In my opinion, the in-season period is the most important time for athletes to listen to what their body is telling them. The long grind of a season takes its toll on pitchers differently. No two pitchers show the exact same response to stress. But no one’s immune to that stress, and one common sign a pitcher may not be listening to his body is an in-season drop in velocity.

From a training standpoint, several steps can be taken to help combat this in-season dip in velocity and ensure you’re bringing the heat every game.

6 Big Factors That Cause A Loss In Velocity

1. You’re Losing Strength

Building your physical capacity in the offseason is paramount to optimizing performance on the mound. On the other hand, in-season training to continue the maintenance and development of those traits during your competitive season is equally, if not more, important.

However, many athletes fail to realize just how important in-season training truly is to sustain elite performance.

Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise published a review of several studies on the subject that looked at rowers and power athletes. While general strength doesn’t drop all that much if you go a month without a workout, specialized sport-specific muscle fibers start to change in as little as two weeks without a workout.

For pitchers, loss of stability (eccentric strength) in the lead leg at foot strike and power (concentric strength) in the back leg during the stride phase are two big areas you’ll see suffer without sufficient in-season training. This can cause a pitcher to start missing up in the zone due to an inconsistent release point as well as experiencing a drop in velocity due to applying less force into the ground with their back leg (what I also call the “gas” leg).

I tell my guys all the time to try and get in at least 2-3 days of strength training per week. Volume wise, the heaviest day should come right after an appearance on the mound. This guarantees at least several days to get in some good quality strength training before they toe the rubber again. As for summer ball and relievers, if you toss three innings or more, you can hit a big lift the next day. This will go a long way in helping increase appetite and strength, keeping weight on, and managing that “controlled fall” I have referred to before.

2. You’re Losing Body Weight

Gaining muscle will help you throw harder. Losing muscle will cause you to throw softer.

There are numerous studies that show a high correlation between an increase in body weight and an increase in pitching velocity. The average weight of an MLB pitcher has gone up substantially in the past 20 years, so it should come as no surprise that pitchers are now throwing harder than ever.

If you’re losing a substantial amount of weight during the course of the season, you’re almost guaranteed to see a significant drop in your velocity. If you don’t consume enough calories and protein, your body will start cannibalizing muscle for fuel. And if you don’t perform adequate strength training, your muscle mass will gradually decrease. Simply keeping on as much muscle as possible throughout the course of your season is one of the best ways you can combat a loss in velocity. As a general rule of thumb, baseball players should carry anywhere from 10-15% body fat.

During summer ball, young players are often competing in several games a day at tournaments underneath the scorching sun. The fact they’re on the road can also limit their options for food and result in less-than-ideal sleep quality. This is a perfect recipe for losing muscle throughout the season, which makes proper nutrition and training all the more important. Increasing your calorie and protein consumption during the season might not always be convenient, but it can play a huge role in helping you stay strong and effective over the course of the season.

3. You’re Losing Mobility

There are numerous studies that show correlations between loss of mobility and drops in velocity as well as an increased risk of injury. It’s well known that pitchers can easily lose motion in their throwing arm (as much as 10 degrees of internal rotation after just one outing) throughout the course of a long baseball season.

It’s also no secret that the protocol for pre-game warm-ups in baseball can be a bit lax, at best. If you’re simply getting off the bus, throwing 20 pitches, and running a few laps before you step on the mound, don’t expect your velocity to top out until somewhere around the third inning. This is all the more reason for having a “set in stone” 20-25 minute warm-up routine that focuses on soft tissue work, full-body mobility and cuff activation. This is even more important early in the season when the temps at game time in the northeast and midwest can be in the 40s.

4. You’re Not Sleeping Well

Believe it or not, I feel that this point is the biggest velocity-sucker in this entire piece. Poor sleep quality severely affects our circadian rhythm, compromising an athlete’s ability to recover from daily stressors. Whether that stress is from a practice, a game, a late night out, stress from school or relationship issues, 9-11 hours of sleep during the developmental years is paramount. After that, a good 8-10 hours per night for more mature athletes will suffice.

Let’s face it, toward the end of the spring season and when summer ball is upon us is when most young athletes’ sleep routines go south. No two things affect body weight more than poor sleep and poor eating habits, and I just outlined how a loss of body weight equals lower readings on the gun. Here are some simple tips on how you can improve your sleep quality.

5. You’re Experiencing Overuse

From my experience, many of the guys who fall prey to the “velo roller coaster” throw at or near velocities that sit between 85-90 mph. These guys have a tendency to get used a lot on the mound and often also as two-way players. This cuts their amount of recovery time down significantly.

Combine this with points 1 and 2 above and you get a recipe for sudden and unexpected drops in strength and/or velocity. This is the reason why guys who are sitting under 80 mph don’t find themselves dealing with inconsistent velocity numbers as often. Truth be told, they just don’t see as much playing time, so weight loss and fatigue don’t really come into play quite as frequently.

As for the pro guys sitting at 93 and above, they’re older, stronger, and more experienced. They make sure they’re getting their reps in the weight room and consuming the extra calories during the season (especially the summer months) to ensure they’re at optimum levels when called upon.

6. You’re Injured

The bottom line is you can’t throw effectively if you’re injured. No one can.

You may think you’re throwing hard, but 100% intent while injured is much less than that same intent while healthy. You’re only as strong as your weakest link. You’ll often be better off both in the short-term and in the long term by taking some time off to allow your injury to heal rather than trying to battle through it.

If you’ve got the topics I’ve listed above in check, you’re already ahead of the game. The takeaway is to stay strong, eat and sleep enough, and get in your daily mobility work. If you tick those boxes, you’ll be at your best come playoff time!

Photo Credit: MarioGuti/iStock, CynthiaAnnF/iStock

READ MORE:

• This Pitching Recovery Workout Will Help Maintain Your Throwing Shoulder
• Tom Koehler’s Offseason Leg Workout for Pitching Power
• How Young Pitchers Should Prepare for the Upcoming Season
• In-Season Baseball Workouts for Pitchers

Cristiano Ronaldo was just a skinny teenager when he just started playing soccer professionally. Now he is CR7; it sounds like a superhero name. Who knows, with a roman sculpture physique and six-pack abs, maybe? He definitely has strength, speed, power, and stamina, as well as many awards, trophies, and championship titles to prove it.

Let’s deflate a bit. Cristiano works very hard to be the best. He is very disciplined and strict about what he eats as well as his strength, exercise, and fitness programs. What’s fantastic is he is not shy about sharing his secrets for those to follow him and be the best.

Nutrition Plan

The gym is just one part of Cristiano’s success; what he eats is the other. His nutrition is practically perfect. He uses supplements, multivitamins, and protein shakes to optimize his energy and rebuild his muscles. In addition, he is very strict about never missing a meal, so he eats many times throughout the day.

Here are some specific foods that Cristiano eats at certain times of the day. Of course, he doesn’t eat all these things in one meal. Instead, he alternates and modifies the foods for balance. However, consistency is the essential point.

Food Plan

Breakfast

• Whole-grain cereal
• Egg whites
• Fruit juice -apple, pear, or pineapple
• Fruit
• Coffee, espressos, and lattes
• Avocado toast
• European cheeses, cold cuts, and pastries sparingly

Late Morning Snack

• Tuna roll or fresh bread and sardines

Lunch

• Swordfish or sea bass
• Chicken and whole-wheat pasta
• Green vegetables
• Tuna fish with hard-boiled eggs and tomatoes

Late Lunch Snack

• Protein shake

Dinner

• Bacalhau à Brás
• Steak and salad
• Chicken or turkey breast with rice and beans or quinoa
• Watermelon
• A glass of wine occasionally

Dessert- Occasionally

• Cake and chocolate

One of his favorite dishes is called Bacalhau à Brás. Bacalhau means cod fish in Portuguese. It is mixed with onions, fried potatoes, and scrambled eggs.

He tends to avoid sugar and alcohol and consumes them sparingly.

Workout Routines

Cristiano likes to mix his training up, so it is not stagnant. One of his secrets for fitness and conditioning is that he alternates between heavy cardio and extensive weight training.

He workouts out about 3 hours a day, five days a week, between the gym and the pitch. He strategically splits and targets different muscles and exercises on different days with rest days. As a result, his program is excellent for strength development and preventing injury.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s 5-Day Workout Program

Monday: Circuit Training- three times through the circuit.

• Barbell Squat – 8 reps
• Box Jumps – 10 reps
• Broad Jumps – 8 reps
• Jumping Lunges– 8 reps
• Lateral Bounds – 10 reps

Tuesday: Rest

Wednesday: Circuit Training- three times through the circuit.

• Burpee Pullup -between 10-15 reps
• Bench Dips – 15-20 reps
• Pushups – 20-30 reps
• Medicine Ball Toss – 15-20 reps
• Push Press – 10-15 reps

Thursday:

• Power Cleans – 5 reps for five sets
• Sprints –8x- 200-meter sprints

Friday: Core Exercises

• One Deadlift –3 sets/5 reps on each side.
• Dumbbell Single Leg Deadlift – 2 sets/10 reps
• Knee Tuck Jumps – 3 sets/10-12 reps
• Overhead Ball Slam – 3 sets/10-12 reps
• Single Leg Barbell Squat – 2 sets/5 reps
• Hanging Leg Raises – 3 sets/10-15 reps

Saturday: Rest

Sunday: Cardio

• Rope Jumping – 10x -1 minute of rest between each set
• Resistance Sprinting – 10x 50-meter sprints

Mental Health

Cristiano says you must learn to train your mind just like your body. Mental strength is just as important as physical. When you do this, it will help you achieve your goals as well as be motivated and consistent.

Did you know Cristiano can head the ball about 8 1/2 feet in the air?

Did you know he can Sprint top speed of about 21 miles an hour?

Did you know he runs about six miles per game?

Did you know that he can kick a soccer ball at 80 mph?

Did you know he practices looking for body cues from the defense when he dibbles the ball that permit him to do tricks and maneuvers unconsciously and reactionary?

However, don’t think of grace only as elegant. Look at it as refinement and precision. That is probably why ballet and dance are hidden gems in sports performance. Heck, it is a secret weapon for the Russian hockey team besides doping.

Athletes who Dance to Boost Performance

Lynn Swan- Football Player – Ballet

Lynn said people don’t understand dance. He said it is all about rhythm, timing, body control, and coordination; everything you need on the field. The finishing of one move is the preparation and continuation of the next. Lynn said he started developing an ability to feel very comfortable in the air, especially when running a route to jump up and catch the ball. To do that, you need body control developed by danceability.

Steve McClendon- Football Player – Ballet

Steve said in comparison to football, “Ballet is harder than anything else I do.”

John A. Bergfeld – Cleveland Browns Medical Adviser

He said that ballet is excellent at preventing injuries. He saw fewer injuries occur once players started doing ballet.

Kobe Bryant- Basketball Player- Tap Dance

Koby Bryan did tap dance classes to strengthen his ankles. And he also noticed quicker feet on the court.

Alex Collins- Football Player – Irish Dance

He does Irish dance and saw improved lower body strength on the field because of repetitive jumping and landing on his toes.

Other ballet athletes are Michael Jordan, Herschel Walker, Evander Holyfield, the 2015 Dallas Cowboys (made a staple in their training schedule), Stephen Curry, Willie Gault, Barry Sanders, Muhammad Ali, and Sugar Ray Robinson.

Benefits of Ballet and Dance

Dance and ballet focus on strengthening deep, small, stabilizing internal muscles. These muscles stabilize joints during movement as well as sitting and standing. However, the exercises to strengthen these smaller muscles are often sacrificed for larger ones like squats. What’s important to know is those small muscles transfer force to the larger muscles. And when they are weak, injury occurs.

Think of it like a Ford Mustang. It is a powerful and fast car. But when you pop the hood, there are many small pieces and mechanisms that make the motor powerful and explosive for the car to be fast.

These internal stabilizing muscles must be active, aligned, strong, and flexible before larger muscles and movements like a squat can function effectively and progressively. They produce fine motor control. For example, people often feel pain when they squat because the smaller stabilizers are weak, making the joint dysfunctional.

Stability and Balance
When you have balance and stability, you enhance speed, power, and explosiveness. Think of it like this if you jump off the dock into the lake, you can produce speed, explosiveness, and height in your jump. But if you jump into the lake out of the canoe, there is little stability. Therefore, the result is a loss of speed, power, explosiveness, and height in your jump. That is the importance of the smaller muscles and stability that are fine-tuned and developed from dance.

Coordination

Dancing is an excellent way to improve your coordination and proprioception. It improves timing and the movement sequence, which enhances your rhythm. It involves using all your muscles and brain to create the circuitry that transfers and boosts your sport. For example, ballet and dance will enhance the coordination of your footwork which will make it faster.

Flexibility

Ballet and dance enhance flexibility because you must be able to stretch entirely through specific movements and ranges of motion. For example, Michael Jordan’s famous logo with his legs spread and dunking the ball is a ballet pose.

Corrective Unilateral Strength

Depending on your sport can make you dominate on one side; how you hold, throw, kick, hit the ball, etc., produces strength imbalances. As a result of such, it leads to dysfunction and injury. Ballet and dance are excellent for developing strength and speed of your weak side to balance your strength.

Agility

Agility is the ability to move quickly in a different direction: like running down the field to juke the defense. Those small stabilizing muscles are essential to produce fast, quick redirection movements that are fine-tuned in dance. As I said, developing these smaller stabilizing and internal muscles makes a huge difference. Ballet and dance will improve the speed and sequence of your agility and movements.

Explosive Ability

Ballet and dance improve your explosive ability because they focus on fast eccentric and concentric movements. Furthermore, it enhances the efficiency of the stretch-shortening cycle.

Sports That Benefit from Dance Training

Does not matter the sport. All can benefit! For example, tennis, football, rugby, baseball, sprinting, soccer, hockey, tennis, squash, karate, or MMA.

You don’t need to buy ballet tights or shoes. Instead, classes are offered in an open, relaxed atmosphere free from the professional ballet environment.

You can master movements in just a few weeks. So, you can see improvements in your sport instantly!

Ballet seems to be one of the older, more traditional ways athletes improve sports performance. It is classically known to improve flexibility, strength, power, stability, balance, etc. But nowadays you have Irish dance, a very fast, explosive type of dance. And, you have tap and jazz dance that can improve quick feet and agility.

Remember, your sport is a choreography like a dance. Learning dance will improve mental focus, concentration, and ability. Therefore, integrating it into your training routine enhances the execution of your sport-specific movements.

So, you should find what types of dance work best for your sports performance.

Federer is doing the smart thing. He said he knows his limits and capabilities, and he’s worked hard to come back to compete in full competitive form. However, he said he also recognizes that his future and health are more important than any other Grand Slam or tour.

Tennis is a brutal sport. It’s not just serving and hitting a ball repeatedly over a net. There’s a lot of deceleration, force application, and unilateral dominance. But nevertheless, it leaves players injured and broken. And as they get older, it only becomes a little bit worse for them because their body is aging and not repairing as quickly as it was when they were in their 20s.

When aging starts, injuries and surgeries take longer to recover. It is at this point that the body can’t keep up, and the game speeds up, making a player feel like the tin man on the court.

Bittersweet Decision

Federer said this is a bittersweet decision, but the time has come to say farewell. He said he will continue to play tennis, just not in the Grand Slams or on tour. The last game he played was in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 2021. And in mid-August that year, he had another knee surgery.

Of course, Roger will miss the tour, and the tennis fans will miss him more. But he has so much to be grateful for. Federer was very successful at the thing he loved to do most. He remarked that he was given an exceptional talent to play tennis and reached a level that he never saw or imagined.

Roger Federer has always been a special player. He’s always been the model of sportsmanship and gratitude. In his final message, he said, “The last 24 years have been an incredible adventure. While it sometimes feels like it went by in 24 hours, it has also been so deep and magical that it seems as if I’ve already lived a full lifetime.”

He further commented, “I have had the immense fortune to play in front of you in over 40 different countries. I have laughed and cried, felt joy and pain, and most of all, I have felt incredibly alive.”

Federer’s final goodbye, adieu, farewell, will be after the Laver cup next week. He underwent knee surgery last year, hoping to return to the pro circuit to achieve ultimate GOAT status. Swiss clocks last forever, but his body is not the same. Staying untouchable is a difficult feat. However, Federer retires graciously as a 3^rd place fixture and finisher forever.

“The Swiss Maestro” has played over 1,500 matches in his 24 years of professional tennis. He has won Wimbledon eight times, the Australian Open six times, and the US Open five times. But As for Grand Slam titles, he has won 20, Djokovic 21, and Nadal remains at the top position, leading with 22.

Before assumptions can be cast, it is best to know why people cannot take vaccinations. Many times, it is fear, unknowingness, or a life-threatening situation. So much information that was presented confused the population. And harmful conditions were happening that festered in the minds of people and professional athletes.

Novak Djokovic, for example, is a top-seeded world champion. He is strict about his routine. Taking a covid vaccination will either be good for him, or it could be like hitting the lottery in reverse, developing poor health and diminished performance for life. On the other hand, there is Aaron Rodgers. His decision not to take the jab was not out of foolishness. The reason was that he was allergic to one of the ingredients in the covid vaccine.

Aaron Rodgers Vaccine Stance

Rodgers was recently on the Joe Rogan show and told Joe that he did not take the

vaccine because he is allergic to one common ingredient in the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine. PEG, known as polyethylene glycol, is one substance used in mRNA technology and is also commonly found in face and body creams, medications, and processed foods. PEG is used a lot because it is biocompatible, water-soluble, and has low toxicity. It is used to help deliver medicines to your body and stabilize other substances.

Rodgers also spoke out about other vaccines to possibly try. For example, another vaccine by Johnson and Johnson was approved in the USA. It was not mRNA technology, so PEG was not used in their ingredients. However, the J&J vaccine was causing blood clot issues. So, he sought out a different way.

Rodgers Took Holistic Vaccine

Rodgers said he did not lie at the first press conference. He had a plan to say he

was immunized. But his alternative treatment was not sponsored or accepted by the government nor the NFL.

According to Rodgers, he sought an alternate treatment to be immunized. Rodgers found a therapy that lasted for a few months that consisted of ingesting a “diluted strain” of the virus. This immunization treatment was created and administered by a holistic physician, not an MD. After researching and consulting with many physicians in different fields of medicine, he selected and thought this treatment was best for him.

The quarterback said last year that he produced 500 pages of medical research and documentation to help convince the NFL to adopt this therapy. It was not just for Rodgers but all NFL players as an alternative to the COVID-19 vaccine. Unfortunately, the NFL’s medical board and staff concluded that evidence and proof were insufficient to show efficacy.

Because he refused to take the jab and had his holistic plan rejected, he was forced to wear a yellow wristband to show he was not vaccinated during games and practices. During road games, he could not leave the hotel or eat with other team players. Furthermore, he could only use his training room and sauna.

Rodgers argued, “Some of the rules are not based in science at all. They’re based purely on trying to out and shame people. Everyone has their own story. This shamming, cancel society is wrong.” He was adamant that personal health issues, choices, and decisions should remain private.

The Homeopathic Vaccine Treatment

Homeopathy works on the principle that if a form of the virus, toxin, or illness can be

diluted in a solution many times, eliminating it from that product, then you take this substance. Therefore, your body will produce antibodies against it.

This type of therapy is based on Samuel Hahnemann. He created treatments like this more than 200 years ago. In the medical community, doctors and scientists concur that these substances used in his therapies were not harmful but also not helpful.

No one knew if the vaccines were good or bad and how the body would react. They were being produced so rapidly. For example, players like Djokovic and Rodgers don’t want to take the vaccine. Their choice is not based on ignorance. It is based on life. At the time, who knew if the issues that occurred were rare or would increase over the months and years? And till this day, efficacy is still being questioned.

Any one element of that should scare away most golfers from the LIV Tour. But it seems some professional golfers are willing to overlook moral obscenities in return for obscene amounts of money. Phil Mickelson was paid $200 million just to join, and four-time major winner Brooks Koepka reportedly pocketed $150 million for signing on with the LIV Tour. But among all the PGA-Tour defectors, only broadcaster David Feherty had the nerve to admit that he joined the LIV Tour solely for the huge money he was offered.

How The LIV Tour Is “Changing Golf”

Besides the sign-on money, the LIV Tour has gotten plenty of attention for the fact that even the last-place finisher gets a check for $120,000. There’s cheap beer and loud music at every tee box. Plus, travel expenses for the players and their caddies are covered via the lavish, fully-stocked party plane the LIV Tour flies to each event.

Given all that, it’s ironic that the LIV Tour has gotten little attention for the actual golf that’s been played. That’s primarily because there hasn’t been much actual competition. With 54-hole tournaments, no cuts, and guaranteed money regardless of leaderboard placing, it seems LIV golfers lack any incentive to compete in what has played out like glorified exhibition tournaments.

OK, The Money Is Great, But…

Despite all those perks, 11 LIV golfers have filed an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour to be allowed back into PGA tour events. The LIV Tour players, who never forfeited their PGA membership, are contending that the suspension they received from the PGA for joining the LIV Tour is restraining their ability to make a living.

So, pro golfers who were paid to leave the PGA Tour to make money elsewhere are now suing the PGA Tour for not allowing them to compete? It’s the pro golf version of the Seinfeld episode where George Costanza quits his job in a blaze of glory but, upon realizing his mistake, sneaks back in as if nothing happened the next day. While the Seinfeld episode was amusing, the hypocrisy on display here from the LIV golfers is astounding, and their lawsuit will surely be laughed out of court.

18 Holes Of Hypocrisy

There are still many professional golfers on the PGA Tour who struggle to make the cut every week while hustling between Monday qualifiers and staying in cheap motels. But the changes to the game the LIV golfers say they’re working toward won’t benefit those players. Instead, by first leaving the PGA for huge money and then suing to rejoin after they’ve pocketed that money, those players aren’t changing golf or helping the players who need it. And when you add it all up, it appears there isn’t much competition on the LIV Golf Tour and the only “changes” its players are making are increases to their net worth.

For more articles on PGA and LIV golf news, CLICK HERE!

Happy Viking has raised $2 million in investment to share Venus’s mission and vision with the world. The investors include Serena Williams, Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman from 35V, Peloton Vice President of Fitness Programming Robin Arzón, professional golfer Michelle Wie West, Megan Rapinoe, professional tennis player Reilly Opelka, and Isaiah Hartenstein and Collin Sexton, professional basketball players.

Why Venus Created Happy Viking?

In 2011, Venus was diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome. This syndrome is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system attacks itself through the endocrine system- saliva and tears. The primary issues and symptoms are dry mouth and dry eyes. However, it also causes painful and inflamed joints, weak achy muscles, and severe fatigue. These symptoms make it challenging to practice and perform at a high level of training and competition.

For over a decade, Venus was obsessed with nutritional research to control her disease without medicine. Medicine is one thing she was opposed to taking. So, she took things into her own hands. Venus spent many years working with top nutritionists to optimize her diet and help control her disease. These nutritionists changed her diet to plant-based nutrition, and Venus started concocting shakes containing vegetables and fruits every day while she was training.

Switching to a vegan lifestyle was so effective that she did not need to take medication and could continue to play tennis.

She experimented with many recipes until she found concoctions that worked- tasting excellent and improving health. Venus became the product and success of her own experimentation. And being her own successful experiment gave Venus the idea for Happy Viking. She wanted to share her life-changing transition to show how super healthy foods can reverse and treat disease.

Venus has no plans to retire from tennis, even thorough she cannot maintain being at the top. She says her career is not over. There is still more she needs to do. Although her ranking is 467^th in the world, it is fantastic to see she is still playing- showing the world you can still be great at her age and with a disease.

What Is Happy Viking?

Happy Viking is a plant-based superfood nutrition company.

Happy Viking is packed with over 60 superfoods and nutrients. Some powerful ingredients are acai, kale, chia, and acerola.

There is no dairy, lactose, soy, or GMOs added. There are no artificial ingredients, and it is gluten-free.

In each scoop, you will get 20g of complete protein, one cup of a mixture of fruit and vegetable phytonutrients, 2800mg of MCT Oil, 32mg DHA omega 3, and one billion in probiotic bacteria, and more!

You can buy it as a powder or as a protein shake.

So, let’s take you through some tips used by professional athletes to keep them healthy and at peak performance for their sport.

Rest and Recovery

This is one of the essential parts of an athlete’s training regimen. If you want quick results, you must do as the pros do. People often think athletes do high intense, killer workouts all the time. But unfortunately, this is far from the truth. Professional athletes have a balance of training, practice, and recovery timed and honed to perfection.

The most significant difference between a pro athlete and an armature is their recovery! Recovery and rest create adaptation. And adaptation allows your muscles to be stronger. Without rest and recovery, your strength will never hit max potential. Think of recovery as a tune-up for your car to make it stronger and faster. If you don’t rest and tune-up, your body cannot recover and adapt to enhance its performance.

Limiting your muscle’s recovery time after workouts and games will cause your performance to suffer every single time.

The Benefits of Recovery and Rest

• Improves digestion for maximal nutrient absorption.
• Reduces stress hormones and allows the body and muscles to repair properly.
• It helps increase blood flow to muscles by reducing tension.
• Relaxes your mind to improve focus and mood.
• Improves the quality of your sleep.
• Boosts your training.
• Maximizes your skills and level of performance.

It doesn’t take some confusing process to make your muscles recover correctly after each workout.

1. Myofascial Release- Massage Recovery

Deep tissue work deactivates tight, painful muscles. It restores mobility, pliability, and suppleness to your body. You can use a foam roller, a baseball, a golf ball, or a massage stick. Anything that will put pressure on and roll out your muscles. Think about a dough roller; you are trying to flatten the dough evenly. And same for your muscle; roll evenly and flatly and pause for 10 seconds on the tight spots.

2. Sleep

When you sleep and sleep well, your body will recover. When you sleep, your body undergoes protein synthesis that regenerates and rebuilds your muscles. Testosterone and Growth Hormone are released at this time to facilitate the process. The deeper the sleep, the more effective the recovery. So, get seven or more hours asleep each night.

3. Do Active Recovery

Active recovery aids in the rebuilding and recovery of your body. For example, when you walk for 15 minutes, it is different from running. Walking releases various hormones that promote recovery and rejuvenation and increase blood flow through your body. Sitting around with stiff, tight, and sore muscles will not help and inhibit their recovery. Walking, stretching, tai chi, or easy mobility movements are the best to speed up recovery time.

4. Drink More Water

Drinking water is essential for hydration. But water also helps with energy metabolism, breaking down nutrients, and making energy. So not drinking enough water will diminish your training and performance results.

5. Eat More Plant-Based Foods

Many athletes eat plant-based diets today because it boosts their cardiovascular endurance, prevent injuries, and helps their bodies recover faster from training and after games.

6. Take an Ice Bath

Ice baths are great for recovery. Most athletes sit in them after games. Ice baths reduce inflammation and improve blood flow. Sitting in cold water causes your blood vessels to constrict. And when you exit the tub to room temperature, they dilate. This process flushes away metabolic waste after training and games. Your lymph system cannot pump out waste metabolites from your body. So, the constriction and dilation of your blood vessels manually move fluids out of your lymph nodes to leave the body. You only need about 5-10 minutes in an ice bath. Only sit in the ice bath for as long as you can. Safety first!

If you don’t have the convenience of an ice tub, look for cryo chambers. They use compressed, freezing air. Many local gyms and spas use them for treatment and therapy.

Other recovery and rest techniques may include:

• Deep breathing
• Massage
• Meditation and music
• Yoga
• Hydrotherapy and sauna

Remember that rest, recovery, and relaxation techniques are skills. Your ability to relax improves recovery. Like incorporating strength training, you must include a plan that recovers and rebuilds your body to repeat performance in the gym and on the field.

It was only 11 days that Tom Brady went MIA. Not to Miami; he was just missing in action. Although his leave of absence was planned, it left the rumor mill full of many different opinions. Many thought he had second thoughts about playing and looking to retire again. Others thought he had issues with Gisele, his wife, which he had experienced some years ago. And there was a pre-plan vacation and time to spend with the family.

The most extravagant rumor was that he was on, The Masked Singer, a TV show.

In any event, TB12 has returned to the gridiron to practice. And mum is still the word. No one knows why Tom left. And as it has been reported, he has not missed a beat. His accuracy is dead on, and his throws are solid. His rockstar energy seemed to affect his teammates as well. They were blocking better and running quick and faster routes. This is expected from a player like Tom Brady. He is known to inspire and motivate without saying a word. It probably is a confidence thing.

If Tom had been transparent with the team, there might not have been a lull in the players’ preseason performance.

After his first day back to training, Brady still did not speak with the media about his secret absence. And head coach Todd Bowles has not decided if Tom will play in their final preseason game against Indianapolis. It looks like Coach Bowles may wait until the season opener to play against the Dallas Cowboys.

Although preseason is just for practice, the Bucs are 0-2. But Tom does not like to lose, so maybe his will and drive gave him the edge for his return.

It is difficult to say where Tom was hiding or where he went. It seems likely he was at home. No photos have been plastered on social media of his whereabouts. So, it is unlikely he was on a beachfront luxury resort having a family vacation. Someone would have seen something.

All that matters now is that Tom is back looking just as good as when he left. So, the Tampa Bay Bucs fans can relax and wipe the sweat from their forehead. God will now have a break from the Bucs fans frantically and constantly praying to him for Brady’s return. And now their chances of winning the Super Bowl are back on track.

Just sit back and wait. The truth will come out soon.

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The good news is that her lawyers have filed an appeal. When filing an appeal under Russian law, she does not need to serve her time at the penal colony just yet. The appeal process is the final part of the process that will determine her innocence or guilt. Once the guilty verdict is officially recorded, only then will she be put into the penal colony. The appeal can take up to three months. So, for now, she can sit safely behind bars.

However, their is some good news and not-so-good news. The good news is that the Russian Ministry has responded to the USA and started negotiations for prisoner swaps. The USA wants Brittany Griner and Paul Whelan released and returned.

The not-so-good news is the Russians want Viktor Bout back in Russia.

Viktor Bout- “The Merchant of Death”

Since 2012, Viktor Bout has been serving time in an Illinois prison. The USA found him guilty and sentenced him to 25 years. His nickname is the “Merchant of Death” because he sold arms internationally to terrorist organizations targeted to kill Americans. Micheal Braun, a former operations chief for the DEA, 2010, told 60 minutes, “Viktor Bout, in my eyes, is one of the most dangerous men on the face of the Earth.”

A sting was set in 2008 in a Bangkok Hotel conference room in Thailand. Bout thought he was meeting FARC officials to discuss a military-grade weapons sale. FARC was in search of weapons that could shoot down American helicopters in Colombia. Thai police and DEA agents were listening from planted and bugged microphones in the room and arrested Bout after confirming the deal. Viktor was arrested in Thailand and extradited to the USA for sentencing.

As of now, who knows if the swap will happen before the appeal finishes? Knowing the Russians, an exchange will likely occur to get Viktor back into business. And possibly, they may want more. Russia is positioned to take advantage of the situation rather than lose out. So, I would not hold my breath on a successful appeal regarding the Kremlin.

The Russians have been silent about the prisoner exchange but have finally come to the table to make the deal possible. Recently before the appeal, the Russian Ministry said they wanted quiet, behind-the-scenes negotiations secret from the media and public.

Will the USA wait until after Brittney’s appeal to negotiate? Or go ahead and swap Viktor?

For previous stack.com articles on Brittney Griner, CLICK HERE!