FIT | STRENGTH Performance Podcast

Genetics plays a role in athletic ability. But, we should not discount psychological factors.

Grit, optimism, resilience, and perseverance are a few factors that separate elite athletes from non-elite athletes.

In sports, an elite athlete's most defining characteristic is mental toughness. Mental toughness refers to an athlete’s ability to persist in the face of challenges, mistakes, and failure.

A common term used in sports is "Next Play"!

To often athletes get caught up in one moment that could be good or bad and forget to move on to the next possession. By doing so, players can experience a mental lapse. This disrupts the game or causes them to make a rushed and bad play.

Many times athletes over think certain actions or fear making a bad play causing anxiety to be high. Being aroused is helpful for athletic success. Yet, being too aroused can result in impulsive and irrational decision making.

Athletes need to learn how to be present in each moment both on and off the court. This is where practice makes progress. Practicing plays can help athletes and teams make better choices. Practicing mental toughness and mindfulness can help athletes move on to the next play. They can then make the right play!

In today's episode, I'll discuss why athletes need a "Next Play" mentality to succeed in their sport.

Happy Training!

Mark

P.S.

HURRY UP! Only a few spots remain. FUNdamentals for youth athletes begins Monday 2/12 for athletes 8-10 years. This is a great class to help your athletes get faster. It also helps them play with better balance and coordination and learn how to compete!

Register Now!

https://fit-strength.sites.zenplanner.com/membershipTemplate-view.cfm?membershipTemplateId=4801A444-88DF-47FB-8FFF-DFFF98CF5898

Knee pain is never fun…

When you play basketball or volleyball it is like right of passage to experience knee pain. That does not mean you should have to experience high  levels of pain, but also never get rid of it.

Lots of things can cause knee pain.

No matter how your knee pain started, it's important to find the easy solutions. Find out why your knee pain is getting worse, not better.

Next, if you learn what could be contributing to your knee pain, you can find training options to prevent it from happening again or getting worse.

Tune in to today’s episode as I do a deep dive into why you might have knee pain!

Thanks,

Mark

P.S.

Do you have an athlete who is between the ages of 8 and 11 years old? Do you want them to improve their coordination? Run faster? Learn how to manage their own bodyweight?

If so we have our Fundamentals Sports Performance Group starting Monday 2/12.

This is a great class to get youth athletes performing at a higher level in their sport.

Limited spots are available, so sign up now!

https://fit-strength.sites.zenplanner.com/membershipTemplate-view.cfm?membershipTemplateId=4801A444-88DF-47FB-8FFF-DFFF98CF5898

Do you want to know what it takes to jump higher?

Being smart about volume and putting forth greatest output with each repetition.

Increasing your vertical means you need to jump. It means you need to get stronger. It means you have to actually train!

For some plyometric exercises, you could do 10-50 reps at a time, but for many exercises, you should not do more than 5 in a set.

You will get tired when training. If you want to increase your vertical, don't train when tired.

In today's episode the topic is Jumping Higher. So if you want to jump higher tune in.

Mark

P.S.

Adult Strength Classes start Monday. For the month of February we are giving away 2 weeks of training FOR FREE. Reply to this email if you are a parent between 40 and 50 and want to start getting or get back in shape!

P.P.S.

FUNdamentals Youth Sports Enhancement Program begins in less than 10 days. We have 8 spots left so register now. This program is for 8-11 years old.

https://fit-strength.sites.zenplanner.com/membershipTemplate-view.cfm?membershipTemplateId=4801A444-88DF-47FB-8FFF-DFFF98CF5898

In today’s episode I am going to do a deep dive into the top fitness questions for 2023.

Now I know I usually focus solely on performance related topics but today's discussion relates to both athletes and adults. 

This is a bit longer of an episode but has some great information to help athletes and adults achieve their fitness goals. 

Tune in!

Happy training… 

Mark

P.S. Are you an adult that is looking to get stronger, drop unwanted body fat, increase your energy, and feel better? 

If you said yes, I have the answer for you.

Starting February 5th (this coming Monday) we are launching our new adult training class; Adult Functional Strength Class! 

We are giving away 5, 14 Day Passes of unlimited training, to try this class out!

If you are interested in getting stronger, losing weight, and feeling great, reply to this email!

Hurry before it is too late!

Email us: [email protected]

Are you a parent who has spent lots of money and time on doctor visits or co-pays?

This is a topic that is far too common...

At times you need to go to the doctor or a physical therapist or chiropractor for serious injuries. But, smaller nagging injuries can often lead to larger injuries. This money saving advice could have prevented those injuries.

Tune into today's episode as I discuss what athletes (even adults) should be doing daily to save some money!

Tune in…

Mark

P.S. FUNdamentals is back! February 12th is round two for our FUNdamentals program for athletes 8-11 years old. Limited spots, so register now!

https://fit-strength.sites.zenplanner.com/sign-up-now.cfm

P.P.S Are you a tired parent who is tired of watching your kid workout? Are you a parent that wants to get stronger, drop body fat, and feel better? We are launching our Adult Functional Strength Class 2/5. We are giving away 5 FREE 14 day passes. If you want to access this pass email [email protected].

Tune in to todays episode! Parents this will save you money!

What does it take to jump higher?

If I had the exact answer I would be retired living on a secluded island...

Lets be real, if I did I have the answer I would still be training athletes.

Anyway, there is no one-size-fits-all. But, there are best practices to help basketball players jump higher.

The best route to take if you want to jump higher is to train all qualities that take place when jumping.

If you look at an athlete jump in slow motion or even in real time you will notice different things taking place.

Thus athletes must train all those qualities.

There are exercises that will be more ideal for the person but the same action should take place.

Tune in to this weeks episode of the FIT | STRENGTH Performance podcast to learn more on how to jump higher!

Mark 

P.S. Attention adults! Not only do we train athletes but we also work with adults. The adults we work with are those that are goal oriented, like working on, and need an extra push to stay active.

If this sounds like you, we are re-launching our Adult Functional Strength Class.

We are giving away 14 days of training to try this class out!

We only have 5 to give away. If you have interest in this, email [email protected].

Would you like to know the difference between diet/exercise and fueling/training?

Or do you want to practical advice to improve your eating habits and get great results?

If so you are going to want to check out todays podcast episode!

It all comes down to these simple concepts: 

The big picture is that all athletes need to eat food, fill their plates, and have a good relationship with food. They should avoid thinking food will cause harm instead of good. 

Tune in to today's episode!

Train hard!

Training by using barbells and weights can be effective. Squatting with a bar on your back or pulling a TBDL off the ground can be helpful. If an athlete is strong enough or limited in specific areas, other methods can be more beneficial.

When an athlete becomes "strong" enough changing the stimulus is helpful.

That can include lifting more weight. You can also change the temperature (eccentrics or isometrics). Another option is speeding up the movement. or switiching to one leg movements.

One method I like using is adding resistance bands or chains to certain exercises.

When an athlete sprints or jumps, the body does specific things to achieve the goal. Traditional lifting may not replicate athletic movements. Adding a resistance band to a TBDL or Squat can mimic what happens when an athlete sprints, changes direction, or jumps.

For example, adding resistance bands to a back squat forces an athlete to use more force when driving the bar up. Doing so is like what occurs when an athlete bends their knees, stops, and then jump in the air.

Learn more about training with accomodating resistance by tuning in to Episode 81 of the FSP podcast.

Happy Training,

Mark

P.S.

On June 23rd, Dr. Dan Strack and I will host a Vertical Jump Clinic at BURD Physical Therapy in Webster.

Click this link to sign up! Spots are limited.

https://fit-strength.sites.zenplanner.com/event.cfm?eventId=A0795609-7164-4B9B-8FAC-3887317F0B7F

Happy 2024...

2023 was full of ups and downs, but all experiences are good ones.

In today's episode I discussed:

Again than you for supporting the podcast and the gym.

Reply to this email or email [email protected] if you are interested in improving your performance in your sport.

Happy Wednesday!