Entries from November 1, 2005 - December 1, 2005
Agility Like a Cat: Understanding the Power of Agility Training.
Like a tiger. I like that phrase, because great athleticism entails that great agility is mixed up in the power training formula. Lab rats like to refer to agility as the combination of speed, co-ordination, reaction time and power as important facets of sport related performance. Many people that I chat to on my favorite forum refer to agility as very important, if not the most important arsenal available to a competitive goalkeeper. So lets look at some training drills that a goalkeeper can utilise to increase their agility so that they attain the prowess of a big cat.
John Stevanja
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PrintWhy Running Barefoot For Aerobic Fitness Can Be Detrimental
Today on my favorite forum one of the gang discussed how she was running barefoot to strengthen her muscles and ligaments in her foot...on concrete! Now the funny thing is Mark over at A Passion For Running advocates barefoot running? I am hoping this is on something else other than concrete? I don't understand what could be the benefit of barefoot running on concrete other than some severely damaged ligaments and high stress on the bones and joints of the foot, maybe Mark could enlighten me? There are other options available that I utilised whilst growing up training in the great outdoors for the round ball game, here are a few suggestions:
What FIFA Thinks About Soccer Nutrition
What would Pele, Eusabio or the late George Best consume throughout the competitive training week? Chances would be that the nutrition of great players back then, would be widely different from that of today's competitive soccer player. With advances in technology, and the development of sophisticated sports science protocols in all sports, FIFA have outlined what they feel the competitive soccer player requires to stay ahead of the competition. Here is a list of some of the findings in a recent study:
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Understanding Cancer and The Competitive Athlete
If you have not already read Lance Armstrong's, It's Not About the Bike get you're hands on it. Every young and aspiring athlete can take a page out of Lance's book to understand that through sheer determination an athlete can become more than just what his/her sport entails them to be. Lance's fight against cancer has given hope to millions and has inspired many who not only suffer cancer, but family members who have lived through the effects of cancer with their loved ones. Lance's story really touches a very deep chord with me also. Cancer has been a very real part of my life.
Warm Up Your Winter Training Blues
While it's nice and warm down-under for pre season preparation. Some parts of the globe are really feeling the chill of winter. I've been there before, so I can totally sympathise. I remember being 15 years of age in the middle of Zagreb trudging in freezing -13 degree conditions pursuing my passion for the round ball. Just recently in Bury last year, I recall the soggy mud drenched bite of winter chilling me to my core, whilst training. So here are a few pointers I can suggest for staying warm, hydrated and training at your peak levels, even in bone biting cold conditions:
Creating Super Sports Children: Effects Of Cardiovascular Exercise On the Competitive Child
I'm a dad! On Saturday afternoon, 3:29pm my partner and I had a 52cm, 3.77kg baby girl. I'm elated and absolutely tired, but ultimately happy that both mum and baby got through a very healthy and natural birth. Today I came across a fantastic article that is showing that some parents go to great lengths to utilise sports performance enhancement so that their child has an added edge over their competition. It poses the question of whether we are utilising sports science to help or hinder our child. Obviously, sports science can help a child gain a competitive edge. But are we pushing little bodies too far? Here are some points that myself as a father, and we as parents (if any parents are reading this) need to ponder in relation to cardiovascular performance for the child athlete:
Short, Sharp Interval Training For Better Strength Gains & Lean Muscle
HIIT, seems like a "hit" in the gym nowadays, and although it is nothing really new, it is a fantastic way to increase your cardio, burn calories and increase power in your working muscles without jeopardising strength. HIIT is short for High Intensity Interval Training, and it is one small part of the A.F.P.P. (which we will be including in detail in the coming weeks). Short interval training revolves around short and fast time intervals with shorter recovery periods. So you get a big aerobic bang for your buck whilst at the same time keeping hold of your hard earned muscle. But there is a catch!
AUSTRALIA! FINALLY WE ARE THROUGH TO THE WORLD-CUP!
Toss and turn. An unblinking, awe struck silence filled my bedroom last night, as flashes of green and gold dangled in my mind, I could not sleep. Finally, after 30+ years, Australia has gone through to the 2006 World Cup. I'm so proud of the effort, and enormously happy for the team. Why? Well, firstly I grew up in Australia and secondly, I grew up playing alongside and training with alot of the guys who played last night. Young Jason Culina, and guys like Tony Popovic and Zeljko Kalac, whom were all apart of the Sydney United youth and senior teams of 1995 through to 1997, and whom I admire greatly for their hard work and dedication throughout their soccer career, finally they will experience the glory of the World Cup!
Pumping The Brain Muscles For Maximum Performance
It's not hard to see that as we grow older or adapt unhealthy lifestyles we are adversely affecting the health of our brain. Dr. Daniel Amen a prominent clinical nueroscientist has advocated a healthy lifestyle, better sleep and less stress for a healthier brain. Do we truly eat well, or consider our mental health as an after thought? We are sometimes more motivated by the outcome of a game or athletic event, rather than the mental preparation needed for success in that particular event.
Functional Strength Training Back With A Vengence!
Well it is not really that dramatic, or new to be exact. Functional strength training has really begun its march toward the gym room floor again, replacing the gun g-ho clang of rusty barbells. Functional strength training heralds the need for trainee's to get specific with their training. That means if you jump around a lot, (like us goalkeepers) then strength training activities that facilitate the exact movements of your specific sport (such as a jump) or daily activity need to be adhered to for maximum strength gains. Building muscle utilising functional strength training can entail a mixture of different activities, that don't necessarily rely on huge amounts of weight. Here are a sample training guide of different activities you can utilise for greater fitness gains without all the metal ringing around your ears:
Mental Strength For Goalkeepers Needed At All Levels
Take a tip out of Paul Robinson's book. The young keeper is now between the posts for England, and it's a tough task. Can you remember David James and David Seamen, and the criticism that was dished out to them for their blunders during their respective World Cup campaigns? At an elite level the media and criticism can be extremely overwhelming. Every mistake you make between the sticks can be amplified ten-fold. That's the goalkeepers plight. But you have to be mentally strong, and no matter how much you train physically, if you fail to train the mind, then you are bound to mess up somewhere during your game.
Light Therapy For Increased Performance During Night Games?
Have you ever noticed why your body begins to feel groggy right in the evening when you are settling down for the day? Many competitive goalkeepers and athletes face the challenge of playing some of their competitive matches at night. Night games were never my forte, especially when there was poor lighting. Have you ever heard of the Hawthorn Experiment? It's a scientific concept that is inherent in every organisational behaviour text book published since the late 1920's. Elton Mayo founded a study held at the Western Electrical Company in Chicago which revolved around the productivity of factory workers when certain factors were manipulated in their work environment. One of the variables was a change in the amount of light in the employees work area. Your point? I'll get to it soon enough.
Feel the Vibration For Strength and Power?
It was only a few months ago that I received a pamphlet on some radical new gym equipment that was based on vibration technology in the mail. The company was VibroGym and it sold the concept of Power Plate technology. The Power Plate produces energy which is transferred to the body and "...produces a stretch reflex, which depending on the frequency, results in rapid and intense muscle contractions 30-50 times per second". So what does this mean to the serious athlete or competitive goalkeeper? Lot's of power and strength supposedly.
Juice It Up For Fresh Powerful Antioxidants and Goalkeeper Energy
Sticks and stones might break your bones, but a little bit of juice won't hurt you. A recent report has stated the need for people to up their consumption of fruits and vegetables to increase vitamin and antioxidant uptake. Nothing new here, but how often are you really eating fruits and vegetables?
Specifically Speaking, For Goalkeeper Enhancement.
Just received a message today from a fellow goalkeeper who asked my opinion about what he needs to do to stay in shape for the season ahead. That's a big one to explain in one short message, but I understand his need. Supposedly he was training aerobically, for a long while. That lead me to the understanding that he does not have someone to guide him over the competitive season. I've been apart of it myself, training with the rest of the team. Well, the rest of the team are not playing between the sticks. That leads us to the need for specificity...has a nice ring to it doesn't it.
Life After Goalkeeping: Surviving Soccer, Savoring The Corporate World.
Sometimes you read stories that help you realise that goalkeeping is a powerful art form that transcends the soccer field and encompasses everyday life, even the monotonous 9 to 5 haul. Over the past decade I had a mixed experience of playing at very competitive levels, whilst trying to balance a 9 to 5. Sometimes the dream of playing the position of goalkeeper professionally can become skewed, and sometimes you don't realise that lessons learned in goalkeeping can pay huge dividends in your work life. One young chap has proven that the powerful art of goalkeeping can help young people excel to bigger and better things outside the allure of professional soccer.
