www.MichaelReid.ca

"Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure."

-- George Woodberry, Poet

comments: 

This is so relevant to sports and fits perfectly with the old cliche of "you gotta shoot to score".  In professional basketball where a good shooting percentage is in the 45-50% range you definitely cannot be afraid of whether you make the shot or not. 

It's also not always about your make to miss ratio but did you take the right shot.  Knowing when to shoot and when not to is a skill that is learned from playing your sport for many years, it's a product of being a student of the game.

Be Well,

Mike Reid 

My Life has Changed Forever!

Sounds grim but it is a good change.  Yesterday morning my partner Katinka naturally delivered a baby boy, which is our first child.

This will be a wonderful lifelong journey with so much to learn.  One thing I know for sure, it's going to be interesting!

The picture is of my son, Istvan William Reid and I about 30 minutes after birth. 

Be Well,
Mike Reid

12 Week Jumping Program - Why do Strength Training

If you are doing the jump program you need to be doing a strength training program involving squats. One reason why is that you will see greater gains in your vertical jump with combine strength and jump training. 

Adams et al. found that a strength program based on squats and jump exercises improved vertical jump more then doing just the strength or jump programs on there own.

• Strength Only Program improved vertical jump by 3.3 cm.

• Jump Training Only Program improved vertical jump by 3.81 cm.

• Combined Strength & Jump Program improved vertical jump by 10.67 cm!

Be Well,

Mike Reid

references:

Adams K, O'Shea JP, O'Shea KL, Climstein M.  The Effects of 6-Weeks of Squat, Plyometric and Squat-Plyometric Training on Power Production.  Journal of Applied Sports Science Research.  1992 vol 6 issue 1 p36-41.

12 Week Jumping Program

Before you even consider doing this program you must first read "Got Hops?", a post I wrote on improving your vertical jump. 

Have you read it? 

Are you doing it?

If not, then start with doing the program outlined in "Got Hops?", do not even concern yourself with the below program, don't even open or download the document.  You must first follow my "My 4 step guide to jumping high" as outlined in "Got Hops?".

Got it?

Be Well,

Mike Reid

Pictured here on he the left is Benson Callier of Gothia Basket, he got big hops!

Water Polo Science: part IX - it is all about the legs

Here is a video interview of Terry Schroeder, the head coach of the USA Men's Water Polo team.  It was from before the Beijing Olympics where the USA won a silver, losing to Hungary in the final.

He states in the interview regarding Water Polo that "Everything in the game is about the legs".

You got to have good legs to succeed, it is something I wish I did more work on as a youth.  Replace some of those endless miles of swimming with some serious leg work which will not only make you a better player but take some of the stress off of your shoulders which is one of the most common areas of injury.

Be Well,
Mike Reid

Water Polo Science: part VIII - strength training tips

If you do a search on the internet for "water polo strength training" you will not find that much information.  Starting today, that is all going to change with some strength training tips for Water Polo athletes.  Plus, in a future post I will give an example of a strength program you can do on the pool deck before or after practice.

But now on with the tips:

1. Always do more pulling exercises then pushing.  Try a 2:1 to even a 3:1 ratio.  e.g. Pulling Exercises: Pull Ups, Chin Ups, Seated Rows, Dead Lifts.  E.g. Pushing Exercises: Bench Press, Push Ups, Military Press. (see below videos for some pulling exercises)

2. Be very careful with to much bench pressing, especially if you are not following #1.
3. Push Ups are a great pushing movement for keeping you shoulders healthy.  There are lots of variations. (see below video)

4. Be very careful with doing to much stretching to the front of your shoulders.  Most Water Polo players are to flexible in the shoulders (particularly the Glenoid-Humeral Joint).  Instead focus on the mobility of your thoracic spine (see below video).

5. Train your legs.  Good Water Polo players have strong legs, great players have crazy strong legs.  Regardless of position, leg strength is a huge factor in your performance in the water.  If you want a better shot, train your legs.  Want a quicker return on the counter attack, train your legs.  Want to be a more explosive driver, train your legs.  Want to dominate at the centre forward position, then train your legs.  Walking lunges is one example of a good leg exercise (see below video).

6. Just in case you did not understand #5, train your legs!
7. Use Free weights, stay away from machines.  No exercise machine will ever be made that will out perform what can be accomplished with free weights (paraphrased from Mike Boyle).
8. This is one shoulder stretch you can do: Sleeper Stretch
9. Do not worry about being sport specific in the weight room.  Get strong using free weights and do your sport specific training in the water.
10. Technique is always the first thing you need to learn in the weight room, get a qualified coach. 

Strength training is a very powerful tool and when done right it can have a very positive impact on your sports performance, done wrong and it can destroy your athletic career in one session.

Be Well,
Mike Reid