If Amador High School is serious about increasing their running speed and improving their training time without much hassle, then they need to implement these 3 effective strategies into your running program immediately.

Don’t overstride

Basically, they can run faster by either increasing running cadence or forcing a long stride. Unfortunately forcing a long stride can be a sign of trouble. Also know as overstriding, this won’t make them faster runners, it will just increase the likelihood of injury.

Forcing a long stride creates a braking effect and excessive stress on their knees and joints, hence leading to fatigue and a myriad of injuries. Instead they should work on develop a stride length that feels appropriate and sufficient.

Set goals

The process of goal setting is one of the best tools ever learned. This technique is perfect for overcoming any challenge and achieving massive progress without driving yourself crazy.

Hence, if they want to improve their running time, they need to have a clear mental picture on what they want to achieve, then they need to breathe life into that mental picture by turning it into a specific, measurable and realistic goal.

Release tension from your body

Tension will rob them from energy and slow them down like nothing else. Hence they need to keep a keen eye on it and make sure to get rid of it whenever they feel its build-up in their body.

Tension happens unconsciously; however relaxation is a conscious process. This means that they need to learn how to relax at will by using your own mind power.

The Balancing Act

Remember that you will need extra time to study for big exams. Lay out realistic goals that you would like to accomplish and begin scheduling the necessary steps that will help you achieve those goals. Ultimately, plan ahead, stick to the plan, and know what to expect for yourself.

Join the Crowd
Normally, blazing your own path is the way to go. But not when it comes to training for improved athleticism. Becoming part of the norm here is a good thing. Between private training facilities, school programs, and Nike SPARQ trainers, there are more athletes training than those that aren’t. But you should know that all training is not created equal.

First, make sure you train with a qualified Performance Coach. Even the best program in the hands of someone without the proper knowledge can be dangerous.

What makes someone qualified?

1. Experience training high school age athletes
2. Certification
3. College degree in Exercise Science related field

Secondly, commit to a training plan that is as comprehensive as possible. Athleticism has so many dynamic parts working together that if you focus on only one piece of the puzzle, your results will always be cut short.

The critical elements of an effective training plan include:

Speed:

• Training to improve linear speed can be divided into accelera- tion (starting speed) and maximum velocity (top speed). The focus should be on efficient technique with an explosive, yet relaxed effort. Watch this “Speed” video for a great Resisted Acceleration drill.

Agility:

• Focus on balance, coordination, and powerful changes of direction. Many athletes can make up for a lack of linear speed by minimizing the time needed to plant and cut out of their breaks.

Strength:

• Though related, this is different than “power” training and plays an important role in reducing the likelihood of injury. Strength training should emphasize full body development, preferably with free-weight based exercises.

Power:

• The goal of power training is to produce high amounts of force in short amounts of time. Under qualified instruction, plyometric exercises are good for improving power, as is medicine ball training and Olympic-style weightlifting. Watch this “Power” video for a demonstration of the Power Snatch exercise.

Endurance:

• Stamina into the final minutes of competitions will often determine the outcome. If your sport involves repeated short sprints followed by periods of rest, then build specific endurance by performing sprint-type intervals rather than long slow running.

Dynamic Flexibility:

• Being flexible means you can move more efficientlyand are probably less likely to have tight muscles that damage easily. But the days of a “sit and stretch” warm up are over. All athletes are better off using stretches that emphasize whole body movement and resemble sporting positions. Watch this “Dynamic Flexibility” video for a demonstration of the Elbow to Instep active stretch.

Give Yourself a Break
The final part of your plan that ties everything together is rest. Without allowing your highly trained body to recover, even the most thought out and

perfectly designed program will fall short. Scheduling rest days between long practices, workouts, traveling, and games is difficult. At the least, commit to 48 hour breaks between your Nike SPARQ training sessions. So if you train on Monday, then don’t train again until Wednesday. This will provide the recovery your system needs to repair itself from the previous training days and avoid overtraining. Also consider where you are in your competitive season when scheduling both training and resting days. Generally, shoot for training three days per week in the off-season and pre-season, and two days per week while in-season.

You’re Ready
As the saying goes, “No one said it would be easy”. The challenges you face as a high school athlete exist at an all time high. But with a planned strategy, and some qualified help, your academic and athletic goals are well within your reach.

Off-season:

Aerobic and anaerobic conditioning is generally de-emphasized during the off-season to allow more energy to be spent on gaining strength or the improvement of other deficiencies.

Pre-season: Strength training will continue through the pre-season, but the overall volume will gradually decrease as more time and energy are spend on conditioning or fitness. In general, strength training will consist of 2-3 days per week and 12-15 total sets per workout. The intensity of each set may be increased as the volume of work is decreased.

In-season: It is absolutely imperative that strength training be continued through the competitive season. The total volume of work will be reduced, so the relative intensity can be increased. The workouts will be less frequent and shorter in duration. Athletes should strength train at least one day per week, and no more than three days. Workouts will take 20-40 minutes with a total of 10-14 sets per workout.

The number of training days per week and volume of each workout will depend upon the competitive schedule and physical demands of the sport.

Here is an interesting observation by Dr. Ron Maughan of Aberdeen, Scotland, a prolific researcher in fluids and dehydration in sports and consults with the Manchester United team One of the projects he did was to look at a variable called urine osmolality–a statement of water levels in the body. If too high, then the body is dehydrated; too low, and the body is hyperhydrated.

He had the players from Manchester give a urine sample prior to play, and the values for nearly all the players were in the dehydrated range. This team is probably the best-cared-for team in the world, playing in an environment that is not nearly as stressful as the United States. Temperatures in the 80s are hot for them, but a relief for us in the United States. And they are dehydrated.

“I doubt that any youth team in the U.S. gets fluids pushed on them as much as Manchester gets it pushed on them.”
Here is a simple guidline for an athlete to follow for their fluid intake:

• 20 oz. of water 2-3 hours before exercise
• 10 oz. of water after warm-up
• During exercise, have a sport drink to maintain electrolytes in body, but contiue to drink water
• After exercise, drink a sport drink to balance electrolyes and replenish fuel level. Drink 20 oz. of water for every pound lost.

Athletes can monitor their hydration levels by weighing themselves before and after excerise, and they can even check their urine color. A good guidline for tracking your weight is that a pound is equivalent to approximately 24 ounces of fluid. For urine tracking, the lighter the yellow, the more hydrated the athlete. The darker and stronger smelling urine, the more dehydrated the athlete is. Proper hydration takes commitment and discipline, but is a great investment! Drink up!

Regardless if you play soccer for Dublin United Soccer or any other sport(s), ask yourself:

• How much of my sport is physical?
• How much of my sport is mental?
• Keep in mind there are not right or wrong answers to this question.

Now, ask yourself:

• How much time do I spend on physical training?
• How much time do I spend on mental training?

Chances are, there is some percentage of your sport that is mental, but you may be spending very little time, if any, on the mental side of your sport.

Being mentally prepared includes things like: knowing how to manage nerves or stress, having the ability to focus and refocus when you need to, having confidence in yourself and your abilities, and being able to set and accomplish your goals. Often times, coaches want an athlete to be able to “keep your head in the game,” “get back in there” after a mistake,  or “make that game winning play.” All of these requests require physical and mental skills.

The challenge, is that it may be difficult for coaches to explain how to do these things, or even have time to focus on these elements of the game. That is where Sport Psychology Consultants, or Mental Skills Coaches can get involved. Mental skills training is great for athletes of any age, and any level. Work with a Mental Skills Coach can help with the challenges an athlete is facing, but is also great to help athletes develop the mental skills that his or her sport requires.

Training the mind the way an athlete trains his or her body can give an edge over the competition. Often times in competition, skills level is pretty equal, so athletes want to find an edge wherever they can. Training physically at Velocity in Dublin California is a way to train the body, and working with a Mental Skills Coach is a way to train your mind. Both will help you develop your skills as an athlete and help to get an edge over your competition.

For more information on Mental Skills Training, contact:

Sara Robinson, M.A.
Mental Skills Coach
Sara_SportPsych@hotmail.com
(510) 449-9410
www.trainingthemind.com

Sleep Enhances Soccer Performance

First thing’s first: Not only do Dublin United Soccer Club athletes need to make sleep a priority but all Athletes do. Going to bed at a descent hour and getting a good 8 hours of shut-eye, definitely takes discipline.

We all know that sleep has many positive side effects. Sleep results in better moods, more alertness, and a general feeling of well-being. On the other hand, sleep deprivation can result in irritability, fatigue, lack of concentration and anxiety. Now, these effects are true for the general public, so let’s talk about sleep and it’s extreme importance for athletes and their bodies.

Cheri Mah, MS, of the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic and Research Laboratory is a leader in the study of enhanced sleep and athletic performance. She has conducted sleep studies on athletes of various sports at Stanford University. In one study, she tested five healthy athletes that were on the swim team, both male and female. She had the athletes maintain their current sleep patterns for two weeks, and tested their times in the first week. She then tested them after increasing their sleep to 10 hours a day for six to seven weeks. After sixth or seventh weeks, she tested their performance again and noted improvements for each athlete. Not only did the swimmers turn in faster times, but their kick count increased as well as their reaction and turn times.

For the amount of time and energy Dublin United Soccer Club athletes put into becoming the best they can be by physically training, athletes also need to allow their bodies to recover, build, and re-energize. Growth hormones are released while we sleep, which allows the body to repair damaged muscles, build bone, and encourages muscle tissue growth.

So do yourself a favor and turn off the television, manage your time better so you’re not doing homework late into the night, and get into bed and go to sleep! “Dublin United Soccer Club Athletes who obtain all the sleep they need might have a ‘secret’ advantage over their competition”.

An athlete’s ability to react determines how quickly he or she can make the right decision. Delays in responses can make the difference between winning and losing. Athletes who can accelerate the decision-making process have a competitive edge over their opponents.

The more possible moves an athlete can execute in a specific competitive situation, the more time it takes for an opponent to react successfully. This relationship is known as Hick’s law.

Tips to Improve Reaction Time and Decision Making

1. Study Opponents’ Most Likely Plays – When athletes know an opponent’s typical strategies or moves, they can narrow the number of possible counter plays. Scouting reports give valuable information to coaches who can help their teams anticipate opponents’ plays that signal planned counter moves.
2. Key in on Opponents’ Personal Cues – Spotting an opponent’s personal cues (e.g., their stance, where they focus) can telegraph their next move, narrowing the number choices and, thus, speeding up the athlete’s correct reaction.
3. Simulate Competitive Conditions – The amount and quality of practice under competitive conditions can reduce reaction time. Scrimmages and contest simulations teach athletes to make correct decisions under the added complexity and heightened anxiety levels of game conditions. For example, a black belt in a martial arts contest can accurately counter a variety of oncoming strikes from an opponent with minimal delay, particularly when familiar with the opponent’s actions under pressure.
4. Anticipate Defensive Players’ Actions – Offensive players can deceive opponents by luring them into responding to predictable moves . If opponents are unable to anticipate a new move, processing is slower. For example, a volleyball player may signal a spike, then suddenly execute a dink, effectively catching the defense off guard.
5. Find the Optimal Performance Zone -  Reaction time and decision making are influenced by how aroused, or pumped up, athletes are. Athletes whose emotions too run high in competition may detect a limited number of key signals because their attentional focus narrows under pressure.

Coaches can help athletes maintain an optimal arousal level through the use of breathing exercises, progressive relaxation, visualization, and meditation skills. Achieving the optimal arousal zone promotes effective information processing, minimizing the adverse influence of high level competition on decision making.

Train for Something – Most people want results from their training, but don’t know how to tell if their training is working or not. Well here is a good way to determine if you are getting something out of your training or just pretending to work hard. Sign up for a race, enter yourself into a competition, or join some form of a league that holds weekly games. I hear a lot of people say “when I get in better shape I will think about doing a half marathon” or “when I get a little stronger I plan to do my first Powerlifting meet.” No! Not when, but rather now. Find the next event you would be interested in doing in the local community calendar and then sign up for it. You would be surprised how much more of a purpose your training has once you have something to train for. Filling out a registration form and sending in a check makes it real. You may not win, but at least you will know what you need to do to get better.

Train with Someone – Some people prefer to train alone. It works well for them and they are no less focused than the person that trains with a group or a team. I for one prefer to have people around me when I train. It is not that I am not motivated to go and do it myself if there is none else around, but I enjoy the atmosphere of having someone to push me and to let me know when I did something wrong and what I need to do to fix it. Some of my best training sessions have occurred in a garage with 5-6 people packed into an area covering roughly 500 square feet of space or less. If you need someone to pick you up on their way to the gym just to make sure it gets done, then do it. Do what it takes to make the training happen.

Open your Mind – If you have been doing the same thing over and over for a long period of time. Try something different. Not only will you experience something different and challenging, but it might be just what you needed in order to get over the hump.

Those are just a few ideas to help you get more out of your training.