What is it you tell yourself?

     As most of you know by now, I own a gym in Allentown. It is a very rewarding business, offering people a nice place to workout and also seeing people making positive changes in their health and their lives; it is a dream come true. In this business we see how exercise affects people physically and emotionally but we also see how peoples emotions affect how or even if they exercise.

     Let me give you an example. The other day a woman came in to check out the gym. Immediately after the greetings were over she told me how she hated to exercise and then as I gave her a tour I heard a list a reasons on why she didn’t think she could do it. Now, don’t get me wrong I’m glad she came in because these are the type of people that we really like to help, but her attitude may very well cause her to fail.

     We hear things like this all the time whether it be people saying ‘I hate it’ or ‘I can’t do it’ or ‘I’m too out of shape to do that class’ or ‘I’m just not motivated’. 

     This gets me to thinking about the way we talk to ourselves. Negative self-talk is very self-destructive and yet some people can be very negative with themselves. If you tell yourself that you hate something than how can you expect a positive result? I’m a firm believer that your fitness routine needs to start in your head. If you tell yourself you can’t, you won’t. If you tell yourself that you are not capable, you will never be capable. If you put exercise at the bottom of your priority list, it will stay there. Instead, tell yourself that you deserve to workout and feel good. Look at exercise as a gift you give to yourself. Tell yourself that you will do your very best and then do your best, whatever that is, and be proud! Tell yourself that you want to have more energy; the list goes on and on. 

     I think there are several reasons why people talk themselves out of working out and I think they are based in fear. If you tell yourself that you are going to start an exercise routine, you may be afraid that you will not stick with it and sometimes that is too big a risk to take. Other people may be afraid of the environment and feel that they don’t belong. All I can say is that every single person started somewhere and just because someone you see is in good shape doesn’t mean that they were always that way. They very well may have started out in poor physical shape. 

     Another common fear is the realization that this is a lifestyle, not something to do for a couple of months and then stop. Fear of commitment is common. This is where that positive self-talk comes in handy. You know logically that exercise is going to make you feel better, stay healthy, relieve stress, look better and improve the quality of your life. These are just some of the positive reinforcements that you can give yourself in a moment of weakness.

     I am no stranger to these struggles. I remember times in my own life when I told myself that ‘I worked all day, I deserve to go home and relax’ when in actuality I felt 100% better when I started adding exercise to my routine. So the next time you start to talk yourself out of going out for a walk, doing your training or going to the gym ask yourself what you are really trying to avoid and why. Ask yourself what you want to do for yourself…nothing or something wonderful!

A day to remember…

Seven Years ago today I was in shock sitting at my desk when I was
in the corporate world…

My co-workers and I were all on the computer watching the news..

Sadness and nervousness throughout the office and plant..

Everyone stopped working…

The office workers, the management, the manufacturing and warehouse
employees…

Our consultant from Atlanta walked in shaking..

He saw it all while his plane was landing at Newark…I can still
see his face and am a little emotional thinking about it..

Walking in circles and shaking he was telling us what he witnessed..

He said he drove his car as fast as he could from Newark, NJ to
Easton, Pa to get away from what was happening.

We all know what happened here in the US..

Immediately, we all came together as one.

Competitors hugged, politicians united and old friends became new
again..

The stadium was quiet..

Three days later at my sons high school football game..

Silence was in the air…

Our National Anthem played and tears were everywhere..

Strangers hugging, strangers singing in rhythm as they moved side
to side..

September 11, 2001 is a day to never forget..

Not only the destruction it has caused our nation, but..

to remember how we ‘all’ were ‘one’.

Have a great day Tina and live life to it’s fullest
today and everyday.

In Good Health,

Barry Lovelace

Carbs – The Truth

 

Are you eating your carbs????

 

If you are reading this, chances are you play volleyball. Whether you are a club, beach or indoor volleyball player you NEED carbohydrates. People who are physically active, like volleyball players, need them even more. Carbohydrates are the most important source of energy for athletes.

 

No matter what sport you play, carbs provide the energy that fuels muscle contractions. When you eat a carbohydrate it gets broken down into sugars that then get absorbed and used as energy. Any glucose that is not needed immediately will be stored for later use in the muscle and the liver.

 

Carbohydrates are not only needed for energy but for brain function and muscle building in the form of glycogen. What most people believe about carbs is that they make you fat. Carbs do not make you gain weight. Too many calories and not enough physical activity is what truly make a person gain weight. Our body needs a healthy balance of carbs, protein and fat to function properly and get all the necessary nutrients.

 

I like to tell people to think of your body like it’s your car. You give your car gas, make sure it has oil and check the fluid levels to keep it running, to take care of it. Well, your body needs you to give it carbs, protein and fat. Withholding any one of these three things will keep your body from running efficiently and even worse cause serious damage over time.

 

You want to be your best when you hit the volleyball court, right? Fuel your body with good, healthy carbs!

 

Next time I’ll go over the good versus the bad choices for carbohydrate intake.

 

 

Make sure you are wearing the right shoes

First, I hope you are watching the Olympics and cheering on your favorite sport or star

I am so bummed I missed the Opening Ceremonies! Will Google it andwatch it.
After seeing previews it looks like it ROCKED – Big Time!

Shoes…

Are wearing the right ones for volleyball?

What I have noticed is that many players are wearing either runningshoes or other cross trainers to play volleyball.

Wearing the correct shoes can cause serious back, knee and hippain, Achilles tendonitis, shin splints (leg pain), traumatisedtoes and painful blisters.

I know..I know..LOOKS are important…

Check out these cool shoes … MENS – LADIES.

Wow…have shoes come a long way!

Now I have to ask….

How is the training coming along?

Are you at least doing a few of the exercises / workouts I provided or working out on
your own to rise above the competition?

I am sure you are

Good Luck!!

In Good Health,

Barry

PS – I am looking for a professional coach. There are several college and high school coaches subscribed to my newsletter / blog, but I have a question for a professional indoor volleyball coach. If you have a contact…can you hook me up??

Olympic Volleyball – Right around the corner!

Well, we are only two days away from the Olympics!

Volleyball will be covered and I certainly hope the teams, their coaches adn the players from all over the world get the well deserved respect that volleyball deserves after being viewed my MILLIONS of people all over the world.

Check out the Olympic Television Schedule

Have a great day and be sure to support your Olympic Volleyball team!

In Good Health,

Barry

PS – I got goose bumps yesterday after receiving the testimonial below.You know me by now…. This means so much to me to help others in a safe,effective and fun way…very humbling

“Barry,
I have recently purchased your volleyball training video. WE LOVE IT!!! I went through the video several times myself and then last week my team and I started with your training techniques. At the beginning, before any training we measured our standing-jump height, then after 3 and then again after 5 sessions we measured again. They continue to increase in jump height!!!!!! Our average increase has been about 4 1/2 inches. One girl increased 9 INCHES!!!!! I have two teams going through this. I am a coach at a very small private Christian school. In the past our sporting program has been very weak. But, the JH and Varsity volleyball teams are excited and they are having a blast as they are increasing their strength and balance. I just want to say thank you for offering such a wonderful program at such a reasonable price. It definitely has had DRAMATIC results in a very short time!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Ronda Inman
Sidney, Ohio

Something Big and a HUGE Thank You!

First, I have to tell you how the weekend went…

Volleyball Training to the MAX was a HUGE success.

Dave cross from ‘Yes, I can Volleyball’ rocked the stage with his powerful
mental training tips on how to take your teams game to the next level!

It was fun, interactive and had the coaches taking notes the during the entire
2 1/2 presentation.

Next, I demonstrated step by step exericses and programs on how to train
an entire team, ALL AT ONCE, with very little equipment.

There were coaches of all levels: Club, High School and College..

THEY ALL LOVED IT and a few of them are starting already!

Best of all…

You will get to see it!

The entire event was recorded and will be available in a few weeks.

Keep an eye out

Now…THANK YOU..

What I realized as I sat there while Dave gave his speech was how very,
VERY lucky I am..

Since I have become involved in the volleyball world I have met so many
fabulous people.

It is an honor to offer info that will help volleyball players personally
and their team.

Thanks being a part of this fabulous sport.

Let THEM Worry!

This is my two cents…..

“Let THEM worry about it”

About what?

About winning or losing..

This past week an 11-year old client of mine participated in the USGA Girls Junior Golf Tournament..

Basically the US Open for girls 17 and under..

Yes..I said 11 YEARS OLD..the youngest to ever play in this event..

My advice to here…

“Don’t worry…don’t be nervous..let THEM be nervous and waste their energy on winning or losing.

YOU…you go out and just play your game”

In my hey day of coaching wrestling that was my best advice as well as:

“If you say you can’t, you won’t – If you say you can, you will”

So, whether your a coach or player, please remember this..

Worrying about the opponent basically sets you up for failure..

Now, don’t get me wrong…

Never underestimate your opponent, but remember..

They are on the same playing field as you and your team….

Remain confident and use your precious energy to think ‘positive’thoughts and your team will succeed..

Good Luck and stay positive!

In Good Health,
Barry

Ready or not here I come!

Not me!

The SEASON..

There is a theme going on here and that is the ‘season is almosthere’ panic button!

In the last week we have received several phone calls and emails requesting training before the season starts which for many, possibly you as well is only a few weeks away.

Are you Ready?

Have you been slacking?

If you have been training hard and are ready to kick butt in a few weeks congrats!

If you have been enjoying the summer just a little too much….I am here to help…try to anyway

Obviously, my DVD will help you tremendously, but if you don’t have it and are WAYYYY behind, below is a Super Set to do that will help your endurance and power. If you really want to crank it up and see quick results, well you know what will help you Training for Volleyball

Remember to go at your own pace and if you haven’t done so, consult a physician before starting any exercise program.

Good Luck!

PS – Look what this college coach has to say

“Playing volleyball competitively for 14 years I’ve been throughmany different training regimens. Now as a graduate assistant coachfor Wilkes University, I recently had the opportunity toparticipate in Barry’s volleyball training circuits with a few ofmy players. For the first time, I walked away from a trainingsession feeling like I cou ldn’t wait to do more. I am very excitedfor our season to start where we will apply Barry’s philosophy. Iknow we will see great results in all of the players and I plan tobe doing the workouts with them.”
Nikki HahnAssistant Coach – Womens VolleyballWilkes University
_______________________________________________________

Super set

#1 Single leg Squats..

hands on hips….shoulders back…knee and toe in alignment..squat in a controlled movement, stop just before you get to 90 degrees and return to starting position, but DO NOT lock your knee and repeat…20 each leg..(squeeze your core as if someone is going to hit you in the belly! This will help you balance)
Rest 15 seconds and move onto #2

#2 Squat Jumps…
Hands behind head with your finger tips on your neck..shoulders back…feet slightly wider than hip width….start in squat..just short of 90 degrees…EXPLODE to the ceiling and land back in to the squat..LAND LIKE A FEATHER/SOFT and squeeze your belly when you land to protect your back…repeat for approximately 10-20 repetitions…depends on your fitness level..

rest for 30 seconds or more if needed..

onto #3

#3 Push up with Alternating shoulder taps
· Begin in a push-up position with arms fully extended. Shoulders are directly over the wrists & feet wide (just past hip width). You butt is NOT up in the air. You should be straight from your shoulders to your hips.
· Lower your body towards the ground; do not let your elbow joint pass 90 degrees
· Return to starting position (push your chest through the ground as you return to the
starting position so you fully use the chest, shoulder and triceps muscles.)
· Hold at the top for 1 second
· Tap right shoulder with left hand
· Return to starting position
· Lower your body towards the ground; do not let your elbow joint pass 90 degrees
· Return to starting position
· Hold again for 1 second
· Tap left shoulder with right hand
· Return to starting position
· Perform as many reps as you can until you feel that you only have 2 more repetitions left
then STOP.

Notes and how to add intensity:
-Maintain a stable environment definition: The goal is to remain ‘square’ to the ground and not tilt your hip every time you tap a shoulder. Now, that is the GOAL. With many of my athletes, including professional, they tend to shift their hips which is OK. It may take several attempts to maintain the totally stable environment.
-SQUEEZE YOU CORE as you raise your hand to tap shoulder. Make believe someone is about to punch you in the stomach and SQUEEZE. I also highly suggest you maintain a tight core while performing the push-up as well.
-When you are pushing UP, use your entire upper body to press DOWN. Meaning, take the pushing out of the hands and into the muscles you are working. This is a great way to use the muscle your working and gain results MUCH QUICKER J
-As you tap the shoulder lift the leg on the same side of the shoulder you are tapping. If you are tapping the right shoulder, lift the left leg. Lower the leg as you lower your hand. SQUEEZE CORE!
-START with a raised leg! You need to know ahead of time which shoulder you are going to tap FIRST. Raise THAT leg BEFORE you begin lowering your body. As soon as you tap the shoulder, lower that leg as you lower your hand and immediately raise the opposite leg. Continue…GOOD STUFF!
-Perform on a rolled up Yoga mat. Roll up the Yoga mat tightly and place under your hands. This adds an unstable environment in turn recruiting many more stabilizer muscles to bring out more muscle QUICKER J You can also use dumbbells to place under your hands as well
-ADD INTENSITY WHEN YOU ARE READY, NOT JUST FOR KICKS AND GIGGLES TO SEE IF YOU CAN DO A HIGHER INTENSITY AND HAVE NOT MASTERED THE LOWER LEVEL PART OF THIS EXERCISE.
-ALWAYS talk to a physician before starting ANY exercise program.
-If at any time you feel pain or begin to compensate form for function – STOP! The ‘No Pain – No Gain’ saying is BULL CRAP! You body knows what is right for you. PLEASE use good judgment.

Rest 1-2 minutes and repeat Super Set 1-4 times

Remember to go at YOUR OWN pace..:)

You have a dream?

I was just on line checking out the USA Olympic Volleyball team, I can’t wait to watch them play. There is something about the Olympics that puts many of us in a state of awe. I think it’s the human aspect, especially after reading about some of the members of our Olympic volleyball team.

Sure the competition at the Olympics is second to none and one can only imagine the pressure but deep down I think what really hits you is knowing that…

Each athlete is a person who had a dream and realized it.

Each athlete has a unique story and has met and surpassed unique challenges along the way.

Each athlete reiterates to all of us what can happen with dedication and hard work.

Each athlete shows us what our bodies are truly capable of.

I know the Olympics are surrounded by much hype and sometimes overdone commentary, but we mustn’t let all the ceremonies distract us from what really matters, the amazing athletes we will be watching.

If you would like to read about the members of the USA Olympic volleyball team click here: http://volleyball.usoc.org/athlete

PS – The Training for Volleyball DVD is still taking off! We are shipping them everywhere, which is VERy exciting. Check it out and start your road to jumping higher, hitting harder and recpording mroe digs & kills!
www.trainingforvolleyball.com

Fired up…AGAIN!

Before I tell you WHY I am fired up let me fill you in on what I am about..

If you don’t know me by now below is a little about me and what I truly care about..

1) YOU and YOUR goals….PERIOD….that is why I constantly test and try new ways to drastically improve the overall athletic ability and functionality of ALL my clients and customers.

2) NOT MONEY! Granted I sell products, but reaching out to you and the volleyball world to make a change in the way training is seen is PRICELESS

Let’s move on..

Yes…I AM fired up..

Why?

Well, any good business person keeps up with their competition…

I do…

I like to see what bull poopy they are sending your way..

Let me freaking tell you there is LOTS of poop being thrown your way and it is really it ticking me off!

Listen, a chest press, a bicep curl and all these other body building type exercises are NOT functional..

You body moves in all planes of motion and it needs to be trained that way..

One way to look at it is what do physical therapists do to get us back into shape after a knee surgery or shoulder surgery?

They train us back to functionality..PERIOD.

They DON’T have us do ‘deep squats’, ‘Straight bar bicep curls’ or a ‘chest press on a flat bench’.

So why would someone you have trust in to help you improve your athletic ability have you do these things?

I’ll tell you..

Because it’s ‘text book’!

They open a book and it TELLS them what to do with you…

Yup..YOU..

They don’t know you and your capabilities, but the book says to do this and do that..

BULL POOPY!

If you are looking for a trainer in your area, PLEASE research the exercises they will be doing with you..

If they are unfamiliar with ‘functional’ or ‘sport specific’training and laugh when you ask them about it..

Well, I can honestly say they are not up to par with athlete training..

Don’t fall victim to all the fancy letters behind their name either..

The ones that make them sound like they are a doctor..

Heck…I have people asking me to show THEM my training style who have a Masters Degree in kinesiology!

One last thing to think about before hiring a trainer who believes that the body building exercises are the way to go to help you become a better volleyball player..

Imagine all the contestants on stage trying to win the Mr. Olympia or Miss Olympia body building contest…

Put them all in volleyball uniforms and split them up into teams..

Have them play..

One thing..

DON’T LAUGH TO HARD WHEN THEY CANNOT MOVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE,FORWARD AND BACKWARD AND ARE TOTALLY OUT OF BREATH!

As an FYI…

I say this to some of the top ‘fitness professionals’ in the world that you see in major magazines….FACE TO FACE..and I really don’t care what they think, because…

IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU AND YOUR GOALS

Have a great weekend!

In Good Health,
Barry
http://www.trainingforvolleyball.com/
http://www.kickasscore.com/

PS – I didn’t even get into the Division 1 school who sent my niece a workout via Fed Ex to do over the summer with NO formal training or program on HOW to perform the exercises! This is an 18 year old girl told via snail mail to do straight bar chest presses, bicep curls, lat pull downs BEHIND THE NECK etc..CRAZY!