#31 Learn To Silence Your Ego with Gabi KOEVA

#31 Learn To Silence Your Ego with Gabi KOEVA

Athlete Case Study: Bulgarian Women’s National Volleyball Team, Middle Blocker for Beşiktaş Women's Volleyball (Istanbul Turkey).  Elite Sports Students Mentor  

_____________________ ____________________________

February 24, 2015

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BACKGROUND

On today’s episode we will talk about how Gabi got to where she is today. We will discuss how she decided to play volleyball instead of basketball, as both of her parents are former basketball players, but at her age, volleyball was the only option. She explains some of her struggles and decisions she has had to make over the years, as well as some of the mentors she’s had to help her. She also shares how she handled being a bench player while playing for the Bulgarian Women’s National Team and the importance of silencing your ego and continuing to work hard no matter what situation you may face.

BIO

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PERSONAL QUOTE:
“Remember that talent is only 1% of an athlete’s life, and the other 99% is hard work, hard work, and more hard work.” -Gabi’s Father

MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSON IN HER LIFE:

Dragan Nesic, the first coach to send Gabi an invitation for the Senior National Team, whom she learned the most from volleyball wise; Svetlana Ilic, Gabi learned a lot from her while playing in Switzerland, was one of the only coaches she had to emphasize importance of mental preparation.

Key Discussion Points:

  • When was a time you struggled in your sport or life in general?

  • How did you mentally handle being one of the bench players?

  • When was a time during a match that you made a mistake, and what did you do to move on from it?

  • When was your lightbulb moment?

  • When was one of your proudest moments?

  • What lead you to your studies that you’ve recently completed?

  • What is your current plan to be successful in your life and sport?

Key Lessons:

  • Accept failure!

“We all fail on a daily basis. I think its important that we learn from our failures.” GK @ 10:22

  • We need to learn to silence our egos and look objectively at the situation we are in

“After all, its the National Team and all the best players from your country are playing there..you have to give them respect..good players, they are not just random people on the court.” GK @ 13:16

  • Focus on your skills, getting better, and proving yourself at every practice

  • Competition within the team is what helps evolve players

  • Egos can be good and bad in some ways

  • Find a way to compete and add value to your teammates, make them better

  • Do your best to move on quickly from the mistakes you make while competing

“I talked to myself.. ‘the set is gone, it was just one point, you made a mistake, it was not your fault, focus on the next set, start over, do your thing, try to keep in mind the goals you have, focus on the small things, FORGET about it.” GK @ 17:28

  • The whole team loses/wins a game, not just one individual

  • If you dwell on the last mistake, you are most likely to keep making more

  • Sometimes you have to change your scenery or location to be closer to your success

  • The most successful people are those who challenge themselves, looking outside the box

  • Have your OWN vision for what you want in the future and create small goals to achieve that vision

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ATHLETE'S TIP JAR

What is the best advice you have ever received?
Always see the positive in every situation; things are how they are, its in our power to understand them how we want.

What is the first thing you do when arriving to a new team or arena?
Team: I look forward to the first couple of practices so I can see how the coach is working with the team, so I can understand their perspective.
Arena: I check out the lights, they can be disturbing sometimes

What personal habit do you believe has contributed most to your success?
When I start something, I really want to finish it.

Sleep & Morning ritual:
I sleep between 8-10 hours; I have breakfast, coffee/tea, I am up a few hours before practice, on the court half an hour before doing warm up/ mobility exercises.

What is one way you’d like to improve yourself?
Always try to learn something new, reading books

How do you cross-train to stay fit when you aren’t playing your sport?
I go swimming a few times a week

What is one book you would give away as a gift and why?
The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday; I would give this book to anyone who is struggling with something in life, sports, business, etc.

If you had a do-over, knowing everything you know now with all of the new resources (Beyond Athletic Podcasts, ESS Mentors, etc.) ,what would you have done differently and why?
I think things would have happened quicker for me, after listening to other’s experiences on a podcast, I would have learned a lot quicker.

INFO

Charity/Organizations They Add Value to:
Elite Sports Students; Mentor
Possibly a summer camp, 2015,  in Braham, Minnesota, run by Noah Dahlman

Past/Current Teams:
Past: VC CSKA Sofia, Bulgaria; Voléro Zürich,Switzerland; Minerva Volley Pavia, Italy
Current: Beşiktaş Women's Volleyball; Bulgaria Women's National Volleyball Team



Definition of Being An Athlete?

"Very important in our society; sports are famous, entertainment; people feel a direct impact from sports. If you have a role model, you are interested in all aspects of their professional and personal life. We as athletes should be giving a good example to the young kids. We are influential and
should take it seriously" -Gabi Koeva

RESOURCES

Books Mentioned:
The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
Relentless: The Ultimate Mind & Body Challenge by Tim Grover

 

Also Mentioned:

Vlado Jaksic; Basketball Peace Ambassadors; Video

Braham, Minnesota
Noah Dahlman
VC CSKA Sofia,
Voléro Zürich

Minerva Volley Pavia
Beşiktaş Women's Volleyball
Bulgaria Women's National Volleyball Team
Elite Sports Students; Mentor
Beyond Athletic Podcasts
European Volleyball League
Pleven, Bulgaria
National Sports Academy "Vasil Levski"
Bulgaria,
Switzerland,
Italy
Turkey

 

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-Ryan (Owner @ EliteVolley.com)
____________________________
Elite Volley Agency
SRB Mobile: +381628905135 | USA Mobile: +13233623829
Sports Podcast: www.BeyondAthletic.com/listen
Agency: www.EliteVolley.com 
 

#30 Why Wait Until You're Injured? Most Are 100% Preventable! with Dr. Kelly STARRETT

Why Wait Until You're Injured? Most Are 100% Preventable!  with Dr. Kelly STARRETT

Expert GamePlan Session: (USA) NYT & WSJ BEST SELLING AUTHOR, Former US Canoe Team Member, Co-Owner of San Francisco CrossFit & MobilityWOD.com
_________________________________________________
February 20, 2015

Dr. Kelly Starrett of MobilityWOD.com & San Francisco Crossfit
Listen ON-THE-GO (00:56:04) NOW -or- mobile via iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn Apps!

BACKGROUND


A few years back during one of my volleyball seasons, I started to have these random knee issues and I had no idea what actions I needed to take. I came across Dr. Starrett and his “mobility stuff”online and I didn’t know what any of it was. As I continued to research, I found so many things from him that has helped me throughout my career over the years, so I guarantee to all of you who are listening, you will be able to take many lessons away from today’s episode. We will get into all of the basic things athletes, or anyone in general, need to have or do on a day to day basis when it comes to maintaining a high fitness level and staying healthy. He talks about the importance of having a ball sport in your repertoire as a kid as well as being involved in a sliding sport (ie: surf, skate, ski). Today you will learn why Dr. Starrett says that “the first wealth is health.”

BIO

  • Born, Kelly Starrett, currently living in San Francisco, California.
  • Married to Juliet Starrett, together they have two children
  • Kelly is former USA Canoe Team Member, the Co-Owner of San Francisco Crossfit along with his wife. Also the Co-owner of MobilityWOD, a resource for learning how to fix old and prevent new injuries with instructional video. 
  • A New York Times and Wall Street Journal’s Best selling author including, Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing and Optimizing Athletic Performance. New book is Ready To Run: Unlocking Your Potential to Run Healthy
  • He trains top athletes as well as Olympians around the world 
  • ReebokONE Official Trainer

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Listen ON-THE-GO (00:55:55) NOW -or- mobile via iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn Apps!


Key Discussion Points:

  • How do we prevent injury and prolong our athletic careers?

  • The importance of kids having an aerobic base?

  • As far as training and conditioning in youth teams, what are things that can be done to make sure the athletes are being taught the correct technique, as it is often overlooked?

  • The importance of reinforcing good mechanics in training?

  • Why is MCE the new recovery for injuries?

Key Lessons:

  • If its not from contact, most injuries we see are 100% preventable

  • We don’t know its a problem until its a problem

  • It is important to have a ball sport in your repertoire as a kid

  • As an athlete, there is no OFF button; athletes have a tendency to push through knowing something is wrong, coaches need to pay for attention

  • Its important to enforce good mechanics when training youth

“So what we are seeing is people are reinforcing these bad mechanics, and when it matters most, under the highest levels of stress or when there is fatigue..there’s gonna default to those practice states..and that’s where we can immediately start to make these huge changes.” KS @ 16:20

  • As a more experienced athlete, it is important to share what you have learned with younger athletes

  • When conditioning properly, we can get leading indicators, signals of possible injuries that may come in the future

“How do we know we have a problem? Pain, swelling, numbness and tingling, loss of forced production..that gets our attention, but those are lagging indicators. What we get from better conditioning is a set of leading indicators.”KS @ 21:38

  • Conditioning is where you reinforce the fundamental positions of particular sport

  • Technique in training is key

“The best technique actually mimics the physiology of the human..now coaches, because we’re obsessed with going fast, and jumping the highest, and hitting the hardest, most technique ends up matching perfectly the physiologic expression of how the human being works.”KS @ 22:44

  • Ready position is ready position and its the same in all sports

  • Training isn’t always about strength, but more so efficiency

  • Icing doesn’t necessarily cure an injury

“There is not a single piece of research that shows icing helps an injury”KS @ 41:03

  • We reduce swelling by elevation, compression, and squeezing the inflamed/swollen area

  • Anything you put a brace on is eventually going to become weaker

 

 

Listen ON-THE-GO (00:55:55) NOW -or- mobile via iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn Apps!

INFO


Charity/Organizations They Add Value to:

Standupkids.org | Tweet @Stand_Up_Kids

Business/Work:
San Francisco CrossFit, MobilityWOD.com, Official Trainer for ReebokONE, instructor on CreativeLive.com’s educational website

Past/Current Teams:
Past; USA Canoe Team

Recommended Guest:
Stacy Sims ;)

Books Mentioned:
Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing and Optimizing Athletic Performance by Kelly Starrett
Ready To Run: Unlocking Your Potential to Run Healthy by Kelly Starrett

 

Follow Dr. Starrett

Facebook | Website

 

Definition of an Athlete?

"Who picks up a new skill the fastest...can be coached and apply the set of skills over and over, understands that they have to perform basic maintenance." 
-Dr. Kelly Starrett
 

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#29 See Yourself As Exceptional (Not Ordinary) with Norisha CAMPBELL

#29 See Yourself As Exceptional (Not Ordinary) with Norisha CAMPBELL

ATHLETE CASE STUDY | Feb 13, 2015

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BACKGROUND

On today’s show we will talk about Norisha CAMPBELL’S duties not only as a mother, but also as a professional athlete and a very talented singer. She competed in one of the biggest singing competitions in Germany. Having these talents has given her energy throughout her life and they allow her to pursue EVERYTHING she is passionate about. We’ll talk about how she balances each of these aspects in her life.

BIO

  • Born, Norisha CAMPBELL in California, USA, on September 21, 1980.

  • Norisha grew up in a single parent home of five kids, two brothers and two sisters. She was born in California, but grew up in Florida, later moved to Texas. Was introduced to volleyball in the 7th grade.

  • Has a nine year old daughter, Aniya, who sings and plays tennis.

  • Norisha has been living in Germany since 2002.

  • Graduated from Florida State University where she played as a Middle Blocker

  • Received NCAA All-American honorable mention. Was on the USA Women’s National Team from 1999-2002, and then again in 2007-08. Best finish as a pro player was fifth place in the Champions League with VBC Volero Zurich. Was on “The VOICE of Germany” in 2013 and made it to the “show down.” She is also currently a singer in Germany performing live at various events.

 

MOST GRATEFUL TODAY FOR:

“That I am surrounded by wonderful friends, I have such a great family, I’m blessed with my daughter, I’m grateful that I have health.” -Norisha Campbell

PERSONAL QUOTE:

"Your destiny is not determined by what others think and say about you. It is determined by  what you think, say and do. Anything is possible when you believe that you are exceptional and not average” - Norisha Campbell

MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSON IN HER LIFE:

Her mother: “My mother was strong and she’s also Christian and spiritual...and she always taught me to go beyond average and to never limit myself.” -Norisha Campbell

Listen ON-THE-GO (00:46:36) NOW -or- mobile via iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn Apps!

Key Discussion Points:

 

  • When was one of your biggest struggles?

  • How were you able to humble yourself?

  • As someone who was the first person IN and first person OUT of the gym, what was it that you were doing during those time slots?

  • When was a time that you took a risk, and you failed? How did you move forward?

  • When was a light bulb moment in your career?

  • When was one of your proudest moments so far in life?

  • What has you most excited these days? (hobbies, projects, goals, etc.)

Key Lessons:

  • Prepare yourself for opportunities that may come your way, and when they do use them wisely

“I went to practice everyday, I worked my butt off, I never complained, I was the first one to be in the gym and the last one to leave the gym because I wanted to work hard to earn my spot.” NC @ 10:50

  • Always look ahead when you feel yourself in a difficult situation

  • Humble yourself and always encourage others instead of complaining or being negative

  • Always work on your weaknesses

“When I stayed after practice, I worked on my weaknesses, on my weak points, like my serving was my weak point and my blocking was my weak point….I gave myself a GOAL.” NC @ 12:59

  • ONE mistake, ONE point, never loses a whole game or match, EVERYBODY makes mistakes

  • Average athletes give just enough, Exceptional Athletes give beyond what is required

  • When it feels like you have nothing left to give, and you push a bit more, that is when you have given 100%

“That’s when you improve, when you feel like you can’t give but you push anyways, THEN you have given that 100%.” NC @ 20:54

  • Having multiple passions doesn’t mean that you can only pursue one

  • As an athlete, whether you like it or not, you will always have eyes on you, and many will look up to you as a hero

  • As much as we love our sports, it’s important to have something to fall back on when our career is over

  • Living abroad gives you the opportunity to see the world from a different perspective, learn the different cultures, different languages, and overall a different way of life than you are used to, as well as the opportunity to GROW UP

Listen ON-THE-GO (00:46:36) NOW -or- mobile via iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn Apps!

Norisha’s TIP JAR

What is the best advice that you have ever received?
If opportunity doesn’t knock, then you I should build a door, sometime you have to create an opportunity, go out and make it happen.

How do you adjust to a new team/arena?
I look around and explore the gym, get a feel for the environment, I take myself away from everything and everyone, meditate through prayer, and then visualize how I want the game to turn out.

What personal habit do you believe has contributed most to your success until now?
If I start something I’m determined to finish it.

Sleep & Morning ritual:
I try to get at least 7 or 8 hours of sleep. Normally I wake up at 7 to get my daughter ready for school. When I wake up, I go to my kitchen, and I look and stare in the fridge. I try to have at least an hour to myself.

Give a tool/habit you love to use to stay healthy:
I educate myself on health by reading books. I work out and train on a daily basis. 

A useful tool or tip for eating on the go -OR- for traveling in general?
I eat to be healthy. Try to pack a healthy snack such as nuts and fruits. I find it more convenient to pack a healthy snack or lunch. Try to avoid fast food.

How would you like to improve yourself as a person?
I always try to be a better friend, mother, and athlete.

What book would you give away and why?
I would give away “The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy, It teaches you how to put your life together, and taking tiny steps.

With the resources you have now that you didn’t have before, if you had a do-over, what would you do differently to set yourself up for success?
I would have looked for a mentor, and maybe a hero, and I would have followed that person. I also would have read a bit more.

 

INFO

Charity/Organizations/Action they take to Add Value:
Volunteer work with little kids in schools. She also visits the elderly who may be alone that living in her apartment building, taking the time to talk and listen to them. “Sometimes time is the best thing you can give.” -NC

Business/Work:
Professional Volleyball Player
Singer in Germany, performs at big events

Past/Current Teams:
Current- Rote Raben Vilsbiburg, Germany
Past-  Barcelona, Spain; VBC Volero Zurich (Switzerland)

 

Recommended Books:
The Bible
The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy
The Dream Manager” by Matthew Kelly


Tags:
California, USA,
Florida
Texas
Florida State University
NCAA All-American
USA Women’s National Team
VBC Volero Zurich
The VOICE of Germany
Rote Raben Vilsbiburg

 

Follow Athlete Here:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest

 

Definition of An Athlete?

"A person that not only plays their sport as a living, but because they enjoy it and its a passion that they have and the same lessons that they learn on the court they use off the court. A role model and a leader, on an off the court." -Norisha Campbell

Pieces of Wisdom

“Take the gifts and the dreams that you have a live them out, we only get one life, we don't get another opportunity after this..JUST GO FOR IT.”-NC

 

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#28 How To Sleep, Recover & Move Better with Kevin CANN

#28 How To Sleep, Recover & Move Better with Kevin CANN

February 7, 2015 | Expert GamePlan Session

Listen ON-THE-GO (00:38:29) NOW -or- mobile via iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn Apps!

 

BACKGROUND

Today is a Game Plan session With Kevin CANN. He is currently one of the guest bloggers on one of the biggest PALEO Blogs in American and as well as for a great strength and conditioning site. We will be discussing the importance of sleep when it comes to our peak performance and recovery which actually takes up to 48 hours for our bodies to do so, the optimal amount of sleep we need, hormones, magnesium, ways to avoid being deficient in Vitamin D, and we’ll even talk about a few exercises recommended to everyone out there .

 

BIO

  • Born, Kevin CANN, on July 26, 1983.

  • Masters in Kinesiology, Bachelors in Nutrition, and a Certified Holistic Nutritionist

  • Has coached everyone from elite athletes to general population

 

LEAVE A REVIEW & Subscribe to #BeyondAthletic in iTunes so other can find us too! Share this with one person you think could benefit the most…

Listen ON-THE-GO (00:38:29) NOW -or- mobile via iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn Apps!

PERSONAL QUOTE:

“A wise man changes his mind often, a fool never.” -Spanish Proverb

Key Discussion Points

  • What is your Health Philosophy?

  • What are your thoughts on the importance of sleep and Vitamin D?

  • What is the importance of this “black out” during sleep time?

  • The negative effects of blue light?

  • What is the significance of a magnesium bath?

  • What are your thoughts on breathing exercises? Pre and Post workout?

  • What are recommendations of getting the Vitamin D we need other than natural sunlight?

  • What nutritional tips do you have for the morning time and immediately AFTER intense training?

  • What types of carbohydrates would be better in the evening?

  • Do you think all athletes (high school, college level, up to pro) should be looking at their nutrition the same as a retired or non athlete?

  • What are your thoughts on eating clean vs the “organic” label?

  • What is a way to get around “early specialization” in just one sport?

  • For the 14-20 yr old range group, what are good exercises they should be doing outside of their sport that they are doing 3-4x per week?

  • What are some key tips regarding form when doing squats or deadlifts?

  • What are good mobility exercises or stretches EVERYONE should be doing EVERYDAY?

  • What has you most excited these days?


Key Lessons

  • There is much more to getting yourself in shape than just hopping on the treadmill

  • Sleep is a top priority in being healthy

“If there is anything that needs to be fixed, if somebody wants to lose weight, increase performance, that’s definitely at the top of my list.” KC @ 7:14

  • There is a difference between a 48hr recovery and a 72 hours recovery

“If I can get my athletes to recover in 48hrs, I can get more quality training sessions.” KC @ 7:35

  • When our sleep is interrupted, it affects our recovery process, as it is important to get 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep

  • Our body can sense ANY type of light while we are trying to sleep, and it confuses our brain thinking it may still be day time, which can mess with our hormones

  • Magnesium baths are a great way athletes can relax the body and mind; contributing to recovery from intense training

  • All electronics containing any blue light should be shut off at least an hour before bedtime

  • Depending on where you live, its good to get 30-60 minutes of natural sunlight exposure

  • Find a way to get your Vitamin D levels checked

“I recommend that people get their Vitamin D levels checked twice per year, look at those values and build from there.” KC @ 15:43

  • A good amount of protein with fruit in the morning and avoiding starchy veggies is a well balanced meal to start the day

  • Pre Workout meals aren’t as big of a deal as a Post workout meal

“Its a 48hr process, we are continually burning those glycogen stores for 48hrs, so making sure we get that post workout shake, with carbohydrates is important..but we need to make sure that those carbs. and proteins are still in line for the meals following that workout program.” KC @ 17:29

  • Elite athletes will take in a bit more protein than non athletes

  • When shopping from local farmers markets and local businesses, you are pretty guaranteed to getting some high quality products

  • Athletes ranging from 14-20yrs old should know basic techniques of olympic lifting

  • Learn how to control your posture when weight lifting


Listen ON-THE-GO (00:38:29) NOW -or- mobile via iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn Apps!

 

KEVIN’S TIP JAR

What is your opinion of an optimal Day/Night for an athlete?
Wake up, good breakfast, mobility drills, drinking water throughout the day, lunch (pre workout),
afternoon workout, breathing drills, post workout nutrition shake, meal, snack, magnesium bath, lights out, 7-9 hours of sleep, Repeat.

What book would you give away as a gift?
Anything that Charlie Francis has ever written

A learning resource you love to use…
Mike Boyle’s StrenghtCoach.com

Give a tool/habit you love to use to stay healthy:
I try to practice what I preach

In the offseason, what are some exercises you would do a couple times a week to stay in shape?
A couple days a week, 2 of the 3 days, pick a lift, do it that day, and energy system training for the off season just to maintain some conditioning. Maybe some conditioning is playing another sport.

Is there any concern you have or tip you can give to add value to people?
I would tell people to sleep more

If you had a do over, knowing everything you do now, what few things would you have changed?
I would have taken my nutrition, sleep, and workouts more seriously

Recommended Resources:
Mike Boyle’s StrenghtCoach.com
Anything that Charlie Francis has ever written

Amber lense Glasses
Vitamin D Lamps

 

INFO

Business/Work:
Director of Strength and Conditioning at Total Performance Sports, just outside of Boston.
Blogger for fitness blog, BreakingMuscle.com as well as a Paleo Blog, RobbWolf.com

 

Contact Kevin

Facebook | Twitter | Website

 

Definition of An Athlete?

"An elite level athlete should be one that actually leads by example and always pays it forward."-KC

Some Words of Wisdom

“Eat Well, sleep well, train hard but train smart” -KC

Tags:

Magnesium baths
Total Performance Sports
BreakingMuscle.com
RobbWolf.com
StrenghtCoach.com
Charlie Francis
Amber lense Glasses
Vitamin D Lamps

 

 

 

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