Author: Coach Wheeler

Intensity Wins

This past week, I witnessed an interesting example of how “Intensity wins basketball games”. Before I tell you that story, let me explain what I mean by “Intensity” as it relates to athletic competition.

Focus + Energy = Intensity

I know you have seen it in games. One team or maybe just a few players on a team want to win more than the other team. They are more “dialed in” on what they need to do as well as what the other team is giving them. These teams have more energy and they get to the loose ball more often than the other team. They are focused. Nothing distracts them when their opponent applies pressure. They execute their game plan and adjust to situations as they come up. They are intent on winning. I have yet to see a team lose that maintains their level of concentration and engages with energy.

Are some times when teams overmatched and have little chance to win? Yes … but they are usually overmatched in how intense they are playing as well.

Where does Intensity come from?

As a coach, how can you improve the intensity that your team brings to the floor? It’s a deep subject but let me say this, “The ability to play with intensity is a skill that is built in the unseen hours of practice and the off-season.” Intensity, while a skill that can be improved, is also a form of character. Players with intensity have enough ego to believe they can win and the will or determination to make it happen. It is rarely something that happens by accident.

I hope you have a sense of what I mean. I may write more about it in the future because I feel it is a topic that is often overlooked yet is critical to a winning mindset. If you want to discuss it further, send me a note via the Coach Wheeler Contact Page or leave a comment below this post.

Back to this week’s game…

The teams were evenly matched with similar records. Physically they were very similar as well. The difference in the intensity that one team brought to the contest showed up early in the first half. They raced out to a good lead. Double digits at times.

The other team mustered a bit of competitive energy and fought back to within 6 points or so. The first team did not lose their intensity and rebuilt their lead. As the game winded down, with less and less time remaining, something interesting happened.

Intense Patience

The team with the lead applied their intensity toward being patient and getting the best shot they could. In this state there is no shot clock so they were able to extend their possession time which reduced the chances for a comeback by the other team.

There were a few sparks of intense effort from a couple players on the other team but there were other players who had clearly given up. In a team sport like basketball, if someone gives up it is very difficult for a team to function at a high level.

It was such a clear demonstration of how intensity wins basketball games that I had to pass along the story to you. Do you have examples of how your team’s intensity helped you win? Or the opposite? How do you channel your teams energy into an intense focus on the game and not on distractions? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Your Food Mindset

Cookie Monster - Your Diet Expert?
Are your food choices and eating habits similar to this guy?

Have you ever thought about how Food affects your Mindset? When you think about it, if you aren’t fueling your body with the right foods it is nearly impossible to perform at your best, either physically or mentally. Your food can also impact your mood… we have all been “Hangry” at one time or another (to quote a Snickers commercial). But is a candy bar really the right long term solution? This article will address what goes into developing and implementing a successful Food Mindset. In other words, we will cover what you need to do to improve your body & mind through the food you eat.

3W’s for developing a successful Food Mindset

(1) Why do you eat?  Are you eating for Health or for Fun? Are you usually eating to create your Best Body? Or is taste more important than nutrition for you? Does your food support a lean, low-fat body so that you are not carrying excess weight that will slow you down on the court? Or do you rely on food as a “drug” to manage your mood?

A clear idea of your motivation(s) when it comes to food will help you make better choices and stick to a plan that supports you reaching your potential on the court and in the classroom.

(2) What to eat. Do you have the knowledge you need so you know WHAT foods are the best to eat? Are you aware of what NOT to eat as well? There are many competing ideas when it comes to nutrition… from fad diets to traditional approaches to the latest research, so it can be nearly impossible to know everything.

I like to keep things simple. The first thing you need to know are the basic food groups… Fats, Proteins, Carbs. Within these groups there are good foods and bad foods. For example, there are “slow carbs” like veggies that boost your blood glucose level over a longer time versus “fast carbs” like pasta, sugary foods or soda which causes your blood glucose to spike to high levels quickly and then crash back down leaving you craving more food.

By converting food into blood glucose your body fuels your brain and muscles. This is how what you eat can have a huge impact on how you feel and how you will be able to perform.

As important as knowing WHAT to eat is knowing what NOT to eat (or at least limit as much as possible). There are three things (the 3 S’s) that are at the top of the list of foods to avoid… Sugar, Soda and Syrup.

Sugar is the ultimate “fast carb” and it shows up in more foods than you might imagine. It is not just candy. Sugar is included in things like bread, pasta and many other “fast carbs”. Quick note: veggies are ‘slow carbs’. Fruits are ‘fast carbs” but not quite in the category of sugars since fresh fruit often has fiber that helps your digestion system.

The second ‘S’ is Soda. Soda drinking is often just a habit, especially for young athletes. If you can change your “default drink” to water, your taste buds will adapt and eventually you won’t even want the sicky-sweet taste of sodas. Note: Diet Sodas are not the same as water, even if they claim ‘zero calories’. They are loaded with chemicals that are not doing your body any favors. Learn to drink water 1st !

The third ‘S’ is Syrup, in particular High Fructose Corn Syrup or HFCS. Don’t be tricked by the fact that it has “fructose” in the name and that is the sugar typically found in fruit. Plus it comes from corn, so how bad can it be? Plenty bad. It is even sweeter than sugar and is in almost every prepared food you find in the supermarket. Check food labels and work to remove it from your diet. Note: It won’t be easy… but with work it is possible.

Eating for Life by Bill Phillips

A good book on the subject of food for athletes is Bill Phillips’ “Eating for Life”(Amazon link). This book was a follow up to his successful book, “Body for Life“, (Amazon link ) which also has some great ideas to help you improve your Food Mindset .

(3)  When do you eat?  Your body is designed to handle time periods where you have plenty to eat as well as time when there is nothing to eat. In today’s society, we usually have plenty of food and, putting aside the quality of the food we choose to eat, the quantity of food nowadays is probably the largest contributor to the obesity epidemic.

Athletes are not exempt from obesity. As the saying goes, “You can’t out run a bad diet.” so no matter how hard you work out, you still need to dial in your diet. On top of that, few people today are choosing to ‘not eat’ and activate the “Fasting Protocol” portion of their metabolism.

The good news is that you don’t need to go without food for days and days to get the benefits of Fasting. Intermittent Fasting is when you limit WHEN you eat to a certain part of the day, usually 8 – 12 hours. This gives your body a chance to ‘fast’ for 12-16 hours every day and the result is that many of the ‘weak cells’ in your body don’t survive the fasting process. This leaves you with a higher percentage of healthy cells and since we are always making new cells we won’t miss the weak ones who get eliminated.

Side note: It has been shown that fasting for 3-5 days prior to chemo treatment makes the treatment more effective and reduces the side effects. Did you know that while cancer cells replicate faster than normal cells, they are also dependent on the availability of sugar (blood glucose) and are also weaker than healthy cells.

Implementing a successful Food Mindset

Once you know the 3W’s: Why you are eating, What you need to eat and When to eat, there are three key concepts that will turn your knowledge and motivation into a successful Food Mindset. They are Mental Discipline, Hydration and Personal Identity.

Mental Discipline

Mental Discipline is a skill that can be developed but it is much easier to build habits that allow you to conserve your mental willpower for other challenges you will face throughout the day.

One way to cultivate mental discipline / food habits  is to build a “cheat day” into your diet. Just knowing that you have one ‘cheat day’ per week can give you discipline to eat better for the other 6 days. You will probably find that even on your cheat day, you will eat better because “eating right” has become a habit as part of those other six days per week.

Coach Wheeler on How to create a compelling personal vision for your lifeAnother way to develop Mental Discipline is to use the power of both Plan & Process thinking. Coach Wheeler is developing a short (~10 minute) speech on creating a vision for your life. Part of that speech explains Plan vs. Process thinking. (Link to Coach Wheeler’s YouTube video – this is an early practice speech at Toastmasters).

In short, Plan thinking is having a goal and figuring out the steps you need to achieve that goal. Process thinking is geared toward “winning each moment”.  It is setting up processes that will lead “in the direction” of what you want. Process thinking is built on the idea that you might not be able to control the outcome of every step in your plan. But you can control how you approach everything you do on a day-by-day, moment-by-moment basis. When Plan & Process thinking are combined (with a clear Vision and Focused action… mentioned in Coach Wheeler’s video), your chances for success are greatly increased.

Translating this into your Food Mindset means that you have a Plan for the food you are going to eat. Plus you can execute that plan by implementing the Processes that produce success. Some process examples might include how you do the shopping, cooking and eliminating sources of bad choices. If you “win the shopping”, you are much more likely to have good food. Can you “win the cooking” and you set yourself up to eat better? By eliminating bad foods from your environment, you are making it easier to follow your plan.

Hydration

Hydration is one of the easiest things to overlook when it comes to your Food Mindset. As mentioned earlier, making water your default beverage is a good start. It offsets other (bad) alternatives such as soda but there is more to the story when it comes to water. Your body needs water. In fact, we are MOSTLY WATER and when our body is low on water, we often interpret it as “hunger”. It is always a good idea to drink some water when you first feel hungry. This way you aren’t taking in extra calories when you are really just thirsty.

Hydration is critically important for athletes. It is good to imagine that “sweat is weakness leaving your body”. You also have to replenish the water in your body to operate at your best. Keep in mind… we are losing water through evaporation even when we are not soaked in sweat. Every breath leaves with a bit of water. (That’s what you see in the winter when you can see your breath.) Every time you go to the bathroom, your body is using water to eliminate waste from your system. That’s why you need to be aware of your hydration level.

A good way to look at hydration is to monitor the color of your pee. If it is dark yellow, you are dehydrated. If it is almost colorless, you are probably in good shape. Note: This is a guideline and does not address illnesses that might affect the color of your urine. I don’t pay a doctor online … or in real life, so get medical attention if something seems out of line.

Identity

Coach Wheeler's book, Fat is all in your HeadFinally, the last part of your Food Mindset is your Identity. This is how you see yourself.

Are you an athlete (so you eat good foods that allow you to perform at your best)? Or are you a generally lazy person who eats whatever is offered or “tastes good”? Y0ur identity shapes all of your decisions in life, not just food. If you want to learn more about how you can shape your identity so it supports your Food Mindset, check out Coach Wheeler’s book, “Fat is all in your Head“.  It starts out with the story of how Coach Wheeler lost over 50 pounds by changing his thinking.

Bottom Line…

Your Food Mindset is up to you. It can impact all areas of your life. The sooner you take control of the food you put in your mouth, the sooner you will start to achieve your potential. On the other hand, you could continue to let it slide. And your goals will continue to slide away from you as well. The choice is yours. Please leave a comment below and tell us what you decide!

 

Book Review-Undoing Project by Michael Lewis

Book Review-The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis
click the image above to purchase “The Undoing Project” on Amazon!

Michael Lewis’s book “The Undoing Project” is a story about the relationship between two people who studied how the mind works and, in particular, why we sometimes do unexpected things.  I am big fan of “counter-intuitive” thinking and this book provided some clues to when we think well and when we trick ourselves into believing things that might not be in our best interest.

What is “Undoing”?

Undoing, as mentioned in the project, is the human nature to think of ways that some event might be “undone”. For example, if someone gets into an accident on the way to work it is common to think that if “they left just a few minutes earlier or later”, they would have avoided being at the location of the accident all together.

People often look for the smallest deviation that might create a new reality, and especially if they were wounded (either directly or indirectly) by the event it can make us feel better to think about how the past could be different. Making the past different” might be the simplest way to think of “Undoing” and the book discusses a number of parameters that we use.

For example, we look for small changes vs. large, maybe unlikely, changes. In the car accident example, we don’t usually say “If only they took the #2 bus to the A-train and then a cab from the station to work.” Simplicity is our friend when we are “Undoing”.

Quick side note… The last part of the book talks about how the relationship between the two psychologists, which had been highly productive for many years, begins to break down as they move in different directions. In a way, this is an “Undoing” too.

Here are some notes / observations from the book…

[starting on p.197] The ideas below will give you a sampling of the ideas presented in the book. Keep in mind that these ideas, while interesting by themselves, don’t really give you a taste for the stories that are an important part of the book.

  • People predict by making up stories.
  • People predict very little and explain everything.
  • People live under uncertainty whether they like it or not.
  • People believe they can tell the future if they work hard enough.
  • People accept any explanation as long as it fits the facts.

[This seems to be related to the concept of Correlation vs. Causation. It is easy to think when something [consistently?] happens in sequence (i.e. correlated) that the first event causes the second when, in fact, there could be a completely different mechanism at work. – Coach Wheeler]

  • The handwriting was on the wall, it was just the ink was invisible.
  • People often work hard to obtain information they already have and avoid new knowledge.
  • Man is a deterministic device thrown into a probabilistic universe.  In this match, surprises are expected.
  • Everything that has already happened must have been inevitable.
  • We are exposed to a lifetime schedule in which we are most often rewarded for punishing others, and punished for rewarding.
  • “Peak-end Rule” says that “Last impressions can be lasting impressions.” [p.236]
  • [p.206-7] The “Hindsight Bias” is explained/discussed.
Bottom Line… Is The Undoing Project worth reading?

Short answer… Yes.  Longer answer… If you like Michael Lewis’s style of writing and story-telling (e.g. The Blind Side, Moneyball or The Big Short), you will probably enjoy this book as well. In terms of things to learn about how the mind works, there are some good ideas (see notes above) but many of them are not common knowledge. I enjoyed the book and recommend “The Undoing Project” to anyone who has even a passing interest in psychology and how the mind works.

 

Book Review-12 Rules by Jordan Peterson

12 Rules for lifeJordan Peterson’s book, “12 Rules for Life, An Antidote for Chaos” has some good ideas but it is also heavy on Bible stories and quotes from philosophers and psychologists.

First question you probably have…

Are the 12 Rules worthwhile? Will they help you build a better life? Quick answer: Yes. They are worth reading but you might want to read through the summary below first to see if you are interested in reading more. Some of the chapters can get a little long winded (and go off on a few tangents) so you need to be motivated to stick with the book.

Let’s take a look at a brief summary of each rule…

Rule 1 – Stand up straight with your Rule shoulders back.

This is partly related to “Fake it until you make it.” It means that you should project confidence physically even if you might not be really “feeling it.” [Little secret that goes along with this… if you physically project confidence (or any other emotion really) you will start to move toward the actual feeling. Our emotions are tied to our physical “habits” so if you want to feel better (or more confident), move like you do when you feel that emotion… and the emotion will come.

Grade for Rule 1 … A+ (very worthwhile).

Rule 2 – Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping.

Most people treat their pets better than than they treat themselves. They take them for regular checkups while forgetting to do the same thing for themselves. If you are a parent there are an endless number of ways that you sacrifice for your kids. This rule says that you should at least apply the same standards to yourself and while it makes sense, it may be difficult to change your habits when it comes to self-maintenance.

Grade for Rule 2 … B+. This should be common sense but more people need to recognize that they can give more by taking care of themselves instead of sacrificing for others.

Rule 3 – Make Friends with people who want the best for you.

If you have studied nearly anything in the area of “personal development”, you have probably heard the saying that “You are the average of the 5 people who you spend the most time with.” If you hang out with millionaires, the odds are better that you become one too. If you hang out with people who eat poorly and never exercise, what do you think the odds are that you will be overweight? Jordan Peterson takes a little different angle on this concept. He suggests that finding people who will hold you to a higher standard will help you become your best self and realize more of your potential, Good idea. Not especially original but definitely something to apply to your life.

Grade for Rule 3 … A. This is a good idea, just not especially original. You have probably heard something similar already.

Rule 4 – Compare Yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today.

This Rule especially applies to athletes but it can be applied to nearly any endeavor (academics, business). What you might think is “talent” may just be the result of someone working on a particular skill for longer than someone else. This article about “The Talent Myth” talks more about this concept.

The key point is that we need to be careful who we compare ourselves to. Everyone has their own journey and often someone else is a currently at a different point in their journey. Use them as an example or learn from them if you want to achieve whatever it is that they have achieved. Seems simple, right? Only if you keep this rule in mind and don’t make yourself feel bad because you “aren’t there yet”!

Grade for Rule 4… A.  Important to remember. Learn from those ahead of you. Don’t feel bad because you aren’t there yet. Get to work!

Rule 5 – Don’t let your children do anything that makes you dislike them.

This rule applies mostly to parents but it could also be applied to managers within a company. Jordan Peterson includes many ideas for raising children as part of his 12 Rules and most of them are built around the idea of socializing kids so they can operate effectively in society. We live in a society and children need to learn what is expected. Making life easy for kids isn’t really doing them any favors in the long run. Another way of phrasing this rule… “Don’t raise a PIA.”

Grade for Rule 5 … B-. Good idea for parents but this rule doesn’t have as much application as the other rules.

Rule 6 – Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world.

This is, by far, the best advice of the “12 Rules” book. Another way to say it is to “Tame your demons before tackling the world’s problems.” Jordan Peterson suggests that it is important to “Create Order in your life” where you can. [He talks a lot about “Order” and “Chaos” while drawing comparisons with Heaven and Hell.] The basic idea is that creating Order in your life (by taking control of what you can control) will give you the secure foundation you need to tackle the Chaos you will inevitably encounter.

Quick note… Chaos is not always bad. Creativity and Variety can come from Chaos. Order is not always good. Too much Order and you get boredom or limited growth. This may sound kind of Zen (Jordan explains the meaning of the Zen Circle and how it relates to Chaos/Order too.)

Grade for Rule 6 … A+  Best advice in the book. Do this first.

Rule 7 – Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient).

In other words… Shortcuts are not the answer. “Meaning” comes from “worthwhile challenges” and Jordan suggests that you should choose the challenges that will add meaning to your life. If you have been searching for the “Meaning of Life”, this might be as close to a good answer as you might find.

Grade for Rule 7 … A+. How can the “Meaning of Life” not get an A+? Is it easy to focus on doing something meaningful?…No. Is it worth it… you betcha.

Rule 8 – Tell the truth – or at least, don’t lie.

Truth is a tough subject. Jordan Peterson says Truth is order (and is also easier to remember than nearly any fiction you might conceive). Finding “Truth” also means confronting reality so tht you are not deceiving yourself (or others). The better we deal with reality, the better our results. Former CEO of GE, Jack Welch, has written a number of books and has said that the ability to discover reality and deal with it is one of the keys to the success he had when he ran General Electric.

Another way to state this rule would be to “Be a Pursuer and Purveyor of the Truth”. The only problem with the truth is that sometimes it isn’t “pleasant”. On the other hand, a little short term discomfort (like telling someone they need to improve something) is better than letting the problem grow. Rip that “Truth Bandaid” off quickly! [That’s my metaphor, not Jordan’s].

Grade for Rule 8 … A-  While this rule seems simple, it can be tough to implement. If it was phrased along the lines of “Deal with Reality” (instead of the Truth angle) it might have wider application… but still worth applying!

Rule 9 – Assume the person you are listening to might know something you don’t.

This rule kind of shows how Jordan Peterson is Canadian. Canadians are known for being “nice” (compared to Americans) and this rule is something that will improve the connections you develop through your conversations with other people.

Another way to say it… Learn from others. They have done things you haven’t.  If we focus on what we are going to say, we lose the chance to learn something.

Grade for Rule 9 … A.  If you want to get better, you need new ideas. The best way to get new ideas is from other people. Listen. You have two ears and one mouth. 2-1, Listening to Speaking is a good start!

Rule 10 – Be precise in your speech.

This is one of the rules that isn’t exactly self evident by itself. One part of “precise speech” is the “Avoid blanket statements.” Another is to “Recognize Opinions vs Facts.” Jordan Peterson points out that precise communication requires work. It requires an understanding of the pitfalls of language as well as an open mind. How precise is your language?

Grade for Rule 10 …  A.  This is an area we could all improve and Jordan Peterson is someone who is very precise with his language. [Check out this interview where he talks about the Gender Wage Gap.]

Rule 11 – Do not bother children when they are skateboarding.

This is another rule that applies for parents (or adults who teach or manage children).  Bottom line, according to Jordan Peterson, is that Children need challenges. This is how they explore the edges of their capabilities. They might get hurt. That’s part of the process… and part of the excitement.

Grade for Rule 11 … A.  We all need challenges if we are going to grow. Not everyone will want to be a skateboarder but there are plenty of challenges out there… for adults as well as kids.

Rule 12 – Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street.

Another way of saying this (without the cat reference) is to “Engage with Opportunites to LIVE!” This is a good rule to end with because it is very easy to hide in our own little world and miss out on lots of the great parts of life, such as petting a cat (or dog). Don’t forget to connect with the outside world. There are lots of great things going on out there. When the opportunity comes around… ENGAGE!

Grade for Rule 12 … A+. Maybe this grade is higher than it needs to be… but I get to pat my dog every day and I highly recommend it for everyone!

Bottom Line – Is 12 Rules worth a read?

Jordan B. Peterson has clearly thought about life and “what works”. He has a strong grasp of the studies that explain the human condition. He offers wisdom that is generally accepted (and backed by research) within his field (psychology).

By reading the “12 Rules”, I learned a lot about the Bible and the psychology of success. There are plenty of interesting stories and examples … if you can wade through everything else. There are also many pop culture references (and ancient wisdom) that I navigated fairly successfully. On the other hand, some readers who did not grow up in the 60’s/70’s might not get the references. I am about the same age & educational level as Jordan Peterson so we start from a similar frame of reference.

If you found this review of the 12 Rules interesting, you may want to read the book. If you didn’t see anything that you want to dig into, you probably won’t like wading through all of Jordan Peterson’s stories and cultural references.  Professor Peterson tends to go off on tangents so the book is not as easy to read as it could have been. I also found that there were times when it seemed like he was trying to prove how smart he is. As a university professor, this might be second nature but I could probably edit the whole book down to less than 2000 words. [BTW- this post is less than 2000 words.]  Hopefully this post was helpful.

If you have already read the book, please leave a comment below to tell us what you thought about the 12 Rules!

Rim Run NOW!

Rim Run NOWWhen is NOW a good time to Rim Run? I hope you answered “NOW!” because it is one of those HUSTLE plays that can get you easy baskets while also killing the morale of the opposition. It is also a key part of “playing without the ball” ask explained by Jayson Wells of PGC Basketball.

Check out the video below from PGC Basketball that talks about what Rim Running means (and some moves you can use) …

What did you think of the video?

Leave a comment below to tell us your feedback on this video and whether we should continue to find and post videos like this as part of the Building a Winning Mindset blog. Also let us know if you have tried the Rim Run skills mentioned in the video.

Tai Chi for Sports

Ancient Warrior Movement Protocol (tm)We just announced the first “Ancient Warrior Movement Protocol (TM)” workshop that will show you how to use Tai Chi for Sports performance improvement! It will be held at the Marlborough School on Sunday, June 17th (Father’s Day) from 5:30-6:30pm. Doors open at 5pm.

Click on the picture to the right to see the flyer with more information. You can signup for the event on the new CoachWheeler Facebook Page (be sure to “Like” the page when you visit too).

As a bit of a preview for the upcoming session, we found this Tai Chi for Sports Performance video on YouTube…

The video above is geared toward Soccer (not basketball) and is not the featured instructor for our upcoming Ancient Warrior Movement Protocol ™ session. The video does provide a couple of good ideas that will help prevent injuries while giving athletes a competitive advantage.

The Ancient Warrior Protocol training session will feature Linda Peck who is a certified Tai Chi instructor and 2nd degree black belt in the martial arts version of Tai Chi. She has worked with athletes ranging from football to tennis player and even runners.

Hope to see you at the Ancient Warrior training session ! It will be an interesting workout that will introduce beginners to the concept of Tai Chi for Sports. All are welcome. Sign up today!

 

How to Fix Sore Knees from Basketball

The video below by Alan Stein shows some exercises designed to help fix the common problem of sore knees for basketball players. Under the video is an overview of how your lower body works so you can better understand the mechanics.

First things First…

Coach Wheeler recommends the use of a good physical therapist whenever possible. If you have sore knees that don’t heal by themselves in a couple weeks, look into medical assistance. Physical Therapists, in particular, are trained to evaluate joints & muscles to identify imbalances or nagging injuries that might be causing your sore knees.

As you saw in the video, Coach Alan Stein talks about how important Ankle & Hip Mobility are to the health of your knees. His recommended drills include: (1) Ankle Mobility – Toes2Nose, (2) Hip Mobility – Lunge Stretch. He also mentions that (3) Rear side strengthening also helps keep your lower body mechanics. Alan Stein specifically recommends the one-leg “flyer” position and the hip bridge. Finally, Alan Stein recommends drills for improving the mechanics of your landing (soft, quiet & on balance) including the 2 foot side-to-side bounding, lateral cross-over and 1-2 forward/stop. All of these exercises can easily be incorporated into a practice plan or, at the very least, your warm-up process.

Lower Body Mechanics

Sore Knees - Lower body mechanics diagramThe lower body has 3 joints that absorb impact when you run and jump. The knee is more of a “hinge” joint while the ankle and hip have a larger range of motion… or at least they should. Restrictions in the mobility of your ankle and hip can show up as problems with your knee. That is why stretching out these joints while also keeping the related muscles balanced (equal strength on both sides of the joint) is critically important to the health of your knees.

Knee injuries can be prevented!

If you apply the exercises shown in these videos (above and below), you are reducing the chance of an unnecessary knee injury. If you play a collision sport (such as football), there is still a real possibility of your knee(s) taking a hit but that is “part of the game” (and is why Coach Wheeler likes basketball).

Other exercises to prevent or rehab sore knees?

The video below is by OverTimeAthletes and includes 4 ideas to help you improve your sore knees. The exercises presented in the video are:
(1) Passive Quad Stretch – using a foam roller, stretch out the quad. This is better than “active stretching” because it is easier on the knee.
(2) Glutes Strengthening to build a strong foundation for movement and protect your knees.
(3) Dorsiflexion Ankle Mobility to stretch out your ankle and associated muscles.
(4) Terminal Knee Extensions (TKE’s) – Use an elastic to “pre-hab” the muscles around the knee.

Bottom Line…

If you have sore knees and you continue to push yourself or mask the pain with pain pills, you are asking for trouble. It is better to build some of the exercises mentioned here into your warm-ups or “rest days” so that you can eliminate the problem. Don’t wait until you tear an ACL or something similar. If you have sore knees, that means you have already injured or over-used some part of your knee. Your knee is not at full strength and you won’t reach your full athletic potential without fixing the problem. As is mentioned in the video, seek medical help. These videos are useful but should not replace a qualified medical specialist.

Tai Chi for Basketball – TOP SECRET program coming

Swish-Warriors WinCoach Wheeler is working on a TOP SECRET new workout protocol that is like nothing you have ever seen or experienced.  Coach is hoping to launch it, or at least do some initial tests of the movement protocols, this summer.   Hint: The new workout will be related to and use some of the principles of Tai Chi. Speaking of which, did you know that there are different versions of Tai Chi including a martial art similar to aikido which teaches you how to use your opponent’s force against them? Imagine what that could do for your moves on the basketball court. Basketball is a “contact” game after all !

One more thing…

Did you know that Tai Chi is often used in training for mixed martial arts (MMA) to “enhance…sensitivity and mental focusing skills.”? How about the fact that Tai Chi helps with the physical and emotional balance necessary for many sports?  Or that Tai Chi increases leg strength and joint flexibility which improve balance? [source]

Stay Tuned!  More info. coming soon!

While you are waiting…

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One more “Tai Chi for Basketball Players” bonus…

Basketball star of the Golden State Warriors, Stephen Curry, picks up Tai Chi while on tour in China… check out the video below.

If you have made it this far…

Coach Wheeler likes to reward his readers who make it to the bottom of an article, even a short one like this announcement… so here is an added bonus. The video below is super short and while most of the Tai Chi that is shown is not something that you would use directly on a basketball court during a game, it is still pretty cool. Enjoy!

 

 

Coach Wheeler’s Formula for Success

Coach Wheeler's Formula for SuccessThis article is a little different from the other ones on this blog. Different in a good way.  The topic of Success is probably more related to your career or life in general… and less “basketball specific”. I think you will find that  Coach Wheeler’s “Formula for Success” is in the vein of John Wooden’s “Pyramid of Success” that he taught his players at UCLA. If you want to “build a winning mindset”, you will definitely be interested in Coach Wheeler’s “Formula for Success”.

What kind of Formula for Success
are we talking about?

While Wheeler’s Formula for Success is primarily focused on business or career success, it can be applied in other ways. (I am hoping you will leave a comment after reading this article saying how you are going to apply the ideas in your life.) If you are looking for financial success, whether you have a job or a business, you will certainly find this “thinking framework” helpful.

Inspired by…

12 Rules for lifeThe top level concept, that your “volume & quality of work” determines your overall success, was inspired by Jordan B. Peterson. He is a clinical psychologist, tenured Professor at University of Toronto and, in general, a pretty smart guy from what I can tell. His knowledge of clinical psychology studies allows him to provide insights that many other “self-help” authors either miss or aren’t backing up with science. To paraphrase the success quote from him that inspired this article, “Success in life is predicted, primarily, by 2 traits: industriousness and intelligence.” (He also has a book out that is called “The 12 Rules for Life” which I have heard a lot about on podcasts so I am hoping to read it soon.)

First Layer of the Formula…

Coach Wheeler's Formula for SuccessThis probably won’t sound earth shattering but it should make immediate sense when you think about it. “The volume and quality of your work determines your [eventual] success in life.” Duh? Right?

If we stopped there, you probably would not get much out of this formula because that statement is common sense.  But if we go deeper, you should find more ideas that you can turn into actions which will lead you to more success in your chosen field.

Next Level…

As you can see in the diagram above, I am calling the “volume” side of the formula “Hard Work”. I think we can all agree that putting in more effort and time (the definition of “hard work”?), will result in more output and productivity. If you produce more, your results should (over time) lead to success.

What goes into “Hard Work”?

Hard Work - Formula for SuccessThe Formula for Success has 3 parameters under “Hard Work”. They are (1) Passion, (2) Health and (3) Consciences. Let’s look at each in more depth.

(HW-1) Passion. We all need motivation if we are going to put in the hard work that is needed for success. Developing the skills of self motivation will help you do the work that others (i.e. the competition) won’t. It will also help you go further than the competition as well. The reason it is such common wisdom to say “Live Your Passion” is because it is critical to enjoy the process of “work” … so you will do more than your competitors. Think about it this way, if you are motivated by a passion for your work… is it really HARD work? Probably not.  On the other hand, will you be passionate about everything you need to do? No, but we will talk about that in the third element of Hard Work, Consciences.

(HW-2) Health. This should be self-evident and common sense, but if you don’t maintain your health, you won’t be able to produce as much as possible. Letting your health decline will reduce your energy and may even “take you out of the game.” Aside from all the diet guru’s who are giving you weight management advice, Health is actually pretty simple. The three key elements of Health are a) Food, b) Sleep and c) Play.

I use the word “Play” (instead of exercise) on purpose. If you approach exercise as drudgery, you won’t enjoy it and I have heard that the effectiveness will actually decrease. Choose an exercise that you can, on some level, enjoy. It will energize your mind while building up your physical capacity at the same time.

Do we really need to discuss Diet & Sleep? 8 hours of sleep is a good goal but you can tell what works for you. If I could recommend one change to your diet, I would ask you to drink more water (instead of calorie-filled & chemical-filled drinks). We all know that green veggies are your friend… and they will impact your health & work output. Think about it like this… imagine you get a raise at work for every time you have a meal with green vegetables. [It doesn’t really work like that, but isn’t it a neat way to convince yourself to eat better?]

(HW-3) Consciences. This is related to self-discipline as well as self-identity. Are you the type of person who does what needs to be done? Especially WHEN it needs to be done? Author Jocko Willink has a good quote (and book by the same name), “Discipline = Freedom“. This is the one area that you can make the most immediate impact … if you pay attention to your thoughts and take control of your habitual ways of thinking.

Power of Habit by Charles DuhiggI’m not talking about willpower.  Willpower is  a limited resource and it can “go away” when you are tired at the end of a long day or you have a dip in your motivation. Be sure to build as much of your “need to do” activities into habits and routines that you don’t have to think about. A good book for learning how to do this is “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg.

One more thing about Hard Work…

Before we look at the other side of the formula (Smarts), I should explain one particular part of the Hard Work diagram. Did you notice the words “Goya”, “Goya”, “Goya” where the connector lines lead into the Hard Work bubble? This is taken from a motivational speech by inspirational keynote speaker Croix Sather. GOYA is an acronym for “Get Off Your Ass”. In terms of Coach Wheeler’s formula for success, GOYA is a reminder that you need to TAKE ACTION and not just think about what you should be doing. This is also a great transition into the “Smarts” portion of Coach Wheeler’s Formula for Success… as we keep in mind that thinking alone won’t get you what you want!

Let’s Get Smart!

Smarts-Formula for SuccessThe second major component of Success is “Smarts” or “general intelligence”. Coach Wheeler breaks this down into 3 parts, (1) Knowledge, (2) Social Skills and (3) Problem Solving. Going back to Jordan B. Peterson, he has said that the studies show intelligence, as measured by IQ, is incredibly difficult to improve. On the other hand, Knowledge can continually be accumulated and you can gather facts or ideas that you can use across a wide variety of situations. Coach Wheeler also added Social Skills to his model for success and we will discuss how to build and leverage them more below.

(S-1) Knowledge. As we go through life, we pick up information that we can then apply to solving problems in the future. This increases the value of our output and increases our chances for success. As you learned above, IQ is tough to change but we can “look smart” by simply learning “the tricks” for success in a given situation. There are typically two ways that we learn… independent learning and structured learning.

Independent learning is when we take the initiative and learn on our own. Examples include watching instructional YouTube video or reading books. There is an amazing amount of information out there and we probably have more access to information now than at any other time in history thanks to the internet and search engines. Smart people continue to learn.

Structured learning would include traditional schooling or perhaps one-on-one coaching. One of my favorite sayings about school is “Math = Money”. This means that learning math in school will help you handle money (and grow your wealth) when you get out into the “real world”. Depending on the quality of your teachers, it might be easy to get bored or “zone out” in school. Stay focused and keep asking yourself questions that help you stay engaged. “How will I use this in my life?” is a good one to start.

(S-2) Social Skills. There are many different types of “Smarts” and your ability to work with, and influence, other people is a major consideration when determining the quality of your work. We are not saying that you should try to make everyone happy. Sometimes you need to create conflict to get what you want or solve the problem that you are presented.

Toastmasters - Public Speaking and LeadershipAnother way to look at social skills is your ability to communicate effectively. On top of that, your leadership skills figure into your eventual success. How do you improve these things? Join Toastmasters. They are a world-wide non-profit organization dedicate to helping their members improve their public speaking and leadership skills. Find a chapter near you by visiting their website… Toastmasters International.

(S-3) Problem Solving.  This is typically correlated to the people’s “inherited” qualities of IQ and creativity. Even though much of your qualities may be genetic, there is still a skill that can be developed. If you want more ideas on how to improve your Problem Solving, here is the first article in our series on the topic. To learn when we publish more Problem Solving articles, be sure to sign up for our email notification service (in the right column on this page).

It is a fair statment to say that the quality of your work output is generally tied directly to your ability to solve problems. Brain Power (i.e. IQ) is good to have, especially when you are tackling more complex problems but everyone can learn how to solve problems. If you are motivated and work hard at accumulating the knowledge you need to solve problems in your area of expertise, you will be successful. This is where I tell you that all the parts of Coach Wheeler’s Formula for Success work together to make you successful.  But you probably already figured that out, right?

Bottom Line…

Will Coach Wheeler’s Formula For Success work for you? Like they say “The program will work… if you work the program.” I don’t think there is anything too “out there” in this formula. It should be easy to understand… but what are you going to do with it? Can you “up your game” when it comes to Hard Work? What do you need to improve on the “Smarts” side of the Formula for Success? If you don’t change what you do, how can you expect different results? The choice is up to you. You can use the formula… or you can “go with the flow” and take whatever life gives you. Which do you think will turn out the best for you?

Downloadable Bonus !

Coach Wheeler's Formula for SuccessCongratulations! You have made it all the way to the end of this article. You deserve a reward for your efforts. (Hopefully the article was interesting and not exactly “hard work”.) Your bonus for making it this far is a downloadable copy of Coach Wheeler’s Formula for Success diagram. You are welcome to share it on social media and, ideally provide a link back to this article. Right-Click on the link below and “Save As” to get the downloadable PDF version!
SuccessFormula-download-CoachWheeler