Skip The Flu This Basketball Season With These Immunity Building Tips

September 28, 2014 By basketballtrainer

The Flu and Basketball

Cold and flu season is quickly approaching, and for many basketball players this is a huge concern! Some people and players are used to being affected by this seasonal attack on immunity and almost expect it to happen to them. However, by preparing now and focusing on strategically building up your immune system, you can sail through the fall and winter months without having to miss a basketball workout, practice or game because of these pesky illnesses.

According to the National Center for Disease Control (CDC), peak flu months start in October and last all the way through February, with February being the month of highest infection. February is certainly not a good time for basketball players to get sick considering that it’s nearing the end of the season and all of the most important games occur during this time![1]

Between 5%-20% of the American population will contract the cold or flu each year, and the only way to ensure that you don’t fall into that statistic is to prepare, strategize and plan on not getting sick.[2]

Threats against the Immune System This Basketball Season

Bacteria and viruses are the main pathogen threats against the immune system that every basketball player has to be conscious of throughout the season. Both cause similar symptoms and will leave you hanging out on the sidelines, but that’s where the similarities end.

Bacteria are alive and are single-celled organisms that can wreak havoc on your health. Have you ever suffered from one of those nasty sinus infections? These are usually caused by bacteria and are easily spread from person to person. Taking regular sanitary measures like washing your hands after touching the ball all practice long or picking up weights after people is definitely a smart idea!

Unlike bacteria, viruses are not alive; they are tiny fragments of DNA that latch onto healthy cells and cause duplication which is how and why they spread so rapidly throughout the body if not treated properly.

Viruses are a bit more serious in nature than bacteria, so it’s a good rule to follow clean sanitation practices in the basketball locker room, weight room and in general if you want to avoid either of these threats against the immune system.

What is the difference between the cold and flu?

The common cold is much milder in nature than the flu. Typically caused by the rhinovirus, the cold can last up to two weeks and is accompanied by coughing, sneezing, sore throat, mild fever, body aches and fatigue.

On the other hand, the flu is much more serious than the common cold since it can turn into more serious health problems quickly and is caused by the Influenza A and B viruses. Lasting up to two or three weeks, the flu is generally accompanied by symptoms like coughing, fever, severe fatigue, body aches, sore throat, runny nose and if not treated properly can escalate into more serious conditions like pneumonia.[3]

What role does the immune system play in the body?

The immune system is our body’s natural defense against these common ailments and is capable of dealing with the constant barrage of harmful bacteria and viruses when working optimally.

A healthy immune system is capable of providing several benefits to the body including:

Preventing bacteria and viruses from duplicating
Seeking out and eliminating bacteria and viruses that do make it pass the front line of immune defense
Creating a natural barrier against any harmful microorganism
Destructing damaged cells in a process known as ‘apoptosis’

What are the different blood cells that make up the immune system?

The immune system is a complex network of specialized cells, proteins, tissues, and organs that all work together to protect you from anything that could be potentially damaging to the body. Most of us have heard of white blood cells (leukocytes), and while they do make up the majority of the cells in the immune system, there are also two other types of blood cells that actually perform the ‘seek out and destroy’ missions in the body.

Phagocytes – surfing throughout the body eating up foreign organisms similar to the guy in Pac-Man, these are especially important blood cells for the immune system in that they are like the guard dogs so to speak.
Lymphocytes – created in bone marrow, these blood cells are commonly referred to as “smart cells” in that they can actually identify the more sneaky bacteria and viruses that can be hiding in the body. They can also remember pathogens that have made you sick in the past and target those specifically to avoid a reoccurrence. Finally, these same cells can convert into what are known as T-cells and destroy the microbes that the lymphocytes have identified as harmful. There’s no escaping these intelligent immune cells when they are in full force!

Lifestyle Enemies of a Healthy Immune System

As you prepare for the upcoming cold and flu season, it’s important to know what exactly causes a weakened immune system. Daily lifestyle and diet habits can make or break your body’s ability to fight off infection efficiently. As you go about the basketball season, be sure that you try to keep these six things to a minimum.

Lack of or over exercise – we all know that exercising is important for healthy weight management and cardiovascular health, but its effect on the immune system might come as a surprise to some. In fact, according to a study conducted at Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, it was found that women who exercised in an aerobics class for five days a week caught half the number of cold and infections than those who only stretched. On the other hand, too much strenuous activity can pose a problem. Fortunately, basketball players are conditioned to be able to withstand longer periods of rigorous activity, however it’s important to remember to get your rest and relaxation and maintain balance in order to keep your immune system from becoming weakened due to physical exhaustion.
Lack of Sleep – sleep is the primetime for the body being able to repair and regenerate from the day’s activities, so if you have accrued sleep debt from several sleepless nights, be sure that you make this a priority because the body is not going to be able to fight off bacteria and viruses if you are lacking in this department.
Excessive Stress – stress comes in many forms, but by not dealing with it nor making an effort to keep your stress levels to a minimum during basketball season—you are opening yourself up for illness. A strong immune system starts with a peaceful, relaxed and well rested body, mind and spirit. Don’t leave any room in your life for unnecessary stress if you want to bypass the cold and flu this season.
Excessive Sugar Intake – artificial sugars are one of our immune system’s greatest enemies! Excessive sugar intake causes over acidity in the body which leads to a compromised immune system unable to protect you efficiently.
Too high or too low body fat percentage – a healthy body fat percentage is linked to a healthy immune system since healthy fats and fat metabolism play a huge role in hormonal balance in the body. If you are under or overweight, than your immune system will be more susceptible to infections.
Lack of nutritional supplementation – it’s no secret that nutritional supplements give our bodies a much needed boost and during the cold and flu season if you decide to skip out on adding some extra nutrients into your daily regimen you might be skipping out on a few basketball practices or games as well!

What foods should I eat for a strong immune system?

A healthy immune system certainly starts in the kitchen! What you decide to fuel your body with all year long will either build up or tear down your immunity.

A diet rich in antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies, whole grains and healthy fats are all able to give your body what it needs to build a solid foundation of efficient immunity as a basketball player.

Basketball players need even extra nutrition since the physical toll taken each day on the body can leave the immune system depleted, so be sure to make good food choices every single day!

Dark green leafy vegetables – full of minerals and other essential nutrients, dark green leafy vegetables are the most nutritious food that you can eat if you want to build a strong immune system.
Citrus fruits – be sure to pack your day with citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, mandarins, tamarinds – your immune system loves all the extra Vitamin C!
Carrots – an ideal source of carotenoids like beta carotene which support the mucous membranes that line the respiratory tract, making it more difficult for pathogens to enter the bloodstream and cause infections.
Tomatoes – loaded with lycopene and more Vitamin C, cooked tomatoes diminish free radical damage to immune cells making them healthier and stronger.
Kefir – a natural probiotic drink, kefir builds up immunity by providing healthy bacteria to the intestinal tract that has been shown to reduce the number of naturally occurring bad bacteria that reside in the gut. Bad intestinal bacteria is known for causing problems with digestion and immunity, so kefir is a great way to boost your health!
Fish – abundant in omega fatty acids, fish are a great way to reduce inflammation in the body which allows the immune system to work better and harder to ocus on invading pathogens.

Should I get a flu shot?

The staff here at BasketballTrainer.com has varying opinions on this subject but all agree this is a personal decision that you should rely strongly upon your doctor for.

What supplements and herbs should I be taking to build up my immunity?

Multi-vitamin – a daily multivitamin is the best place to start if you want to protect yourself from catching anything this cold and flu season. Filling in those nutritional gaps with a daily multi-vitamin and multi-mineral product will help you do just that! Read our article on choosing the right multivitamin to help you decide on which one to go with to support your immune boosting goals.
Medicinal mushrooms – full of calcium, selenium, iron, B-complex vitamins, Vitamins C and D – certain species of medicinal mushrooms like cordyceps, reishi, shiitake, and maitake are powerful immune agents as they contain active immune heightening compounds. They are typically taken in capsule form and you can find them at your local health foods store.
Oregano – a strong antioxidant and antibacterial herb, oregano should be in every basketball player’s first aid cabinet to take soon as any sign of bacterial infection starts. Oregano can be taken in capsule form as a liquid tincture to mix into water. You can also use Oregano essential oil to inhale the steam for sinus infections.
Elderberry – possesses strong immune boosting, anti-viral, and antioxidant properties. Elderberry has been known to stop the influenza virus dead in its tracks by increasing cytokine production. Elderberry can be taken in capsule form or is often found in homeopathic cough syrup formulations.
Echinacea – this powerful herb is known for its ability to turn on the immune response and stimulating the production of healing anti-bodies known as immunoglobulin. A study conducted at the University of Connecticut found that Echinacea decreased the odds of contracting the common cold or flu by almost 60%! Echinacea can be taken in capsule form or drank as a tea.
Garlic – garlic has been touted for several years as being excellent in supporting a health heart, however, recent studies suggest that supplementing with aged garlic extract may trigger a positive immune response and help decrease the duration of the common cold or flu by increasing the number of immune cells in the body. Garlic can be crushed and ingested on a spoon followed by a full glass of water or taken in capsule form.
Probiotics – provide the body with good bacteria that build up immunity in the intestinal tract by decreasing the number of bad bacteria that wreak havoc on health. Probiotics are a must have for anyone wanting to build up their tolerance against common bacterial infections and digestive issues.

With the cold and flu season quickly approaching, it’s time to take control of your health to protect yourself from sidelining illness. By eliminating certain lifestyle habits and replacing them with healthier habits, food choices and nutritional supplement support, you are setting yourself up for success. Taking action now to build up your overall health will help you to forego the inconvenience of the cold or flu this basketball season and onto more playing time and wins in the record book!

[1] http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-season.htm

[2] http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-statistics

[3] http://www.healthline.com/health/cold-flu/cold-or-flu#2

Power Up Your Basketball Diet with Protein

August 31, 2014 By basketballtrainer

What Is Protein and Why Is It Important for Basketball Players?

Proteins are chains of molecules that are vital to life. Named more than 150 years ago after the Greek word proteios (meaning of “prime importance”), proteins have been studied and found to hold the answers to many physiological questions about the human body.

Protein is the second must abundant substance in the body, aside from water, and makes up roughly 18-20% of a person’s total body weight. In fact, it can be found in every single one of the trillions of cells that make up the human body.

Protein is a macronutrient along with carbohydrates and fats, meaning that it provides calories and energy for the body –providing 4 calories of energy for every gram consumed.

Unlike healthy carbohydrates, which mostly benefit the metabolic system; protein plays a key role in several functions of the body including: immune function, achieving a healthy pH balance, maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance, transporting nutrients, supporting growth of muscles and maintaining healthy muscles, as well as building enzymes, hormones and other important chemical compounds in the body.[1]

As you can see, protein’s role in the body is much broader than simply supporting healthy muscles which is why it’s so important to take this macronutrient seriously!

What are the building blocks of proteins?

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and are classified as either essential amino acids or non-essential amino acids. The body can make about half of the 20 amino acids that it needs which are known as the non-essential amino acids. The other 10 that the body cannot product on its own, known as essential amino acids, must be attained through diet and supplementation in order to keep up with the demands of a basketball body.

There are three essential amino acids that are classified as ‘branched chain amino acids’, more popularly referred to as BCAA’s. These three amino acids include L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine, which are particularly important to basketball players and athletes as they play a big role in muscle recovery and new muscle tissue synthesis.

L-arginine is another essential amino acid that is popular for being the pre-cursor to nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide is a vasodilator meaning that it will cause the blood vessels to expand and allow for increased total blood circulation to the entire body. Where blood flows, so do nutrients, vitamins and minerals for faster, more effective recovery. As L-arginine converts into nitric oxide, the stimulation of the release of the human growth hormone (HGH) from the pituitary gland also which means that the body is going to be able to grow bigger, stronger muscle mass in much less time than someone who is deficient in this particular amino acid.

Amino acids are what make protein so unique. You can attain all of these amino acids through your diet, however many people do choose to add nutritional supplementation in order to give themselves a natural, healthy protein boost. This can be beneficial especially after a longer than normal workout or on those days when you feel like you are dragging because of consecutive intense training days. It’s always better to focus on taking a full amino acid profile nutritional supplement rather than isolating specific amino acids since this can cause an imbalance in overall levels overtime.

Why is protein so important for basketball players?

The lifestyle of a basketball player is incredibly demanding. Aside from being under loads of stress and pressure to maintain good grades and healthy personal and professional relationships, the body must undergo hours of physical wear and tear so to speak. The entire body is left depleted often after basketball workouts, practices and games and is need of important protein replenishment. Without the right amount of protein to support your basketball body, you will be left with a weakened immune system, less muscle mass, as well as being more likely to fill your diet with too many carbohydrates and fats which can lead to an undesirable body fat percentage.

On the other hand, players who are getting enough quality protein each day in their diets will more easily build strong, lean muscles in the weight room as well as maintaining an ideal body fat percentage to support their endurance efforts out on the court. Basketball weight training is essential to college basketball dreams and protein fuels that growth and dream.

Basketball players ought to keep a close watch on their daily protein intake to build up a healthy body and to help the body recover after intense physical activity. Keeping a food journal is an easy way to track your exact protein amounts and also the timing of your protein consumption throughout the day.

How much protein do basketball players need?

You might be wondering exactly how much protein you should be getting as a basketball player every day.

Most nutritionists and dieticians are going to recommend that you reserve at least 20% of your daily diet for your protein consumption. However, the easiest way to determine exactly how much you should be getting is based upon body weight.

Here is a simple formulation that can help you set a daily target goal:

Take your body weight in pounds and divide it by 2.2 to get your weight in kilograms. Then, multiply your body weight in kilograms by 1.8 to get the number of grams of protein per day you should strive for.

Also note, a recent Canadian study determined that highly active athletes should be consuming a little bit more than the average person, at anywhere from 1.8-2.8 grams of protein per 1 kilogram of body weight. [2]

Many athletes thrive on a slightly higher protein intake than a person who is only moderately active or sedentary considering that athletes are constantly having to rest and recover their muscles and body.

What types of protein should basketball players consume?

After calculating the minimum amount of protein you should be consuming each day, go ahead and jot it down in your food journal as you begin tracking your daily intake to ensure that you’re getting enough.

You can easily get enough protein each day from your diet.

Some proteins are classified as ‘complete proteins’, while others are known as being ‘incomplete proteins’. Complete proteins are sources that contain a full profile of amino acids, while the incomplete proteins contain only a few of the amino acids necessary for basic bodily functions. It’s important that you get plenty of complete proteins from both animal protein choices and some plant-based choices like quinoa, hemp, chia and brown rice.

American culture tends to lean towards animal proteins as primary sources, however in order to lead the healthiest lifestyle possible, you are going to want to mix up your daily protein intake with both animal and plant-based sources.

Stick with most of your animal protein choices coming from sources like turkey, chicken, fish and eggs. If you’re going to go for beef or pork, just be sure that you pick the leanest cuts possible, otherwise the fat content of those meats can ultimately make them not worth adding into your healthy basketball diet.

Plant-based sources of foods can provide with you just as much protein as animal sources can along with a full amino acid profile and much less fat. Go for whole foods like quinoa, buckwheat, hemp seed, chia seed, soy, Ezekiel bread, beans, legumes, seeds, nuts and brown rice to stay on top of your protein needs.

What about protein shakes, drinks and bars supplemented into the diet?

While it is very possible for most of your daily protein needs to be met through your actual food sources, you’ll find that most highly active people still choose to supplement protein into their diets through shake mixes, pre-made drinks and bars.

The great thing about supplementing protein into diet like this is that there are some really quality products out there that can give you 20 or more grams of protein in one single serving.

Most athletes add in the protein powder mixes, because they are delicious, lower sugar and can be taken on-the-go and simply mixed with your choice of water, milk or a milk alternative. Some of the shake formulations are complete meal replacements featuring vitamins, minerals and superfoods and superfruits while other products are just protein. Still others look to smoothies to add or maintain weight in baksetball training. Here is a good resource for that: Basketball Smoothie Recipe. It’s all in what you feel like you need, but these can be a smart way to go to support your basketball protein needs!

A few of my top protein shake mixes are:

Genesis PURE’s Complete Shake (http://www.genesispure.com/products/display/2087/complete-shake)
Genesis PURE’s Sports Recovery Shake (http://www.genesispure.com/products/display/2082/recovery)
Vega Sport Performance Protein (http://vegasport.com/product/performance-protein/)
Sun Warrior Warrior Blend (http://www.sunwarrior.com/store/)

Protein bars are another convenient, easy way to get in extra protein when you need it most! Be careful to double check the sugar content of the bars you are consuming, because many brands contain anywhere from 15 to 24 grams of sugar per single bar, which takes away from the nutritional value of the protein content. Other than that, be sure to fill your sports bag with them, because they can be an ideal mid-practice snack or even a quick pre-workout boost that you are needing to fuel your body for practice or a game.

A couple of my favorite healthy protein bars include:

Quest Bars (http://www.questnutrition.com/protein-bars/)
Power Crunch Bars (http://powercrunch.com/products/energy-bars/original/)
Vega Sport Protein Bars (http://vegasport.com/product/protein-bar/)

What is the difference between Whey, Casein, Natural and Blends of Proteins?

When you walk into any nutritional supplement store like the Vitamin Shoppe or GNC, you will notice that there are different types of protein powders to choose from which can be very confusing.

The distinct difference between the different kinds is that whey and casein are derived from cow as a by-product of cheese, while natural proteins come from plant-based sources like quinoa, soy, hemp, chia, brown rice and other grains and sprouts. So if you lead a more plant-based diet, the obvious choice is to stick with the natural proteins.

You will notice that most whey protein these days is hydrolyzed whey, which basically means that it is partially pre-digested for faster assimilation and absorption in the body. Many heavy weight lifters like to use whey so that they can gain an almost instant protein boost any time they might need it.

On the other hand, casein protein is a more slowly digested and absorbed protein that many athletes will take before bedtime so that the body has protein to utilize over the course of the night. Not too many people actually use just casein by itself aside from athletes who are heavy weight lifters, but it is more popular for athletes to use casein in general if it is in a protein blend.

Blended proteins are pretty straightforward and are not specific to the milk derived or plant-based protein sources. You can find whey and casein blends, as well as natural protein blends that combine the above mentioned proteins together as well. Your natural blended proteins are also going to be your complete meal replacement products, which are a very wise choice since they can provide the vitamins, minerals and nutrients that protein specific supplements cannot.

According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, researchers at the University of Texas Medical found that compared to whey, a combination of soy (25%), casein (50%), and whey (25%) after a weight-training session delivered amino acids to muscles for an hour longer. This suggests that muscle building goes on for a longer period of time with the blended formulations then with whey by itself.

Protein is a big part of our society, while some people are consuming too much, others not enough. As a basketball player, it’s your responsibility to know exactly how much protein you are getting each day to meet your needs. Start by calculating what you need and then begin to keep track and consider your sources. Are you consuming too much or too little? Could you benefit from adding more plant-based or animal sources of protein into your diet? Do you think that keeping protein supplements handy might enable you to stay on top of your daily intake in situations where you need a boost? All of these are things to start considering as you refine your basketball diet to help you build a strong, lean body that can make you a better basketball player and athlete!

Get Started Adding Quality Basketball Protein To Your Diet Today!

[1] Nutrition Concepts and Controversies, pgs. 186-194

[2] http://www.wikihow.com/Determine-How-Much-Protein-You-Need

Coachable Basketball Players – 5 Highly Respected Traits

August 28, 2014 By basketballtrainer

The Coachable Basketball Player

Coachable basketball players are players that are capable of giving respect, keeping a positive attitude, and displaying excellent behavior traits in order to develop their basketball skills for the greater benefit of the team. Are you a coachable basketball player?

With countless hours spent practicing, working out and playing, it can be tough to always maintain the right attitude necessary to learn, grow and improve as a player. Sometimes, it can be difficult to have to hear about the mistakes and errors made out on the court – especially if it’s something that you’ve been working on for some time like your shooting footwork or overhead passes and you either thought that you had improved or you simply can’t seem to execute the way your coach is wanting you to.

Whatever the case may be, keeping a positive attitude is half the battle so that you don’t let the stress and pressure of it all overcome you. The other important thing to keep in mind is to always display coachable traits so that you can become the best basketball player possible and your coaches will trust and respect you.

It doesn’t matter if you are the most talented and skilled player on the team, if you don’t have a consistently coachable spirit than you are not going to be effective as a leader and it’s likely that your coaching staff and teammates won’t enjoy working and playing with you as much as they should.

Being a coachable basketball player has many great benefits and rewarding potential like more playing time, better relationships with your coaches and teammates, accelerated learning, less stress and contributing to a stronger, more bonded team.

The following is a checklist of 5 traits of a coachable basketball player so that you can be sure that you are exemplifying behavior that will make you a great asset to your coaches and team.

1. Listen more, talk less

You know those players that seem to always have something to say about everything regardless of whether it’s in response to a reprimand or when they make a good play? Typically those players are not very good listeners and tend to go about simply running their mouths for the sake of hearing themselves talk. This is not a good example of a coachable player, in fact, just the opposite type of player is ideal. By listening more and talking less you are showing that you believe what your coaches have to say is more important and you are more likely to retain what they are teaching you than if you are always talking while they are or interrupting them.

2. Be willing to take personal responsibility

It’s not always easy to take personal responsibility whether in life or on the basketball court. It’s especially challenging when coming into practice after a lousy game performance where you missed most of your free throws or allowed your player too many offensive points that was a big part in costing your team the game. Those are the moments that are tough to swallow knowing that you might have let some people down. Coachable players understand that this is all part of the self-development process as an athlete and you have to be willing to take the good times with the bad. You can’t always accept the glory without being able to tough out the failures as well. Taking personal responsibility for your daily performance shows your coaches that you are able to be realistic for where you are really at with your skills and within your role on the basketball team.

3. Focus on yourself, not others

This trait goes along with the previous one in that the most coachable players are always focusing on inner reflection rather than looking to their coaches and their teammates to justify their behavior or performance. Instead of worrying about your point guard who seems to always turn the ball over on every other play or your post player who refuses to use the backboard and has a frustratingly low shooting percentage, simply spend your time thinking about the areas that you need to improve. The best, more effective players in the game of basketball are the ones who focus on their performance and responsibilities so much that in turn everyone out on the court playing with them seem to get better when they are out on the floor. This trait certainly doesn’t translate into being selfish with the ball or completely self-centered as person, but it does mean that it’s more respectable to not go around pointing fingers at everyone else all the time when thing aren’t going right.

4. Take time to approach your coach directly

Has your coach ever said something to you during practice that didn’t quite make sense or that you didn’t completely catch? Coachable players understand that communication is key to success and when there is a misunderstanding between coach and player it’s not just the coach’s responsibility to ensure that everything is clear from a communication aspect. Your coach will respect you more if you take the time to show up to practice early or stay late to drop by their office to keep lines of communication open. It can be an incredibly difficult challenge for coaches to effectively communicate to all players on the team at once during an open practice or game, which is why coachable players understand that it’s their job to close the gap and make time to approach their coach directly. This trait will eliminate misunderstandings and confusion and you might even get your coach to spend extra time with you to explain what their expectations are of you or to simply review a play that you aren’t quite executing properly. Coaches are always willing to invest extra time in dedicated and coachable players who are willing to spend one-on-one time with them.

5. Always hear instruction, not criticism

This is one of the most difficult traits to develop as you become a coachable basketball player. It’s easy to think that after the 5^th time of your coach or teammate coming to you about the same issue that you are simply being criticized for your hard efforts. By keeping everything in a positive perspective and remembering that you can’t always take tone of voice, facial expressions and other bodily language so literally you will be happier. Sometimes, your coaches and teammates are going to say things that might come across as abrupt and critical, but so long as you keeping in mind that they are all human and you choose to always hear instruction over criticism you will soar as a coachable basketball player. Also, remember that you coaches have lives outside of the team so it is likely that they might be having a hard day and aren’t being quite as diplomatic during practice with the way they say things, this is where the coachable players will cut them some slack and understand that at the end of the day it’s about instruction to becoming the best player possible at all times.

Some players come by being a coachable basketball player naturally, while others struggle more in certain areas. It’s safe to assume that everyone could take some time reevaluating their coachability and pick out a trait or two above to hone in and really work on in the upcoming season. By focusing on being coachable as much as you do your skill development, you will be surprised at how much more smoothly everything will go for you as you gain great respect from your coach and teammates by first showing respect and setting a good example for everyone!

7 Steps to a Stress-Busting Attitude for Basketball Players

August 24, 2014 By basketballtrainer

Stress is one of the leading contributing root causes of poor health for most Americans. In fact, it is linked to all six of the leading causes of death in the United States including heart disease, cancer, liver diseases, lung diseases and even suicide.

While most basketball players are healthy enough to not have to worry about the above listed chronic conditions, stress can still have a significantly negative impact on players who feel overloaded between the demands of school, work, family, romantic relationships and performing well on the court.

Even chronically low levels of stress can lead to poor sleeping patterns, anger, irritability, anxiety, mood swings, as well as a lowered immune system. Basketball players who feel more stressed are often likely to suffer from the cold, flu and allergies throughout the season.

Stress targets the physical, mental and emotional aspects of the human body which means that basketball players are constantly under attack from all angles of life in order to maintain balance between these three aspects of well-being.

Mental, physical and emotional well-being are all interconnected so it’s often that if a player is suffering from severe stress in one of these areas the other two will suffer. For example, final exam week is a time of great mental and emotional stress which can mean that physically players may not perform at their best during practice because of the stressful mental distractions of worrying about studying for and passing their tests. Likewise, when a basketball player is physically exhausted or even nursing an injury, their efforts in the classroom or at work are more likely to suffer as well.

Being a part of a competitive basketball team is stressful in itself. From competing for more playing time to memorizing and executing plays perfectly, there is a lot that players have to focus on and worry about in order to develop their skills enough to become a great asset to their team. Not to mention the stress that comes with trying to perform consistently at a level on the court and in the classroom that will get them noticed by college recruiters and land them that college basketball scholarship they’ve been dreaming of for years.

Many people believe that a person’s attitude has a lot to do with their daily levels of stress. The mind is an incredibly powerful force and if you can conquer your thought processes and mental stress as a player than the emotional and physical sides are likely to follow suit for an overall peaceful and stable life on and off the basketball court.

I’m going to share with you 7 proven steps to help you develop a stress-busting attitude no matter what you may be facing in order to bring more balance to your life as basketball player and all the responsibilities that it entails.

Step 1: Become an Optimist

Optimism can take you very far in life. The way you view and deal with challenging situations can make all the difference in how you respond and sometimes even contribute to the outcome. Rather than always seeing the glass half empty, strive to be someone who sees the glass half full at all times. Basketball season comes with many challenging situations personally and as a team. Competing for positions, battling injury and sickness, dealing with tough losses and sometimes struggling to get along with difficult teammates or even a coach can leave a player feeling rather pessimistic; but, if you focus on the good things and believe that the negative will turn to positive and work towards your ultimate benefit than life will be more of a breeze than a struggle.

Step 2: Listen to Your Self-Talk

As you go throughout your day you will notice that you are always talking to yourself. Sometimes what you are saying is positive and sometimes it’s negative. By beginning to pay closer attention to the way you are talking to yourself you can gain a great idea of why you tend be more positive or negative in general. Your self-talk should be positive, encouraging and uplifting at all times in order to make yourself feel confident, empowered and ready to deal with the everyday challenges you will face as a basketball player and student. If you can’t be your biggest fan, than who will be?

Step 3: Ask Better Questions as You Reflect

Reflecting upon the questions you are asking yourself throughout the day when you face difficult situations takes self-talk a step further. It’s easy to fall into a negative, stress inducing pattern of beating ourselves up with self-defeating questions like, “Why do I always miss my second free throw?” or “Why do I always have to mess up that play?” Instead, ask yourself questions that are going to help you overcome the situation or circumstance like “What do I need to learn from my failed attempts to make it better the next time?” or “How can I adjust my form and visualize my shots going in so that I can improve my free throw percentage?” These are the kinds of questions that are focused on the positive and are going to get you much better results.

Step 4: Use Daily Positive Affirmations

Positive affirmations are one of the most powerful tools that you can equip yourself with as a competitor to overcome adversity and stress. Affirmations are things that we believe and they become imprinted on our subconscious mind, so regardless of whether you are consciously thinking a positive or negative thought at the time, what your subconscious believes is typically how you will behave when you are faced with stress. For example, if you believe that you are not a good defender in your mind, than your emotions and physical body will limit themselves to your affirmative belief. Employing daily positive affirmations can take you to the next level as a competitor. A good way to start using them is to make a list of 3-5 statements that are going to begin changing your subconscious mind for the better. Try powerful statements like, “I am blessed with an athletic body and gift that I use daily to the best of my abilities!” or “Every day in every way I am getting better and better as a basketball player.” You can see how these positive affirmations will you help you bust any stress you have and take you on to success.

Step 5: Set Positive, Realistic Goals

Learning to set positive goals is a great way to build your self-esteem and confidence throughout the basketball seasons. Remember to use positive words, be realistic and to keep everything in the present tense. Whether you want to increase your shooting percentage, decrease your turnovers or up your assists – keeping these things at the forefront of your mind will keep you motivated, focused and less likely to be stressing out about all the outside factors in life that can cause worry and tension.

Step 6: Practice Positive Visualizations

While thinking positive thoughts is incredibly powerful, putting energy into positive visualizations can bring success as well. How about picturing yourself hitting the game winning shot before you even take it, or how about seeing yourself shutting down the other teams’ best player? If you can create visualization in your mind then technically you already are experiencing the emotions that come with the success of the moment. It won’t be a surprise or simply a chance of luck, instead you will succeed out on the court because you expect to! Your mind is an incredibly powerful tool, so get creative and put it to work—your imagination is your friend during times of stress.

Step 7: Laugh Longer and More Often

Lightening up for more laughter and humor throughout your day no matter how hectic it may seem may be just what you need to take off that stressful edge. In fact, making time to laugh often is the most powerful stress-buster around. Research and studies are also now showing that laughing has the potential to boost the immune system as well considering that stress levels and immunity do go hand-in-hand.

Life is always going to be a challenge regardless of whether you are playing basketball or not. The important thing to remember is that you have more power over the outcome of each day and your attitude than you might think! By following the seven steps above to busting stress as a basketball player you will be happy to find that your days will flow with more ease and you won’t force yourself to spend so much time being pessimistic, focusing on the negative and beating lf or others up over small mistakes. The less stressed and happier you are on a daily basis, the closer you are to reaching your basketball dreams and goals in life.

Don’t let challenges, obstacles, difficult people and situations get in your way of living a low-stress and peaceful life – it’s simply not worth it!

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Basketball Training And Multivitamins – Take It To The Next Level

August 18, 2014 By basketballtrainer

Take Your Basketball Nutrition to the Next Level with the Right Daily Multivitamin

Your nutritional game plan is just as important as the development of your skills out on the court. From the types of foods you choose to include in your daily diet, the fluids you decide to hydrate yourself with and the nutritional supplements that you fill in the deficiencies with are all key to maintaining a healthy athletic body and mind to play basketball at your best.

With so much information out there about supplements and multi-vitamins it can be difficult to know who to believe or what products are going to be worth the investment and your time in taking them.

My goal within this article is to help answer those questions and give you a clearer picture of what’s really going on within the supplement industry and how taking the right kind of multi-vitamin can greatly impact your daily basketball nutrition.

The Truth Behind the Vitamins Research and Studies

Nearly half of Americans are currently taking some sort of multivitamin product and will continue to do so because of their belief in its ability to improve their overall health and well-being.

However, many medical institutes dispute the effectiveness of taking a daily multivitamin based upon government funded research. There is a lot of controversy over the validity of these studies in that they are conducted using only pharmaceutical grade synthetic or “man made” vitamins when there are numerous multivitamins on the market today that provide all-natural, plant and food sourced vitamin and nutrient sources. Despite these big pharmaceutical driven companies’ technical efforts, there is much “unproven evidence” that taking a food and plant-sourced multivitamin can have outstanding health benefits on one’s health.

An important thing to understand about the supplement industry is that it is heavily regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA has been known to be overly rigorous on supplement companies for what they can and cannot say about the health benefits of their products like multivitamins. If the supplement company can’t provide a clinical trial that meets the FDA’s narrow standards than the product is simply considered to be unproven and cannot be associated with any distinct health benefits despite smaller studies having been performed proving otherwise. Sadly, those studies and research are simply not recognized and are disregarded by the FDA.

Most people don’t realize that performing a full clinical research trial is not an easy feat since it is an incredibly expensive procedure costing anywhere from 10-33 million dollars total. [1] The ongoing dilemma for more natural companies and products ends up being that they cannot afford to run the appropriate clinical trials required by the government to have their products honored and published as valid.

Another perspective to consider is that the companies and people who do have the large sums of money to fund these clinical trials are not willing to invest in the research behind natural, plant and food based products. This is because if research began to emerge proving that their effectiveness was equivalent or greater to the pharmaceutical drugs and vitamins that they are invested in, than they would ultimately lose money due to the inexpensiveness of the plant-based alternatives.

Why Do I Need a Multivitamin as a Basketball Player?

Vitamins, minerals and nutrients are all compounds found within the fresh foods that we eat like whole grains, fruits and vegetables. While it is very important to maintain a daily diet that includes all of these categories, the nutritional issue that current society is posed with are the toxic and depleted soils that conventional store bought foods are grown in.

This depleted and toxic soil issue means that no matter how healthy or organic you think you are eating, you are still going to be barely getting by or even be deficient in at least a few key vitamins, minerals or nutrients.[2]

This health concern is not biased to any age group – children, teens, young and middle aged adults, seniors and basketball players alike ought to consider this known fact and fill in those nutritional gaps with an effective daily multivitamin!

Keep in mind that nutritional supplement manufacturers are able to partner up with companies that grow herbs and plants in more nutritionally enriched, pesticide-free soils to be used within their products. Some companies pay very good money to have these nutrient enriched and toxin-free crops in their products to offer to you!

Also, herb and plant sources of vitamins and minerals that we are either unable to purchase fresh in a grocery store because they are completely foreign to our area or that we normally wouldn’t add into our daily diets on a regular basis like wheat grass, spirulina and chlorella; can be infused into these products making for a highly dense, nutrient packed multi-vitamin that can certainly take non-athletes and basketball players alike to a whole new nutritional level!

It is especially important for basketball players to take a high quality daily multi-vitamin considering all of the physical effort they exert on a weekly basis. While being in great athletic shape is a very healthy thing, most athletes need double the nutritional support that non-athletes do since they are working their muscles at least twice as hard through all of the strength and endurance workouts that they endure. It’s safe to say that including a multi-vitamin will definitely have an impact on a players’ overall energy levels, focus, and moods while helping to support the body during intense times of recovery.

Not All Multivitamins Are Created Equal

I believe that it goes without saying that not all multivitamins are created equal; yet, it can still be entirely confusing to know the distinct differences between the several forms that are offered.

Multivitamins come in several different forms including tablets, capsules, gummies, chewable wafers, powders and liquids.

Tablets, capsules, wafers and gummies tend to be the traditional favorites and are certainly the most cost effective; however, they don’t provide bio-available sources of vitamins, meaning that even if you are only spending 10-15 dollars per bottle each month, you might as well take that money and flush it down the toilet so to speak.

In fact, tablets have been known to pass through the entire intestinal tract without being fully digested and are able to be detected in x-rays sitting within the body like rocks. This is due to the method used to process these supplements using harmful binders and excipients that act as glue to hold the tablet together. Sounds nutritious right? Hardly![3]

Gummies and wafers are overly processed as well and typically contain too much added sugar to the point that it’s questionable as to why they are even considered a nutritional supplement. Sugar has been shown to be a leading cause of poor health conditions like diabetes, cancer and acidity in general so why should it be in your daily multi? I still can’t find a logical explanation.

Capsules are not quite as bad as the previous two, however there is concern over the gelatin often used to encapsulate the ingredients as well as filler ingredients that can be toxic. Also the actual amount of the active ingredients compared to inactive filler ingredients is something to consider as well. Are you actually getting what you pay for inside each capsule? There are some capsule products out there that are not a complete waste of money and time, but again if you are looking for the most bio-available products to supercharge your basketball nutrition I’d simply look elsewhere.

Liquids are by far the most effective and readily absorbed form of multivitamin that you can take. They are almost instantly taken up by the bloodstream and the vitamins, nutrients and minerals in them are able to be easily and effectively facilitated to the right places throughout the body. Many people claim to even feel an immediate natural boost of energy after taking a high quality liquid, plant-based multivitamin.

Again, it’s important to ensure that you always double check the sugar content in these products and go with one that is sugar-free or at least contains a plant-based sweetener like stevia or licorice root.

Basketball players need to make sure that they are taking a liquid or powder form of multi-vitamin since their bodies require more nutrition than most. There’s no point in including a slow-absorbing form of multi-vitamin in your daily basketball nutrition just so to say that you do take one. Players need to be sure that they are getting the instant concentrated nutrition they are wanting as soon as they take it!

How Do I Choose the Right Daily Multivitamin to Meet My Basketball Needs?

Now that you understand the difference between the different forms of multi-vitamins and are ready to pick out one to fill in those nutritional gaps, the decision becomes even easier when you know which supplement is actually going to do what it says and give you the competitive nutritional edge that you may be looking for to support your basketball activities and everyday life.

Your choice of multivitamin should be based upon the purity of the ingredients, the sourcing of the ingredients and where they came from, its overall formulation and its active bio-availability to the body.

Purity of the product’s ingredients should be obvious to you by containing only a small number of “other ingredients” on the fact panel as well as there not being any harmful and toxic additives like magnesium stearate, silica, artificial colors and titanium dioxide to name a few.

Sourcing and formulation go hand in hand and can be hard to distinguish amongst products; however, it’s not always about going with the product that has the highest amount of vitamins in it but rather about the blend of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, superfoods, superfruits and amino acids you are getting. Typically, the multivitamins that have specialty blends in them are your better supplement choices rather than the ones that simply just list out Vitamin A through D and that’s all it has to offer. Your first thought should be, “So then where do these vitamin sources come from?” You should certainly see recognizable foods, fruits and herbs on the nutrition fact panel as you are skimming over it and if you don’t then you can be assured that the product is synthetic, overly processed and made in a laboratory.

Finally, when choosing a multi-vitamin you must consider the products bio-availability. Bio-availability means how readily available for absorption the vitamins and nutrients are within the supplement to your blood stream and body to be quickly digested, assimilated and absorbed. If the multi-vitamin is highly bio-available then you should feel more energy and well-being within minutes of taking a dosage. If you can’t tell a distinct difference in the way you feel overall when you take your current multi-vitamin than I’d consider switching it up. Your body will certainly thank you!

How Often do Basketball Players Need to Take A Multi-Vitamin?

It’s all in the name – a daily multi-vitamin needs to be taken daily. However, the great thing about taking a plant-based and food sourced liquid supplement is that the body is going to utilize the nutrients much more quickly and efficiently than less desirable forms. This means that if a player takes one serving of their multi-vitamin at 7 A.M. with their breakfast, then goes off to school all day followed by a practice until about 6 P.M. – after 10 hours of mental and physical stress typically entailed within a student athletes’ day they may be due for another dose of a nutritional powerhouse supplement like a multi-vitamin. This somewhat goes outside of the thinking that you can only take a daily multi-vitamin once daily, but the reality is that if you are taking the right multi-vitamin you can call upon it whenever your basketball body needs a nutritional boost up to a few times each and every day.

Now that you have a lot of really great information regarding what makes a quality daily multi-vitamin product, it’s time that you either start utilizing the nutritional power of adding one into your daily routine or replacing your old one by taking the time to research and invest in a supplement that is going to provide you with what it longs for on a daily basis – an adequate source of quality vitamins, minerals and nutrients! Ask your doctor or nutritionist what would be the right vitamin for you and your basketball health!

[1]http://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2009/09/21/the-hidden-costs-of-running-a-biotech-company/

[2] http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/soil-depletion-and-nutrition-loss/

[3] http://www.bloodrootproducts.com/About_Fillers_and_Binders_s/271.htm

Overcome Your Fears: Part 4 of The Definitive Guide To Your College Basketball Dream

August 17, 2014 By basketballtrainer

Scared of Your Basketball Dream?

Don’t be.

Great rewards are proceeded by great adversity.

In order to chase the dream of playing college basketball hopeful prospects must see beyond the rare full ride (Part 1), crunch numbers in order to package themselves utilizing as many resources as possible (Part 2 Numbers Game), and then work through (Part 3 The Process) the maze that is the recruiting process with a careful diligently planned attack. Part 4 of this seven part series deals with developing the confidence, perseverance and the commitment to go “all in” to fulfill the dream.

If it is your basketball dream, go all in!

College basketball is a year round commitment. In a Varsityedge.com article Myths and Realities of College Athletics and Recruiting this level of commitment is discussed; “Playing college athletics is an unbelievable commitment in time and in dedication and will be nowhere close to your high school experience. In college you will play or practice for 3 seasons, in the fall, winter and in the spring, and be required to do lifting and running programs as well. You may also be practicing at 6AM or Midnight or twice a day depending what facilities are available at your school.”

If recruits are lucky enough to earn a spot on a college roster, programs then expect them to address their game on a regular basis. The phrase “there is no off-season” becomes reality.

Before one can live this reality, they must get there. And in order to get there, recruits will need to dedicate themselves to the game of basketball year round taking advantage of the many people and resources available to them. Most importantly they will need to be prepared for adversity, set-backs and have the courage and due diligence to see the process through and the commitment to always try to get better. Are your individual workouts in the gym and weight room both intense and scientific? Are you focused on basketball nutrition and have a quality recovery and sleep plan in place as well?

One way to get better is to seek out and use a basketball trainer. An example of a great resource for improving your game is Austin, Texas based Austin Youth Basketball. Austin Youth Basketball is growing rapidly and has impacted thousands of Austin basketball players. Look at a recent basketball trainer job description in order to better understand the criteria you should be looking for in a partner for your success.

“The BasketballTrainer.com team is comprised of former college & pro players and coaches focused on the needs of American youth basketball players. We believe that the basketball culture of America often has it’s heart in the right place but that we [coaches, trainers, parents] have strayed from teaching and sharing the foundations of the game that help kids to excel on and off the court.” According to founder Austin Youth Basketball and BasketballTrainer.com Founder Chris Corbett, who has over 20 years of experience in basketball training, “90% of our focus here is on year round personalized basketball skills training.” College basketball dreams require an edge in working harder AND smarter. A qualified basketball trainer can help. Click here to find a qualified basketball trainer.

Players have a hard time making a college roster if they don’t work on their game year round and seek out individual attention to improve upon and hone their skills. On the flip side, players now a days all too easily pick up bad habits while shelling out big bucks on AAU, travel teams and showcase leagues. If they aren’t spending too much money playing organized ball because they don’t have the resources, young players also fall victim to 5-vs-5 pick-up games where they are hosting up NBA threes, throwing around the back no-look passes and cherry picking on defense for run out fast breaks. Similar to education, these bad habits when practiced on a regular basis when your young, become hard to break when it counts, looking for a significant scholarship and college roster to join. Players no-longer feel that they need to work on their game and instead, work on finding the easiest way to gain the most exposure by playing as many games as possible. In a July 28, 2011 blog posted by Marcus Bray, a club coach states that “Putting in the work to improve as a basketball player has become ‘not sexy enough’ for most young players. What I mean by this is that players today would rather travel to tournaments and play basketball games than put in the time and effort to improve their basketball skills.”[3]

The problem is that if a prospect is lucky enough to get on a college roster, College coaches actually PREFER and require that their players to go through individual workouts.

Visiting the Basketballhq.com site, we see from Mercer University (Atlanta, GA), that college programs stress the need and value of the individual work. In regards to their Individual Basketball Skill Development Philosophy, Assistant Coach Doug Esleeck explains in a basketballhq.com entry that “One of the most important aspects of our program under [Head] Coach Hoffman at Mercer University has been individual development. We work our guys hard day in and day out on the basketball fundamentals of the game. This develops our players’ skills, improves their confidence, and instills a work ethic that has led to a culture in which players value individual development. This, in turn, produces players who work on their game on their own, and as these players see success it has encouraged our entire team to spend time in the gym outside of practice.”

College Coaches could care less if you play 5 vs. 5 outside of the season. They’re more concerned that you are getting enough reps on your shot, ball handling, and position specific stuff (post or perimeter) as well as addressing your strength and conditioning then how you did in the local organized summer league game. They want their players to address their weaknesses and build off their current strengths. This isn’t going to happen in a two hour league game. Players simply won’t get enough touches with the ball and when they do, they won’t be doing program specific stuff. From a college program perspective, it is more efficient to have small groups of no more than four players, working for no longer than an hour on the court and then another hour on their body in an effort to get bigger, stronger and faster to prepare for a game which now demands so much of your body and mind.

You are your chief sales and marketing officer

While AAU, showcases, recruiting agencies, coaches, parents and basketball trainers can help you “sell” yourself to college recruiters, you are ultimately the chief sales and marketing officer for your future as a college player. Do not wait to be chosen. Choose yourself! Putting aside self doubt and overcoming your fears are critical at this phase.

One unique option out there that strives to help high school age kids navigate through the college maze is The Sport Source.com – they are not a recruiting agency but instead a guide for recruits and parents. As put in simple and direct terms, “Our goal has remained the same – to ensure all kids who can make it in college make it to college. Making a smooth transition from high school to college is what we are all about. Though we can’t guarantee everyone will receive a full athletic scholarship, we can promise that if you are honest with your abilities, you will find the right opportunity to make your dream a reality.” So much time, effort and organization goes into finding the perfect fit for players dreaming to play college ball. The Sport Source provides direction, advising, options and will give kids choices from a network of 5800 colleges in the US and Canada and over 30,000 Coaches looking for the diamond in the rough.

As discussed in Part 2: The Numbers Game, recruits that display not only athletics but academic ability are attractive to college recruiters. Prospects must continue to work on their grades, take College Prep courses, focus on SAT-ACT tests, write strong essays. NCAA sports are an incredible experience but as the famous commercial states, “There are more than 400,000 NCAA student-athletes, and most of them go pro in something other than sports.”

Stay tuned for more info on your marketing plan and communication with colleges!

Expanding your contacts into colleges and coaches

Resources such as basketballtrainer.com, BasketballHQ.com, and The Sport Source will help you become more attractive to college coaches and once you have built your body and organized a way to present yourself go forth and build an “A” list of where do you want to be. Remember, you want exposure, not to get exposed. Work on your skills, build your team up, and then worry about marketing.

Careful planning, utilizing the RIGHT resources and then carefully weighing all your options will help you to get through THE PROCESS on top!