Archive: Training

50 for 50 Idea #24: Drink plenty of water

June 19, 2018

To say that there are a lot of articles available on the internet discussing the benefits of hydration for athletes would be an understatement. I discovered this while doing some research for this post. Clearly, drinking water is important for athletes and many of us could be better at doing it. Why else would there […]

50 for 50 Idea #21: Watch your sport more

May 24, 2018

When Bill Belichick was a youngster, he used to watch a lot of football film. At the time, his father, Steve, was a coach at the Naval Academy and one of his duties was to scout Navy’s upcoming opponents. That meant a lot of watching of film, and young Bill was there by his side. […]

50 for 50 Idea #18: Hire a Coach

May 3, 2018

In January of 2012, I turned 44. In the past couple of years prior to that, I had not played many competitive tennis events. However, I was going to be 45 in another year and that meant entering a new age group. I would be young again! This was another opportunity to compete at a […]

50 for 50 Ideas 13, 14 & 15: Visualization

April 4, 2018

When I was a teenager in high school, I would shadow swing my forehand with my right hand while walking down the hallway to my next class. I didn’t realize I was doing this until someone pointed it out to me. It was a completely subconscious action. I was combining an image in my head […]

50 for 50 Idea # 12: Start a Training Journal

March 22, 2018

One of the secrets of elite performers in any context (music, sport, dance, etc.) is the concept of deliberate practice. Most people don’t practice their skills with clear intentions, but the best performers always have a specific focus when they practice or train. It is this focus that allows them to improve faster and reach […]

50 for 50 Ideas 10 & 11: Your Sleep

March 10, 2018

When I was in college, I liked to sleep…A LOT! I napped between classes almost every day. And I was one of those rare college students who never pulled an all-nighter. That wasn’t because I didn’t need to, it was because my brain would shut down and tell me to sleep. Choosing sleep always seemed […]

50 for 50 Idea #3: Stretch More!

January 25, 2018

In my last blog post, I wrote about the value and benefits of beginning a yoga practice. This idea resonated with a lot of people, but perhaps you’re like me and you need to pay even more attention to your joint mobility and flexibility. Many people don’t focus on daily stretching, but as I have […]

4 Strategies For The Player Who Gets Tight

July 20, 2016

Have you ever felt tight or tense while competing? If you’re like most people, myself included, you have probably felt this way at some point in your competitive career. Sometimes it just happens under pressure and at other times, that tight and tense feeling is present from the beginning. Whatever the situation, it doesn’t feel […]

The Art of Unlearning

June 20, 2016

Would you be surprised to learn that a major part of the process of becoming excellent is unlearning? Sure, learning new techniques is important, but the unlearning process addresses the habits and beliefs that we have that limit our ability to reach true excellence. It is in this space that you can become truly elite. […]

2 podcasts to make your mind and body stronger

June 12, 2016

I had a few hours of driving to do over the weekend, so I downloaded a couple of Tim Ferriss podcasts onto my phone to occupy my mind on something productive for the ride. I thoroughly enjoyed each episode and wanted to share some insights with you. Both topics are important in the context of […]

Are you a perfectionist?

June 3, 2016

In my work with athletes, I encounter a lot of perfectionists. I don’t know if this is more prevalent in today’s society than in the past, but it seems as if there is now a romantic ideal associated with being a perfectionist. Like it is a good thing. Like being a perfectionist is a badge […]

Did you know competing is a skill?

May 4, 2016

If you are a tennis player who has ever had to come back from an injury, you realize that the hardest part is getting back to your level of play in a tournament or competitive environment. After practicing for a while, your strokes may feel like they used to, but the first time you decide […]

Video Blog – Taking Control in 2016!

January 1, 2016

On our journey to be great competitors, it is so important that we take control of our reactions and channel them into productive responses. Today’s video is all about “The Warrior Mindset” (aka, The Great Competitor) and how we can apply that in 2016 so that we are in control. Let me know your thoughts […]

3 Things To Do To Be A Better Fighter

March 23, 2015

When all else is going wrong in your performance, there is one facet of the mental game that can salvage the day: your fighting spirit. If you continue to fight for your best performance, even on your worst day, you still have a chance of succeeding in the end. The persistence and intensity that you […]

Working on You Equals Success

February 16, 2015

Last week, this audio reminded me of the philosophy that you have to work on yourself first before you can achieve the results that you want. You have to grow into the person that can achieve greatness. As I listened to this message, I realized that the same thing is true in competition. While you are […]

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