if they have a difficult opponent the next week, but if a team works hard every week, success happens. Hard work has a correlation with success, and it feels great when you know you have done everything in your power to prepare for a game, and when you play well. This leads to confidence and a sense of pride of what you're doing, and that leads to success and winning.
Team Bonding
Team bonding is an important chemistry needed by a team in order for success to happen. This concept brings a team together as one, and allows them to do greater things. Some teams who do not have a sense of chemistry tend not to finish well in their seasons, or get in arguments with each other over things that shouldn't be a problem. Team bonding helps put a common goal in front of the players and gives them something to take pride in.
Here at Kennedy, the football team took the idea of "Family", as something to bond over. A family supports one another and helps each other out when times get tough. The team bonded over this concept and has made them successful both on and off the field. The reason it is so important to buy into team bonding is because it creates a unity within the team, and sometimes outside of the team. Our school has taken the "family", idea to another level, and even though some still do not buy into the idea outside of the team, the more people who do create a stronger bond within the school.
To represent our team bond the football team uses a wooden block with the word "family" on it. The team signed this block stating their commitment to the team and all that it represents. This sets common ground rules, allowing for everyone to be on the same page, and succeed as a unit. This symbol everywhere we go. Practices, team meetings, and on the sidelines of are games. We take pride in it and use it to remind us of what really matters.
Here at Kennedy, the football team took the idea of "Family", as something to bond over. A family supports one another and helps each other out when times get tough. The team bonded over this concept and has made them successful both on and off the field. The reason it is so important to buy into team bonding is because it creates a unity within the team, and sometimes outside of the team. Our school has taken the "family", idea to another level, and even though some still do not buy into the idea outside of the team, the more people who do create a stronger bond within the school.
To represent our team bond the football team uses a wooden block with the word "family" on it. The team signed this block stating their commitment to the team and all that it represents. This sets common ground rules, allowing for everyone to be on the same page, and succeed as a unit. This symbol everywhere we go. Practices, team meetings, and on the sidelines of are games. We take pride in it and use it to remind us of what really matters.
Another way teams bond is to hang out outside of whatever
activity they participate in. This grows the personal relationships of a team. If a team can't get to know each other from a personal level then it is hard for them to relate to one another. The closer a team can relate outside of the sport the better they do in the sport.
Some people don't believe that team bonding works, or make fun of what others do. I can tell you from personal experience that it does work and does bring a team together. Lately my team all got the same shirts. Many people around the school didn't understand what they stood for or even "made fun" of them. This didn't matter to me and doesn't matter to anyone else on my team because we knew what it meant and used it as a way to come closer together.
Sunday, September 20, 2015
School and Sports...A Busy Life
Kids are busy. How are kids able to do homework, sports, and sleep, and continue to be successful? From personal experience I know it's hard to do all three but it can be done. All a person needs to be successful is determination and support.
Let me tell you, being an active high school student can be challenging sometimes. From personal experience some nights I'm up working on homework until midnight, or at school for a large portion of your day. Every Monday I'm at high school for 14 hours, and people ask me, "Austin, why do you do this to yourself?" All I say in response is, "The journey is hard, but the end is worth it."
Determination. What an interesting word that tends to be. To never give up, to always believe in yourself, to always persevere. A lot of people say they have determination, but in reality if you give up after trying and failing once, then you aren't even close to being determined. This word comes from a passion deep within that can only be met if a person truly cares about what they are working towards. In school it may happen when a student is struggling in a class. My freshman year I couldn't understand Advanced Geometry. I studied forever and took every note possible, yet would constantly get low to average scores. I was frustrated. I didn't know how to continue, but I was determined to find a way. I was after school with my teacher everyday from December until the end of the school year getting help. I succeeded! I started to get good grades and the accomplishment of that experience was incredible.
It takes a lot of determination to succeed in sports and school, if you are passionate about both. Some days something has to give, but if you don't give up, good things will happen.
In my opinion, support is the most crucial thing for a person to have. When you have so many things going on at once, it's almost impossible to do it all by yourself. Family and friends help make it easier. When I have those long Monday nights, sleep is hard to come by. After a long day, sleep is the only thing that sounds good to me, but my family supports me and helps me stay determined to succeed at my goal. My friends support me. Sometimes you have to say no to hanging out and having fun because of homework, but if they truly support you then they will be fine with it and help you with your homework. In sports support is the difference between a good team and a great team. If a team can come together when times get tough and battle through together they will be successful. If a fan base can rally behind a team and give them that extra boost, it's incredible what it does for the players.
Determination and support. Those are the two keys to succeeding in a busy life. It will never be easy because if it was easy everyone would do it, but the ending will be something to remember.
Let me tell you, being an active high school student can be challenging sometimes. From personal experience some nights I'm up working on homework until midnight, or at school for a large portion of your day. Every Monday I'm at high school for 14 hours, and people ask me, "Austin, why do you do this to yourself?" All I say in response is, "The journey is hard, but the end is worth it."
Determination. What an interesting word that tends to be. To never give up, to always believe in yourself, to always persevere. A lot of people say they have determination, but in reality if you give up after trying and failing once, then you aren't even close to being determined. This word comes from a passion deep within that can only be met if a person truly cares about what they are working towards. In school it may happen when a student is struggling in a class. My freshman year I couldn't understand Advanced Geometry. I studied forever and took every note possible, yet would constantly get low to average scores. I was frustrated. I didn't know how to continue, but I was determined to find a way. I was after school with my teacher everyday from December until the end of the school year getting help. I succeeded! I started to get good grades and the accomplishment of that experience was incredible.
It takes a lot of determination to succeed in sports and school, if you are passionate about both. Some days something has to give, but if you don't give up, good things will happen.
In my opinion, support is the most crucial thing for a person to have. When you have so many things going on at once, it's almost impossible to do it all by yourself. Family and friends help make it easier. When I have those long Monday nights, sleep is hard to come by. After a long day, sleep is the only thing that sounds good to me, but my family supports me and helps me stay determined to succeed at my goal. My friends support me. Sometimes you have to say no to hanging out and having fun because of homework, but if they truly support you then they will be fine with it and help you with your homework. In sports support is the difference between a good team and a great team. If a team can come together when times get tough and battle through together they will be successful. If a fan base can rally behind a team and give them that extra boost, it's incredible what it does for the players.
Determination and support. Those are the two keys to succeeding in a busy life. It will never be easy because if it was easy everyone would do it, but the ending will be something to remember.
Pre-game meals
Pre-game meals are important to athletes everywhere because it affects the way they play in games. Not only do the meals the day of matter, but the meals the night before have a lot of effect as well. Along with eating the right thing, making sure to hydrate is another key component in being a success athlete.
How many people do you think realize what they are putting in their bodies before a game? I've been playing and watching sports for a long time, and many teams do not put enough emphasis on this component of the game. Players and coaches think about the strategy, the conditioning, and the preparation to win a game, but sometimes forget that staying hydrated and eating the right foods can influence the outcome of a game.
A great meal the night before a game is some sort of pasta dish. Spaghetti is a fantastic meal, along with something simpler like mac and cheese. Noodles give a player the extra carbs they need to be successful, and if eaten the night before, that will allow the foods to be broken down and used by the next day. Why carbs? Carbs are important to the body because they give off energy. Granola bars are also a great source of food for games. These can be eaten the day of or before a game because they break down much faster than a plate of spaghetti. Along with carbs, protein is also a key ingredient in playing well. Protein bars and shakes are used by many players because it is an easy way to get protein fast. Lean meats are also good to eat because of the amount of protein in them are helpful.
What things should I stay away from? Players should stay away from sweets and sugars both the day before and on game day. These things slow down the body, which makes the players unsuccessful because speed is a key component in sports. Some specific examples are, desserts, such as cookies and brownies, sodas, and fatty foods (fast food).
Along with the meal, drinking is another key component to success. Water is the best! Anytime a person can drink water is great because everything in the body runs off water. Dehydration is common among athletes because they workout everyday but don't drink enough at night and throughout the day. This leads to cramps during games, which is not a good scenario for the player of the team. Another great thing to drink after a game or the night before is Gatorade. Gatorade replenishes electrolytes much faster than water, and that's what the body needs to stay hydrated.
I've learned from personal experiences that these tips and strategies do work, and have helped me succeed in many sporting events. If you are looking for that extra edge against your opponent, pre-game meals are the answer!
How many people do you think realize what they are putting in their bodies before a game? I've been playing and watching sports for a long time, and many teams do not put enough emphasis on this component of the game. Players and coaches think about the strategy, the conditioning, and the preparation to win a game, but sometimes forget that staying hydrated and eating the right foods can influence the outcome of a game.
A great meal the night before a game is some sort of pasta dish. Spaghetti is a fantastic meal, along with something simpler like mac and cheese. Noodles give a player the extra carbs they need to be successful, and if eaten the night before, that will allow the foods to be broken down and used by the next day. Why carbs? Carbs are important to the body because they give off energy. Granola bars are also a great source of food for games. These can be eaten the day of or before a game because they break down much faster than a plate of spaghetti. Along with carbs, protein is also a key ingredient in playing well. Protein bars and shakes are used by many players because it is an easy way to get protein fast. Lean meats are also good to eat because of the amount of protein in them are helpful.
What things should I stay away from? Players should stay away from sweets and sugars both the day before and on game day. These things slow down the body, which makes the players unsuccessful because speed is a key component in sports. Some specific examples are, desserts, such as cookies and brownies, sodas, and fatty foods (fast food).
Along with the meal, drinking is another key component to success. Water is the best! Anytime a person can drink water is great because everything in the body runs off water. Dehydration is common among athletes because they workout everyday but don't drink enough at night and throughout the day. This leads to cramps during games, which is not a good scenario for the player of the team. Another great thing to drink after a game or the night before is Gatorade. Gatorade replenishes electrolytes much faster than water, and that's what the body needs to stay hydrated.
I've learned from personal experiences that these tips and strategies do work, and have helped me succeed in many sporting events. If you are looking for that extra edge against your opponent, pre-game meals are the answer!
Friday, September 18, 2015
Staying Active
How often do you have physical activity in one day? According to www.cdc.org, children should have at least an hour of physical activity per day. I agree with this statement because an hour a day, even though it seems like a lot, isn't difficult to accomplish.
I used to be an inactive, couch potato when I was younger. I didn't feel the need to watch what I was eating and didn't do any physical activity outside of a sporting practice. I changed my ways. The older I became the more I realized that this lifestyle wasn't going to have a successful ending on my part. So I took to heart exercising at least an hour a day, and focused on staying active.
What does staying active mean? This phrase doesn't mean lifting weights, or running for an hour straight. This phrase simply means to get moving and use your body as a tool to stay fit. One common way of staying active, which I do a lot, is walking. Most people think of walking as a simple task that everyone does all the time, but in reality, most people spend their days in a confined space or sitting in a chair. Walking is a physical activity that can be done by most people and should be used more than what is actually done. I go on a walk with my family at least three times a week and try and do them on days I don't have other physical activities already planned. Would it hurt you if you walked and had a practice of some sort? Of course not! The minimum requirement for physical activity in one day is one hour, meaning a person is welcome and recommended to do more than that.
Other basic forms of staying active consist of running, lifting weights, core activities, or jump roping. All of these activities are great for staying active because it gets the muscles in the body moving, and allows for the body to gain strength. Ultimately if your body sweats, the physical activity is working.
My final piece of advice for staying active is to stay determined. Many people, after starting some sort of change, quit before actually trying the change to its full potential. At first this might not be a "fun" thing to do, or may be very difficult. Stick through it. After a couple weeks you will start to feel better in more ways than one. Then staying active will no longer be a chore, but be a lifestyle.
I used to be an inactive, couch potato when I was younger. I didn't feel the need to watch what I was eating and didn't do any physical activity outside of a sporting practice. I changed my ways. The older I became the more I realized that this lifestyle wasn't going to have a successful ending on my part. So I took to heart exercising at least an hour a day, and focused on staying active.
What does staying active mean? This phrase doesn't mean lifting weights, or running for an hour straight. This phrase simply means to get moving and use your body as a tool to stay fit. One common way of staying active, which I do a lot, is walking. Most people think of walking as a simple task that everyone does all the time, but in reality, most people spend their days in a confined space or sitting in a chair. Walking is a physical activity that can be done by most people and should be used more than what is actually done. I go on a walk with my family at least three times a week and try and do them on days I don't have other physical activities already planned. Would it hurt you if you walked and had a practice of some sort? Of course not! The minimum requirement for physical activity in one day is one hour, meaning a person is welcome and recommended to do more than that.
Other basic forms of staying active consist of running, lifting weights, core activities, or jump roping. All of these activities are great for staying active because it gets the muscles in the body moving, and allows for the body to gain strength. Ultimately if your body sweats, the physical activity is working.
My final piece of advice for staying active is to stay determined. Many people, after starting some sort of change, quit before actually trying the change to its full potential. At first this might not be a "fun" thing to do, or may be very difficult. Stick through it. After a couple weeks you will start to feel better in more ways than one. Then staying active will no longer be a chore, but be a lifestyle.
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