Chris & Friends
The Chris & Friends Podcast is a dynamic collection of podcast episodes, ranging widely from interviews with guests to editorials on health & lifestyle and much more. Chris Fluck, the host of this podcast, holds an extensive career in sports performance, personal coaching, and fitness, which has afforded him the opportunity to cultivate an unique perspective on the world, and, after several considerations and promptings, he seeks to share that perspective with listeners and visitors alike through the works of the podcast
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Chris & Friends EP16: Searching for Identity w/ Flo Zurkinden
05/02/2024
Chris & Friends EP16: Searching for Identity w/ Flo Zurkinden
In this episode I sit down life coach Flo Zurkinden. This was a fun episode with a friend who I first heard about years ago as she finished second place in something aptly titled The Death Race! Flo and I discuss her childhood in Switzerland, her start in running, and how as a young adult she was searching for an identity and being "a runner" became that. From there she went on to pursue many other athletic endeavors in the race world (half marathons, full marathons, ultramarathons, etc.) and had success in all but at one point realized that there was still something missing. She realized she was constantly on the chase for something more and that she didn't know just how to be. In what she describes as divine intervention, a few serious injuries kept her from running and forced her to "just be". It is during this time that she came to understand that you are not what you do but rather who you are. Until you can be comfortable with who that person is, you will always be on the chase for something else. There is so much more to this episode and I hope you all take a moment to enjoy it!
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Chris & Friends EP15: Talking Sport & Mindset w/ Dr. Megan Cannon!
04/16/2024
Chris & Friends EP15: Talking Sport & Mindset w/ Dr. Megan Cannon!
This episode focuses on a topic I am deeply passionate about and that is having a healthy relationship with sport. As we all know, sport provides a wonderful outlet for children to learn many great life lessons but over the years, it is as if we have lost sight over what is truly important as youth sport has become a billion dollar industry! In this episode, we discuss anxiety, working alongside parents in trying to create a healthy sport environment, the accessibility of sport and the resources associated with it (access to good coaches, sport psychologists, fields, etc.), the importance of having hobbies and interest outside of sport and so much more! I hope you enjoy this and if you like what you hear from Dr. Megan, check out her site at . Thanks for listening!
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Chris & Friends EP14: Talking Wrestling & Life w/ Ben Chunko!
04/07/2024
Chris & Friends EP14: Talking Wrestling & Life w/ Ben Chunko!
In this episode I sit down with a former coach of mine and someone I consider to be a friend and mentor Ben Chunko. Ben is the owner and head coach at Grit Mat Club located in Bethlehem, PA. We touched on so many great topics and I think it is an episode all parents of athletes should listen to. One of my big takeaways was the importance of showing kids how to act. It is not "do as I say" but rather "watch what I do". If you can show the kids how to win, how to lose, how to train, how to learn, how to have discipline, they will then pick up on that and it will become a part of their lifestyle and help pave the way for success on and off the mat. Ben has been walking the walk in this area for a long time and he greatly influenced me as an athlete and a coach. I am more than happy to see the success his program is having. He is a great asset to the community he serves and the sport of wrestling in general. I hope you enjoy this one!
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Chris & Friends EP13: Lucky Number 13 w/ Marisa Mangiameli!
04/02/2024
Chris & Friends EP13: Lucky Number 13 w/ Marisa Mangiameli!
In this episode, Marisa and myself tackle many subjects over the course of this 75 minute episode. We break down what exactly Marisa’s credentials, you get a glimpse of my “skill” in avoiding uncomfortable topics, parenting, getting berated by a coach, and so much more! I hope you enjoy!
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Chris & Friends EP12: Today I have no friends... but I do have Shingles!
03/21/2024
Chris & Friends EP12: Today I have no friends... but I do have Shingles!
Hello everyone, welcome to the 12th episode of the Chris & Friends podcast! In this episode, I share about my experience of getting shingles, break down the highlights from the past five guests, and share a story about the American Civil War that asks the question: Can we have peace without forgiveness? I hope you all enjoy this episode!
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Chris & Friends EP11: "Living in Multiple Rooms" w/ Molly Sunderlin
03/21/2024
Chris & Friends EP11: "Living in Multiple Rooms" w/ Molly Sunderlin
One of the perks of doing this podcast is taking 75 minutes to sit down with a friend and just explore a variety of conversations. Molly and I live in the same neck of the woods but often times when we see each other, it is usually in passing or the conversations are rushed as we are doing something else. But not this time! A recurring theme is in this conversation is that life has many stages. For Molly, she was a Division 1 runner who nearly ran the Olympic qualifying time for the marathon, then an educator, then a parent, and now she is finding time to pursue what she is truly passionate about: a career in fitness and coaching endurance to accomplish whatever it is they are pursuing. I had a few favorite moments during this talk. The first part revolved around being a parent and navigating things like creating healthy habits, being careful using the word "should", coaching your children, and encouraging them to be on a constant quest to explore the many different things life has to offer. The second part which happened to be my favorite was comparing life with being a house with many rooms. What this means is that you should not let one thing (or room) define who you are because what if that is taken away from you one day? This is a topic that can be applied to athletics, teaching, parenting, coaching, and even just being a lifelong pursuer of learning and experimenting with things.
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Chris & Friends EP10: No Safety Nets w/ Jason Brader
03/05/2024
Chris & Friends EP10: No Safety Nets w/ Jason Brader
In this episode, I meet with the man who gave me my first job in the world of Strength & Conditioning, Jason Brader. His resume is very impressive. He was one of the first guys in the area who really focused on building high level athletes and over the course of his career, has worked with thousands of high school, college and professional athletes. If you can sum up Jason's life in one way it is facing and overcoming hardship. From working a newspaper route 7 days a week as a teen, to losing both parents as a high school student, to becoming a record setting running and All-American to adulthood where drinking and gambling really started to impact his life in a terrible way, Jason has been tested time and time again. Some of my favorite parts of this episode is our discussion on manufactured hardship versus authentic hardship, moving through life with no safety nets, and filling the void within with the external (which doesn't serve you), rather than focusing inward.
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Chris & Friends EP9: You have the Power to Change w/ Haley Martinez
03/05/2024
Chris & Friends EP9: You have the Power to Change w/ Haley Martinez
Earlier this year I had the opportunity to meet Haley at one of our wonderful barn events. As the day was coming to a close, a few people stuck around to chat and this is where the conversations started to get a little more interesting. It is also where I got to know Haley. To say this women is multifaceted would be an understatement. She is a kindergarten teacher, a bodybuilder, a personal trainer and most recently, she added holistic health practitioner to her resume with a focus on breath work. We covered a lot of topics over the course of 70 minutes but I will do my best to summarize. At one time in her life, Haley felt that she was not being heard. She was experiencing things that were not normal and felt stuck in life. She had a choice to make: accept my current lot or look for ways to change. She chose change and that decision led her on her ever evolving current path. One thing that came perfectly clear over this episode is that Haley has a primal drive to serve others and is a seeker of knowledge. It was a fun chat, one in which I hope you all enjoy!
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EP8: Marinating on ideas w/ Marisa Mangiameli
02/26/2024
EP8: Marinating on ideas w/ Marisa Mangiameli
This was another fun one with the one and only Marisa! This episode is filled with some great stuff. We talked about so many things but in the end, the central seemed to flow around the idea of your body keeping score of everything that happens to you, that with each life experience lies a choice, doing the right thing even when it is difficult, being authentic, and most importantly, Marisa grades my health in four different categories and one of the scores I receive is abysmal. I hope you all enjoy!
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EP7: "Make workouts the best art of their day" w/ Steven Rose
02/22/2024
EP7: "Make workouts the best art of their day" w/ Steven Rose
About 11 years ago I was working as a strength coach and football coach at a local high school and it was during this time that I met a young Steven Rose. He was an undersized 8th grader with tons of motivation, a great attitude, and endless effort. Over the next four years, I coached him through hundreds of workouts and dozens of football games and none of those attributes he showed as an 8th grader ever changed. Even as an adult, he is still motivated to improve, always has a great attitude, and works hard in whatever it is he does. Steven has spent the past few years working as a strength & conditioning coach working with a variety of clientele. Everything from helping me out with youth camps to working with D1 athletes, Steven's experience covers the full gamut. During this conversation, we discuss working with high school kids and the value of showing up day after day, the importance of being a generalist before a specialist, how it is our job as a coach to sometimes pull back rather than push harder, that most decisions are not binary (yes or no) but rather multi-variable and most importantly, Steven reminded of something that a coach should always remember: To make the workout the best part of that kids day. I really enjoyed catching up with Steven and I hope you all do too!
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EP6: Today, I Have No Friends
02/19/2024
EP6: Today, I Have No Friends
In this episode, I share a story on how I almost fell flat on my face, recap my first five episodes and what I learned from the incredible guests, discuss coffee use, anxiety, upcoming guests and most importantly, I beg for subscribers! Thanks goes to all of those who gave a listen, I hope you have enjoyed the ride so far!
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EP5: "Be the Person you Never Had" w/ Megan Duerring
02/15/2024
EP5: "Be the Person you Never Had" w/ Megan Duerring
I feel like this was a therapy session for myself as I sat down with my friend Megan Duerring. We met over a decade ago at the now defunct LA Fitness in Easton, PA and have stayed in contact over the years. Our initial conversations centered around her incredible career as a runner that includes way too many records and championships for me to even attempt to write out. Nowadays, we talk about things like staying healthy, parenting, and dealing with whatever it is life seems to throw our way. Megan is a licensed professional counselor and owner of Conceptual Counseling Services in Easton, PA. During our chat, we hit on a bunch of great topics and I will list a few of my favorite. The first is to always plant the seed for positive growth in others as you never know when it may sprout. One act of kindness or checking in on someone may be enough to get that person going in an improved direction. The second is that I appreciate her honesty on everything but can relate to why she does what she does. She wants to be the person her younger self needed. I respect that and feel the same way. Lastly, the main topic of discussion revolved around core values. We all value things and in order to grow, we should identify what they are. When we do this, we can then let our core values drive our decisions on the path of self-improvement. And remember, the dust always settles. Do not change your core values for acceptance into a group because eventually, your true self will shine through! There is so much more here so take a listen and enjoy!
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EP4: Rising from the Ashes w/ Westley Morris
02/12/2024
EP4: Rising from the Ashes w/ Westley Morris
As I prepared for this episode, I thought back to a moment that brought us together 8ish years ago. I was working at my old gym and all of a sudden West walks in unexpectedly. It had been years since I last saw him and I had no clue what this drop in was all about. As we started talking, he proceeded to tell me a little about his past couple of years, his struggles with addiction, and shared his condolences regarding the death of my brother. He also shared that it was my brother who helped him get on a path of recovery and healing. This conversation has stuck with me for years as it seems even in death, my bro was still trying to help others. This episode is filled with many great tidbits like how to deal with losing, that your future potential has nothing to do with your current status, doing things that you may suck at, that you cannot change the past but we can change the meaning, and one of my favorites: don't be a public success but a private failure. I had a blast talking to my old friend Westley Morris hope you all enjoy this one!
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EP3: Preparing for the Appalachian Trail w/ Teagan Kane
02/08/2024
EP3: Preparing for the Appalachian Trail w/ Teagan Kane
One of the great things about doing these podcasts is connecting with old friends and Teagan here is someone I have known for close to 30 years! In this episode, we discuss his life experiences which include working as an English teacher in 8ish countries (I lost count, sorry man), his time as an ultramarathoner, free diver, living in a van, preparing for the Appalachian Trail which he is hiking in March, and most importantly, I ask hard hitting questions like "Is it a prerequisite or requirement to have a thick, Forrest Gump-like beard prior to hiking the trail?" I hope you enjoy this episode!
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EP2: A Greater Expression of Life w/ Darin Mazepa
02/05/2024
EP2: A Greater Expression of Life w/ Darin Mazepa
This was a fun conversation! First and foremost, Darin is a great guy who is always down for an interesting conversation. He is a 2nd generation chiropractor and owner of Vitality Natural Healthcare Center in Macungie, PA. Over the course of this episode, we touch on the beauty of music, the punk scene of the 80's and 90's, finding greatness within every day, the three T's (thoughts, toxins and trauma's), and much more. I hope you enjoy!
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EP1: Proactive Wellness w/ Marisa Mangiameli
01/22/2024
EP1: Proactive Wellness w/ Marisa Mangiameli
In episode one, I sit down with the person I consider to be my number one: Marisa Mangiameli! Marisa is a certified health coach who does wonderful work with those suffering from auto-immune ailments as well as mothers searching for a little burst of life and energy. Her experiences and story led her down this path of healing and I think it is important to hear for anyone who may be feeling off, have been diagnosed with something that they are struggling to manage, a parent, or anyone else who knows us and wants to see what our banter is like! I hope you enjoy!
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195: The Host Body Matters!
03/23/2023
195: The Host Body Matters!
A few times in my life, actually more than a few, I have gotten myself into a bit of a jam. There is always work to be done and at times, I feel that I keep working with very little consideration to how I am feeling or handling the stress of whatever life throws at you. Then, if not put into check, I will find myself getting sick, feeling run down, or experience other health issues that makes you slow down and bring the chaos to a halt. When you feel like crap, you realize that the only thing that matters right now is your health and feeling better. You forget all the nonsense and just focus on yourself. During this time of feeling a little off, I was reminded of something I heard back at the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. During an interview, Peter Hotez, an infectious disease specialist, reiterated over and over again the importance of having a healthy body that will eventually play host to a disease. The health of the host body prior to being exposed to any potential health issue plays a big role in how that body handles said issue. If you take care of yourself today, you can have a better tomorrow.
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194: Can We Fix Childhood Obesity?
03/13/2023
194: Can We Fix Childhood Obesity?
In the 1970's, roughly 5% of children were obese. Today, that number is over 22% and there are no signs of it slowing down. Along with having an unhealthy weight, kids younger and younger are starting to experience problems like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis and depression. In addition to those chronic ailments, obesity in childhood tends to carry over into adolescence and then into adulthood. Here is what the numbers say: 55% of obese children go on to be obese in adolescence and around 80% of obese adolescents will be obese in early adulthood. 70% of these individuals will be obese over the age 30. A sedentary lifestyle plays a huge role in body composition and if we want to reverse some of these trends, increasing physical activity for children would be a great place to start. In Slovenia, they conducted a study where they got 48% of their primary schools and over 34,000 students to participate. The purpose of this research was to see the effect of adding an additional 2-3 days of physical activity on the body composition of the students involved in the study. As one might assume, more physical activity led to huge improvements in reducing BMI scores. The greatest improvements were in those children with the highest BMI scores and the results began to really become apparent at the three year mark. What this tells me is that consistent physical activity, done over years, can help fight the childhood obesity rise we have been seeing in recent decades. In pure volume alone, the schools have the power to impact the most children and as the study indicates, can make a huge difference in the lives of those kids they work with. If we want to make change, a good place to start is getting physical activity back into the schools!
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193: Six Healthy Habits for all Children!
03/04/2023
193: Six Healthy Habits for all Children!
Healthy kids become healthy adults. In order for us to mitigate some of the negative factors associated with modern living, there are six things that we can start doing today to ensure our children will have a better tomorrow! Replace texting with talking. Practice social skills in childhood will decrease the likelihood of social anxiety in adulthood. Replace indoor light with sunlight. Vitamin D, fresh air, and some sightseeing in nature work wonders for the mind and body! Replace screen time with people time. This is similar to number one but this is about experiences. Just get out there and experience different things with different people. Replace late nights with sleep. To do this, stop scheduling things that occur well past their bedtime and put rules into place that has kids off the screens and winding down. Replace sitting with moving. Remember what movement does for anxiety and depression? Get your kids off their backsides and engaging in some sort of physical practice. Replace supplements with real food. The quick and easy grab and go items are convenient but not always ideal for our kids long term health.
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EP192: Can We Eliminate Anxiety?
03/03/2023
EP192: Can We Eliminate Anxiety?
The Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA) estimates that over 40 million adults suffer from anxiety disorders. For these people, stress and anxiety are a normal part of daily life but it doesn't have to be that way. According to studies cited by ADAA, regular exercise works as well as medication for some people to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and the effects can be long lasting. One vigorous exercise session can help alleviate symptoms for hours, and a regular schedule may significantly reduce the likelihood of those symptoms returning. The great thing is that it doesn't have to be anything special or overly organized. Simply adding a 10-20 minute walk has shown similar improvements when compared to those partaking in a 45 minute session. Those that exercise are less likely to feel anxious, stressed, or depressed. For one more way to release stress and anxiety, check out the video for a technique that you can do right now in this moment!
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191: Advice for those Coming off an Injury!
02/25/2023
191: Advice for those Coming off an Injury!
Last week I woke up at 11:40 pm and couldn't really move. My legs were slightly numb and the back muscles in my lower back were tight. I tried to sit up and failed. I rolled off the bed and hoped it was all a dream and went back to sleep with the idea that I would wake up feeling better. This was wishful thinking! So, after this surprise, I decided to take some time off and then press the reset button. For the first 2-3 days, I did nothing but rest. I wanted to let the inflammation process take its course and on the third day, I started to add in some gentle stretching and did a 20 minute walk. On the fourth day, the training began! Coming back from the time off, there were three components I wanted to focus on: Strength, Mobility and Work Capacity. For the strength exercises, I wanted to hit a push and pull for the upper body and then a squat and hip hinge for the lower body. For the mobility, I wanted to help my back heal so I found four exercises that would help promote that. For the work capacity, I wanted to perform a few exercises that were back friendly, core strengthening, and challenging.
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190: Lessons from the Spartans
02/24/2023
190: Lessons from the Spartans
Every few years I either read or listen to the book Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield. This book is about the Battle of Thermopylae in which 300 Spartan soldiers were sent to defend the area known as the Hot Gates. The movie 300 was inspired by this tale. Each time I read/listen to this book, something new and thought provoking stands out. This time around, it was a conversation between a young soldier and his mentor Dienekes... Dienekes told his protege that the mind is like a house with many rooms. There are rooms one must NOT go into. Some of those rooms include anger, fear, jealousy, envy, revenge, etc. Any of these passions will lead "the mind toward that "possession" which undoes men in war." Think to moments in your life where you have felt emotions so strong that your mind does not think rationally. Think of those times when you were furious, envious, jealous, and angry: Were you thinking clearly or thinking in a reactionary way? According to Dienekes, it is “that yielding to fear or anger which robs an army of order and reduces it to a rabble." In our own lives, operating that way with our mind possessed by those emotions robs us of thinking clearly and living. So what are you to do when these situations arise? Prepare yourself for anything in a stoic like manner. Respond to situations rather than react and remember, “Habit will be your champion. When you train the mind to think one way and one way only, when you refuse to allow it to think in another, that will produce great strength in battle.” Our battleground will not be as daunting as what Dienekes and the 300 Spartans faced at Thermopylae, but the lessons still relate!
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189: 2 + 2 = 5
02/23/2023
189: 2 + 2 = 5
In the book 1984, protagonist Winston Smith finds himself in a bit of a situation. In discussion with a friend, they debate whether or not 2 + 2 = 4 or does it equal 5 like they have been told. For some, the idea of 2 + 2 = 5 is all they know and they follow along with that line of thought but Smith knows better. So, he has a choice to make: speak out or follow along. If he doesn't say anything, then the misinformation wins. If he decides to speak out, he may be ostracized, penalized, or worse. This type of scenario plays out in two areas that I am closely connected to. In athletics, multi-sport participation is shown to decrease likelihood of injury, reduce the risk of burnout and promote long term development well beyond high school. In fact, most college coaches in the country want their kids to play multiple sports. This is 2 + 2 = 4. Unfortunately, the information being shared by youth, club or high school coaches contradicts what is known to be best and parents feel pressured to follow that guidance (2 + 2 = 5). For kids especially, excess screen time is bad. It leads to obesity, sleep disruptions, behavioral issues, delays in social skills, and attention problems. As parents, we know this and do what we can to limit it (2 + 2 = 4). Contrary to this, some local schools think otherwise and choose to use iPads for everything causing kids to be on screens 8+ hours a day (2 + 2 = 5). There are some things in the world I do not understand and this is one of them!
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188: I Need Mahomes Doctor!
02/22/2023
188: I Need Mahomes Doctor!
On Wednesday night I woke up around 11:40 and could not move. My back was incredibly stiff and my legs felt a little tingly. I tried to sit up and failed. I was stuck in bed for a moment and after taking some time to ask myself, "what the heck is going on here?" I finally rolled off the bed and luckily was able to land on my feet. I had my fingers crossed that this was a dream of some sort and that if I went back to bed, I would wake up feeling like a champ. As it turns out, this was not the case! Crazy thing is, a few days prior, I had a conversation with a dad foreshadowing what I would be experiencing. He mentioned that his son is healing well from a nasty leg injury but that the ankle on the injured leg is incredibly stiff even though he did not have an injury to that joint. We then discussed the idea of muscle guarding which is your body’s protective response when an injury occurs as it causes the muscles around the injured area to tighten up as a means of protecting the injured site. A few days after that conversation, muscle guarding entered my world as the muscles in my lower back, hamstring, quadriceps, and calves got incredibly stiff post-back injury. Getting back to 100% will take some time but here is my plan of action... 1. Let the bodies inflammation process take its course. 2. Continue to take this turmeric extract supplement for pain relief. 3. Slowly add in gentle movement. 4. Most importantly, use this as a sign to slow down and try to reduce both physical and mental stress!
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187: Never Forget Your ABC's!
02/07/2023
187: Never Forget Your ABC's!
Last week I came across a headline that read, "about 36 million falls are reported among older adults each year—resulting in more than 32,000 deaths." This headline put a shocked look on my face as it quite scary. As I thought on this, I came to the realization that maybe it is time we check in on our ABC'S: Agility, Balance, Coordination, Speed & Strength. In working with kids, there is a phrase often used to describe one's developmental pathway and that is physical literacy. Just like you learn letters before you embark on reading a novel, you must first learn the fundamentals of movement in an effort to advance towards more advanced training modalities. In time, as we age, these skills and attributes deteriorate which leads to the headline written above. Here are a few ways to fight father time and implement the ABC'S into your training... Agility: Grab an agility ladder and move through some of the more basic footwork drills as part of your warmup. These short quick bursts of change of direction might save you when you trip and stumble over an object. Having the ability to react quickly may prevent you from hitting the ground! Balance: Performance exercises while standing on one leg or pull out the balance beam and get to work! Being able to stand on one leg for 10 seconds is a great starting place. Coordination: Perform an exercise that involves the upper body and lower body working as one. This could be skipping, jumping rope, or learning a complex exercise in the gym. This mind-body connection is important in the fight against mental detioration. Speed: Find a small hill and run up it as fast as you can. You never know when you might have to tap into that speed and run away from trouble! I am not talking about the police here, I am talking about a loose dog at the park! Strength: Pick a few exercises (squat, bench, chinups) and aim to get stronger in each. Building strength in these lifts has a tendency to last. Being stronger now will mean you will be stronger later! Get creative and have some fun with this stuff. If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask!
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EP186: Does Your Kid Struggle With Losing?
02/06/2023
EP186: Does Your Kid Struggle With Losing?
Over the years I would hear stories or see examples of children who really struggle with adversity, losing, or falling apart anytime things don't go there way. For the record, at times in my life, I was one of those kids! When you witness these moments, it is tough. The kid is so wrought with emotion that it is hard to figure out what the next step should be as a parent, coach or teacher. Once cooler heads prevail, an intervention of some sort should occur. If we deem this behavior to be inappropriate then we must offer up a viable solution or alternative. There are a few things we can do: The first is to redefine what success truly looks like. To me, it is things like showing up on time, working hard, giving great effort, having a good attitude, being a team player, and more. As you can see, none of these have to do with wins and losses. The second thing is to reinforce any positive behavior we witness that supports the behaviors mentioned above. Catch them in the act and let them know you saw what they did and reward it. Lastly, just as you want them to focus on the process rather than the outcome, be prepared for this to take time. Behavior change does not happen over night. Be prepared for ups and downs and to make some mistakes along the way. It is all about the journey and this is no exception!
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EP185: This Week, I Was a Little Nervous!
02/03/2023
EP185: This Week, I Was a Little Nervous!
This week I took on a new role and let me tell you, I was feeling a bit anxious about starting. As I was preparing for the sessions, I realized I can only control so much. I created a plan, I took the equipment necessary to carry out the plan, and then did my best to execute the plan. After each session, I asked myself four questions to help evaluate how things went and areas to improve in the future. These four questions are listed below! Did you accomplish your objective? Were the drills appropriate and organized? Did they have fun and train hard? Did we talk about our values and how they drive performance?
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184: Volunteers are the Backbone of Youth Sports!
01/27/2023
184: Volunteers are the Backbone of Youth Sports!
The world of youth sports is reliant upon volunteer coaches. The great football coach Chuck Noll once said, “The mercenaries will beat the draftees but the volunteers will crush them both”. Coaching sports and going to war are two different things but the idea behind volunteering remains the same: The volunteers choose to do it! They aren't paid to show up (mercenaries) and they are not forced to do it (draftees). Anyone who volunteers is an asset and in the world of youth sports, more of this is needed. If you run an organization, SUPPORT YOUR COACHES! Don't have cliques, try to educate everyone on the ins and outs of sport, work on effective ways to communicate, and lastly, try to ensure a positive sport experience for all involved! If you are contemplating getting involved in coaching, here are a few qualities that kids say they want in their coach... If you can be respectful, not act a fool, communicate appropriately, have a little knowledge in the sport and listen when they speak, then you have the tools to work with kids in a sport setting!
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EP183: An Interview with Coach Ben Chunko!
01/20/2023
EP183: An Interview with Coach Ben Chunko!
In this episode, I sit down with my friend, former coach and current owner of Grit Mat Club Ben Chunko. In this episode, we touch on a variety of topics including coaching wrestling, being a parent, what the word Grit means, creating a culture for his club, and so much more. Over the years, Ben has always been a great example of always learning, always willing to help, and most importantly, always coaching to help kids reach their full potential. He is an asset to the local community and the sport of wrestling and I am grateful that there are guys like him out there. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!
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EP182: Coach Them All!
01/17/2023
EP182: Coach Them All!
Nothing seems to grind my gears more than sport environments that cut kids or discourage them from trying out. In this climate, where physical activity and resiliency is lacking in our kids, to remove something like athletics from their life is doing them a huge disservice. We as coaches have an opportunity to play a huge role in the development of the child and need to take this job seriously. We can be the coach that lights a fire under them to partake in physical activity for the rest of their life or be the person who discourages it. We can be the ones who show them the amazing benefits associated with athletics or do the exact opposite. Lastly, we can be the person who encourages and shows them that you care and by doing so, forever change that kids life for the better!
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