2016: New Beginnings. New Organization

Sometimes, you have to re-arrange your home in order to put yourself in an optimal position to get results. Do it at the beginning of 2016:

1) Kitchen – Do you cook? Put your spices lower. Emphasizes squatting. Muscles worked = glutes, quads, hamstrings. Skilled worked = isometric holding and weight shifting as you reach to find favorite spices.

2) Bedroom – Do you like TV? Cool. Take it out of the room for the time being. See how your behavior adjusts. You will have to walk to see it now instead of rolling over and clicking the remote. Emphasizes good sleep patterns. Muscles worked = all. Skill worked = discipline. Yes, it’s a skill.

3) Bathroom – You do wash your hands after using the bathroom right? OK, phew! Place a paper towel roll drying rack on the floor. Similar to the spice rack, re-organization and squatting are emphasized. Muscles worked = glutes, quads, hamstrings. Skilled worked = movement control depending on where the rack is located.

 * For all of these keep in mind safety and room design – not all rooms are identical.

With heart,

Derek

Derek Arledge, MS, CSCS         www.teempt.com          TEEM Performance Training

❓What, Why, How

In every aspect of life it is important to know the effects of the "what" in conjunction with the "why" and the "how".

Here's an easy one to understand:

What - Exercise

Why - To feel good, to gain strength, to avoid certain ailment, and many more "whys"

How - Set a schedule, walk, bike, swim, work your surroundings to your physical advantage, and many more "hows"

A more difficult one:

What - Motivation

Why - To achieve goals and results, to progress, to make ends meet, and many more "whys"

How - Read motivational quotes or scriptures, get an accountability partner, quiet all distractions, and many more "hows".

This topic can go and on, but you only need a few more sentences. In the upcoming new year, 2016, remember your "whats", "whys", and "hows". Life is short. Challenges are difficult. Good support systems and understanding support systems are strong and prosperous.

Happy New Year!

With heart,

Derek

Derek Arledge, MS, CSCS       www.teempt.com       TEEM Performance Training

A Good Heart Breeds A Good Heart

(Conscience definition)
A good heart...
Is one that gives without regret, jealousy, envy, or deceit. It helps others develop a possession toward their goals. It is empowering.

(Physical fitness and activity definition)
A good heart...
Is one that is durable and welcomes physical repetition. It is strong enough to adapt to different stressors in an environment, especially in performing physical activity. It works well with other body systems. It is energizing.

Two reciprocal definitions. A good heart breeds many positive things no matter how you perceive a good heart. A good heart will benefit the holder (of the heart), the receiver (of the good heart), and put in to position a stage for a good relationship with another individual (i.e., giving to someone of lower income, saying thank you) or with another form of activity (i.e., improving from junior varsity to varsity, starter to all-star).

The above post was first written a few months ago with some recent edits. Now, with December 2015 rolling in and with Christmas nearing, every good heart works consciously and physically to make immediate and distant environments better.

Consciously, how do you heart during this time of year? How will you continue it in 2016?

Physically, how do you heart during this time of year? How will you fulfill your physical goals in 2016?

With heart,
Derek

Derek Arledge, MS, CSCS        www.teempt.com         TEEM Performance Training

Brazilians May Make Good Ice Hockey Players

The footwork. The speed. The agility. The precision. The skills.

Highly skilled soccer players would make good ice hockey players if they were shown the basics and receive power skating practices. Sure!

Brazilians would make some pretty good ice hockey players based on their futbol prowess. The transition to ice hockey from futbol is on point. The balance. The footwork. The precision. The skills. They are all present. The major difference is between the grass and ice and using sticks versus using feet.

Skate to stick puck control on the ice is akin to skilled dribbling in futbol.

For speed - did you see the Brazil vs. USA game? No? Here are some highlghts. Just check out the burst of speed from the Brazilians. It is similar to acceleration in ice hockey transitions.

The ball-handling skills - good footwork with ball or puck control go hand-in-hand. When they are synchronized, it is very difficult to steal the ball or puck away.

Balance - futbol players need a lot of balance as do ice hockey players. Having played both sports (ice hockey at a higher level), muscles actions, namely the sartorius, gluteal muscles (especially the gluteus medius), gracilis, hip adductors, and hip abductors get in a lot of play in both sports.

With heart,
Derek

Derek Arledge, MS, CSCS       www.teempt.com       TEEM Performance Training

Energized Breakfast Bowl

Breakfast Bread Bowl // Tasty
Posted by BuzzFeed Food on Thursday, August 13, 2015

Summer is still alive and kicking as it always is until the fall season arrives. The major difference is that so many new things occur during this special 'New Year's' in September that people can feel overwhelmed. Children, teenagers, and adults return to school for the first half of the school season. The eating season is about kick off with the advent of apple picking. Social clubs begin. High school and travel sports teams have tournaments and games every weekend. Football. Oh my....football explodes on to the scene at the youth, high school, college, and professional levels.

So, with everything occurring, why would you need to get energized?

Because everything is draining!

Really, it's not that difficult to understand. September is the beginning of the season where everyone says they are busy. Well, control your busyness now (hopefully, you began sooner). What you can control now by adopting more energy how ever you get more energy (i.e., via food, exercise, rest, and prayer/meditation), you can control later. Get a handle.

Enjoy the BuzzFeed video because that breakfast bread bowl looks good and is packed with a lot of energy!

With heart,
Derek

Derek Arledge, MS, CSCS       www.teemtpt.com       TEEM Performance Training

Wellcoin App

How many of you complain about the Whole Foods' prices? I mean, they are steep. But, there are tricks (see: Salad Bar Trickery and  to shopping there conveniently. Even the employees talk about the prices.)

How many of you like to post pictures all over the place?

How many of you like to do healthy activities or even just walk anywhere?

Well, I don't normally advocate for apps. But, when I do I choose Wellcoin. With everyone posting everything about their life on Facebook for everyone to see and comment on - even the more detailed life intricacies that we really do not need to entertain us - why not get rewarded for posting photos?

Wellcoin does just that.

Go to wellcoin.com. If you do not like it, then you do not have to sign up. I signed up on my computer/laptop and not on my phone. It's free, but be aware if your phone does not have enough space. If you like what you see, before you join let me know. I would like to invite you by sending you an email through Wellcoin (I get 2 coins for that.)

Here's an example: You get a screen name. You put in your necessary info (you need to in order to get certain gift cards mailed to you). You post photos of objects or scenery like bottled water, which follows under the 'healthy beverage' category (5 coins). You can post photos of seeing a health professional (180 coins), eating a healthy breakfast, lunch, or dinner (20 coins each). You can verify other individual photos (2 coins per verification). You can refer friends (2 coins). If they join, you receive 100 more coins.

Why it's a great: Just think - you can help yourself while helping people help other people. The amount of coins you accumulate corresponds to a certain gift card. I just received my first Whole Foods gift card. For free!!!

There are plenty of other participating businesses per your location. C'mon, everyone! You receive rewards for posting photos!! 

With heart,
Derek

Derek Arledge, MS, CSCS       www.teempt.com       TEEM Performance Training

NRPA Conference 2015 (Las Vegas, NV)

What a great opportunity to present material on parks and playgrounds at this 50th annual conference.

First, Las Vegas looks like a satellite campus for Disney World.

What's on the speaking tap? Parks and Playgrounds: A Grading System for Play and Fitness. So, Thursday morning will provide the opportunity to share work I did as a graduate student at Bridgewater State University (MA). And...it's special to you, the TEEM audience. Why? Because the work included more than simply exercising at a park or playground. It delivers the need for access, opportunity, development, privilege, knowledge, and more.

Fitness with parks and recreation are like cousins that can act in synchrony!





With heart,
Derek

Derek Arledge, MS, CSCS       www.teempt.com        TEEM Performance Training