What I've Been Thinking About...
We had an interesting talk this week at the gym with some of the kids about whether or not they would rather look cool or be cool. The way to define "cool" varies but my response when asked was similar to Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart's remark in the sixties regarding obscenity in film: "I know it when I see it". Surprisingly, in what I thought would be a slam dunk win for "Be Cool", "Look Cool" ended up getting about half of the votes. This frustrated me a bit. Kids put a lot of pressure on themselves to look the part. They make decisions with others in mind rather than doing what they feel is right. This leads these kids down a path of decision making that is effected by outside variables. They choose based on how others will respond and in the end, they are not being true to themselves. They will not feel comfortable in their own clothes and this is no way to live. I think we all go through at some point in our lives and the sooner we can choose based on how things make us feel, rather than what others think, the sooner we can find happiness in our own lives. Fitness Tip of the Week I had a great talk with a friend this week who has her doctorate in physical therapy. We discussed a lot of things but one area that really stood out is the importance of taking a holistic approach to healing. When I say holistic, I do not mean putting crystals in your window at night and chanting sacred chants. What I mean is taking a look at the whole picture and understanding that with the body, just about everything is interconnected in one way or another. One of the areas we discussed involved pain and how the pain site is only a small piece of a giant puzzle. Often times we treat the pain site with stretching, ice, and/or NSAIDS without first looking at what might be at the root cause. Factors like sleep, hydration, stress, and activity levels can all play a role in that hamstring feeling tight, the back being sore or the shoulder pain you experience placing something overhead. If we fail to look at the whole picture, we may never get to the root cause of the pain or discomfort that you are feeling. If this occurs, the pain will linger and potentially worsen to the point of it becoming chronic. Chronic pain then leads to depression, anxiety, difficulty sleeping and an overall decrease in quality of life which will exacerbate the pain. This cycle will then continue and it is no wonder that over 50 million American suffer from chronic pain. To view the full discussion, check out our talk: An Interview with Dr. Becca Eberly! Creating a Positive Sport Experience By the age of 13, over 70% of athletes stop participating in a given sport. When asked what the reason is, the most common response is that they just aren’t fun anymore. If we want to reduce the dropout rate and keep kids participating in sport for a lifetime, they need autonomy, intrinsic motivation and of course, joy! In order to bring joy back into youth sports, I will share six things that all grownups should stop doing if we want the kids we work with to have a positive sport experience.
What I've Been Watching... The Playbook on Netflix. This documentary series interviews five of the top sport coaches in the world as they share the rules they live by to achieve success in sports and in life. So far I have only watched episode one which features NBA Coach Doc Rivers and I have to admit, I love that guy! There were two things that really stood out to me. The first is the declaration of "I will not be a victim." Over his 60+ years on earth, he faced setbacks being a black man in America, in sport, in life, and just about everywhere. One thing he never tried to be was a victim of any circumstance that he encountered. This mindset allowed him to persevere through difficult times and the man he became today. The second is his team-first mentality. It is not me, but we on his teams and every decision he makes is in the best interest of his team. Not him, not the owner, not the fans or his star player but the team. I respect that and believe it is a reason he has been a successful coach for 20+ seasons. Quote of the Week "If anyone can refute me – show me I’m making a mistake or looking at things from the wrong perspective — I’ll gladly change. It’s the truth I’m after and the truth never harmed anyone. What harms us is to persist in self-deceit and ignorance.” -- Marcus Aurelius I hope you all have an awesome week! Chris Fluck
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