Softball and Life - Dealing with Adversity

One thing I love about softball, and sports in general, is that it really can prepare you for challenges in life. Right now, my family and I are going through a bit of a challenging time with selling our house and buying another. We are in escrow to sell, but it seems like nothing is going the way that it should. There seem to be surprises and set backs at every turn. But somehow I know that everything will work out eventually even if it all takes longer than we originally planned. Even after the latest set back that I just found out this morning, I'm feeling rather peaceful about the whole thing. I'm not discouraged and I think a lot of my ability to stay positive and focused on the "big picture" comes from my experience with softball.

There are many times during a season or even just in the course of a game when things just don't go as planned, when your team faces unexpected challenges and obstacles. Yes, they can be frustrating, but in a way, I actually embrace this adversity. Why? Because if you can face these challenges head on and overcome these obstacles on the field, chances are that you can do the same in life. So when I see players working through problems and continue working toward their goals, I love it because I know that they will probably be just fine in the "real world." On the other hand, if they have a really tough time on the field, I worry because if they can't pull it off on the field, having fun playing a game they enjoy, how are they going to find a way in life? How will they be able to deal with adversity at work when they are at a job that they don't necessarily love or look forward to going to every day? How will they be able to face challenges in those types of situations when they can't even do it in a sport they love?

This is why teaching the attitude/mental part of the game is sooooo important to me. Those are the skills that really transfer into life. While throwing, fielding, and hitting mechanics are important and things that I'm quite picky on as well, it's really the "intangibles" that I like to see develop. You can have the best mechanics in the world at practice, but if your mind is not strong enough to allow your body to perform at it's peak in the game, it really doesn't matter how great you are in practice does it?

If you need help with this area of the game, sign up for a free mental game newsletter at GetSoftballConfidence.com.

Functional Training for Athletes

Today I was looking for articles on training for speed because I LOVE using speed in softball. It's such a great asset to have as a player. Of course, it's also nice for a coach to have players with speed. So in my search I came across an article from a guy named Vern.

In this article, there were some interesting tips like:
~ eliminate distance running
~ speed training for youngsters (9-10 yrs old for example) should be FUN
~ hip mobility is important
~ ALWAYS stress proper technique (this is something mentioned here at AAF too)
~ remember to address the CORE in any strength program

I thought some of the point in his article were quite interesting and many of them along the lines of things mentioned here at AAF. So what I found out was that this guy Vern has books and videos out and they are available online. Simply go to Amazon and search for Vern Gambetta. You'll see some of his products. The one I thought was interesting was Functional Training for Athletes at All Levels: Workouts for Agility, Speed, and Power. This book includes helpful icons which show readers when an exercise applies to their sport and when it is useful for specific movements like sprinting, throwing, jumping, or changing direction.

This is just another resource to help you improve your game with speed. There are a bunch out there and a bunch mentioned at this site. I think they all have their strong points and some will connect with you more than others. So this is just another resource for you to check out to see if it's something that will help you. Enjoy!

How to Stay in Shape During Winter

Whew - I'm finally back from our family vacation and we had a blast. Part of our trip was spent in NJ were the weather was quite a bit cooler than here in Hawaii. You can tell that during this time of year, the weather is beginning to change. Summer weather is just about gone and winter weather is approaching. This is also about that time when I get questions like "How can I stay in shape during the winter?"

Well, don't forget, we have an article in our resident experts column called
Exercises to Keep You Strong and Powerful This Winter

So that's one place to start.

Other things you could incorporate are:
~ plyometric exercises
~ uphill fitness training (learn how to use the stairs in your house to get into great physical shape)
~ jumping rope (listen to music while you jump)
~ practice mechanics in a mirror with rolled up socks, nerf balls, a ball made of crunched up newspaper, or no ball as all

Another thing I recently found out about is the personalized softball-specific training program offered at Softball Performance. If you want to get into serious softball shape during this off season, this may be the route for you. You can get a brand-new, cutting-edge, totally personalized training program every month.

Get all the info at Softball Performance - > Performance Tools -> Conditioning Programs.

Hope you get into GREAT shape for next season!

HUGE, HUGE Discount on Pitching Resources

Whoa! Just got word from Marc Dagenais that he is blowing out some inventory he has. Get Pitching DVD's, E-Books, Audios, and more at a VERY discounted price.

These will NOT last long!
Over half the bundles he is selling are already gone ~ some purchase by AAF members.

For all the details, CLICK HERE.