The significance of mental health has traditionally been downplayed, especially when compared to physical health and the need to perform well. Let me start by saying that this perspective can be very misleading. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. In fact, your mental health can greatly impact your physical health.
Read MoreIn our last blog, we provided an overview of returning to sport post-COVID including both general public health guidelines and more specific strength and conditioning recommendations for a safe and effective return to training following inactivity. Here, we will further address a few general principles of returning to training.
Read MoreAs we re-open America and return to what we have started to call “the new normal,” how do we go from at-home body weight workouts and driveway hoops (perhaps inspired by The Last Dance) to assembling with our team to practice, train, compete, and offer friendship? Or for the opportunity to be a spectator or a sports parent and experience the joy of sports?
This question is definitely the hot topic and being asked not only in the sports arena but everywhere else–restaurants, the entertainment industry, schools, the workplace, everywhere.
Read MoreThis may be a good time to re-set and return to the basics. Re-set not only our basic movement patterns and strength training regimen but also slow down; keep it local; re-connect with our neighborhood; play backyard and playground games; find simplicity and solitude; reading; self-assess who we are and what matters; appreciate humanity, etc.
And finally, let’s keep in mind the social connections that humans need to sustain quality of life. Yes, physical activity, strength training, nutrition, sleep, stress reduction and relaxation are all important to health and well-being, but when it comes down to it, the number 1 determinant of happiness and a good life is…positive social relationships.
Read MoreI have never been a CEO or business owner. But, I have been a head coach. I’ve wanted my athletes to feel that every practice or training session was efficient and productive. I’ve wanted the athletes to be focused and put in 100 percent effort. And, most importantly, I’ve wanted my athletes to get good work done. You hear coaches yell it all the time: “Hey, let’s get to work!”
Hmmm…sounds a lot like a CEO, doesn’t it? Just exchange ‘employees’ for ‘athletes.’
Read MoreI remember hearing in the early days of my academic career “it’s interesting to see how researchers turn their attention to the effects of aging on the cardiovascular system, strength, etc. when they get older.” I’m not here to tell you that I am shifting my focus from pediatric exercise science and youth athletic development to aging. It just happens that I’m a bit more interested personally in aging as I turn the Big 5-0, and get to experience all of age’s great effects!
Read MoreStrength Training—it’s all about biceps, barbells, dumbbells, and meatheads, right? Well, that’s simply wrong!
Strength training is a form of physical activity and exercise that should be part of everyone’s pursuit of health and fitness. Youth. Teens. 20-somethings. Adults. Grandmas and Grandpas. Aunts and Uncles. Athletes. Recreational athletes. Powerlifters. Gym rats. Firefighters. Military. Teachers. Lawyers. Diabetics. Cancer survivors. Small business owners. Software engineers. Everyone!
Read MoreWhat does it take to be a great athlete? Some say that “DNA is destiny” or “it’s all in the genes.”
Other people will vehemently answer this question with “it just takes a big heart: (figuratively, not literally) or “hard work, just good old-fashioned hard work.” This latter response falls in line with the thinking of the “10,000 hour rule”—which was misconstrued in Malcom Gladwell’s book Outliers. This thinking also aligns with Daniel Coyle’s book The Talent Code about how greatness isn’t born, it’s a matter of how it’s nurtured.
This, of course, brings us to the age-old nature-nurture debate. Despite articles and opinions on both sides, I’m here to tell you that it is not a debate—because, athleticism requires both nature and nurture.
Read MoreOne of the biggest benefits of strength training is hard to measure and cannot always be seen—character development. Grit, patience, and consistency are valuable truths that can be instilled through training. Those qualities will resonate with you throughout your career as an athlete, but more importantly, as a betterment to your character throughout different chapters of your life.
If you haven’t seen the benefits of strength training yet, just wait, they will come. And they will be worth it.
Read MoreYou asked, we listened! The Volt Family has been requesting workout plans outside our proven Sport Performance programs, and today we’re proud to announce that they finally are here.
Now, whether you’re training for your occupation or just to look and feel better, Volt will build a structured workout plan to help you achieve the results you’re after. Our two brand-new training tracks, Strength & Fitness and Tactical Readiness, are the result of the thoughtful feedback we’ve been hearing from our Volt Family and we couldn’t be more excited for you to try them out.
Read MoreJoin a community of over 2 million athletes, coaches, first responders, and anyone dedicated to pursuing peak athletic performance.
