Preparing to be the best

What does it take to be the best? Look at the two teams playing in the National championship game, Kentucky and Kansas. Two very explosive teams that get up and down and use their athletic ability. What makes a team or person the best? How well they prepare off the court or field. Strength and Conditioning has become a major part of teams and individuals workout routines. If you do not have a workout routine you will not be the best or be at the top of your game.

Preparing to be great is something we could all do but many miss the boat. Watching good high school athletes only doing what people expect of them frustrates me more and more. Why? Because athletes of today have so many more options than 10 or 20 years ago. They can become more explosive, stronger, faster, quicker and all around better athletes because of sports performance coaches and programs. The disappointing thing is that most kids do not take advantage of the opportunity that is right in front of them. Just working with your team is not enough anymore, you have to be trained on the fundamentals of movement in order to be successful. Being prepared is what allows Kentucky and Kansas to play for a National title. Ask yourself if you are doing everything you can do in order to become great? If not, then you need to do something about it, because your competition is taking that next step in their training.

Check out this video of some Pro’s working hard in the off-season. They are preparing to become greater.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w90F4AbeO3Y

Unleash Your Potential

4 Comments

Nathanael Hostetter on April 5, 2012 at 1:54 pm

I have to agree with what was said about how in this day and age, we as athletes can do much more than the athletes that came before us. Also, I do believe that we have gotten lazier with all the luxuries we have today, and there is not near as much heart put into the sports we play as there used to be.
Great video! I think it’s pretty neat that they used items that you could find around your house to do their off-season workout. It was a great motivator, and I believe that it will encourage athletes that, eventhough they aren’t with their team, they can still make themselves better.

exsp02 on April 5, 2012 at 3:25 pm

Nathanael
Thanks for the great comment. It is amazing to see how things have changed so much over the past 10 years since I started training athletes. I do agree athletes have become lazier with all the technology and luxuries they have today. We need to get back to working on fundamentals with these athletes so they can be successful not only in sports but in life. Once again thanks for the comment and I will be sure to follow you. Thanks and have a great day.
http://www.exsp.biz

Eradicating the Softness

Chris Westerkamp on April 5, 2012 at 2:57 pm

Two points here. You can only offer the opportunity, resources, and techniques that can make athletes achieve greatness. Getting frustrated about the ones that fail to pursue greatness is a waste of your time and energy. I know parents who obsess about a child that has exceptional skills and talent that are not interested being great athletes and it can ruin their relationship. You can encourage them and support them, but if they don’t click into it, let it go. It’s not about you. Find something else your child does like and encourage that. Even Howard Cosell realized that sports ultimately reside in the toy department of life.

The “aspiring to be great” notion is appropriate at a higher level of development but too many parents and coaches get on that bandwagon with kids that are too young. My son was very talented at baseball at 10 after having played soccer but he didn’t like the game that much. While it was thrilling to see him excel, it wasn’t worth badgering him to continue. He ended up captain of his HS track team and president of his class. He donated 450 hours over three summers teaching kids swimming. I am very lucky he had his own sense of positive purpose but I let him find it.

exsp02 on April 5, 2012 at 3:32 pm

Chris
Thanks for the comment. Two good points I do agree that going after ones who do not want greatness is a waste of time, but that is becoming the norm in are society. It is sad to see that we as a whole do not want more out of life. We all have the ability to be great at something we just need to find it and get there. That is awesome about yor son, working hard to be a greater person. Take care and Unleash Your Potential.

http://www.exsp.biz

Nathanael Hostetter on April 5, 2012 at 1:54 pm

I have to agree with what was said about how in this day and age, we as athletes can do much more than the athletes that came before us. Also, I do believe that we have gotten lazier with all the luxuries we have today, and there is not near as much heart put into the sports we play as there used to be.
Great video! I think it’s pretty neat that they used items that you could find around your house to do their off-season workout. It was a great motivator, and I believe that it will encourage athletes that, eventhough they aren’t with their team, they can still make themselves better.
- exsp02 on April 5, 2012 at 3:25 pm
  
  Nathanael
  Thanks for the great comment. It is amazing to see how things have changed so much over the past 10 years since I started training athletes. I do agree athletes have become lazier with all the technology and luxuries they have today. We need to get back to working on fundamentals with these athletes so they can be successful not only in sports but in life. Once again thanks for the comment and I will be sure to follow you. Thanks and have a great day.
  http://www.exsp.biz
  
  Eradicating the Softness
Chris Westerkamp on April 5, 2012 at 2:57 pm

Two points here. You can only offer the opportunity, resources, and techniques that can make athletes achieve greatness. Getting frustrated about the ones that fail to pursue greatness is a waste of your time and energy. I know parents who obsess about a child that has exceptional skills and talent that are not interested being great athletes and it can ruin their relationship. You can encourage them and support them, but if they don’t click into it, let it go. It’s not about you. Find something else your child does like and encourage that. Even Howard Cosell realized that sports ultimately reside in the toy department of life.

The “aspiring to be great” notion is appropriate at a higher level of development but too many parents and coaches get on that bandwagon with kids that are too young. My son was very talented at baseball at 10 after having played soccer but he didn’t like the game that much. While it was thrilling to see him excel, it wasn’t worth badgering him to continue. He ended up captain of his HS track team and president of his class. He donated 450 hours over three summers teaching kids swimming. I am very lucky he had his own sense of positive purpose but I let him find it.
- exsp02 on April 5, 2012 at 3:32 pm
  
  Chris
  Thanks for the comment. Two good points I do agree that going after ones who do not want greatness is a waste of time, but that is becoming the norm in are society. It is sad to see that we as a whole do not want more out of life. We all have the ability to be great at something we just need to find it and get there. That is awesome about yor son, working hard to be a greater person. Take care and Unleash Your Potential.
  
  http://www.exsp.biz