Believe and you will achieve. This saying can be applied to many aspects of life, including health and fitness.  Emotional training is just as important as physical training when it comes to total body strength. “Athletes that participate in mental preparation, rehearsal, and skills training tend to achieve a higher level of the elite status,” Mark Hogue, PsyD, clinical psychologist and sports psychologist at Northshore Psychological Associates in Erie, Pa.. This can be applied to anyone that wants to get in better shape, regardless of your goal.

Many people at the gym are reading, watching TV, or chatting with the person next to them while ‘working out.’ Just simply going to the gym and tuning out of your workout is not going to get you the results you want. It takes practice and really mentally focusing to block out distractions to tune in to the workout, focus on what your body is doing, and to push yourself to levels above and beyond your comfort zone for maximum results. Mental strength really kicks in when the workout gets hard and you break through that barrier by telling yourself that you can get through it. The reward of completing and not quitting when it gets tough is an amazing feeling of self-fulfillment and achievement.

Some tips to improve your workout and strengthen your ‘mental muscle’ are setting goals and establishing rewards. Goal setting is key, whether you are Michelle Kwan or just want to play some golf over the weekend, says Jenny Susser, PhD, a sports psychologist in the Women’s Sports Medicine Center at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. “The No. 1 thing is to have a good, realistic goal. You want it to be S-M-A-R-T.” That stands for specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic (but challenging) and time-sensitive. Process goals are the ideal way to get outcomes. A process goal is focusing on what you need to do to get to the end goal/result. Process goals turn you into a winner every day. They build a daily sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, and should occupy most of our attention,” writes Dave Beam ActionCOACH Business Coach. For example, instead of thinking about weighing 20 pounds less than where you are currently, think about what you would need to do to weigh 20 pounds less.

Establishing rewards is an excellent and fun way to enjoy your fitness accomplishments. Make working out a priority, and when you complete your workout goals for the day/week/weekend, treat yourself to something that will positively reinforce you to keep working towards your goal. If you emotionally condition yourself along with physically conditioning, nothing will come between you and where you want to be.

Resource: http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/how-weekend-athletes-get-olympic-edge

Cincinnati, OH – April 11, 2012 – Carlo Alvarez, Founder of Ethos Athletics, recently joined with a select group of the world’s leading health and fitness entrepreneurs to co-write the fitness book titled, The Definitive Guide to Youth Athletic Strength, Conditioning and Performance. The book was released by CelebrityPress™ – a leading fitness and health book publisher.

The Definitive Guide to Youth Athletic Strength, Conditioning and Performance was released on Thursday, March 29^th, 2012 and features top advice from health and fitness experts from across the country on the subjects of total body health, fitness and nutrition for children and youth. The authors will offer health and fitness tips for kids ranging from preschool age to college student athletes. Carlo Alvarez contributed a chapter titled “Building Better Athletes.”

On the day of release, The Definitive Guide to Youth Athletic Strength, Conditioning and Performance reached best-seller status in two Amazon.com Exercise and Fitness categories – reaching #1 in both the “Injury Prevention” category and the “For Children” category.

Carlo Alvarez, is regarded as one of the top strength and conditioning coaches in the country, specializing in performance enhancement training for athletes at the high school, college and pro-level.   In 2002, Alvarez became Head Strength and Conditioning Coordinator for the Cincinnati Reds, responsible for the major league, minor league and Latin American operations. During his time with the Reds, he developed one of the most comprehensive and recognized athletic development programs in Major League Baseball and Latin America. In 2005, Alvarez became the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at St. Xavier High School, where he has developed what is considered the top high school strength and conditioning program in the country. Since 2005, St. Xavier has won two Ohio Division I State Championships, three Regional Championships and a share of the National Title.

Carlo is the founder of Ethos Athletics and consults with companies and institutions including Nike, Gatorade, Vizual Edge, EAS, PR Soccer Elite, Humana, HIMA Health and Wellington Orthopedic, helping them with testing, product and program development. He serves on the advisory boards of the University of Cincinnati College of Education and Health Services, Cincinnati State Health and Information Technology Department and HIMA Health, as well as, a contributing writer for Total Health Breakthroughs and Fitness Editor of The Healing Prescription.

From CelebrityPress™:

The Celebrity Experts® in this book explore the subject of Fitness through conditioning the body for optimal results in young athletes. They look at the factors of mindset, nutrition and exercise – all of which play a part – from all angles and for all ages. They discuss the benefits of training, techniques, and the indelible influence of coaches on young minds. Such influence often stays with individuals for a lifetime.

Whether you have a toddler or a teen, these Celebrity Experts® have found success in teaching and coaching all age groups life-lessons, skills and mindset. Whether their students grow into professional athletes or responsible citizens, appropriate coaching and teaching methods are key to helping them mature into healthy, competitive individuals on and off the field.  Here is an opportunity for coaches and parents to read and adopt successful, tested and proven ideas in their daily roles.

After such a successful release, Carlo Alvarez will be recognized by The National Academy of Best-Selling Authors™, an organization that honors authors from many of the leading independent best-seller lists.

To order a copy of the book, please go to http://www.celebritypresspublishing.com/publications/the-definitive-guide-to-youth-athletic-strength-conditioning-and-performance.php

Learn more about Carlo Alvarez at http://www.EthosAthletics.com

More about Carlo Alvarez:

Mr. Alvarez began his coaching career at his alma mater, University of Cincinnati as a student assistant. During his studies at the University of Cincinnati, Carlo became strength and conditioning coach at St. Xavier High School, where he implemented innovative and successful programs. In 1998, Carlo ventured to South Bend, Indiana to the University of Notre Dame where he evaluated, designed and implemented programs for male and female varsity athletes. He left the University of Notre Dame to become Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coordinator for the Cleveland Indians where he was responsible for developing player training plans and coordinating Latin American athletic development programs and internships.

About Celebrity Press™:

Celebrity Press™ is a leading business, health and wellness book publisher that publishes books from thought leaders around the world. Celebrity Press™ has published books alongside Jack Canfield, Brian Tracy, Dan Kennedy, Dr. Ivan Misner, Robert Allen and many of the biggest experts across diverse fields. CelebrityPress™ has helped launch over 500 best-selling authors to date.

THE PERSONAL QUALITIES OF SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE

1.   ATTITUDE

2.   INITIATIVE

3.   THOROUGHNESS

4.   CONCENTRATION

5.   OBSERVATION

6.   CREATIVE IMAGINATION

7.   DECISION

8.   ADAPTABILITY

9.   LEADERSHIP

10.  ORGANIZING ABILITY

11.  EXPRESSION

12.  KNOWLEDGE

THIS IS AN EXCELLENT CHECK LIST – think through each of these qualities – if you do, you will see that each of these points makes sense.

Look about you – you will see that truly successful people do possess these qualities.

Let this list be a challenge to you – Adopt these qualities and you, too will be successful – As a person – as a scholar – as an athlete-football player – and as a leader.

GIVING THANKS!  When is the last time you sincerely said “thanks” to the many people who have and are helping you along the way.

A SUCCESS IS ONE WHO DECIDED TO SUCCEED AND WORKED.  A FAILURE IS ONE WHO DECIDED TO SUCCEED AND WISHED.

IMPORTANCE OF WORDS.  MOST IMPORTANT 3 WORDS: “IF YOU PLEASE” – MOST IMPORTANT 2 WORDS: “THANK YOU” – LEAST IMPORTANT ONE WORD: “I”

“WE SHALL STEER SAFELY THROUGH EVERY STORM, SO LONG AS OUR HEART IS RIGHT, OUR INTENTION FERVENT, OUR COURAGE STEADFAST, AND OUR TRUST FIXED IN GOD.” – ST. FRANCIS DE SALES

“ This is an age for hereos. The test of the century is whether we mistake the growth of wealth and power for the growth of strength and character. We’ve weakend discipline and respect for authority and let freedom of the individual predominate. It is imperative for a leader to realize that he does exist in the abstract. He is judged on what he does in a specific situation, and upon what others do to obtain the results that he seeks.”

“It is the obligation of people who are in authority… people with leadership ability… to see that we are awakened once more to the need to develop a strong interest in competitive spirit. Those who are in authority fail in that pursuit unless they preserve what has been an American goal… to win and to be first in whatever we do. It takes mental toughness, Spartanism, love, loyalty, teamwork, respect for dignity of the individual and charity along with humility.”

” We also need followers who will  accept authority. In our search for individual freedom, in struggling to liberate ourselves from ancient creeds, we sometimes have idealized freedom against order. It has been the new against the old, and by reducing authority, we have lost discipline. Thus the freedom… too much freedom… has had an adverse effect.

Cincinnati, OH – February 28, 2012 – Carlo Alvarez, Founder of Ethos Athletics, has joined with a select group of the world’s leading health and fitness entrepreneurs to co-write the forthcoming fitness book titled, The Definitive Guide to Youth Athletic Strength, Conditioning and Performance. Nick Nanton, Esq. along with business partner, JW Dicks, Esq., recently signed a publishing deal with each of these authors to contribute their expertise to the book, which will be released under their CelebrityPress™ imprint.

Carlo Alvarez, is regarded as one of the top strength and conditioning coaches in the country, specializing in performance enhancement training for athletes at the high school, college and pro-level.   In 2002, Alvarez became Head Strength and Conditioning Coordinator for the Cincinnati Reds, responsible for the major league, minor league and Latin American operations. During his time with the Reds, he developed one of the most comprehensive and recognized athletic development programs in Major League Baseball and Latin America. In 2005, Alvarez became the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at St. Xavier High School, where he has developed what is considered the top high school strength and conditioning program in the country. Since 2005, St. Xavier has won two Ohio Division I State Championships, three Regional Championships and a share of the National Title.

Carlo is the founder of Ethos Athletics and consults with companies and institutions including Nike, Gatorade, Vizual Edge, EAS, PR Soccer Elite, Humana, HIMA Health and Wellington Orthopedic, helping them with testing, product and program development. He serves on the advisory boards of the University of Cincinnati College of Education and Health Services, Cincinnati State Health and Information Technology Department and HIMA Health, as well as, a contributing writer for Total Health Breakthroughs and Fitness Editor of The Healing Prescription.

The forthcoming book, The Definitive Guide to Youth Athletic Strength, Conditioning and Performance, will feature top advice from health and fitness experts from across the country on the subjects of total body health, fitness and nutrition for children and youth. The authors will offer health and fitness tips for kids ranging from preschool age to college student athletes.  Some of the topics covered include keeping youth motivated, parental and athletic coaching, preventing injuries, taking the high school athlete to the next level, fitness for preschool age children, and much more.

Learn more about Carlo Alvarez at http://www.EthosAthletics.com

More about Carlo Alvarez:

Mr. Alvarez began his coaching career at his alma mater, University of Cincinnati as a student assistant. During his studies at the University of Cincinnati, Carlo became strength and conditioning coach at St. Xavier High School, where he implemented innovative and successful programs. In 1998, Carlo ventured to South Bend, Indiana to the University of Notre Dame where he evaluated, designed and implemented programs for male and female varsity athletes. He left the University of Notre Dame to become Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coordinator for the Cleveland Indians where he was responsible for developing player training plans and coordinating Latin American athletic development programs and internships.

About Celebrity Press™:

Celebrity Press™ is a business book publisher that publishes books from thought leaders around the world. Celebrity Press™ specializes in helping its authors grow their businesses through book publishing. Celebrity Press™ has published books alongside Brian Tracy, Dr. Ivan Misner, Ron Legrand, Mari Smith, Kelly O’Neil, Alexis Martin Neely and many of the biggest experts across diverse fields.

In the third episode of Fast Forward, we showed you how develop proper running form. Episode four puts your running mechanics into practice with sprint drills that improve acceleration ability.

Why and how it helps: Your first three steps are critical. The faster you can move from a still position (accelerate), the better you’ll be able to explode off the line, take a tackle or find a hole.

I finally got to spend some time with Coach Marotti and Rick Court in the Ohio State Weight Room and I have to stay it’s great to have Coach Mick in the State of Ohio. The atmosphere was intense and up tempo, so nothing has changed from the way Coach Mick has done things at the University of Cincinnati, University of Notre Dame and University of Florida. I’ve had the opportunity to be part of his staff at the University of Cincinnati and Notre Dame.

I arrived in the morning to see the early group lift. Evident from the beginning, is the importance of accountability  and commitment from all the athletes. Athletes start showing up about 10-20 before the training session for weigh-in, light warm-ups, foam rolling and stretching. Every athlete has to be at specified weight for the day, week and training cycle. Hydration, shakes and shooters are recommended prior to activity for specific athletes. Everything is charted, including weight, hydrations status, attitude, effort/intensity, loafs, sprints, wins and losses in every sprint and agility drill. There is a point system that is monitored throughout the training session. The athletes spend minutes prior to the lift looking at their team score and figuring out how they are going to help their team gain some overall points by improving their overall workout effort.

The team has an upper body lift and starts with a Med Ball warm up for upper body and torso, followed by a four exercise band routine for the shoulders prior to starting with incline bench routine. After the incline routine they attack the trap and shoulders, followed by back, chest, manuals shoulders, biceps and triceps.  The training group was small and well supervised. These guys worked their a%$@* off and the staff kept pushing for better effort and intensity every rep. The biceps/triceps routine was finished with manual resistance exercise as finishers.

Post lift the team had a conditioning session. They performed their lower body warm-up and stretch prior to going into a six station agility circuit. Every rep got graded by a student manager, every coach on the football staff was engaged and running a station, all strength and conditioning coaches were supervising the effort and intensity. Every win and loss is graded as a +1 or a -1 in the totals column. This was an event and everyone on the football staff was present. Even the injured players were getting their butts kicked in their quarantined section of the field. No secret here, these guys are working hard, but they have a ways to go. The ceiling is high. And I’m sure thats right where Coach Marotti wants them. If effort and intensity is the measuring stick, expect big things from the Buckeye Football team come 2012.