performance menu 72- jan 2011

8/12/2019 Performance Menu 72- Jan 2011

1/24

MENTAL COACHING

ATHLETE CHARACTER

RITUAL OF COMPETITION

WHEN TO MAKE CHANGES

OURNAL OF HEALTH & ATHLETIC EXCELLENPERFORMANCE MEN


2/24

5Ask Aimee/GregAimee & Greg Everett

Answers to your questions.

8Our Little Furry FriendsMatt Foreman

Knowing if your athlete is a dog or cat personality

11The Ritual of CompetitionDaniel Camargo

Tricks to help you better prepare an athlete for competition

15Mental Game Coaching: And Interview With BillCole (Part I)Yael Grauer

Bill Cole answers questions about the importance of psychologi-

cal preparation for athletic performance

19When To Leave The One Youre WithCameron Conaway

Conaway suggests ve primary peasons to change your train-ing environment

22Cooking with ScottyScotty Hagnas

Recipes for health, performance and longevity from certied

culinary stud Scotty Hagnas

Volume 7 .Issue 72 .January 2011


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The Performance Menuis published monthly in digital

format by Catalyst Athletics, Inc.

On the CoverAImee Anaya Everett

Editor in ChiefGreg Everett

Managing EditorYael Grauer

DesignGreg Everett

SubscriptionSubscribe online instantly at

www.cathletics.com

Back IssuesBackissues are available at

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All content copyright Catalyst Athletics,Inc and its respective authors. Unau-thorized reproduction or distribution is

prohibited by law.

Info Contributors

Daniel Camargois a 20-year veteran in Olympic Weightlifting. He learned the Snatch and Clean

+ Jerk at age 12 and has never left the sport. As an athlete, Camargo represented U.S.A. in 9international competitions and set three Junior American Records. Now in his 10th year as a head

coach, Camargo has produced several State, Collegiate and National Champions. His latest

accomplishment was promotion to U.S. International Level Coach, as well as being elected as

President of the Florida Weightlifting Federation. In 2009, he was selected as Team Leader andCoach of Team USA and spent 10 days in Romania where he led the U.S. Team to the Junior World

Weightlifting Championships. His current gym, Almonte Crosst & Sports Performance near Orlando

Florida, is authorized as a USA Weightlifting Regional Training Center.

Cameron Conaway, MFA, NSCA-CPT, MMACC, was the 2007-2009 Poet-in-Residence at the University

of Arizonas MFA Creative Writing Program. He is the author of Caged: Memoir of a Cage-FightingPoet, (forthcoming Fall 2011 from Tuttle Publishing) which has received endorsements from UFC

Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock and renowned writer Dinty W. Moore. Hes 2-0 at 155lbs as a mixed

martial artist. Camerons book of poems, Until You Make the Shore, will be released January 2012

from Salmon Poetry. Visit www.CameronConaway.comfor more information.

Aimee Everettis a national champion weightlifter, former resident of the Olympic Training Center in

Colorado Springs, and an assistant coach for the Catalyst Athletics weightlifting team.

Matt Foremanis the football and track & eld coach at Mountain View High School in Phoenix, AZ

A competitive weightliter for twenty years, Foreman is a four-time National Championship bronzemedalist, two-time American Open silver medalist, three-time American Open bronze medalist

two-time National Collegiate Champion, 2004 US Olympic Trials competitor, 2000 World University

Championship Team USA competitor, and Arizona and Washington state record-holder. He wasalso First Team All-Region high school football player, lettered in high school wrestling and track, a

high school national powerlifting champion, and a Scottish Highland Games competitor. Foreman

has coached multiple regional, state, and national champions in track & eld, powerlifting, and

weightlifting, and was an assistant coach on 5A Arizona state runner-up football and track teams

Yael Grauer is a freelance writer. Her work has appeared in a variety of trade journals and

consumer magazines and she writes regularly for various websites including MMA HQ. Yael trainsin Brazilian jiu jitsu and teaches writing workshops both locally (in MN and WI) and virtually. For more

information, check out her website.

Scott Hagnas is owner of CrossFit Portland. He is certied as a CrossFit level 2 trainer and Circula

Strength Training (clubbell) instructor. He has been riding BMX atland for 26 years and counting

and has lmed/produced/edited several series of BMX videos, plus several training videos. He

formerly competed in bicycle trials, placing second in amateur in the World Championships in 1990

Cooking is one of his favorite pastimes.

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ter and receive weekly training tips, news

updates, upcoming event info, sale notifi-

cations and more from Greg Everett.

www.cathletics.com/newsletter.php
http://www.performancemenu.com/http://www.cameronconaway.com/http://yaelwrites.com/http://www.crossfitportland.com/http://www.cathletics.com/newsletter.phphttp://www.cathletics.com/newsletter.phphttp://www.cathletics.com/newsletter.phphttp://www.cathletics.com/newsletter.phphttp://www.cathletics.com/newsletter.phphttp://www.cathletics.com/newsletter.phphttp://www.cathletics.com/newsletter.phphttp://www.crossfitportland.com/http://yaelwrites.com/http://www.cameronconaway.com/http://www.performancemenu.com/


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This month is the rst issue of Volume 7the beginning of the PerformanceMenus seventh year. After six years and 72 issues, I believe we are stillimproving, and I have expectations of this continuing. In this time, Iveoften wondered if there would come a month when we suddenly have nocontentthat there would simply be nothing interesting or worthwhile leftto publish, especially as weve tightened our focus over the last coupleyears. Fortunately, that month hasnt come yet.

Weve consistently published four articles and a collection of recipes forprobably about two years. This doesnt make for extensive issues, but itmakes for consistency and allows us to maintain quality rather than simplypadding issues with ller material. Im not interested in creating morepages if it means publishing nonsense.

This year, we are expanding the content somewhat with a new featurethat allows you to get direct feedback from me and my lovely wife andstellar weightlifter, Aimee (Anaya) Everett. This is a great opportunity toensure at least some of the PM content is exactly what you want to read.Send your questions or videos for technical critique to ask@cathletics.

com.

Another change were making is no longer publishing any issue contentfor free on the siteall Performance Menu articles will be exclusive to thejournal and its subscribers. We will simply be generating more content forthe site.

Our recent reader survey has given us an enormous amount of valuablefeedback. None of it was unexpected and all aligned well with my long-standing assumptions about our readers, but all of you who participatedgave us some great ideas for improving what we offer (Well almost allof you. If I had the time and energy to look up the info in the database, Idrevoke the coupon from a few extraordinarily lazy survey participants

but I suppose those would be the same folks who would whine about itenough to not make it worth the trouble anyway).

Im looking forward to this year. Remember that were responsive toyour feedback via website comments, facebook posts and email. Donthesitate to participate.

Greg Everett

FROM THE EDITOR
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


5/24THE PERFORMANCE MENU ISSUE 72 JANUARY 2011 5

Brian Asks: Wouldnt the Jerk Dip Squat be moreeffective as an explosive exercise? I read a Russian

book that outlined an exercise of jumping with 50%bodyweight (similar to a jerk drive I guess) and it

found that those who could jump higher had a higherjerk, even if others had a stronger squat.

Greg Says:More effective for what? To improve thedrive of the jerk, yes. But thats not the purpose of theexercise; a jerk dip squat is to develop strength andposition. With an athlete who has an inconsistent orimproper dip position/movement, adding speed to itjust reinforces the problem rather than helping to correctit. In this case, my goal is to practice and strengthencorrect positioning, not improve explosiveness.

Jerk drives are great in theory, but Ive never seenanyone be able to perform them without pushing thebar forward considerably. This is not a habit I want toencourage. Its also pretty rough on the body to bringthe weight back down. You can do them on jerk blocks,but there is the same problem - people will push thebar forward or jump their bodies backward every time;if you try to just drop out from under the bar as it comesback down, youre going to chin check yourself. Sothen people, consciously or not, cut the drive shortto prevent killing themselves, and then theyre justtraining that - not nishing the drive of their jerks.

The best option in my opinion is to do a jumpingquarter squat from top or bottom depending on whatexactly you want to work on. Bar on traps like a backsquat. In a power rack or on jerk blocks. I believe thereis a video of this on the site under jumping squat.If youre working on the jerk specically, set the start

position with an upright torso and knees forwardrather than more of a squat position. These canbe done light to extremely heavy and there are noproblems preventing correct execution at any weight.Regarding the book, that those athletes who had

higher jumps were better jerkers doesnt mean theexercise was responsible; the exercise was, just likethe jerk, an opportunity to demonstrate that particulaathletic quality. Not to say that it couldnt help, butits easy to attribute success to things like that whentheyre not necessarily responsible.

Cheryl Asks: First off thank you for all that you do in

the strength and conditioning, tness, weightliftingand CrossFit worlds; it is very much appreciated. My

question is regarding weightlifting beltsdo you needthem, if so when? Pros/cons, proper t? What type/brand would you recommend? Ive read a lot of

information both for and against their use, but I amcurious to hear your thoughts on the subject.

Aimee Says: I think weightlifting belts are a valuabletool if used correctly and dont become a crutch. have seen many successful lifters lift without a beltand I have seen many who use a belt. We can alwaysask questions like, Would that lifter who doesnt use abelt be able to lift more if they used a belt? or Doesthat lifter who uses a belt only lift that much becausethey have a belt on? I dont think there is a yes ono answer to the belt question; I think it really variesamongst athletes. Some may prefer it, some may ndthem uncomfortable, and some may have never usedone and nd no need to do so.

I use a belt and I love it. I used to only use my belt onheavy clean & jerks and heavy squats, but now I useit during other exercises as well. A couple years agoI started wearing the belt during my snatches aftertraining with my good friend Natalie Burgener, whosnatches with a belt. I thought to myself, Well if this girsnatches the way she does using a belt, then it mustbe an asset! She told me how the belt made her feetighter when receiving, as well as off the oor. So I triedit, I loved it, and snatching with a belt became my new

ASK GREG & AIMEEGet your questions answered directly by Greg Everett or Aimee Anaya

Send your questions to Greg and AImee at [email protected].?



thing. However, I do not recommend snatching with abelt to any of my friends, unless they really want to. Thisis because snatching with a belt is uncomfortable formost, and thus, most folks think it sucks.

When do I use the belt? I use it when I back squat,front squat, snatch, clean & jerk, jerk of the rack, andsometimes when I do heavy push presses off the rack. INEVER use a belt when I do pulls, or deadlifts because

I want to make sure my back is getting strong, andmy body knows how to secure those positions. Neverever. Even if they are ridiculously heavy or if someoneis offering me chocolate. I never want to get to a pointwhere I am not strong, and NEED the belt; I want to beable to use the belt as a tool, something to help meout, and snaz things up a bit. Your belt should be yourfriend; a nice aid, a condence builderbut never thereason you can do something.

With this, I also only put the belt on when I get to about85ish % and up. An exception to this is in my snatches,where I put the belt on at a certain weight. The reason

is that I want to put it on early enough so that I getused to it.

Now, there is another exception, and let me show youwith an example. On a day that I am going to snatchheavy (above 80kg), I ALWAYS put the belt on at 65kgs.

Always. Even if there is a re. On days that I am goingto snatch 80kg or below, I dont use the belt. This way Ican get some good work in sans belt.

The same thing with the CJ. If I am going to be CJingover 95kg, I always put the belt on at 85kg. If not, thenI dont use the belt.

So I may not use a belt in an entire workout session,and another workout session I may use the belt onevery exercise.

To sum that all up, I try to train without the belt as muchas possible, so that when I do use it, I know I am notusing it merely to get me through the workout.

Regarding proper t, again, I think this is a preference.I have seen some athletes who tighten their belt somuch they can barely walk or bend-over. Have youseen that person? The gal or fella who walks over toa heavy stationary object and puts the end of theirbelt against it and pulls so tightly that they can thenhardly get it off? Ya, thats what I mean. Now, I amnot saying there is anything wrong with that, but thatis not what I personally try to do. I tighten it enoughso it is snug, so that I can push my breath against it,but not so tight that it is causing me to pee my pants.And then I loosen it immediately after the lift or set iscomplete. Retighten for the next lift or set, and repeat.Some folks like to keep their belt tight the whole entire

time they are lifting, even when they are sitting on thebench resting between sets and playing scrabble ontheir iPhones. Not me.

Once upon a time I used the leather belt. But here is myproblem with that. ATTN! TMI COMING. On a day thaI am having a very fat day, or extreme bloatednessdue to that time of the month, my belt would nevet right because in order to get the metal thing in to

the designated hole, the regular hole would be tootight, and the next hole over would be too loose. Sickof the aggravation of these times, I ordered the Velcrobelt from Valeo, and I didnt have to tighten it to thestandards of preset holes, but to my own desire.

But, again, some folks may think the Velcro belt sucksand you must use the leather. Those people are freeto make their own decisions, and likely dont haveperiods or fat days.

Greg Says:Whether or not you need a belt, or should

use one, is dependent on who you are. The rsthing to keep in mind is that in few sports or activitieswill you be wearing a belt; weightlifting, powerliftingstrongman and throwing are the only ones that cometo mind. If training for one of these sports, it makes sensethat a belt will have some kind of utility. For an athletewhose sports involves strength and power but is not ina controlled environment that allows a belt, such asa football player, any strength they have will have tobe applied without the use of a belt in the game, so itmakes sense that these athletes will need to have thetrunk strength to support their leg and hip strength. Ocourse, its argued sometimes that wearing a belt in

training allows the use of more weight, which developsmore strength. My opinion is that this doesnt makemuch senseif the rest of your body cant support agiven degree of strength, you wont be able to use it(at least safely) anyway.

For the abovementioned athletes who can use belts incompetition, whether or not to use them is still a choiceI see no reason for a powerlifter to not use a belt. Thesport encourages the use of gear, the goal is to moveas much weight as possible, and a belt certainly helpsthat, and I dont see any detriment in wearing oneThe same goes for strongman competitionthese guysare moving enormous weights, but more importantlytheyre putting themselves in compromised positionsand many events have a considerable staminacomponent. The back tends to give out before themuscles its supporting, so a belt can be the differencebetween success or failure and safety or injury. I havenseen many throwers wear belts, and Im not sure I thinkit would be particularly helpful; it strikes me as beingmore disruptive to uid movement. That would be avery individual decision.



For the weightlifter, belts are also a pretty individualchoice. Theres no question that a belt will help a lifterlift more, at least in the clean & jerk. Some nd it helpfulfor maintaining trunk rigidity in the snatch as well, butI nd it too cumbersome and prohibitive of propermovement and positioning.

I discourage the use of belts with anything less than85-90% or so in the squat, clean and jerk. Its important

to continuously improve trunk strength along with therest of the body. When its time to go big, the additionof a belt will add a bit more on top. Using a belt more

frequently and with lighter weights just makes a liftedependent on it; in some cases, psychologically morethan physically.

For weightlifting I prefer nylon belts with cam bucklesover leather belts with traditional buckles simplybecause theyre more adjustable and less restrictiveAs far as t goes, the belt should be snugged up a bittighter than you unbelted brace positiondont crank

it down like a corset and turn your trunk into a skinnybase that wont support any weight.

SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO [email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]



Most of the people I know love dogs and hate cats.

Sure, there are exceptions to everything. I know thereare a few odd ducks out there who arent crazy about

dogs, and we certainly understand that the world hasits share of cat people. But if I took a poll of everybodyI meet on a daily basis, I would venture a guess thatthe majority of them would favor the puppies over thefelines. Personally, I love them both, and one of thethings that never stops interesting me is watching thepersonality differences between the two.

Let me give you an example of what Im talking about.Imagine for a moment what happens when youbring one of these animals into a new house that itsunfamiliar with. First, think about what the dog will do.As soon as that pooch gets through the front door, he

will start running around the house to check everythingout. He wants to jump on every couch, sniff everyplant, investigate every room, and just generally havea wild and crazy exploring session with his tail wagginghard enough to knock over every picture frame in theplace. Hes excited, and he has no fear of anything.

Then, I want you to think about what happens whenyou do the exact same thing with a cat. For those ofyou who havent brought a cat into a new house, letme tell you how it goes. Most of the time, the kitty isgoing to get pretty cautious as soon as he realizesthat hes in a new environment. He will walk low to theground, move slowly, and most likely look for a bed orsomething that he can crawl under and hide as quicklyas possible. It will probably take at least a few days forthe cat to start getting comfortable with exploring thehouse and being sociable with new people. Cats arejust like that, plain and simple.

The thing that I really nd fascinating is how thesebasic differences in behavior can also be applied toathletes. When you work with people in a setting of

athletic training and competition, you can denitelysee which ones are dogs and which ones are cats.Some people have character traits that are moresimilar to Fido, while others are the walking, talking

versions of Gareld. As a coach, these differencesbecome more and more clear as time goes on. Thebehaviors you see in this regard will determine howthe athlete approaches daily workouts, competitionand every other aspect of what you do in the gymIf you want to be a successful coach, you need toknow how to handle each one effectively. Coachingis not a one-size-ts-all profession. Athletes have to be

talked to and handled differently if theyre all going toreach their maximum potential. Failure to comply withthis notion can leave you with an empty gym, so letstake this months article and see if we can come upwith some useful information about how to manage

the pet population of your training world.

Bow Wow Wow, Yippee Yo Yippee Yay

The rst athlete personality were going to examineis the dogs. When we talk about athletes who t the

dog temperament, were talking about the oneswho are high on aggression and low on fear. Theseare the lifters who will go 100% hell-bent-for-leather inevery single workout if you let them. Theyll attack theiworkouts the same way that dog will attack his newhouse investigation. Typically, the dog athletes havea erce enthusiasm for training and are willing to doanything you tell them to do...and more. If you wantthem to attempt a personal record six or seven timesin a workout, theyll do it. In fact, theyll probably keepattempting it until you tell them to stop, and even thentheyll argue with you because they just KNOW theycan hit that snatch on the fourteenth try. You oftenhave to run them out of the gym at the end of theday because theyll keep going until you shoo themaway.

Our Little Furry FriendsMatt Foreman



Dog athletes arent scared of much. The idea of failingin an attempt or possibly getting injured just doesntseem to enter into their minds. They view their wholetraining experience just like a golden retriever going toa dog park for the day with a master who has tons oftennis balls and all the time in the world. And like thedog with the tennis ball, these athletes like to challengeyou. If youve ever played fetch with a dog, youveprobably noticed how the dog brings the tennis ball

back to you after you throw it, but he also makes yought to take the ball out of his mouth before you canthrow it again. He likes to battle you a little bit. Youhave to grip the ball and really pull to get it out of histeeth, and hes not giving it up easily. Hes not doingthis because he wants to keep the ball and end thefetch game. Believe me, he wants you to take theball away from him because he wants you to throwit again. He just likes the playfulness of grappling withyou. Dog athletes are the same way. Theyre going toscufe with you in the gym sometimes.

For example, there might be a situation where the

athlete wants to work up and try a max attempt in theback squat because he/she is feeling good that day,but you (the coach) dont want him/her to do any maxsquat attempts because youve planned some near-maximum snatch attempts for the following day andyou dont want his legs to get too fatigued. This mightbring about a little back-and-forth exchange betweenyou and the athlete about who is going to make the nal

decision. At this point, you have to make the decisionon how stern you want to be with your treatment ofthe athlete. If you blow a gasket and verbally explodeon him, it might cause your entire relationship to takea turn for the worse. The athlete might walk away

from the tongue-lashing like a dog would walk awayfrom being kicked, and you dont want that. Whenits all said and done, you still want both the dog andthe athlete to feel empowered and enthusiastic. Ofcourse, there is always a chance that you might beworking with a turbocharged headstrong athlete whosimply wont obey your instructions unless you verballyexplode on him. These athletes are exhausting to workwith because they make you ride them like a packmule day after day. You have to practically beat themwith a hammer to get them to obey, and you haveto make your own call about whether its worth it toyou to keep butting heads with them over and over.If the constant combat is wearing you down, tell themto get out of the gym for a while and decide whetherthey want to train on your terms or not.

However, there are plenty of obvious positives aboutdog athletes. If you can get them under control, theyhave a much better chance of becoming successfulbecause of their natural intensity and willingness towork hard. Laziness wont be much of an issue here.And as with dogs, these athletes will often develop

a powerful loyalty to you as they grow and developThrough smart discipline and intelligent treatmentyou will wind up with a lifter who is not only a welltrained weightlifting machine, but also willing to chewsomebodys leg off if they give you any trouble. Its agood feeling when you reach this stage.

Hello Kitty

In my opinion, most of the athletes you work with inweightlifting will be dog athletes. This is simply becausea person has to have some dog in them to even giveweightlifting a try in the rst place. This sport requires

a lot of courage, even if the lifter isnt planning tocompete. Most people in the world jump out of theway when they see a heavy iron weight falling towardsthe ground. Weightlifters jump under it and try to catchit. That tells you something about what kind of peoplethey are.

Still, regardless of the basic principles of weightlifting

and what kind of personality they lend themselvesto, there are going to be plenty of potential traineescoming into your gym who have a little more of thecat qualities we hinted at earlier. First and foremost, caathletes will be much more cautious than dog athletes. hesitate to use the words fearful or scared becausethese terms both carry a negative connotation, andits important for a coach to always see athletes in apositive way. However, cat athletes will be very hesitantabout stepping out of their comfort zones. They wiloften have a particular amount of weight that theyare comfortable attempting in workouts, somethingthey know they can make consistently with very little

chance of failure. And it wont be easy to get themto load a few more kilos on the bar and take a shot atit. You (the coach) will have to push them to attempnew personal records. They wont instinctively go for ion their own. Also, they will often take a long time towarm up to you or demonstrate any loyalty, much likecats.

These athletes instinctively avoid situations that couldresult in pain, embarrassment or failure. It is worthmentioning that many coaches simply wont botheworking with athletes who demonstrate cat qualitiesin the early stages. Coaches will dismiss these athletesas cowards and simply conclude that they just donthave the mental disposition to be weightlifters. This iswhere it would be wise to step back and examine somemore productive ways to work with the cat athletesWeightlifting is a small sport, and its not easy to ndpeople who are willing to seriously pursue it. If yourelucky enough to train somebody who has legitimateenthusiasm and the desire to snatch, clean, and jerkthen it is worth your time to think of some interpersonatechniques that will keep this person around and give



them a chance to be successful. Even if they are timidand hesitant about taking risks, there are still ways towork with them. Mainly, the coach has to nd a way topush the athlete while still providing a sense of safety.Often, the cat athletes will be reluctant to attemptpersonal records simply because they feel like they willdisappoint the coach if they fail. As a coach, you haveto make it clear to the athlete that you are supportiveof them even if they dont always succeed. Basic

expressions like Well get it next time or Im proud ofyour effort can go a long way. Cats dont come outfrom under the bed when they get screamed at. Theycome out from under the bed when theyre condentin their surroundings.

Now, is it also possible for an athlete to be such abasketcase personality that theyre basically impossibleto work with? Absolutely, and Ive seen a few of these.There might come a time when you (the coach) haveto tell an athlete to hit the bricks in order to avoidlosing your other athletes because they wont train inthe same gym as the wacko. My personal experience

is that these types are few and far between, but younever know. Some cats have lived in a dysfunctionalhome for so long that theyre beyond socialization.They just need their own cage, plain and simple.

Its also worth mentioning that cats can be verydangerous when they feel trapped or defensive. Trydealing with a cat sometime when its ears are pointedbackwards, its back is arched, and you can hear itmaking a growling noise. If you try to pick that catup and scold it at that moment, be prepared to walkaway with some scratches on your face.

Species Identication

Where do you t in this discussion? Look at yourself fromthe outside and think about which animal you mostclosely relate to. How about your coaches? Wouldthey say youre a dog or a cat?

Looking back at myself as a young weightlifter, I thinkI was a pretty direct example of a dog athlete. I grew

up in a small town where the high school weight roomwas the only place to train. It was a free standingbuilding behind the football stadium, and it was alwayslocked during non-school hours. I didnt have time inmy schedule to take a weight training class, so I usedto go there at ve oclock in the morning and pickthe lock on the back door so I could get inside andtrain by myself with no heat, almost no lighting, andno coaching. Then I had to get out of there before the

teachers showed up and busted me for breaking in. wanted to be a lifter, and nothing was going to stopme from doing it.

When I nally hit the big time and moved to a gym

where I had a coach, I was not easy to handle. wanted to go as heavy as I could every single dayand I had no problems with trying a personal recordtwelve times in a row. I also had a deant attitudeand a short fuse, which didnt make me the worldsmost endearing young trainee. In retrospect, I have tothank God that I had a coach who didnt get fed upand kick me out of the gym. He certainly had reason

to. But as Ive mentioned in this article, he found away to condition me to his way of doing things. To usesome dog terminology, he had to swat me in the nosewith a rolled up newspaper and rub my snout in myown mess a few times. And he did it in a way that letme know he didnt hate me and that he wanted meto be successful. As time passed, I learned. I learnedwho the boss was, and I learned that following hisinstructions was going to put me in a better position tobe a champion. After a few years, my loyalty to himwas so strong that I would have chewed broken glassif he told me to.

You have to learn the same methods, and then youhave to develop your own style of conditioning yourathletes to follow your methods. It takes time, believeme. Coaching is a skill that takes a long time todevelop, just like athletic prowess. But youll be okayif you remember that people have differences, andthey require different treatment. If you dont believeme, put your cat on a leash and try to take it for a walkaround the block the same way you would with a dogSee how that works for you.



Athletes are a unique breed of people who bringa sense of passion and ego to any activity theyparticipate in. This is not only accepted but alsoencouraged. There are athletes who may play a sport

for recreational purposes, join an athletic club for socialreasons or train at a gym for personal enrichment. Butfor some athletes, there is a deeper calling to sport.Im speaking of an athlete in the truest sense of theword a competitor. Competitors have taken theirathletic prowess to a new level and opt to challengethemselves in the arena of competition. They believethey are destined for greatness, whether they actuallyachieve it or not. Athletes are those who always ranbetter on the playground, jumped higher than othersin P.E. class, and could perform tasks on the rst try.For those who dont have the natural talent, their spirit,hunger and dedication can in many cases close the

gap. This is the beauty of sport. That said, all competitorshave certain things that make them special. Its theirpassion, pursuit of greatness and obsession that providewhat all spectators come to see.

During my time as an elite weightlifter, I must haveexperienced every emotional and physical stresspossible. As a developing athlete, my stress levels wereconstantly changing from whether my techniquewas correct or how well I would do at a particularcompetition to how I looked or sounded during thecompetition in comparison to the older athletes. By theend of my career, having been a 3-time Jr. World TeamMember (1995-1997), the sources of my stress weresignicantly more focused on making the Olympicteam, staying ahead of the up and coming developingathletes, and maintaining high U.S. rankings. During thistime, I developed some specic tricks to help me focusand stay at ease prior to and during competition. Iteach these rituals to my athletes now and they haveseen huge success, just as I did. Though not all of them

have continued to practice my secrets, it certainly hasallowed them to discover their own rituals to set themat ease in preparation for competition.

Pre-Competition

It is important as a coach to account for the smallestdetail and prepare your athlete for anything. Thisbegins with ensuring that he or she has their geano matter what. It sounds so simple, so obvious, butthe truth is that I have witnessed many competitionsdestroyed by an athletes gear being lost by an airlineAs a U.S. National Team member, I was always forcedto travel with my gear close by. I could check a bagduring ights, but the equipment that was neededto compete such as singlet, lifting shoes, belt and

tape had to travel on the plane with me. This alwaysbrought comfort to me, since I knew that even if myluggage was lost in transit, I would still have my stuffto compete. You can have my toiletries, my extraclothing and my extra sneakers, but youre not takingmy gear. I continue this practice with my athletes. It ismandatory that my athletes ensure they do not checkin their necessary equipment but rather carry it onwhen traveling to competitions.

After arriving, gear in hand, preparation continues inthe days prior to competition. Most importantly, theday before competing has always been a sensitivetime for my athletes as it was for me. Training is acritical component the day before competition but itmust be light, aimed at loosening the athlete up rathethan being load intensive. Generally, I do not surpass60%-70% in any given exercise. In fact, I recommendany coach who trains their athlete the day or eveningbefore competition to do so by keeping in mind thatthe purpose is only to stimulate the nerves and keep

The Ritual of CompetitionDaniel Camargo



an athletes muscles ring sequentially. Not that theyllforget how to do so, but because this training sessionserves as a good stimulant prior to competition.

Following the training session, the waiting periodbegins. The evening leading to competition is evenmore important as this is often when anxiety builds. Asa coach, helping an athlete to manage this anxiety iscritical to achieving success the next day. Some best

practices are as follows:

Watch TV sitting up with all lights on as opposeto in dim lighting, lying down on the bed. Lyingin bed with lights low tells your body its time tosleep. When you dont follow through on thisdirection to rest, you will nd yourself unable tosleep once the television is off and lights areout. By then, it is too late. The body acceptedwatching TV with lights low as a time to beawake. Unfortunately, you will spend signicanttime trying to reprogram your mind, but sleepwill not come easy. Sitting up with lights on

offers the athlete the opportunity to shut it alldown and wind down for sleep later. Everheard how the mind can play tricks on you?Well. guess what? You too can play tricks on it.

Grooming is a ritual best done the night beforecompetition. For me, shaving my face, gettinga haircut, or attending to nails etc always gaveme a fresh, new feeling. This serves to revitalizean athlete and allow them to feel prepared togive a huge effort the next day. Yes, even in thesport of Weightlifting men may shave their legs.Of course, theyre going to tell you that it was to

minimize friction between the barbell and theshins on the rst pull as well as the quadriceps

during the transition and second pull (I beganmy career in a time when singlets were highcut, not the knee-length they are today) but,truth is they like the way it makes their legs look.

Do not try sleeping early in an effort to get a fullnights rest. This is a big mistake. I have foundwith my own career and my athletes careersthat the best thing to do is to follow the pointsabove and only lay for bed when one feelsdrowsy and sleepy, even if that results in theathlete only getting 6 hours of sleep. I realizethis may contradict what many specialistshave to say, but I speak from experience ofnot only myself but also of the athletes Ivecoached, which range from the 12-year-olddeveloping athlete to the 20- year-old elite U.S.Jr. World Team to the 45-year old competinglocally for the love of the sport. Attempting togo to bed early, especially if it is much earlierthan normal bedtime, places the athlete at risk

of a sleepless night. Their mind may wandeand they are likely to stress out about the timeof night and how they arent in deep sleepleading their body into restlessness. Now theynd that they cant sleep and as a result sleepfar less than the above example of 6 hoursor at least think they do. Perception is reality. Ithe athlete tosses and turns all night, most likelythey do sleep some but feel as if they were in

and out of consciousness all night long, whethethey were or not. That feeling is not one to havebefore being asked to compete at maximaeffort. So, I recommend allowing the athlete toread, watch TV or socialize quietly in a roomuntil the point where they begin to feel drowsyYou may nd this will actually come sooner asthe athlete doesnt stress about getting to bedearly and has the freedom and empowermentto sleep when they feel ready. By encouragingthem to stay up until they feel sleepy, you wilboth reduce some unneeded stress and ensurethat whenever they do decide to sleep, theyl

do so with ease, thus providing quality sleep. 6hours of wonderful sleep surpasses 9 hours otossing and turning.

Day of the Meet

Athletes tend to be superstitious people. The day othe meet is key in controlling anxiety and properlypreparing an athlete for a perfect day. Aftewaking well-rested and ready to compete, theathlete should do as they normally do to showeror dress. Once youre in the day of competition

theres no turning back. Its time to hit the venueand perform. I teach my athletes the following

Never change a routine. Competitions are notthe place to try something new, especially new1RMs, which Ill touch on in a moment. If anathlete never uses certain rituals such as sittingin a hot tub for hours the night before, thendont allow them to do so once in competitionmode. I encourage athletes to maintain thesame practices they normally perform duringtraining. Remaining consistent is important. Foexample, Ive caught some of my youngeathletes overdosing on energy drinks righbefore competition when they normally dontin training. Without wasting space on how I feeabout consuming these counter-productiveproducts, Ill only emphatically state to keepyour athletes (especially the young ones) awayfrom them. I would certainly have a differenopinion if what I have experienced was morepositive but unfortunately, or fortunatelydepending on how you look at it, Ive only seen



them cause problems. Drinking energy drinks toget pumped up to compete overstimulatesthe body. Ive seen plenty of athletes get thejitters during warm up or the competition. Asa result, they dont think straight and lose thatvery important connection between the brain,nervous system and muscular system--not tomention that their heart rate speeds, bloodpressure rises, and their body temperature

is higher than it needs to be, or that theycould be violating USADA doping guidelinesfor competition without even knowing it.Isnt natural adrenaline, excitement, andoverall anticipation enough to heighten theathletes awareness? Now, I am not in any waybashing energy drinks for the purpose theyserve. I just dont believe they have a placein competition, especially if the athlete is notused to consuming them in training. Why haveenergy drinks caused problems for an athletesperformance? Not because of the productthemselves but because the athlete will more

times than not consume too much. Ive actuallyseen a young weightlifter kill two cans of apopular energy drink only to become nauseousand irritable, leaving them unable to perform.

This next part applies primarily to OlympicWeightlifting focusing on maximal attempts.Ive had a long lasting practice thattournaments are not the place to attempt newpersonal records with the exception of closecompetition where its worth the risk in orderto win. Training is the place to try 1RMs. Why?Because you have all day to try. There are not

any judges, time is not of the essence and thepressure on the athlete is signicantly less. This

is the circumstance where continuous effortscan be made. In Olympic Weightlifting, theathlete has 3 attempts at a particular event.Thats it. Athletes should make the best use ofthose attempts and ensure they are successful.My philosophy has always been that it doesntmatter what you do in training; if you dont doit in a meet, it doesnt count. After all, werecompetitors. We dont call ourselves athletesbecause we only exercise. We call ourselvesathletes because we compete, we ght, wechallenge. What good is it to have a 150kg(330lbs) Clean + Jerk in training but you onlysuccessfully lift 125kg (275lbs) when in frontof referees? It is important that attempts,especially the rst two, are weights that havebeen executed a number of times duringtraining, perhaps in the range of 85%-95%of their current bests. If theyre strong, thoseweights will be enough to place high in thecompetition. If theyre not, well, why not keep

the athlete in their comfort zone and let themwalk away content with a good performancebecause they were not at the top of the classthis time around? Now, as I said, there is anexception to this rule--and that is in the case oclose competition. If you or your athlete is in asituation where personal records are neededto place high, and nothing else will matter, welthen you do what you went there to do, win

Put it on the bar and give it your best. Perhapsthe rush will give you the little extra strength andtiming you need. Just keep in mind; youll onlyhave that one chance. There are no repeats

During competition, there are always situationswhere athletes and coaches have to abortheir game plan and quickly change strategiesFor weightlifting, it comes when other coachesmanipulate the score cards to optimize theiathletes chances at winning but may leave youwith less time to prepare or, in some cases, waytoo much time. It can also come from schedule

delays but the most crucial component isstill time on the clock. A strategy that alwaysworks for me is to not include the athlete inthe decision-making process. Of course, youmust know your athlete and make choicesthat do not negatively affect them. There aretimes when you consult with them to see howthey feel about a scenario, but attemptingto alleviate as much stress as possible isparamount. The athlete has much to worryabout as is so leave them be. Its the coachsresponsibility to lter unforeseen problems andreassure the athlete that they have nothing

additional to stress about. Too often coacheswear their emotions on their sleeves, which wilultimately be reected in the athlete who feedsoff of the coach. If the athlete sees you stressand lose composure, theyll be thinking abouthe wrong thing when theyre called upon themain stage. Then whose fault is it when theathlete is distracted and does not perform?

Visualization is a huge part of mental preparationand stability. If an athlete can see it happenenough times in their minds eye, they are morelikely to make it happen on the platform. I oncewould sit in a corner between every warmup set, staring at the ground, visualizing that was witnessing myself commit the perfect lift. encourage all of my athletes to nd their besviewpoint and experience the movement, thestrength and the meet in their head over andover again. Dont worry. They will snap out oit when their name is called. You wont losethem for long. Then I ask them to see it againand again. My viewpoint was third person and



sometimes in the rst person. Once athletes getcomfortable seeing or experiencing a greatperformance in their heads enough times,theyll be amazed at how it becomes reality.

Athletes need companionship during theirmoments of athletic execution. Even those whoprefer to seclude themselves with earphones ina corner must know that not far away from them

is their companion, their coach. The personwho is their only connection to the logistics ofthe tournament and who gives him/her thenecessary information to proceed, to standup, to get ready. It is good practice to never letyour athlete feel lonely. They are in total controlof their performance. Coaches prepare andmold the athlete but in the end, during thoselast seconds of testing, it is the athlete who hasto make it happen. Nonetheless, knowing theyhave someone they trust nearby is essential.I make good practice of walking my athleteto the chalk tray and as far as I can until the

ofcial tells me Ive gone too far. It is at thatlocation that I wait for them on their return,whether successful or not. Even the toughestathlete needs that comfort. Give it to them.

There are people among us who are either born with,or develop the attributes of, being not only athletes butalso competitors. It is their physical and neurologicalcapabilities built on an unshakeable foundation oftheir spirit, pursuit, ego, and passion. Competitors

are continuously striving for more. During trainingthey sacrice themselves to pain and exhaustionattempting to maximize every second of their sessionsThey dedicate themselves tirelessly to be just onehundredth of a second faster than their competitor ojust 1kg stronger than the next lifter. Prior to competitionthey are in their hotel rooms staring at themselves in themirror, moving through their technique in slow motionvisualizing being on stage. Their rituals give them the

little extra edge needed for competition. Encouragingeach athlete to develop their own practices beforeand during competition can and will reduce a certainamount of stress and bring them comfort. Aftercompetition is over, what do they talk about? The nexmeet.

I can tell you that I have always experienced a deepemeaning of hard work and athleticism. I had alwaysenjoyed being an athlete, and now, coaching themwatching them grow, and feeling victorious. Athletestake with them a specic mentality to continuously

strive in life when they embark on the real world after

they have retired. Years after their athletic career is overathletes are still dedicating themselves to somethingbe it work, school or family. Once an athlete, alwaysan athlete.Its in us all to some degree but for those who choose,for whatever reason, to make sport an importance intheir lives it is a wonderful thing. I may be a coach nowbut Im always an athlete. Because us athletes, neverrest.



Can you describe some of the research youve doneon mental readiness?

Mental readiness in sport is analogous to a funnel lyingon its side. The broad end represents your normal life,and everything you have in it-school, work, family,social life, friends, hobbies, etc. The narrow endrepresents your sport in action, whether its practiceor competition. As you move closer to your sportingevent, you need to let go of all thoughts and concernsabout your real life and enter the world of your sportexperience. Sometimes this is termed putting on yourgame face or stepping into the bubble.

Mental preparation is comprised of long-termpreparation (training) and short-term preparation(pre-event routines and rituals). Short-term mentalpreparation includes psyching up strategies theday before, the morning of, just before the eventand during the event. These four phases are vital tohandling performance anxiety, focusing you on yourupcoming tasks, keeping you positive-minded and inproviding energy to drive your performance.

Everyone has a story about how great preparationslead to great performances. The key is realizing thayou have control over how you prepare.

Athletes, sales people, teachers, public speakersmedia people and anyone else who ofciallyperforms successfully uses pre-performance routinesor rituals. You can use routines to help you relax, focusand prepare mentally and physically for an upcomingevent. A ritual is a systematic series of steps undertakenprior to the execution of a task designed to help yousharpen mentally, emotionally and physically. You mayhave things you like to do ahead of your event that

make you feel optimistic, condent and energizedThis is your ritual. You want to perform tasks ahead otime that contribute to your focus and organizationYou should have routines you use to keep you calm, inthe proper mood and frame of mind.

There are two times to use your rituals. One is used formental preparation just prior to the start of your eventand the other is used during the event, but duringbreaks in the action, to re-focus or re-energize. In

Mental Game Coaching:Yael Grauer

Interview with Bill Cole

The importance of sports psychology in elite athletics was briey touched upon in our last issue, its importanceemphasized by MMA phenom Randy Couture. We therefore sought out sports psychologist Bill Cole, who hasbeen coaching and consulting in sports psychology for 30 years.

Cole is the founder of the International Mental Game Coaching Association, and has worked as an NCAADivision I head coach, a sport psychology coach for the Stanford University Baseball and the Israeli Davis CupTennis Team and the mental game consultant for the Irish National Cricket Team. Cole has served as a sportspsychology consultant for various elite level athletes, including 2006 Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time worldcurling champion Russ Howard and the Performance Menus own Aimee Anaya. I am a much calmer and moreconsistent lifter, thanks to him, she said.

Cole answered some pressing questions about the importance of psychological preparation for athleticperformance in this interview, which will continue in our next issue.
http://mentalgamecoaching.com/http://mentalgamecoaching.com/



addition, there are two broad styles of rituals. If youenjoy focusing specically on the upcoming event andorganizing details, thinking about it, imagining yourselfperforming well and can see yourself completing theevent successfully, you use an associative style ofpreparation. If doing all that makes you nervous, andyoud rather not focus on what is about to happen,and instead prefer to distract yourself by listening tomusic, reading, viewing television or the like, then you

use a dissociative style of preparation. Both styles arevalid and appropriate. The key is to know which oneworks best for you and to consistently apply that ritual.Remember that even not thinking about the upcomingevent is a legitimate style of preparing if you use itconsistently across all your performances. This is yourcustomized way of preparing to perform your best.

Ultimately, it may be best to work with a mental gamecoach to be able to purposively focus on the upcomingevent so you can iron out any performance issues andto prepare as fully as possible using the associativeapproach.

Having a ritual does not mean you are obsessed with itscompletion. Your ritual exists to serve you, not the otherway around. We hear about professional athletes whohave superstitious, elaborate rituals they must performto feel ready to play. We hear of sports stars that maynot shave the week of a big event, may eat the samemeal at the same restaurant and may wear the sameclothes for each event. This is extreme, but it does makethem feel secure and condent. Even for professionalathletes, the ritual should be easy to perform, takeno longer than a few minutes, always be under yourcontrol and not require any special equipment. This

way you can always perform your ritual.

Can you describe your approach for helping people

relax more and perform better?

Oddly, sometimes athletes are too relaxed, andperform badly. I coach one jiu jitsu player whocompeted at the US Open this year and did very well,but his previous years, before he called me, wereterrible. He was too relaxed. He would go his events,sit in the locker-room and meditate and get all Zen,then go out and be atter than a pancake. He wasnot afraid; he just had no energy. So the trick with himwas to add energy, add some edge. We worked outa pre-event process that got him pumped up to theexactly perfect level. Thats called psyching up. Butyes, the majority of athletes who compete need theopposite, psyching down. They are already too keyedup. Thats where relaxation training comes in.

To help athletes either relax, focus or handle stress andpressure I use a range of modalities. Relaxation training,

mental and muscular, are both part of our training. use elements of both of these disciplines. These areimportant parts of a mental training program, but theyaddress only one segment of an overall training plan.I utilize both Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) andself-hypnosis and hypnosis techniques in my coachingWhile some sports psychology practitioners use thesetwo modalities exclusively, I use a far wider range ofapproaches to help people improve. Even though

some of the same techniques and approaches maybe shared in both disciplines, the focus, purposeand outcomes diverge sharply. Sports psychologycoaching is mental training, an educational processI teach mind skills for learning and performance underpressure.

There is homework I suggest they complete, and howmuch they do is based on their motivation, their goalsand how fast they want to progress. I want them toreect on the coaching session, to make notes abouttheir reactions to my advice and strategies, and howthey performed in their sport. I ask that they maintain

a mental training journal and do mental gametechniques I present and then return with reports abouthow they worked. In short, I want them to be engagedin the coaching process as a co-partner.

My Master Plan For Peak Performance In Sport

1. Demanding, smart, realistic game-like trainingto build deservedness to win.

2. Self-image consistent with the task ahead.3. Self-discipline to build mental toughness.4. Comfortable, trusted mental readiness system

before the contest.5. Consistent pre-action readiness routines in the

contest.6. Trust in solid, repeatable, reliable technique.7. Smart strategic game plan with contingencies.8. Contest management plan.9. Focus in the present.10. Continuous monitoring of stress signals and

alleviation of those symptoms.11. Continuous monitoring of thoughts and

images with redirection of negative thoughts toa positive mindset.

12. Supportive, condent self-talk and images.13. Give yourself permission to win.14. Create a supportive, smart coaching team.15. Recall memories of past successes and apply

them to the present situation.

Key Concepts In Mental Training

Self-coaching: The set of skills that allow you tolearn, perform and achieve to your abilities, in aself-contained manner.



Self-Reective Skills: Looking back on yourperformance and learning situations so you canextract additional wisdom, learning strategies andfocal points for continued excellence.

Self-Monitoring: Actively becoming aware ofyourself as you learn and perform, in the moment,and after the fact.

Sport Is Not A Game Of Perfect. Its A Game OfAdjustment: The concept that perfectionismhas limited powers in achievement, and carriesdamaging effects to your focus and ability to getin the zone. Rather, it is adjusting performanceparameters that gets you closer to your goal, andkeeps you there.

Self-Regulation: The ability to monitor, adjust andcontrol mental, emotional and physical processesso learning and performance is optimal.

Non-Mental Factors That Masquerade As Mental

Issues: The phenomenon of faulty technique,strategy, nutrition, and other training andperformance factors that either cause mentalproblems, or to mask mental issues.

If someone doesnt have a sports psychologist, whatare some steps they can take to break past their own

mental obstacles or limitations?

There are athletes who make it big who dont believein sports psychology. But they are practicing its tenetsevery hour of every day. They just dont know it. They

may not be able to even explain what they are doingmentally. But they still do it. When an athlete is positiveminded, determined, sets goals, does not allow setbacks to deter them, believe in themselves, andpush themselves past normal limitations, this is mentaltraining par excellence!

On the ip side, far too many athletes practice whatI call accidental mental training. This is wherethey allow negative images in their mind, talk aboutthemselves in less than positive terms and dont takecharge of what is in their minds.

But for many athletes, mental training as a do-it-yourself project is not all that easy and simple. But forthose who want to begin a mental training program Isuggest reading books and inspirational quotes. Hereare a few quotes now:

There comes a time in every race when a competitormeets the real opponent, and understands that itshimself. -Lance Armstrong

If youre trying to achieve, there will be roadblocksIve had them; everybody has had them. But obstaclesdont have to stop you. If you run into a wall, donturn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, gothrough it, or work around it.-Michael Jordan

To succeed... You need to nd something to hold onto, something to motivate you, something to inspire

you. -Tony Dorsett

Studying the mental game pays dividends far beyondthe value you get from applying it in your sport. It canraise the quality of your entire life.

What are some common mental games people playwith themselves, or thought patterns that can limi

people?

More athletes would realize their potential if theycould just get out of their own way. This means tha

somehow the person is blocking their own performancethat they are engaged in self-destructive behaviorthat they are shooting themselves in the foot. If theyonly would stop harming themselves, their naturallybrilliant performances would simply come forth, as ion command.

For experienced performers, who possess solid skillsin their discipline, if they can do the activity well inpractice, but not in a competition or performancethen very possibly they may be blocking themselves ostanding in your own way of success.

Why is this not true for inexperienced performers?

These folks very likely have actual technical aws in theirskills, or lack well-formed habits that allow the naturaow to occur once in the performance. These peoplebecome tortured souls when their skills collapse underpressure, and they then announce to themselves andothers: I am a choker. I am mentally weak. Not soTheir actual SKILLS are weak, not their minds.

Years ago, I was a young tennis pro teaching on thestaff at the World Headquarters of the Vic BradenTennis College in southern California. Vic Braden usedto say this about mental skills versus physical skillsPeople who have lousy physical skills, but who havea positive mental attitude are STILL just going to behappy losers.

If your skills are suspect, you will always doubt youabilities under pressure. If you are not too sure youskills will hold up, you will not trust them at crunch timeIf you know your skills are aky, your mind will be also.



Now back to the skilled performers and how they DOget in their own way. What are some of the ways skilledperformers block themselves?

Lack of trust.1.Trying too hard.2.Self-distraction.3.Poor focus.4.Over-analyzing.5.

Thinking too much.6. Thinking at the wrong times.7.Showing off.8.Conscious performance.9.Wanting to succeed too badly.10.Focusing on the outcome, not the process.11.Worrying about what others think of them.12.

If your skills hold up in practice, but not a performance,you must ask yourself, What is different about theperformance? Discover what that thing is, andremove it. THEN, you will stop getting in your own way.

Here are the real answers of how to achieve peakperformance under pressure:

Make your skills solid enough to withstand the1.levels of pressure to which you will subjectthem.Let go of thinking, self-instruction, self-doubt and2.trying too hard during your performances.Realize that you do NOT need to think your way3.through your performances, if you truly knowwhat you are doing.Learn to LET GO of over-controlling and trust4.your skills. If you can do them at a high level of

skill in practice, believe that you can do this ina competition also.Seek consistent excellence, not perfection.5.Relax, enjoy and learn from the competitive6.experience. You are there to be a studentof the game, as well as to have a favorableoutcome on the scoring side of things.

Youve heard condent people brag about their

abilities? If you can do it, it aint bragging.

Whenever I compete (typically in BJJ), I always feelike Im on drugs. Everything seems slow motion, I ge

tired quicker, everyone feels heavier than they areCan you give some tips on how to handle that?

This disconnected, surreal, numbed-out experienceyou describe is common, and comes from the shockof competition. You can train yourself out of it. Asidefrom my usual interventions, these seem to be key to

correct this malady:

Become more tournament tough. Play more1.events and each one will seem to be lesspressure-packed. You will see competing asnormal.Make an overall game plan.2.Make back-up and emergency contingency3.plans.Stretch and exercise to burn off excess nervous4.energy.Visualize your success in the event.5.Warm-up everything you will use in your6.

performance.Watch your best performances on video tape7.if you have them.Be around people who support you and make8.you feel condent.Be around people who are excellent models of9.mental toughness.Know your opening strategy cold so it is10.automatic.Focus primarily on your strengths and leave11.practicing your weaknesses to your long-termtraining.Plan your day so as much as possible you avoid12.

stressful situations or conicts that drain youenergy and focus.Avoid over-training and scheduling any last-13.minute panicky practices that drain youcondence.



It is a tale of love and loyalty. A love that causesblindness; a loyalty that causes stagnation. Whenshould you leave your gym? When should you leaveyour coach or trainer? Is leaving the right move?

Most athletes think about this at some point in theircareer. MMA ghters who leave their team to trainelsewhere, even if for a short period of time, oftenmake headlines. Like anything in life, the choice toleave and the way its viewed by outsiders can bepositive or negative or both.

Georges St. Pierre is lauded when he temporarilyleaves Greg Jackson in New Mexico to train with JohnDanaher and Renzo Gracie in New York.

BJ Penn is criticized for rarely leaving his camp in Hilo,

Hawaii. When he loses, many pundits bring up the factthat his training camps are often with his friends.

Shane Mosley made ESPN breaking news when hered Jack Mosley, his trainer and father. A few monthslater, Mosley crushed heavily favored welterweighttitleholder Antonio Margarito.

The issue of leaving, however, is much more complexthan what we see. Athletes in all sports should alwaysleave the one they are with, even if just for a singleworkout or a few days. Here are ve primary reasonswhy leaving can be a good thing:

(1) Discomfort(2) Athletic Expansion(3) Reducing Burnout(4) Relationships Matter(5) Cross-Training

Discomfort. An uncomfortable athlete can be agood thing and a bad thing. First, the bad. Too muchdiscomfort, that is, training in an environment or with

partners the athlete is unaccustomed to can take aserious mental tool. Functional xedness is a term usedto describe the way our brain conserves its energy andmakes our lives easier through memory and repetition

For example, we no longer have to think about howto brush our teeth. Our brain has formed functionapatterns so that this process can be done withoutthought. The positive result? We can multitask andbrush our teeth while pondering if Lululemon Athleticais the stock to buy. The negative result? All patternsarent perfect, and dentists often nd that the samepatients miss the same areas of their teeth when theycome in for a cleaning every six months. So, an athletewho is two weeks out from a competition and needingto peak at just the right moment should not switchcamps and stay elsewhere. However, an athlete freshoff a ght or competition should absolutely take some

time and travel, say, to Brazil to learn of a new culturewhile sharpening their BJJ.

From a muscular/neurological standpoint, comfortcan be the body adapting. The powerlifter, like anyathlete, can and must benet from adaptations. Theilower back no longer gets sore from the deadlift theway it did when they were a novice. If their form is solidthey no longer have to think of all the details necessaryto perform the lift. This means they can enter the gymload up the bar with plates and bands and attack itwith 100% of their mental and physical energy. For themulti-movement performance athlete, this adaptationprinciple can be manipulated. A boxer, for examplecan stick with bread and butter moves like hittingthe mitts, but may occasionally throw in a session ofyoga just to teach their body new movement patternsthat may make them more athletic come ght nightAfter all, sheer athletic attributes can often trumpsheer technique. See Bob Sapp vs. Antonio RodrigoMinotauro Nogueira or a prime Roy Jones Jr. vs.anybody.

When to Leave the One Youre WithCameron Conaway



The choice isnt if to leave your gym or training partners,its when.

Athletic Expansion. Different athletes at differenttraining locations move differently be it becausethey train different techniques or because they trainthe same techniques in different ways. Like any otheranimal, we humans mimic the successful movementsof others. Whether consciously or subconsciously, we

often dress with the style of those who are nanciallywealthy even if we are not. The same can often go fortraining. When GSP heads east to Manhattan, he bringshis grappling aws (it may seem unreal, but he doeshave them) to John Danaher who, like a blacksmithshaping cast iron, renes GSPs techniques. In thissense, GSP is improving his technique and becominga more efcient athlete.

BJ Penn, although he often stays at the same camp, didbring in Marv Marinovich, a strength and conditioningcoach who has worked with many elite athletesincluding Pittsburgh Steelers star safety Troy Polamalu.

Marv revamped BJs training routine by incorporatingdifferent explosive movement patterns than what BJwas used to using. The result? BJs body was able toretain the benets of training movements he becamecomfortable with because hed been using them foryears rolling in the gi, for example but he was alsoable to develop a more dynamic lower-body capableof moving explosively in new ways and new directionsthanks to Marvs unique training regimen. Obviously,BJ is the top dog at his gym, and when youre the topdog at your gym its essential that you either leavefrom time to time or bring in people who can push youin ways youre unaccustomed.

The mental game is an oft-neglected aspect in everyathletes program. Shane Mosley, by ring his trainer/father, cleared himself of a certain stressor and wasable to develop a new professional relationship, andlearn a new, perhaps more efcient way of performingthe same fundamental movements of boxing. Henow had a trainer without the baggage of also beingan empathetic father. He now had a trainer, NazimRichardson, who didnt know how Shane was usedto training, who wouldnt do a workout routine justbecause Shane had been doing it for years. This, in myopinion, helped Shane to avoid becoming stagnantas a ghter. He responded brilliantly with an upset 9 thround knockout victory over Margarito.

Reducing Burnout. Seeing the same gym signs, rollingon the same mat, squatting in the same rack, chattingwith the same people it can all lead to a loss of lovefor the activity. From the beginning of time, functionalxedness has been whats kept us alive. Our ancestorsdidnt have to wonder if a certain berry was poisonous theyd been eating it every day for twenty years.

They didnt have to wonder if the meat of a deer wasedible. However, functional xedness isnt what kephumans evolving. It provided a base that allowed focreativity and the learning process.

Athletes need to hear different sounds, see differenpeople at the gyms front desk, compare themselvesto new athletes and wonder how or if they stack upTraveling to various gyms across the country is a new

experience that can keep the ame for their chosensport alive. A soccer player burnt out in the UnitedStates might nd a renewed interest if he or she travelsto Costa Rica and practices with their team.

Burnout can inhibit an athlete from pushing themselvesto their limits. It can change their sleep patterns, makethem question how theyve spent their life and evencause them to sink into a minor bout of depressionThe best time to temporarily leave your gym is beforeany of these symptoms occur. Learning cant stop. If idoes, so will the re and the love.

Relationships Matter. As in Shane Mosleys case, heneeded a new relationship to progress his careerHowever, even relationships are under intense studyright now by sociologists. Because of advances intechnology and our increasing reliance on televisionas a form of companionship, studies are nding

that people who are not members of groups in theicommunity or who do not know the neighbors wholive just a few feet away are more likely to suffer fromdepression and cognitive decline than those who areactive in their community and engaging with theineighbors.

The Art of Happiness in a Troubled World is a book bythe Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler M.D. that exploresthis issue as a central theme. Relationships matternot only practical relationships that help our businesscareers or advance us nancially, but relationships fothe sake of conversation, new perspective, friendshipRelationships matter because they develop trust andhelp develop deep inner-happiness. A happy athlete ismore likely to respond to negativity and loss (inevitablein any profession) with condence and courage thanan athlete without a support system, without a senseof happiness that is achieved outside of their givensport. Kevin Rooney, Mike Tysons former trainer, toldme that Tysons decline coincided with the declineof the relationships in his life. When Tysons trainer andfather gure (Cus DAmato) died, he began losing

control of himself. When Tysons marriage to actressRobin Givens began to crumble, so too did his trainingand subsequent in-ring performances.

Cross-Training. We all know the benets of cross-training, but sometimes even our idea of cross-trainingisnt radical enough. Sometimes we swim or hit the



mountain biking trails instead of heading to the gym sometimes were too consistent in choosing thesemethods. The advice here is simple: expand yourhorizons. Bikram Yoga, a 90-minute intensive poweryoga sequence performed inside a 105-degreeroom, will test any athletes endurance, balance andstabilizer muscles. It can and will test an athlete in away their body is not ready for. The following morning,the minute muscles in an athletes feet may ache from

balancing on one foot. Their hamstrings may be sorefrom the deep stretching that only a super-heatedbody can tap into.

An athlete used to sprinting will feel sore in their trapsand abs after incorporating box jumps.

A world-class Olympic lifter will feel awkward in aZumba class.

An athlete used to performing low reps with heavyweight may absolutely shock their system when theybang out sets of twenty-ve-rep squats.

Anderson Silva received a lot of attention when hebrought in Aikido-celebrity Steven Seagal to help trainhim for Chael Sonnen at UFC 117. But, it was new andfresh training. Anderson was constantly laughing andhaving fun while he was learning (even if what he was

learning wasnt the most practical stuff in the world)Here he was cross-training by learning another martiaarts core, and, by all accounts, he had a good trainingcamp lled with a ton of humor.

Early in an athletes career, they may get by with purehunger for success. That hunger may stem from pastpain, as a result of nancial instability or for many othereasons. But when an athlete reaches a certain level of

personal success, their past hungers wear off and theyoften nd themselves struggling to nd the same rethey once had. Some athletes continue to be drivenby money to support themselves and their family, someby their pure passion for the sport. But either way, thenegative energy they once used as a re may fadeand if its replaced by genuine happiness, an athletemay be able to stay on top for a long time. After allsustainability is what were after.

These are just a few reasons of many to leave the oneyoure with. Moves can be temporary (a 90-minuteBikram class) or a permanent relocation. They can be

forced on an athlete or consciously decided by theathlete. Regardless of sport, think about where you oryour athletes are mentally, environmentally and bodilyCan advances be made in any of the ve areas aboveas a result of exploration?



Red Caraway Sauerkraut

Fermented foods have long been a part of ancestraldiets. Sauerkraut is easy to make, and it improvesdigestion and nutrient availability. Youll need a widemouth canning jar and a smaller bottle that ts inside.

Active time: 8 minutesTotal time: 10 days-2 weeks

1/2 head red cabbage 3 tsp caraway seeds

2 tsp sea salt (non-iodized)

Chop the cabbage thinly, or use a food processor.Place into a large bowl, add the salt and carawayseeds; mix well. Allow to sit for 30 min to 1 hour. Add thecabbage to your canning jar, pushing the cabbage

down and packing it tightly. The brine should begin

to rise above the cabbage. An empty bottle workswell to pack the cabbage. Dont ll the jar all of theway; leave some space at the top. Fill your bottle withwater, then leave it in the canning jar. The weight othe bottle will keep the cabbage from oating to thetop during the fermentation process.

Let the jar sit out at room temperature for around 2weeks. If the brine level drops, add a bit of saltedde-chlorinated water* so that the cabbage remainscovered. Once the fermentation is complete, coveand refrigerate the sauerkraut.

*Chlorine in the water will prevent the fermentationprocess. Use ltered water, or you can leave the wate

to sit out overnight before using.

Nutritional info: 8 servings at 3g carb

Hawaiian Chicken Livers

Here is a delicious way to prepare chicken livers. Thisrecipe can be a good introduction for those not usedto eating organ meats, as the strong spices will coverthe avor of the liver.

Time: 12 minutes

1 lb chicken livers 3 green onions, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped 1 Tbsp minced ginger 1 Tbsp coconut oil

This month, well look at a couple more Maui inspired recipes, plus well delve into a few fermented foods. Also,by popular demand, Ive included a few really quick recipe ideas. Enjoy, and best wishes in 2011!


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