Working up the totem pole of the fitness world is not an easy task. There's a lot of twists, turns, ways to fall back and stall. That being said, there's always a way to reach your goals and beyond. There's no reason to stop moving forward. Everyone is an underdog at some point in their athletic journey and because of this status, it gives them the ability to step up and become better.

Watching the World Cup is a really inspirational sporting event. It's incredible to watch unlikely heroes emerge on to the big stage and show the possibilities of a good player stepping up to be a great player. It happens to everyone as they put in the time, effort, and preparation necessary to improve! Costa Rica beating two world powers when everyone counted them out. The kind of preparation and concentration in competition is outstanding and only developed by the way they practice.

And that idea brings us back to the point of this entry. Stepping up when it matters most, for yourself and the team. The ability to step up is given an athlete the way he practices. Practicing is probably one of the most important parts of an athletic life. Practice is your physical, mental, and specific preparations for your event or sport. The way you practice is detrimental to you ability to perform. They say, "Practice makes perfect." But in all actuality the saying should be changed to a popular variation "Perfect Practice, makes Perfect." The first step to being able to practice is a step that most people don't even consider:

1) Study- this is where the mental image and neural connections occur, allowing the physical movements to even be considered. studying helps the body create the movements mentally before they are completed, this is important because it is essentially passively activating the motor neurons utilized in the actual movement and primes the ability to move, making it easier. This is the first step because it is the base of movement, at the neurological level.

The next step is quite obvious:

2) Work- This is where the physicality is developed, you have established the knowledge of how to do things, now it's physically putting the idea into application. The key to this stage is starting slow and paying attention. Even the greatest of athletes start their practices with an overview of the essentials and basics. This is so their bodies can "remember" and get warmed up to develop more advanced skills. The work should be intense, specific to the needs, and consistent.

3) Recover- It is important to also recover mentally and physically. It is also important to not rest too much. The body and mind are strong, and can handle tremendous loads of resistance, but there is also a need for the mechanisms of the body to rejuvenate and recuperate the fuel and repair the damage. Recover in moderation. Recover too much and you'll set a habit of laziness, Recover too little and you won't be able to perform at the level necessary.

"Perfect Practice makes Perfect." Train yourself to give yourself the ability to step up when you are needed. Let yourself grow into the height of your abilities. Time to go!

Every Day... A Little Stronger