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The Benefits of Playing Sports

Posted on September 2, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Sports Performance No Comments

The physical health benefits of playing sports are countless. In addition to being entertaining, it’s scientifically proven that sports activities are good for your heart and your brain.

What’s rarely mentioned is that playing a sport can improve your social and emotional skills.

Social and emotional development for kids is important to prepare for the next phases of life like a career, family, and relationships. While house and school education are crucial for personal growth, playing sports is almost equally as important for social and emotional health.

It All Starts With Teamwork

A sports team cannot be successful without a joint effort to achieve a positive result. Good teamwork requires cooperation, coordination, and accountability of everyone on the team. The implementation of strategies and goals implies active participation of all team members to continuously work on improving team performance through organization and planning.

These are all skills that help develop the mind and solve problems in real time. Bottom line, playing sports will improve your teamwork and leadership skills.

Just think of the skills you develop by competing in sports that translate directly to your career:

•Communication

•Organization

•Rules and Structure

•Goals and Expectations

•Stamina

•Attitude

•Problem-solving

Moreover, conflicts are present in sports. When the conflict in sport is well managed, it can have many positive outcomes. Learning to manage and resolve conflict will prove essential in many aspects of life outside of sports, including work and family relationships.

Play Fair or Don’t Play

Fair play is the main rule in any sport. While there will always be cheaters, it’s important to remember that fraudulent actions won’t result in a happy ending.

Unfair acts are punished and disapproved by society and other professionals. More importantly, they’re not easily forgotten. Sport encourages fair and rightful behavior. Honesty and fairness are respected and recognized qualities in life.

Anyone can be told ‘cheating is bad‘ but living through it and feeling ostracized by competitors and teammates will leave an indelible mark on your psyche.

Learn Leadership Skills Early on in Life

Every sports team has a leader, sometimes it is a coach, other times it is a veteran player. Either way, they are powerful guides able to motivate a group of people to perform beyond their current capabilities.

This happens in individual sports as well, often leaning on a coach or trainer to help guide and motivate towards success.

Even if you aren’t the current leader, being surrounded by these strong personalities able to change the feeling in a room has a positive effect on everyone, and can teach through action.

Respect the Rule of Law

Sports teach us to respect people and institutions that are above us like courts, laws, our boss or our parents.

While respecting authority is a good characteristic, respecting others is even more important. Respecting opponents is a central part of every game and great sportsmanship. Some biggest rivals in the history of the sport have nothing but praise for their opponents.

Good results take time, dedication, abstinence from life’s pleasures and hard work. That deserves tremendous respect from almost everyone. Respect others the way you want to be respected – this can be applied in all aspects of life.

Several studies have shown the correlation between sports participation and crime reduction. With no hobby or leisure activity, teens usually end up in the streets. That leads to alcohol, substance abuse and drugs, or even more severe crimes.

Sports keep kids occupied and in good company. While benefits of playing sport are abundant, sports can also indirectly improve community safety and create a better social environment.

Bonds for Life

The great social benefit of playing sports are all the new friendships you’re going to make. Some could even last forever.

It’s highly likely that you’ll make many friends for one main reason: you share the same passion for the same sport. You’ll always have something to talk about and remember good old days in the dressing room or on the playing field.

New friendships mean new connections and a bigger social circle and network, which again can translate to career success later in life.

Emotional and Psychological Benefits for Athletes

Sports can build your self-confidence.

Sure, there will be bad times when nothing is working out, and you feel like you want to give up — not many things in life are easy. The important thing to remember is to work hard, and the results will slowly come.

Even the slightest result will improve your self-esteem. A first basket. A stop in a soccer game. A winning set. A tackle. All minor accomplishments that can lead to major feelings of positivity.

More importantly, you’ll learn how to deal with loss. Life is one long path of victories and defeats, and you’ll know how to act in each situation.

Sports will keep you motivated more than anything else. Success is what drives and makes us go ahead. Goodwill and motivation are important for anything in life. The sport will teach you that in order to achieve a good result, you have to invest your time and other resources. If you’re not motivated, then I’m afraid you won’t make it long.

The Shoes on the Other Feet

Another emotional benefit of playing sports is empathy. Empathy means that we care about each other. In sports, teammates work as one. They support each other, they motivate each other, and they care about each other.

A healthy and stable team has a higher chance of success. The more you care for your teammates, the more likely you are to care about, and attempt to understand, people in general. When you have empathy you are better able to translate the world through someone else’s viewpoint, not just your own. And with that ability comes great power to do good.

By participating in sports you’ll learn to control emotions – victory, defeat, happiness, disappointment. Sports are made from emotions. Over time, athletes learn how to control their emotions and act with thought, rather than impulse.

Life is one emotional roller-coaster. Sports can help you cope better with feelings.

Finally, a sport will make you feel happy. Even minimal physical activity can have a positive effect on happiness, studies say.

So be happy, play sports!

Kick Off the Fall Stress-Free

Posted on September 2, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Motivation No Comments

Your lunchtime outings were longer and sunnier during the summer months, making for a nice break from work stress. But that’s when sounds of silence in the corner office were deafening. Summertime has made an exit and here we are, kicking off what is arguably the busiest time of the calendar.

Coming into fall, we all tend to step up our career game (it might have something to do with those new boots we have to pay for). But your work stress level doesn’t have to ramp up along with it, if you get a handle on how you’re going to manage it ahead of time.

To help you get those new boots walking in a positive direction, here are some keys to creating a stress-free return to more cubicle time in autumn.

1. Revisit Your Morning Work Routine

The sun gradually rises later in the fall, but instead of grabbing a few extra zzz’s, try to get into the office just 10 minutes earlier than usual this month to reorient yourself to what might be slightly altered working conditions. Take quiet time before your day gets going to do a quick overview of the day’s responsibilities and what the week will bring. You can also use this time to take a few deep centering breaths before jumping into work.

2. De-clutter Your Workspace

Just as you rake away the leaves this time of the year, take an hour to rake away all the dust and irrelevant files and papers from your desk. This will give you a nice clean plate visually, which is pleasing to the brain as it’s less distracting. (Major bonus points for cleaning out your inbox, combing through your bookmarked sites, and streamlining your apps, too!)

3. Evaluate Workplace Stressors

This is great to do every quarter, but especially in the fall: Spend time considering what’s stressing you out at work. Is it an increased workload? A challenging relationship? Unreasonable deadlines? If there are a couple specific things you can point to, it might be worth a conversation with your manager to try to work them out before things get really busy. Go into such dialogue with a clear head, positive energy, and a few solutions.

4. Keep a Work Stress Diary

In addition, try to monitor your work stress more closely moving forward. What triggers anxiety and stress that distracts you, making you less effective or productive? On the flip side, what kinds of good stress inspire or motivate you to get those creative juices flowing? Identify the times of the day that you are most stressed, in contrast to those hours when you feel the most creative and alert, and see if there are ways you can adjust your day to better suit your schedule and your energy level. Can you schedule meetings mid-morning, when you’re feeling great? Here’s a tip: Tackle some to-dos in the evening before you leave, so you’re not so stressed when you return to work.

5. Invest in What Brings You Joy at Work

Even if you’re working in a job that you’re not thrilled with, identify the responsibilities or tasks that give you the most joy. Then, look for 2-3 ways, even if they’re small, that you can focus more attention on these projects or tasks: Maybe it’s spending more time mentoring the junior employees on your team or lending a hand to a project you’re particularly excited about. Spending time each day focusing on something that brings you meaning and fulfillment is a great way to make all that other stuff feel worthwhile, too.

6. Get Your Happy Mojo On

Studies show that your mindset can have a huge impact on the way you handle stress and how effective you are at work. In a positive mode, your brain is 31% more productive than your brain at negative, neutral, or stressed conditions, according to research by Shawn Achor at GoodThink Inc. So, think about what makes you happy, and find ways to bring it into work. Refreshing your office with new photos of family and friends, bookmarking that link to baby animal videos on YouTube, and creating a few new playlists you can access at work are all great ways to get the good vibes going.

7. Revamp Your Daily Routine

You’ve heard it before, but taking care of your body is one of the best ways possible to manage your stress levels throughout the day. So, starting now, try to schedule time in your calendar to stand up, move around, and relax. Plan a midday walk around the building, schedule a few minutes in an office or conference room for deep breathing exercises or brief meditations, and use lunchtime to unwind and connect with colleagues instead of eating at your desk. Better yet, set an alarm every hour to remind yourself to stand up and stretch, releasing tension and relieving sore muscles. Also check with your HR department to see what might be offered—more and more companies are hosting on-site wellness programs such as yoga, meditation, and nutritional counseling.

Finally, have your 911 kit handy at all times. Keep a bottle of water on your desk so you can hydrate throughout the day, and a dark piece of chocolate for those moments where taking a breath just doesn’t cut it. Here’s to a happy, productive autumn!

Six tips to conquer back to school stress

Posted on August 17, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Sports Performance No Comments

In a matter of days, students will once again be roaming the hallways of area schools, marking the end of summer and the start of another school year.

The transition always brings a mixture of emotions and expectations; get your student off to a great start with these helpful tips.

Plan the transition around your child’s needs.

Many people think going back to school means starting to enforce an earlier bedtime; however, the one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t account for individual needs. Not all children require the same amount of sleep, so tailor your changes accordingly.

“There’s a school of thought that also says to let them enjoy the last few weeks of summer,” says Kelly Olson, a licensed marriage and family therapist at The Village with 18 years of professional experience. “You need to base the transition decision on your own child.”

Make — and share — a plan.

For kids making a major transition — going to kindergarten, moving buildings, switching classrooms — parents can help by having class and bus schedules as well as school and bus stop maps printed and ready to use. Hang them where backpacks will be kept in your house to be consulted easily.

Olson recommends “practicing” the new routine with the child in advance of the first day of school so he or she will feel prepared and comfortable navigating the situation without a parent.

It’s also a good idea to walk your child through a situation where not everything goes according to plan to help reduce anxiety.

“Make sure kids know what to do if the plan fails. If they have a cellular device, who will they call?” Olson says. That’s often a reason parents take the first day of school off from work — to ensure they are available if plans go awry.

If you’ll be working with other parents to facilitate after-school travel, make sure your child knows who will be picking up or dropping off, and provide your child with that person’s contact information.

Stock your refrigerator with healthy snacks.

Going back to school means a busy schedule of activities and extracurricular activities. Parents can help things move smoothly by having healthy snacks ready for packing or grabbing on-the-go. Focus on high-quality protein and nutritious items like fresh fruits, hummus and vegetables to keep kids full from school lunch until dinner at home.

“We recommend that parents keep their refrigerator stocked with a variety of milk, cheese and yogurt products, because when you pair these foods with fresh fruit and vegetables or whole grains, you have a great nutritious snack,” says Stephanie Cundith, nutrition spokesperson at Midwest Dairy Council.

Encourage good eating habits with some fun.

Healthy snacking doesn’t have to mean boring. Get your child’s nutrition off to a great start for the year by having fun with the snacks they eat. Consider using cookie cutters to create fun cheese slices to pair with crackers or apple slices. Mix plain yogurt with their favorite fresh fruit or crunchy cereal. Buy chocolate milk instead of white milk for a boost of protein and flavor.

“Both (kinds of milk) provide 9 essential nutrients with only a small amount of sugar added to chocolate milk that doesn’t take away any of the nutritional value,” Cundith says.

Don’t shy away from meal leftovers serving as a snack for your child. A slice of pizza or half of a turkey and cheese sandwich is a great option and adds to the list of snacks available for your child to fuel their mind and body.

Expect to deal with some behavioral issues.

Parents need to prepare themselves (and their schedules) for how students will be acting during the first week of school. For students who start at the beginning of the week, they will likely be tired and cranky most evenings.

“Remember that it’s a huge transition for kids, so they are going to be exhausted and possibly exhibit some behavioral issues,” Olson says.

While the beginning of the school year often means a busier schedule, parents can reduce stress and anxiety by realizing when it’s okay to skip an event or miss part of it.

Once the school year gets underway, parents should keep an eye out for indicators that the transition may not be going smoothly. It’s possible for kids to seem to be adjusting well after a week or two, but if issues persist after a month, Olson recommends reaching out to school personnel to investigate further.

“The more you understand, the more informed you are to assist your kids in getting them the help they need,” she says.

Prep their supplies — and their attitude.

It’s not enough to just buy everything on the school supply list and call it good. Sit down with your child and open packages or organize smaller items into a pencil box. Help your child pack the bag and get it ready for the first day of school.

In addition to sharpening pencils, help children get excited about school by talking to them about what they are most excited to learn when they return to the classroom. Help them make connections between things they did over the summer and how those experiences can help them with they go back to school. Your enthusiasm about the new school year will inevitably — and positively — influence theirs.

5 Things Coaches Need to Know When Dealing With Difficult Parents

Posted on July 18, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Sports Performance No Comments

Coaching youth sports is both exciting and rewarding. While teaching young athletes about the sport they love, youth sports coaches also have the opportunity to instill important values and traits in their players—values and traits that will last a lifetime and extend far beyond the field or court.

However, it would be a mistake to assume that directing a youth team is entirely enjoyable. Youth players are typically positive and agreeable (and for good reason!). However, an occasional dissatisfied parent misdirecting their anger towards a coach is an all-too-common occurrence. Moreover, even the most patient coach in the world will get the urge to respond to angry parents with anger—to fight fire with fire—but this can alienate the parent’s blameless child, upset other players, and even result in the loss of the coaching opportunity altogether.

It’s important to know how to deal with angry and difficult parents as a youth sports coach. Let’s take a look at some tips are sure to make the unpleasant incidents as simple, straightforward, and quick as possible, for both coaches and the angry parties!

Count to 10

The first step youth sports coaches should take before addressing angry and difficult parents is simple: count to 10. Thomas Jefferson famously recommended the course of action if one was rather angry. Counting to 10 will allow coaches to calm themselves down and avoid snapping at the most likely time—the beginning of a dispute—and also, it will allow a more precise and careful response to be issued. Similarly, upset parents will also be granted the opportunity to cool off—that they’ll have no choice but to take such an opportunity is important, as it’ll work to reduce the intensity of all subsequent dialogue.

This quick count will reduce the fierceness of an angry parent, benefiting players and the disagreeing parties in the process.

Be Polite

Youth coaches should always be polite when addressing angry and difficult parents—even if they’re screaming, yelling, and jumping up and down. Better yet, coaches should be polite especially when parents are screaming, yelling, and jumping up and down. Maintaining a polite and calm demeanor may inspire the agitated parent to do so also. Moreover, doing so sets a positive example for the players and other parents watching.

Perhaps most important of all, failing to be polite, and resorting to insults and other undesirable courses of action often cause angry parents to become angrier. The pitfalls of this point, from physical escalation to law-enforcement involvement, are obvious, but the bottom line is that the blameless players suffer the most.

Explain the Situation with Relevant Facts

Rather than defending oneself, coaches who are faced with an angry and difficult parent should promptly answer his or her questions with logical and reasonable accounts of the situation. In other words, responding with indirect (albeit true) information to a parent only prolongs the uncomfortable dialogue with him or her. Additionally, relying upon reason and fact is, as many law professionals like to say, the best possible defense to any accusation.

Coaches faced with raging parents should take it a step further and rely only upon completely relevant reasons and facts.

Don’t Make The Players Feel Bad

Arguments between adults might get intense, but with some craft and time, they can be regarded as simple missteps in the grand scheme of things. On the contrary, young individuals take note of nearly every word and experience they encounter. As such, it’s the duty of youth coaches to not make any of their players feel bad amidst a parent dispute, and also, to not treat any players differently (and certainly not worse) following a parent dispute.

Again, the fact that players are essentially innocent bystanders to their parents’ anger and difficulty cannot be understated.

Brush it Off

The other listed tips are sure to help any youth sports coach deal with angry and difficult parents. But, how a coach responds to said angry parents is just as important as how a coach acts after dealing with angry parents. Becoming moody or irritated will accomplish nothing besides upsetting players and encouraging them to respond to adversity of their own in non-optimal fashion.

Simply put, a youth sports coach can do more good by simply brushing off difficult parents and resuming coaching.

There are undeniable benefits of coaching youth sports, which far outweigh the potential drawbacks. Thanks for reading, and good luck coaching!

Appreciate August!

Posted on July 11, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Sports Performance No Comments

Okay, its August. “I can’t believe summer’s almost over already!”

How can we prevent our minds from leaping forward to autumn and missing out on the glorious remaining weeks of summer?

Try these tips for mindfully appreciating August:

1) Bite into something seasonal. Before getting carried away by fall’s root vegetables and hearty soups, take a bite out of something currently in season. Pick up some Canadian blueberries or peaches and make a pie. Cull the basil from your balcony and make pasta with pesto. To ground yourself in the summer, try literally taking a bite out of August.

2) Get back outside. July may be the perfect month for camping, swimming, and lounging on the beach or the terrace, but the season for outdoor activities is far from over. Pools are still open, kids are still off school, and BBQ weather is still with us. Don’t let back-to-school advertising and an evening chill send you inside until next May. This weekend, eat brunch in the yard, take the kids to the park, or take a day trip to swim, hike, or canoe. It’s not too late.

3) Learn Something New: Read a book that interests and inspires you. See a museum exhibition. Try a new type of food or enroll in a one-night class. Remember what it’s like to learn and to be exposed to something fresh and captivating. It’s a very powerful feeling.

4) Look forward. Apple picking, hot chocolate, wearing cozy sweaters, reading by the fire, going for long walks in the park and not dying of the heat, and gallery openings are among the many things to look forward to. (and football!)

5) Reframe it. Cognitive reframing is a core part of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and is an effective treatment for anxiety and depression. The idea is to think differently and “reframe” negative or untrue thoughts into more positive ones. In other words, think about what you enjoy about the fall, instead of fixating on what you don’t like about the end of summer.

6) Change your routine. For the past five years have you gotten up at the same time? Did you eat the same thing for breakfast, or worse, skip it? Did you wear the same shoes every day? If you are feeling the dread of returning to school and work routines, a little switch in an everyday ritual might make the day more interesting. Eat something new for breakfast. Get to work earlier and leave earlier. Take a different route to work. Change the music you listen to, or check the weather on a different website.

Savor August and enjoy!

Top Seven Injuries Doctors See Most On Summer Weekends

Posted on July 11, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Performance, Sports Performance, Strength and Conditioning No Comments

Warm weather and longer days will bring many Americans outdoors for cookouts, pool parties and more. But long weekends also lead to more trips to urgent care or even the emergency room, according to experts. In fact, a 2015 study from researchers at Brown University found that heat-related illness alone can ratchet emergency department visits in the summertime.

The risk for issues like drowning and sports injuries go up in the hotter seasons, according to Dr. Christopher M. McStay, chief of clinical operations and associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. And they’re usually all preventable.

Below are the most common reasons why patients end up in their offices during summer months ― and what can be done to prevent you or a loved one from being among them.

Heat-related illness.

During summer months, people often show up at the doctor with a heat-related condition, from mild dehydration to severe heatstroke, says Dawne Kort, an emergency medicine doctor and attending physician at CityMD Urgent Care Walk-In Medical Clinic.

Fewer than 1,000 Americans die each year due to heat-related illness, according to a 2014 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But plenty more experience the more mild symptoms of too much sun exposure, which include nausea, dizziness, headaches and confusion.

“Be mindful of the temperature, stay hydrated and avoid being outside for prolonged periods of time if the temperature is high ― especially during the hottest time of the day,” Kort told HuffPost, noting that the warmest hours are usually between 2 and 4 p.m. Doctors see an uptick in drowning incidents and water activity accidents in warmer months.

Swimming injuries and drowning.

“We see a fair amount of swimming-related [injuries],” McStay told HuffPost. “Trauma related to jumping into a body of water, small children who are not being supervised, boating injuries.”

Joseph Perno, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, says these water-related dangers definitely increase when the weather gets warm.

“We see a big spike in drowning,” Perno told HuffPost. “When you have a lot of adults together, you’d think there would be more people watching the kids but what happens is people are distracted: Talking, drinking, partying, having fun and no one is watching the kids.”

Drowning is the second most common cause of death by unintentional injury, behind car accidents, among children ages 1-4 years-old, according to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control And Prevention. Children are also more likely to drown in a swimming pool than anywhere else.

It’s so easy for a child to fall into water without someone realizing, Perno says. If you’re having a pool party, rotate having a designated adult to supervise water activities, he suggests.

Burns and cuts.

There are numerous hospital visits for burns associated with grilling and camp fires, as well as cuts from kitchen knives, according to McStay.

Children may try to touch the fires and adults make the common mistake of squirting lighter fluid onto hot coals. Be safe about it: Apply lighter fluid to coals when they aren’t lit, letting the fluid soak in, McStay suggests.

Food poisoning and gastroenteritis.

Gastrointestinal issues frequently bring people to the emergency room during warmer months, according to Kort. In fact, food-borne illnesses peak in the summer months, since hot temperatures and humid conditions provide the optimum breeding ground for bacteria to multiply rapidly, according to the U.S Department of Agriculture.

“[It’s] commonly seen after a summer barbecue, where the food has not been properly cooked or may have been left out in the heat. Or when fruits and vegetables have not been washed properly,” Kort said. Be especially wary of food that’s been sitting out in the sun all day and wash your hands properly before eating, Kort advises.

Sports injuries

Sports-related injuries from playing frisbee, football and outdoor activities are also a bigger issue. Sprained wrists, twisted ankles and broken bones are common sights in urgent care clinics and emergency rooms between spring and summer, according to the experts.

Treatment for these injuries typically requires a little home care, Kort said. Rest the body, ice the injury, compress the body part and elevate the injured area. But if something feels seriously wrong or keeps getting worse, head to the doctor as soon as possible.

Skin irritations and insect bites.

With long days spent outdoors, it’s common to see irritations from wild plants like poison ivy, sumac and oak. Insect and tick bites are also common and, in some cases of infection, may require an antibiotic, Kort said.

This year, in particular, may bring with it more tick bites and tick-borne diseases than previous summers. And Zika virus, though currently out of the news cycle, may be poised to come back in some states. Keep an eye on any bumps or swelling that does not go away or grows in size. And learn some expert-backed tips to keep yourself safe from ticks and mosquitoes.

Sunburns.

While most sunburns don’t require a trip to the hospital, some do. In 2013, there were nearly 34,000 emergency room visits in the U.S. due to serious sunburns, according to recent research in Dermatology. Go to the doctor if your sunburn results in blistering or is accompanied by nausea, confusion, headache, extreme pain or chills. You should also head to the doctor if at-home remedies such as applying aloe vera or taking a pain reliever like ibuprofen does not help after a couple of days.

But even if you can take care of your burn at home, it’s an uncomfortable mishap that’s easy to avoid. Practice good sun protection habits for yourself and especially watch out for children you’re supervising, since they are unlikely to remember to reapply lotion. “Having a sunburn is uncomfortable and painful,” McStay said. “And the chronic risk of sun exposure and skin cancer is something to think about everyday.”

So walk into the rest of summer a bit more alert. Better to be safe than sorry.

Ten Tips on how to stay healthy at your next summer BBQ!

Posted on June 20, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Sports Performance No Comments

Do you need some healthy summer BBQ advice so you can stay slim this summer?

BBQ foods shouldn’t trigger diet dread. You should feel empowered, and ready to roll up to every July 4th and “just because” BBQ and ready to man the grill if someone needs to take over the tongs. Enjoy the food, fun, friends and family. Grilling is a fun and flavorful way to cook no matter the season – even if it’s cold outside! Who doesn’t love to cook together with friends outdoors in the summer and tailgate at the games during the fall and winter?

The best part is that grilling can be one of the healthiest ways to cook!

Healthy recipes and diet tricks to enjoy summer BBQ season:

Go meatless and check out these great vegetarian bbq ideas — mushroom kabobs anyone?
Sizzle up some grilled stuffed jalapenos to beat the heat with some spice
Avoid toxic HCA’s and grill meat safely by knowing what to look for and why you shouldn’t just scrape off the burn. OK, so this isn’t the fun part, but be sure to scrub down the rack or grill pan after each use. Removing leftover burnt pieces of food stuck to the grill prevents burning, smoking and bitter flavors the next time you use it.
Pick the perfect protein. Fish, skinless chicken breast and lean ground poultry are all healthier choices. The good fats in fish like salmon and trout actually have health benefits. And when you grill with skill, your guests won’t even miss the red meat, which usually has more saturated fat. Wrap marinated fish fillets in foil, construct colorful chicken kebabs, or make more savory turkey burgers by mixing minced portabella mushrooms and onions into the patties. If you do choose meat or pork, get “loin” or “round” cuts and “choice” or “select” grades of beef instead of “prime.”
Let the simple grilled goodness shine through. Don’t drown your grilled masterpiece in salty sauces, sugary condiments or heavy dressings. Use as little of these as possible, and try making your own healthier condiments. It’s easier than you think! And sometimes, a simple squeeze of lemon or lime is all it needs.
Make your buns whole grain. Whole-grain buns and breads will complement your healthy feast with extra fiber, flavor and texture. If you’re watching your calories and carbs, try an open-faced burger or lettuce wrap.
Grill fruits for dessert. The natural sugars caramelize in the high heat, giving them extra sweetness and flavor. Try sliced apple, pear or pineapple or halved bananas, figs, nectarines, peaches or plums.
Whip up some mayo-less recipes, like no mayo coleslaw, no mayo potato salad and no mayo macaroni salad.
Try these super yummy summer salad recipes throughout the bbq season to stay on track!
Keep a frozen bag of shelled edamame and organic corn in your freezer and a can of black beans and red wine vinegar in your pantry. Thaw the beans and corn in the refrigerator overnight, toss with the well rinsed beans and ½ cup red wine vinegar. Bring it to the BBQ in a pretty bowl and your host will thank you. It’s a delicious salad (and your meal for the event!) And yes, you can add other vegetables from your cache: tomatoes, onion, parsley, carrots, radishes. Enjoy!

Study: High school boys fear looking weak if they report concussions

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Performance, Sports Performance No Comments

Male and female high school athletes have moderate levels of knowledge about concussion symptoms, but the boys are less likely report concussions for fear of seeming weak, a small U.S. study suggests.

The reasons boys gave for not reporting a concussion was centered around not wanting coaches or teammates to think they were weak or to “get mad,” researchers report in the Journal of Athletic Training.

“Although males and females have similar concussion symptom knowledge, we still see a negative stigma” with reporting them, lead author Jessica Wallace told Reuters Health by email.

“Especially within male dominated sports, we are seeing that many male athletes are not reporting because they are highly sensitive to how their peers and coaches view them,” said Wallace, an athletic trainer and researcher at Youngstown State University in Ohio.

Wallace thinks better concussion education programs are needed to teach kids the dangers of continuing to play with a concussion.

Concussion symptoms can include headache, dizziness and difficulty concentrating or sleeping. In all, 22 concussion symptoms are typically included in sport-related concussion education programs, the study team writes.

Athletes who continue to play with a concussion risk re-injury and a longer recovery time.

To determine how well high school athletes recognize these symptoms and how likely they are to report a concussion, as well as why they wouldn’t, the researchers enrolled 288 athletes (198 boys and 90 girls) at three Michigan high schools.

The participants answered a single survey that included a test of recognition of concussion symptoms. The survey also asked whether the student had ever experienced a concussion, how many concussions they had reported to a trainer, coach, parent or other authority figure, and reasons for not reporting the symptoms.

Of the 58 participants who had sustained a concussion, 25 reported having had two or more.

Knowledge of symptoms was similar between the sexes, with scores ranging from about 11 to 18 out of a possible 21 on the test.

FAILING TO REPORT CONCUSSIONS

The top reason for both boys and girls to not report a concussion was because they did not think it was serious. Other common reasons included not wanting to lose playing time and not wanting to let the team down.

The boys were anywhere from four to 11 times less likely than girls to report concussions, for reasons having to do with how they were perceived by peers and coaches.

It is important for athletes, parents, and coaches to understand that concussion is a treatable injury, but “an athlete has to report the injury for it to be treated,” Wallace said.

“If an athlete fails to report the injury and continues to play while symptomatic, it can either delay recovery or potentially result in a catastrophic outcome,” she said.

Coaches need to emphasize that concussions are serious and that reporting concussion symptoms is expected, Wallace added.

She suggests using a “buddy system” of reporting concussions.

“Often, athletes will not report their own concussion, but they will be mindful and protective of their teammates. So the ‘buddy system’ would help me as the athletic trainer because the athletes would come and tell me if they thought their teammate/friend was experiencing a concussion or concussion symptoms,” she said.

“Studies such as these are building blocks to helping us understand how to provide effective and impactful interventions to help athletes better report their injuries,” said Zachary Kerr, an exercise and sport science researcher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“Barriers to concussion reporting by athletes need to be resolved, with an emphasis not only on education and knowledge, but also the pressures that athletes face from peers, adults, and their own perceptions,” said Kerr, who wasn’t involved in the study.

Motivation Tricks to Help you Love Your Summer Workout

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Motivation, Sports Performance, Strength and Conditioning No Comments

The only problem with hot weather is that it’s so darn hot outside. Put the cool factor back into your workout routine with these tricks:

Adjust your body temperature

Hop into a cold shower before your workout. A German study this year found that a pre-exercise cooldown improves performance in the heat — probably because it lowers your heart rate as well as core and skin temperatures. Too chicken to try it? Even just cooling your neck or head with an ice pack may make a difference.

Check the map

Does your usual running route leave you broiling in the sun? Find a shady new one through the Road Runners Club of America (rrca.org), which features running routes around the country via Google maps. You can also log on to weather.com, which offers a local parks forecast, a fitness comfort index, and an hourly forecast to help you figure out the best time of day to exercise.

Keep tabs on your ticker

The hotter it is, the harder your body has to work — so if you normally run at a 9-minute-mile pace, when the temperature hits 90 you may find yourself having to slow down to a 10.

This is where a heart-rate monitor comes in handy. You can make sure you’re not pushing yourself too hard in warm-weather conditions, which can up your risk of heat exhaustion or even heatstroke.

An even simpler way to check that you’re not overdoing it: Try to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. You’ll know you’re exercising hard enough when you have to take a quick breath every three to six words (murmur it under your breath if you’re worried about getting funny looks).

Get the dirt

Try to walk, run, or cycle on dirt or gravel paths, since asphalt and concrete tend to radiate heat and reflect the sun’s rays, making you feel hotter. Take advantage of the breeze on the boardwalk or beach path even on steamy days and if possible, start out with the wind at your back, so when you’re finishing you’ll be running into a headwind, which is cooler.

Cool down with essential oils

Dabbing a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus oil on the back of your neck and at your temples just before your workout provides a cooling effect and also opens up your nasal passages, so you can breathe a little easier when the air is humid. In fact, research has found that athletes who sniffed peppermint during their workout ran faster, had greater grip strength, and could do more push-ups than those who didn’t.

Summerize your intervals

To keep your fitness level up when the mercury is too, do your regular cardio (whether it’s walking, running, swimming, or biking) at a slightly slower pace, but add in 30-second speed bursts every three to five minutes. You’ll maintain your conditioning and burn more calories without having to go all-out the entire time.

Make like a pretzel

Turn the rising temperature to your advantage and concentrate on improving your flexibility with some dynamic stretches. One move to try for perpetually tight hamstrings: Stand and bend forward from the waist, reaching toward the wall Hold for 5 to 10 seconds. To stretch your hips — another inflexible zone — sit with one leg crossed over the opposite thigh and bend forward, keeping your arms outstretched; hold for 5 to 10 breaths.

Practice random acts of fitness

Sneak in little bits of exercise with some summer-friendly activities. For example: Washing the car for 30 minutes burns about 100 calories for a 140-pound woman; gardening burns 128. Other options: throwing a Frisbee, walking the dog, playing a game of volleyball (all about 100 calories), mowing the lawn (176 calories), biking around the neighborhood (192 calories), or hula-hooping, which burns about 50 calories in just 10 minutes. Stay active!

Protect your head

A mesh visor is a great way to shield your face from the sun while still allowing excess heat to escape from your head. One good option: the Nike Feather Light Visor ($18, nike.com), which has a Dri-Fit terry sweatband to move moisture away from the skin and mesh insets to keep cool breezes flowing. If you’re biking, consider one of the new helmets that have deep vents to provide breezy airflow.

Refuel with fruit

They’re more than 80 percent water, so fruits such as grapes, watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew are a tasty way to replenish fluids and boost your energy post-workout. Keep them frozen for a refreshing treat. Other good options: Smoothies, frozen yogurt, or Jell-O with fruit chunks. They provide the perfect mix of carbs and fluid and they’re easily digestible in the summer heat. If you’ve lost a lot of salt (hint: your clothes have white sweat stains after a workout), replace sodium by drinking water with electrolytes (Smart Water, Trace Minerals electrolytes in your water).

How to Deal with Stressed Athletes

Posted on May 23, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Motivation, Sports Performance No Comments

Most athletes get pre-game jitters—even the pros admit that they suffer bouts of nervousness before games. While professional athletes are equipped to deal with pre-game anxiety, however, adolescent athletes typically aren’t. And the pressure to perform at a high level, may be placing too much stress on young athletes.

To determine how stressful youth sports are on athletes, UCLA researchers Dr. Tara Scanlan and Dr. Michael Passer asked adolescent soccer players to fill out questionnaires assessing their anxiety ratings before and after soccer games. About 20 percent of the athletes reported high levels of stress before games. Many also reported high anxiety after their team had lost a game.

Considering that nearly 68 million student-athletes participate in organized youth sports, serious stress and anxiety in even a small percentage accounts for a significant number of kids. So, how can you tell if your child is feeling overly stressed?

How much stress is too much for young athletes?

Sports psychologist Dr. Rainer Martens compares competitive stress to a virus. He elaborates that a little bit of stress makes athletes perform better, teaching them how to channel their anxiety to aid performance. Too much stress all at once, however, can drain a young athlete of energy, leaving them ill and unable to compete at their peak level. This effect can carry over into other parts of their life as well, including academics.

The American Psychological Association points out a few main indicators that signal an adolescent’s stress levels have gone from helpful to harmful:

Physical: Chronic stomach and headaches are common complaints of adolescents who are too stressed. If a child has a clean bill of health and still experiences stomach and headaches, it may be time to start looking at stress as the culprit.
Emotional: Stress can manifest itself in many negative ways, including increased irritability, mood swings, emotional outbursts, withdrawing from usual activities and more.
Behavioral. Too much stress is draining for young athletes, causing lethargy or the inability to concentrate. Athletes may change their eating habits—eating much more than normal or much less—or become more aggressive.

Individually, these symptoms may just sound like the growing pains of a typical teen. The APA notes, however, that if parents see physical, emotional and behavioral signs of too much stress in their student-athlete, they should step in to help their child effectively cope with the stress.

Help your student-athlete cope with stress and develop mental toughness.

There are ways to help your athlete deal with immediate stress, and ways to help them develop mental tools to limit stress in the future. We’ve listed a few short-term and long-term actions you can take:

Immediate action: Ask them about the cause of their stress. Start the conversation about why they are stressed—is it pressure they’ve placed on themselves? Pressure from a coach, family member or friend? Is their “to do” list insurmountable?
Immediate action: Discuss healthy ways they can deal with their stress. Michelle L. Bailey, M.D., FAAP, a pediatrician and author of the book Parenting Your Stressed Child, suggests adolescents practice mindfulness to cope with stress. She defines mindfulness as the act of “paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, in a non-judging way.” Other strategies like breathing techniques, muscle relaxation, going out in nature and engaging in physical activity other than their sport are also healthy ways to deal with stress.
Immediate action: Find a place where your athlete can decompress. Every student needs a “stress-free zone” where they can let off some steam. For some, it might be sitting in their room listening to music. For others, it might be hanging out with their best friend. Recognize how your student-athlete decompresses, and encourage them to do so when feeling overly stressed.
Long-term action: Help your athlete develop a desire to achieve, rather than a fear of failure. Often, young athletes correlate failure to punishment and criticism, and begin stressing about situations that might culminate in failure. Reframe the message about failure by emphasizing achievement instead. By developing a positive approach to achievement, athletes focus on the benefits of putting forth their best effort, rather than the negative effects of failing.
Long-term action: Get them the tools they need to be successful. Stress can stem from an athlete’s insecurity that they don’t have the necessary skills to be successful. Work with your athlete on the physical skills they need in their sport. As their confidence in their athletic ability grows, they will experience less skills-based stress.
Long-term action: Change the conversation about competition. Stressed-out athletes tell themselves phrases like: “Don’t mess up!” “You’re going to blow it.” “I’ll let down the whole team if I lose.” Instead, give them new phrases, such as: “I’m going to give my all and see what happens.” “I’ll go out there and have fun.” “I’m just going to focus on doing my best.” Once they start identifying internal stressors, the quicker they can shut them down.
Long-term action: Ensure they get the right amount of sleep. Work with your student-athlete to create a sleep schedule. Students who get less than the recommended eight hours a night are more prone to stress and anxiety.

Stress is a natural part of life, but teaching your athlete how to cope with stress can set them up for success throughout their lifetime. Encourage your athlete to use practices that will increase their mental toughness and decrease negative reactions to stressful situations.