2 Simple words that can change the world

It’s funny how something so simple can be so powerful. Let me give you two examples about how something so easy as saying “thanks” can change the world. At our staff meetings we go around the room and share stories of positive things in the gym. We hear about when children overcome fear, or when…

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Goal Setting and strategy

One of the things I love best about being a gymnastics coach is how our sport teaches so much beyond skills to children. One of my favorite by-products is having kids learn goal setting. When we talk about goals with our new optional level team kids we explain that goals are like sign posts: we…

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Treat for a trick? Of course.

I remember Halloween as a kid. I went out until I was about 14 years old (I was small for 14) because, with candy as a motivation, I would do anything.  We set out at sunset and came back around 10. It was a job for us. We took it pretty seriously. It’s a bit…

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Hey Canada, go back to being Canadian

Think of Canada. Beautiful right. Think of Canadians… earthy, natural, warm, friendly healthy people. Usually nicer than us stress packed Americans to their south. But things are changing. Canada, as well as the rest of the world, is turning more “American-ish”. Many of the multi-national food production companies are American based. Fast food as a…

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Eliminate the excuses, I’ve tried them all, they’re wrong.

“I just don’t have the time” “I would but I get my workout at work”  “Since I don’t have the time to do it every day, I might as well not even start” “That program was too intense”, “I get too sore” “Healthy? I’m healthy enough.” I’ve heard them all, in fact I’ve said them all at some…

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Debunking reasons kids in day cares don’t get exercise

We know that there is an epidemic of inactivity in America when it comes to children. That didn’t start as recently as when electronics began occupying children’s time. In fact it has been a trend for many years and is leading up to the perfect storm of increased obesity, increased sickness and lowering academic skill. Now we…

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The future of our health…..maybe

Lets look to the future. I’m not talking SciFi flying car and perosnal jet packs: I’m talking in 8 years. That’s 2 more Olympics, 2 more Presidentail Elections, when my kids will be 12 and 16. Not too far away. Here is what is projected. Based on a study (National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys…

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If not for them, then for who?

We are all concerned about the child obesity problem in the “civilized” world but  like car accidents, we all believe that it will never happen to us. Maybe you look at your kids and think that their OK or that there is no way that they could be considered “fat.” Great, good for you. But…

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Inspiration is a two way street

Every team athlete, OK every person, occasionally needs a course correction. Sometimes the path of travel gets veered from because we lose sight of greater goals or our potential desired outcomes. That is why things happen that we don’t want to happen. A t times, training gets tedious. Working the same skills over and over, practicing routines…

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