Small Box Agility Series

Hey guys, take a look at the team agility series we did at CATZ Sports today. This small box series is a great way to develop speed, agility, and cardiovascular fitness. And by splitting our group into 2 teams and making it a competition, we've made it even more fun! This is the kind of cross training I do when I'm training for triathlon season and for indoor soccer season. It's easy to set up and, like any good training idea, can be done just about anywhere! If this looks like your kind of fun, give me a call and join me!



Just Shut Up!

For 7 months out of the year, I coach youth soccer for Lonestar Soccer Club in Austin, TX. It is truly a passion of mine and I love the kids that I work with. However, as much as I teach the kids about playing the game, they have taught me plenty about how to coach as well.

One night at practice this past fall, my girls were struggling with a game that I had set up. After 10 minutes, I set up new parameters to make it easier to succeed and still they struggled. I was only asking them to play "keep ball" and to move around wherever they wanted in order to create open space and passing lanes. It took me half the practice to realize why they couldn't understand what I was asking them to do.

For so long, I had been constantly coaching them and telling them where to go and what to do that they couldn't function without my voice guiding them along. Ironically enough, that same evening, we had a parent meeting after practice. The parents had been watching during practice and could see my frustration. As the parent meeting started, I immediately apologized and told them that I had been doing their daughters a disservice by not allowing them to play for themselves and figure things out without my instruction.

The following Saturday at our next game, I decided that I would sit and just watch them play for as long as I could without saying a word. I managed only 5 minutes at the beginning of the first and second halves, but it was a start. They played fantastic the entire game and I was given a great new sense of perspective.

It is possible to overcoach and overteach. As a coach and teacher, at some point, you must have faith and trust that your charges are capable of performing without your constant instruction. Recently, my girls have played in a winter indoor league not affiliated with my club. It has been so much fun to watch them from the bench in a different role. While I may have a quiet word of feedback with them from time to time, my main job is to make them giggle and constantly high-five them when they come off the field! In the years to come, I hope they remember these moments as much as they remember what I've taught them about the game. Then I'll know that I've done my job as a coach.

L-R: Ashlyn, Sarah, Laura, Mackenna, Ashton, Madison, Alyssa, Ryann, Chloe, Jenny, Lauren

Partner Resistance Workout

Check out this partner resistance workout that we ran in our adult session this week. The exercises are designed to train total body strength and develop communication between partners as well. Once again, the best thing about this workout is that you can do it anywhere. And with the weather turning a bit drier and warmer this week, you have no excuses to not get out and come check out the Silverado Ranch Boot Camp!! Thanks to my brother Bill for turning me on to the Exuberant Animal videos! Really great stuff!

Power Series 1-1/12/2011

Here's a great power development series I came up with for one of my weekly training sessions at CATZ Sports. 15 seconds of work, 15 seconds of rest by 4 sets, then switch exercises and repeat.The great thing about this series is that we can do it anywhere. Take a look and see what you think!! If you like what you see, drop me a line and get your free session at the Silverado Ranch Boot Camp!

Day 1 Workout-1/10/11

It was a dreary, foggy, and cold morning in Cedar Park, TX. But it didn't stop us from getting in a great workout on Day 1 of the SRBC!!! Here' s what we did...

Prep
10 yard Forward/Backward Bear Crawl Flip with 25lb Sandbell
10 yard Lateral Glute Med Sandbell Flip with 25lb Sandbell
x 3 laps

Round 1
12lb Sandbell Overhead Shoulder Press through the Monkey Bar Rings
Chain Wall Lateral Walks
25lb Squat/Chest Pass onto the Short Slide    
x 2 laps/1min. work /30 sec. rest

Round 2
12lb Sandbell Sumo Walk under the Slide
25lb Sandbell Woodchop onto the Slide
15lb Sandbell Step Ups    
x 2 laps/1min. work / 30 sec. rest

It was a great way to start off the morning and the week and I want to thank my neighbor Damien for joining me. If this sound fun, drop me a line or give me a shout and come join me!

Make it work!

Lifelong Physical Activity

When I graduated with my B.A. in Psychology from the University of North Texas in May 2000, I was scared and confused. Like many new grads, I had no job and no plan of how to go about getting one. So I decided to stay in school and get my M.S. in Kinesiology.

While in graduate school, I was a teaching fellow for the Kinesiology Department, teaching undergraduate physical education classes and working side by side with the same professors who taught my courses. One particular staff meeting, I recall listening to Dr. Alan Jackson discuss how we were to go about teaching the PHED 1000 course, our general undergrad P.E. course. And to this day, I can still remember the main message of his discussion.

To paraphrase Dr. Jackson - "Our goal for this course is to ensure that we teach these students to appreciate and enjoy lifelong physical activity." It did not matter if it was walking, playing basketball, golf, rock climbing, or dancing. The point was that for in order for human beings to stay healthy and live happy lives, they had to continute to pursue some form of physical activity for the duration of their lives.

I remember those words just about daily in my career as a strength and conditioning coach/soccer coach/personal trainer and they ring true in almost every situation I find myself in throughout my work week. Whether I'm leading a group of adults through a workout at CATZ Sports, coaching young girls on the soccer field for Lonestar Soccer Club, or running through a SRBC workout in the park, a big part of my job is to make sure that I'm allowing these individuals to ENJOY physical activity. Because if they do enjoy it, chances are they will continue to do that particular activiity so for a longer period of time. And as a result of that, they will most likely enjoy a healthier and happier life as well.

Remember to ENJOY your physical activity of choice! And if you find yourself bored and not enjoying what you are doing anymore, don't be intimidated to try something new. You never know how much fun you'll have.

                      

Free Sunday Yoga!!!

I will be hosting a free yoga session in the Silverado Ranch Park on Sundays at 1pm for the entire month of January. The session will last approximately 30 minutes and will be designed for individuals new to the practice of yoga. The poses and movements will be in the vinyasa style and will concentrate on developing lower and upper body flexilibity and strength.

No sign up is required for this class, just show up!

For any questions or concerns, drop me a line at tmeyer09@hotmail.com.

WELCOME!!!

Welcome to the new blog site for the Silverado Ranch Boot Camp!

My name is Tim Meyer and I will be your fitness coach for the Silverado Ranch Boot Camp. I have been working in the strength and conditioning field for over 10 years and I am thrilled to be starting a new fitness project in the neighborhood that I live in and love so much!

The Silverado Ranch Boot Camp (SRBC) will be a fun and challenging workout designed to burn fat and increase lean muscle mass through a variety of creative exercises and training regiments. We will develop strength, power, flexibilty, and cardiovascular fitness by using our body weight, sandbags, medicine balls, and the equipment located on the playground in the park.

Sessions will be held on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 730-815 am. The cost of each session is $10 and you can purchase a month's worth of sessions for $100 (maximum of 12 sessions). If there is inclement weather, our sessions will be held at 521 Clover Flat Rd. Remember that your FIRST SESSION IS FREE! And, you can receive free sessions by referring friends to the SRBC!

For any questions or concerns, you can contact me at 512-983-0443, you can email me at tmeyer09@hotmail.com, or just check in with our blog at http://silveradoranchbc.blogspot.com.