Dead Red

One time. One shot. One pitch.  One opportunity..it is what I refer to as "dead red"  My good buddy Chopper routinely would tell me to take the bat off my shoulder and swing it!  You can't get on board if you watch pitches go by - was his way of thinking.

Chipper gettin good barrel

Dead red offers a chance to us as individuals to improve our well being.  Whether it is business, sports, theater, social, or within your family..dead red will be there waiting.  It may happen on occasion or quite regularly.  The message here is to understand dead red and take a shot at something that might be out of your comfort zone to better yourself.


Chipper Jones of the Atlanta Braves has a dead red every time he steps to the plate. He looks and waits for the pitch in his zone that he can drive or get good barrel on.  Jones experiences dead red over 600 times every season.  His thinking is, if it's dead red..I'm on it and I'm swinging.

My number is 555-3539

Wanna get the phone number of the cute girl at the coffee shop?  Do it.  Should you ask for a raise if you have earned it?  Yes.  Will I ever get a shot at playing 1st base?  Talk to your coach.  Will my professor act as my mentor on my project? Present it and ask.  I wonder if I should start exercising?  Absolutely.


Dead red.  Call it what you want and use it as motivation for a better you. 


DB
www.quietfeet.blogspot.com

North - South

   

Quick, quiet, and spry.  Wiley S. demonstrates the "North-South" drill in textbook style.. with great feet and balance.  Set up 8 cones on a football field at 1 yard apart as shown in the video.

  

After warming up properly, concentrate on moving through the cones low to the ground and finding the perfect balance for your body.  Start out by walking through the exercise and staying low while looking forward in a relaxed position.  Anticipate each cone a step before you get there - and stay light on the balls of your feet.   

I got this.

This drill is what a defensive back in football excels at.  In my opinion, the "DB" is one of the best athletes in all of sports.  They are built for speed, stamina, and are tested by their opposition over 70 times a game. 


Mix up your drills with cones on turf - an excellent cross training exercise and it will keep you humble.   


Do work on turf.  DB

P. E.

Physical Education - the human body and how we can educate ourselves of perfection in body, mind, and spirit.

I won't waste time talking about obesity rates, video game blamers, bad food choices, or laziness.  I could bust out 50 push-ups in that amount of time.  P.E. on the other hand - let's talk about it and more importantly let's go do it.

PLEASE PUT TOWELS IN WHITE BINS

The chosen one..

Required.  Mandatory.  Core Curriculum.  That is how P.E. was looked at in the 70's growing up.  I took two P.E. classes a term for the enjoyment, the social interaction, and how it felt to hit a backhand or make a jump shot.  I got educated at the physical level which served as my base for other disciplines and most importantly - still is.  I led the league in P.E. classes and locker use.

Hoops 1-2pm

Go lace em up and get active.  If you begin to tell me what kind of workouts you got 15 years ago - I might start stretching or drop down for a few push ups.  Put yourself in motion. Today is the best day to begin.

DB

Cruise control

Stamina, strength, confidence, powerful - all very sound and authoritative phrases.  I have met and surrounded myself around many people the last 20 years who own these type of qualities.

There is a shared principle between each and every one of these people;  Excellent health.  They treat their bodies with absolute respect when it comes to exercise, diet, hydration, and proper rest.  It seems this is a recipe for a perfect balance to their lives.

Stealthy, healthy, and determined

Lisa C. (at right) follows this simple recipe as well.  She is physically fit, attractive, full of positive energy, and exudes confidence in just her body language alone.
Lisa is in full control..cruise control. 

Build your confidence through the simplicity of exercise and taking care of your health.  Give due respect to your body as great things lie ahead.

DB

Warning Track

Need a alternate place to do sprints?  Go to a baseball warning track and run foul pole to foul pole.  The surface is usually fairly maintained and flat for sprinting.  I found one today at Cabrillo Community College that worked out great.  Warm up with a easy jog a and a few exercises that require you to use your hip flexors.  

Go to your local yard and scope out a warning track for yourself and a workout partner or two.  Seperate yourselves by 5 seconds and chase each other to the foul pole.  The sound of your feet hitting the light gravel gives you the feeling in your head that you may be faster than you think you are. 

See you at the Yard.  DB

Forefoot strike

When jumping rope for exercise - stay light on your feet by make contact with the surface of the forefoot area of your feet.  By landing on your forefoot you will find balance, rhythm, and strike with less impact.


If you struggle and find the rope hitting your feet, I suggest cutting the rope exactly in half and then begin jumping to the sound of the rope clicking on the surface.  Once you find the rhythm (and you will if you stay with it) jumping rope becomes much easier and enjoyable.  Mix in some music and it can become part of your exercise plan each week.


Choose a aerobic or basketball floor that offer a wood surface.  These floors are designed for sports that require you to leave your feet and have "give" to them.


A jump rope will generally be 1" inch in diameter.  Your feet can be less than an inch off the ground to allow the rope to touch the surface, get under your feet and come around for another repetition.  


Jumping rope will test your patience but there is a threshold waiting for you if you commit to the rope - the reward awaits and it is amazing.


Get light on the feet and keep em quiet.


DB

Pineapple Plus

A good buddy of mine sent me an email recently on some healthy food choices and pineapple surprised us both by the multitudes of nutritional value it offers.  Here are a few benefits from the tropical delight;


* High in manganese which is important to your bone development and connective tissue

"E komo mai"

*Greatly aids in breaking down protein - bromelain is the proteolytic enzyme found in pineapple
*Helps the body digest proteins more efficiently
*Anti-inflammatory value - known to help with painful joints common to osteoarthritis
*High in Vitamin C and aids in speeding up recovery to the common cold - pineappple has the ability to reduce inflammation/mucus in your body.

Pineapple Fun Facts;
--The name pineapple came from European explorers who thought the fruit looked like a pinecone.
--One third of the world's pineapple comes from Hawaii
--It takes two years for a pineapple plant to produce


DB