Text 4. Kids and extreme sports

Commitment

Control

Confidence

Concentration

Fact.

It has been said that if two athletes are equal in physical skill and physical conditioning, and in experience, then the factor that makes the difference between winning and losing is mental. Indeed, it is said, at the higher levels of a sport, the mental game is often the deciding factor, because most athletes are equal in their technical and physical abilities. Experienced coaches, players and commentators make this statement all the time. This is not particularly

insightful, but rather, a tautology, an error of logic. Clearly, the mental game makes the difference when all other factors are equal.

Myth 4. Sports Psychology Is Only For Athletes Who Are Mentally Weak.

Fact. The term "mentally weak" implies there is an inherently defective or temporarily fragile mental quality in an athlete. This is not a helpful or accurate statement, as many elite athletes who are quite mentally strong still seek the services of sport psychologists on a regular basis. This is one of the most pervasive and damaging of the many myths about sport psychology. Think for a moment. Why does Tiger Woods continuously have a golf coach on his staff? His game is not "weak or broken". He works with a coach so he can continue to improve, and to minimize any backsliding. The same is true with athletes who seek the services of sport psychologists. They want to improve their mental skills.

Myth 5. Sports Psychology Can't Make A Loser Into A Winner.

Fact. Labeling people as losers is not a helpful endeavor. However, countless individuals and teams with a record of predominating losses have started winning with the help of sports psychology.

Text 3. Psychology – 4С’s

The increased stress of competitions can cause athletes to react both physically and mentally in a manner that can negatively affect their performance abilities. They may become tense, their heart rates race, they break into a cold sweat, they worry about the outcome of the competition, they find it hard to concentrate on the task in hand.

This has led coaches to take an increasing interest in the field of sport psychology and in particular in the area of competitive anxiety. That interest has focused on techniques that athletes can use in the competitive situation to maintain control and optimise their performance. Once learned, these techniques allow the athlete to relax and to focus his/her attention in a positive manner on the task of preparing for and participating in competition. Psychology is another weapon in the athlete's armoury in gaining the winning edge.

adsenset() google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad); The 4C's

Concentration, confidence, control and commitment (the 4C's) are generally considered the main mental qualities that are important for successful performance in most sports.

• Concentration – ability to maintain focus
• Confidence – believe in one's abilities
• Control – ability to maintain emotional control regardless of distraction
• Commitment – ability to continue working to agreed goals

The techniques of relaxation, centering and mental imagery can assist an athlete to achieve the 4C's.

This is the mental quality to focus on the task in hand. If the athlete lacks concentration then their athletic abilities will not be effectively or efficiently applied to the task. Research has identified the following types of attention focus:

• Broad Narrow continuum - the athlete focuses on a large or small number of stimuli
• Internal External continuum - the athlete focuses on internal stimuli (feelings) or external stimuli (ball)

The demand for concentration varies with the sport:

• Sustained concentration - distance running, cycling, tennis, squash
• Short bursts of concentration - cricket, golf, shooting, athletic field events
• Intense concentration - sprinting events, bobsleigh, skiing

Common distractions are: anxiety, mistakes, fatigue, weather, public announcements, coach, manager, opponent, negative thoughts etc.

Strategies to improve concentration are very personal. One way to maintain focus is to set process goals for each session or competition. The athlete will have an overall goal for which the athlete will identify a number of process goals that help focus on specific aspects of the task. For each of these goals the athlete can use a trigger word (a word which instantly refocuses the athlete's concentration to the goal) e.g. sprinting technique requires the athlete to focus on being tall, relaxed, smooth and to drive with the elbows - trigger word could be "technique"

Athletes will develop a routine for competition that may include the night before, the morning, pre competition, competition and post competition routines. If these routines are appropriately structured then they can prove a useful aid to concentration.

Confidence results from the comparison an athlete makes between the goal and their ability. The athlete will have self-confidence if they believe they can achieve their goal. (Comes back to a quote of mine – “You only achieve what you believe”).

When an athlete has self confidence they will tend to: persevere even when things are not going to plan, show enthusiasm, be positive in their approach and take their share of the responsibility in success and fail.

To improve their self confidence, an athlete can use mental imagery to:

• visualize previous good performance to remind them of the look and feel
• imagine various scenarios and how they will cope with them

Identifying when an athlete feels a particular emotion and understanding the reason for the feelings is an important stage of helping an athlete gain emotional control. An athlete’s ability to maintain control of their emotions in the face of adversity and remain positive is essential to successful performance. Two emotions that are often associated with poor performance are anxiety and anger.

Anxiety comes in two forms – Physical (butterflies, sweating, nausea, needing the toilet) and Mental (worry, negative thoughts, confusion, lack of concentration). Relaxation is a technique that can be used to reduce anxiety.

When an athlete becomes angry, the cause of the anger often becomes the focus of attention. This then leads to a lack of concentration on the task, performance deteriorates and confidence in ability is lost which fuels the anger – a slippery slope to failure.

Sports performance depends on the athlete being fully committed to numerous goals over many years. In competition with these goals the athlete will have many aspects of daily life to manage. The many competing interests and commitments include work, studies, family/partner, friends, social life and other hobbies/sports

Within the athlete’s sport, commitment can be undermined by:

• a perceived lack of progress or improvement
• not being sufficiently involved in developing the training program
• not understanding the objectives of the training program
• injury
• lack of enjoyment
• anxiety about performance – competition
• becoming bored
• coach athlete not working as a team
• lack of commitment by other athletes

Setting goals with the athlete will raise their feelings of value, give them joint ownership of the goals and therefore become more committed to achieving them. All goals should be SMARTER.

Many people (coach, medical support team, manager, friends, etc) can contribute to an athlete’s levels of commitment with appropriate levels of support and positive feedback, especially during times of injury, illness and poor performance.

Text 4. Health Benefits to Exercise

Exercises are essential for maintaining a well toned body, good health and fitness levels for improving the immunity system of the body. Exercises are very similar to the regular cleansing involved for keeping your face clean and healthy. There are various exercises which provide health benefits for you and keep your weight well balanced. With the help of these exercises the body flushes out some of the harmful toxins and energies. Hence our internal system is able to work much better and blood is pumped to the heart and other organs.

Through exercises our body has better flow of oxygen, which is another advantage for your health. Different forms of exercises are there, which include some exercises for losing weight faster. Usually people try out different forms of exercises in the hope of being able to get faster results. Then there are some exercises, which are done to increase the muscle mass in the body. Most of these include exercises like weight training and strength training that helps those with lean bodies to get good shapes.

Some of the most vital benefits of exercising are that the person performing the same is able to gain more confidence and self esteem. This happens because they are more confident with their bodies and they are able to appear more confident and healthy. With the help of different forms of exercises you can target your problem areas also. For example, aerobic exercises and cardio exercises help in losing fat. The muscle training exercises enhance the strength and stamina of the body.

With the help of these exercises you can reduce the risk of diseases as the body is able to lose fat. This also helps the body to avoid the risks of cardiac diseases like high cholesterol levels and other related problems. Hence exercises can help you to lose both fat and calories in larger proportions. Thus you should try and perform exercises regularly rather than trying to exercise for longer hours, on just two days a week. You can get the best results through exercising, if you perform the same at least 3-5 times a week for duration of 40-50 minutes.

With the help of these exercises the flexibility of the body also improves and thus you are able to perform other chores with much ease. People with back problems or other kinds of joints problems also can get rid of the pain through exercises. Other severe problems like arthritis are cured through these exercises because this disease can only be controlled and there is no permanent solution to the same. Regular exercises for the problems of the back and the joints can help you to get rid of the same.

Apart from regular exercises you should also try and eat healthy foods and make sure that you eat healthy and live healthy. Some of the best forms of exercises include aerobics, Pilates, yoga, weight training and other similar forms of exercises. With the help of these exercises you can be assured of a healthier life and better management of weight, and look and feel good too.

Text 3.What People Who Live to 100 Have in Common

A growing number of Americans are living to age 100. Nationwide, the centenarian population has grown 65.8 percent over the past three decades, from 32,194 people who were age 100 or older in 1980 to 53,364 centenarians in 2010, according to new Census Bureau data. In contrast, the total population has increased 36.3 percent over the same time period.

Centenarians in the United States are considerably different from the overall population. Here's a look at some of the characteristics of people who live to age 100:

Female gender. It is overwhelmingly women who live to age 100. In 2010, 82.8 percent of centenarians were female. For every 100 females age 100 or older, there are only 20.7 males the same age. Females also make up 61.9 percent of those in their 80s and 72.2 percent of people in their 90s. "We know that women are more social than men. Other studies have found that staying socially connected predicts greater life expectancy," says Gary Small, a professor on aging and director of the UCLA Longevity Center in Los Angeles, who is not affiliated with the Census Bureau report. "If you are social, it may reduce stress levels because you can talk about your feelings and things that stress you out and it seems to help many people. If you need a ride to the doctor or you fall, they can take you to the hospital or help you find the best doctor."

Less diversity. Centenarians are considerably less diverse than the overall U.S. population. In 2010, some 82.5 percent of centenarians were white, versus 72.4 percent of the total population. Black or African Americans were unique in that their proportion of the centenarian population (12.2 percent) is about the same as their percentage of the total population (12.6 percent). Asians made up 2.5 percent of the centenarian population, while they make up 4.8 percent of the total population. And Hispanics represent 5.8 percent of centenarians, but 16.3 percent of the population.

Living with others. Just over a third of both female and male centenarians lived alone in their own home in 2010, but the majority of the oldest citizens live with others. "As people get older, things in life happen--like you might become a widow or you might have a disability, and because of those circumstances, living arrangements often change," says Amy Symens Smith, chief of the age and special populations branch at the Census Bureau. Centenarian females (35.2 percent) were more likely to live in a nursing home than males the same age (18.2 percent). Centenarian males are the most likely to be living with others in a household (43.5 percent), compared to just 28.5 percent of centenarian females.

City living. A large majority of the oldest U.S. citizens live in urban areas. "As age increases, the percentage living in urban areas also increases," says Smith. Some 85.7 percent of centenarians lived in urban areas in 2010, compared with 84.2 percent of those in their 90s, 81.5 percent of those in their 80s, and 76.6 percent of those in their 70s. "Living in the city, you have a lot more mental stimulation and the symphony and better doctors and hospitals and more social networking," says Small. "There are more resources, and there is better transportation."

Located in the Northeast or Midwest. States with the largest populations generally have the most centenarians. California has the largest number of centenarians (5,921), followed by New York (4,605), Florida (4,090), and Texas (2,917). Alaska has the fewest residents age 100 and older (40). Wyoming (72), Vermont (133), and Delaware (146) are also among the states with the fewest centenarians.

The Northeast and Midwest have proportions of centenarians that are higher than the national average of 1.73 per 10,000 people, while the West and South have below-average proportions of centenarians. "There's a lot of stuff going on in local areas, including access to medical care, diet, exercise, the culture, risk-taking, and more smoking," says Linda Waite, a sociology professor and director of the Center on Aging at the University of Chicago. "People in the Northeast tend to be more highly educated, and education is associated with a longer life expectancy." North Dakota is the only state with more than 3 centenarians for every 10,000 people in the state. Other states where centenarians make up a relatively large portion of the population include South Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska. Three western states have less than one centenarian for every 10,000 people: Alaska, Utah, and Nevada.

The proportion of centenarians in the United States is smaller than that of many other developed countries. For example, for every 10,000 people, there are 1.92 centenarians in Sweden, 1.95 in the United Kingdom, and 2.70 in France. And Japan has 3.43 centenarians per 10,000 people, beating even our longest-lived state, North Dakota.

Are Team Sports Becoming Passé?
Though traditional sports like football, basketball, and hockey aren't exactly going out of style, the world of so-called extreme sports keeps growing in popularity. Kids and adults alike are participating in increasing numbers in these risky -- if not sometimes downright dangerous -- sports. But why?

It's Groovy, Baby!
Some kids are happier riding their skateboards than dealing with the structure of soccer practice. Others like cruising around on their BMX bikes until their legs just quit, surfing themselves silly, or spending the entire weekend learning new tricks on their inline skates.

For many kids, traditional team sports mean a lot of coaching, rules, pressure, and competition. It's easy to see why some kids are attracted to the individuality and athletic self-expression that are the hallmarks of extreme sports.

Of course, kids are also attracted to extreme sports because they're cool. And who doesn't like being on the cutting edge? Snowboarding, the bad-boy little brother of skiing, was legitimized by sports traditionalists when it became an official Olympic event at the 1998 Nagano Games. Combine the cool factor with increased media exposure, and you've got an athletic image that's rebellious and brash.

Accentuate the Alternative?
Paul Vail, 29, a BMX freestyle bike-rider for more than 14 years, says that when it comes to extreme sports, "Today's kids who've been riding skateboards or BMX bikes since they were 12-year-olds will become the parents who say, 'Yes, skateboarding, bike riding -- perfectly acceptable sports for my kid to do. And don't tell me they have to play football or be on the basketball team to be accepted, because that's no longer true.'"

Vail balks at the term "extreme sports." "People have been skydiving, skiing, riding bikes, doing tricks, and taking jumps forever. I think the extreme sports label is a gimmick. I like the term 'alternative sports'."

Extreme or not, it's important to encourage kids to express themselves physically, whether their athletic tastes run to the trendy or the traditional. Both solo and team-oriented sports can build self-confidence, relieve stress, and promote physical fitness -- all of which are vital to growing kids and adults alike.

Kids in "alternative" sports are expressive, highly skilled athletes. And sports like rock climbing, snowboarding, inline skating, surfing, skateboarding, extreme skiing, and mountain biking (to name just a few), require significant technical ability as well as strength and endurance.

Plus, alternative sports can help your kids develop positive qualities like discipline, persistence, and determination -- provided they avoid any serious injuries.

"Ouch, That Hurts!"

Fear is probably the number-one reason many of us avoid taking risks. For athletes in extreme sports, conquering fear is part of the adventure of sport.

When a skateboarder is practicing tricks on a 15-foot ramp (commonly called a half-pipe), or a mountain biker is flying down a rock-strewn single track trail, and he makes a mistake and falls -- well, it's going to hurt a little. Okay, maybe a lot.

But the athletes I spoke to didn't complain about injuries; in fact, most have enjoyed relatively injury-free experiences in their sports. Brian Krause, a competitive skydiver for the U.S. Army's Golden Knights, has taken thousands of jumps out of airplanes without so much as a sprained ankle.

But Matt Donovan, a pro downhill mountain bike racer from Massachusetts, said that when he first got serious about racing, his season was "very injury-laden. I had two concussions, a separated shoulder, a broken hand, multiple cuts, and lacerations. And I cracked a rib."

Yes, extreme sports can often lead to extreme injuries. Boys get injured more often than girls, and inline skaters get injured the most. The most common injuries in alternative sports are broken bones, strains, sprains, serious bruising, and facial cuts. But studies show that nearly 75 percent of all people who get injured participating in extreme sports incurred their injuries because they wore NO protective gear at all! Just make it completely clear to your kids that safety, not fashion, comes first when they're out doing their thing.

Kids and Sports Injuries
Until there's more research, it's hard to say whether the most injury-prone sports for kids (listed below) are really more dangerous than alternative sports. Team sports may cause more injuries -- not because of the nature of these sports but because greater numbers of kids participate in them. More kids play a popular sport like basketball, for example, than skateboard.

Though kids can be injured playing any sport, some sports do have a higher injury rate than others. So if your child is playing one of these "high-injury incidence" sports, you need to pay extra attention to safety.

Kids suffer the most injuries in the following six sports:

· Basketball

· Football

· Baseball

· Softball

· Soccer

· Gymnastics

There are two kinds of sports injuries:

Chronic repetitive or overuse injuries. These cause stress fractures, muscle tears, or progressive bone deformities.

Acute injuries, which occur as a result of trauma from contact with a major force, cause fractures, dislocations, and more serious spinal and brain injuries.

The seriousness of injuries for both sexes increases with age and the level of competition. A less developed child competing against a mature child is at greater risk for injury. Children should be matched and grouped according to skill level, weight, and physical maturity, especially for contact sports.

Of the estimated 65,000 children receiving medical treatment for inline skating injuries each year, almost half have fractured a bone and 7,000 have injured the head or face.

Skaters most often injure their wrists and elbows.

Wrist guards and elbow pads afford the same amount of protection to inline skaters as helmets do for heads.

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