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Running fast and jumping high aren't just about how much strength you have in your legs. New research has shown that your ability to fully contract your core muscles and then rapidly relax them is just as important.

As I watch my children play sports I often end up laughing at some of the other parents and coaches.  They get way to excited over outcomes in the game; win or lose, one on one battles, was the call by the ref correct, how hard some hit, etc…   To watch these parents you would think this was the Olympics or the Stanley Cup.  It’s not.  I’ve coached athletes at high levels here in the US and abroad, so the perspective is different.

Although only 24, young for starting cathcer in MLB, Nick Hundley has made great strides.  He came back from the disabled list this season and finished September batting .338 and slugging .406.  Nick trains hard at Velocity to improve his speed and power.

Football Skills & Drills Saturdays, starting January 16th Grades 5 - 7   2:30PM - 3:45PM Grades 8 - 12   4:00PM - 5:30PM   NFL Veteran Bucky Brooks along with some fo the South Bay's top High School Football Coaches, as well as college and former NFL players, will be coaching skills and technique in small group settings.  You don't want to miss out!

Veterans Day - Day after Thanksgiving - Christmas Break - MLK Day - Presidents Day Learn the techniques used by Pro & Olympic athletes to increase your speed & agility.  Improve your performance in any sport by increasing your: First Step Quickness Top End Speed Explosive Power Flexibility Coordination Injury Prevention

Last month’s article outlined the three keys to nutritional success: quality fuels, proper timing, and maintaining consistency. While these keys are essential to creating a healthy diet and routine, trying to accomplish them all at once will become overwhelming. A great start to developing a healthy nutrition plan is to start with the most important meal of the day: breakfast.

In last month’s article, “Scapular Stabilization”, I explained the importance of the middle Rhomboids, Lats, and Serratus in their relation to the shoulder and arm. The upper Traps are not mentioned nor are they demonstrated on how to increase strength in this article because of the tendencies of individuals to over utilize and or over train these muscles.     The following exercises are designed to strengthen the middle Rhomboids, Lats and Serratus below 90 degrees and without engaging the upper Traps. The upper Trapezious work in ranges greater than 90 degrees. Correct form is essential when performing these exercises to allow for maximal contraction of the specific muscles targeted.

Purchasing the correct food from the grocery store is one of the best ways to maintain consistency in your diet and curb binging. By taking control of what you eat by creating meals and buying fresh food, you will make maximal changes in a shorter period of time. This article provides some helpful tips for the next time you go shopping at the grocery store.

At Velocity Sports Performance, our experiences working with players from MLS, NCAA Schools, and the US National Team have shown us that soccer players can improve speed & agility with consistent use of simple drills.  Skipping isn't one of the first things you see when you watch a soccer game.  Yet, we highly recomend all kinds of skipping for soccer players.

Scapular Stabilization: What does this mean and why is it important? Strong muscles in the scapular stabilization group act as an anchor for the arm to provide more efficient hitting and can reduce injuries in the shoulder.  Even if you are not an over-head athlete, this area is still important to strengthen because it contributes to good posture by bringing the shoulders back.  Many people have over developed their upper traps compared to the other muscles in the stabilization group.

Even though you will have the most control over your nutrient intake if you do the cooking, there are many times that you will be out at a restaurant.  It is important to take these times and enjoy going out to eat, not only physically but mentally.  Just becuase you go out to eat, it does not mean you have to eat poorly.  There are many restaurants that have healthy options, even fast food chains.

For most athletes, tearing their ACL and breaking their leg might be devastating and career ending.  This month's Athlete of the Month thought differently.  What put Danielle Arriola back on the court was a combination of hard work and what Velocity terms the six V-Truths; Desire, Belief, Character, Determination, Heart, and Pride.

Improve Your First Step Quickness Increase Lateral Speed Improve Top Speed Reduce the Likelihood of Injury Starts November 3rd. Don't Miss Out, Spaces are LIMITED!

The mier mention of the word, Chin Up, is enough to make even the toughest of athletes cringe.  Along with the cringe normally comes one or more of the following, eye rolling, loud sighing, droopy heads, a nervous laugh and my personal favorite “your joking right?”  There is probably not one exercise that is hated as much as chin-ups but is also one of the best exercises you can do. 

At only 10 years old, Jonathan Martin has risen to the top of the Youth program, becoming an athlete that exemplifies what Velocity is all about. He is known around here for being the fastest youth kid and is never the one to back down from a race to prove it. “Anyone, anywhere, and anytime” is his motto. Jonathan is a two sport star, playing football and running track. He is the starting QB for both his teams in the Orange County Junior All-American Football League and the South Bay Youth Sports Football League, Jon also runs track in the South California Association of the USATF where he runs the 100, 200 and 400 meter.

It had been a goal of mine for many years to volunteer at the Colorado Springs, Olympic Training Center’s Medical Clinic and at long last this past July, I was invited do perform my two week medical rotation in Colorado.     To be considered for the volunteer list, the minimal requirement is that you must have at least five years experience in your field and a reference from your sports National Governing Body (NGB), mine being indoor volleyball. I have eleven years experience as a Physical Therapist with nine years working with elite athletes from both indoor and beach volleyball. I was prepared.  

For the past few months, the nutrition tips have covered a variety of topics such as the importance of breakfast, having healthy snacks, and including all of the macronutrients in the diet. All of the tips thus far have worked on developing overall healthy habits and creating a sound nutrition foundation to build upon. If you are still struggling maintaining a consistent healthy routine, continue working on the previous tips. If you are doing well overall and now want to take your nutrition to the next level, now it’s time to start maximizing your workouts with performance nutrition.  

Each month thus far, the nutrition tips have covered developing healthy habits, being prepared for eating healthy, and incorporating each of the main macronutrients into your diet. If this is all becoming second nature, then it is time to start specifying what foods to consume and be conscious of what each product does for your body. The first place to start is to add a sufficient amount of important micronutrients into the diet.

In 1907, psychologist and philosopher William James suggested that talents were different from the strengths of character required to fully exploit those talents. For his entire distinguished career, James was fascinated with why only a handful of individuals realize the limits of their potential while the rest of us fall far short of what we could be.

  When a competitive sports season rolls around, athlete put a lot of physical and emotional energy into it.  Practices and competitions can take a toll on time, energy and the body.  Because of this, many athletes are tempted to stop training.    Our professional players across all sports have definitely learned they have to change what they do.  They can’t follow their same off-season program.  So what do they do?  

Each month thus far, the nutrition tips have covered developing healthy habits, being prepared for eating healthy, and incorporating each of the main macronutrients into your diet. If this is all becoming second nature, then it is time to start specifying what foods to consume and be conscious of what each product does for your body. The first place to start is to add a sufficient amount of important micronutrients into the diet.  

A local talent, Katie Olsovsky, grew up in Hermosa Beach and played volleyball at Bishop Montgomery High School where she won a number of both State and CIF championships. Her hard work and dedication led her to become one of the nation’s top players at USC, where she became an All-American and won national titles in both her junior and senior years. After a stellar collegiate career, she went oversees where she played professionally in Puerto Rico, Spain, and Poland. But, the real story continues as she has recently made an amazing transition to the beach.

NFL Combine Training Combat Conditioning Training AVP Training IO Altitude Training Endurance Assessments FOCUS - Mental Conditioning Sports Nutrition Private Training

In last month’s article, I discussed the importance of the rotator cuff muscles and their effect on the shoulder joint. Now I want to show you some basic exercises to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles below 90 degrees.  

Coaches occupy multiple roles in children’s lives as sport participants. Coaches must be excellent instructors so that youth learn and improve skills, increase knowledge of strategies and tactics, and achieve their goals. Coaches can also inspire children to maintain motivation for participating in sport and, in so doing, allow them opportunities to accrue such benefits as positive self-esteem, enjoyable experiences, long-lasting friendships, and a positive attitude toward the value of lifetime physical activity. In short, coaches can ensure that youth want to continue their sport involvement—that is, participate for intrinsic reasons—rather than participate for primarily external reasons such as feeling obligated to others to continue. How can coaches maximize their positive impact on youths’ motivation in sport?

Mizuno Pride softball has had a great deal of success over the years as a stepping stone sending numerous athletes to NCAA Division I schools, including Univeristy of Maryland, Boston University, University of Kentucky, UNLV, University of New Mexico, Western Kentucky, Idaho State, and Long Beach State, just to name a few. Coach Lew Currier has taught the girls that discipline, hard work, and dedication can pay off. But most importantly, he has promoted a family type atmosphere between the team that allows that girls to have fun.

Eating fat does not make you fat. Fat is a necessary macronutrient that helps keeps you satisfied between meals and helps balance hormones. Some types of fat help reduce inflammation and contribute to keeping the skin youthful. Eliminating or dramatically reducing intake of fat can lead to unnecessary hunger pains, unpredictable mood swings, premature aging and unhealthily looking skin. You need fat, but you need the right kind of fat in the right amounts.