The Weekly Word: February 5th, 2023

My Brain Is Malfunctioning...
I don't know what is going on this week but my mind is struggling. I typically start this newsletter at the beginning of the week and get all the potential topics typed out. I then let each topic marinate in my mind for a few days before putting the finishing touches on it. But this week was a different story. Motivation was low and I didn't even open up the computer to work on it until Friday. I am going to chalk this up as part of the ebbs and flows of life where sometimes we are fired up to do things and other times, we really struggle. So as we begin this newsletter, I will start with something that I am grateful for... 

First thing first, I want to thank all the well wishers who congratulated me on the new position working as a physical education teacher. At the moment, I am only over there one day a week but as things progress, we hope to offer more which is something I am really excited about! They have an administrator that really values fitness and between the two of us, have dozens of ideas that would benefit the students in more ways than one. 

What I've Been Thinking About...
My favorite author Steven Pressfield often talks about the muse, which, according to mythology, is the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. He says that if you show up everyday to write, the muse will reward you with ideas. I showed up today and I think the muse threw me a bone and a topic to write about...

In back to back days I heard or read from two totally unrelated sources that discuss the importance of finding common ground. The first came from the Quaker book I have been reading (and finally finished!) which said, "Ground common to both parties is the highest ground upon which an understanding and friendship may be built". The second was listening to an interview with ecologist and conservationist Merlin Tuttle on his work with bats. He shared stories about how he addressed his naysayers and potential enemies by not going toe-to-toe with them and arguing but rather finding commonalities with them and then building a relationship from there. I think both are great examples and offer healthy solutions to many of life's potential conflicts. Find something that you have in common and then go to work on building that relationship.

Fitness Tip of the Week
Last week I came across a headline that read, "about 36 million falls are reported among older adults each year—resulting in more than 32,000 deaths." This headline put a shocked look on my face as it quite scary. As I thought on this, I came to the realization that maybe it is time we check in on our ABC'S: Agility, Balance, Coordination, Speed & Strength.

In working with kids, there is a phrase often used to describe one's developmental pathway and that is physical literacy. Just like you learn letters before you embark on reading a novel, you must first learn the fundamentals of movement in an effort to advance towards more advanced training modalities. In time, as we age, these skills and attributes deteriorate which leads to the headline written above. Here are a few ways to fight father time and implement the ABC'S into your training...

• Agility: Grab an agility ladder and move through some of the more basic footwork drills as part of your warmup. These short quick bursts of change of direction might save you when you trip and stumble over an object. Having the ability to react quickly may prevent you from hitting the ground!
• Balance: Performance exercises while standing on one leg or pull out the balance beam and get to work! Being able to stand on one leg for 10 seconds is a great starting place. 
• Coordination: Perform an exercise that involves the upper body and lower body working as one. This could be skipping, jumping rope, or learning a complex exercise in the gym. This mind-body connection is important in the fight against mental detioration.
• Speed: Find a small hill and run up it as fast as you can. You never know when you might have to tap into that speed and run away from trouble! I am not talking about the police here, I am talking about a loose dog at the park!
• Strength: Pick a few exercises (squat, bench, chinups) and aim to get stronger in each. Building strength in these lifts has a tendency to last. Being stronger now will mean you will be stronger later!

Get creative and have some fun with this stuff. If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask!

What I've Been Reading...
Win or Lose: A Guide to Sport Parenting by Dan Saferstein

The link above is a 29 page document that outlines ways to create and foster a positive sport experience for your child. The lessons go beyond the athletic field and it provides value for anyone who chooses to read it. Here is a small excerpt from the opening pages...

Most of us have an easier time being math parents than we do being sports parents. We don’t stand over our children as they’re doing there homework, hollering at them to round to the highest decimal or carry their zero. We trust that they’ll be able to figure things out on their own, and if they can’t, they’ll get the help they need from their teachers or by asking us.

What a lot of sports parents seem to forget is that young athletes also need the same space to figure things out on their own. They need to learn how to think and make decisions during game situations, which isn’t easy to do when your parent (or someone else’s parent) is shouting out directions.

Quote of the Week
"If they can't learn the way we teach, we teach the way they learn." --Ole Ivar Lovaas