Head, Shoulders...

Yep, the next body part to pay close attention to is the shoulders. Very important for posture during speed and for allowing proper range of motion to elicit maximum speed. When you think about it, the little things do matter on game day. What you do walking to class or while at practice will dictate the final product when everyone is watching. Coach Price takes his young athletes through these drills each workout. He can be reach at jprice@thegordoninstitute.com or schedule a workout with him by calling 410-828-8218 today.

8 Tips to make you faster!

Running is a skill that can be improved with practice. Having check points and an consistent vocabulary helps make speed training more productive. Not all sports run as someone would when on a track, but proper form is necessary if you are trying to run away from the pack this season. Check out the first of eight tips featured on InsideLacrosse.com. To learn more about running mechanics and improving your game day performance, contact Coach Taylor at rtaylor@thegordoninstitute.com or call GISP at 410-828-8218.

IL posts new drill from GISP

With tons of drills to be shared, this one starts up a bunch of patters, workouts, and footwork drills that can be integrated into warm-ups, conditioning, practice, and used to improve your feet when no one is watching. With a picture, write-up, and a video, we think you will get the concept and be using this drill in your next workout. Click here to find out what IL thought was worth posting as their featured workout of the week. If you have questions, email Coach Taylor at rtaylor@thegordoninstitute.com or call the Gordon Institute to schedule your team's training session, 410-828-8218. Lacrosse season will be here soon. Will you be ready?

What Are You Snacking On?

In an earlier post I commented on preparing your meals ahead of time so that you can stay on track to reach your goals. I also mentioned packing healthy snacks to have throughout the day. By healthy snacks I do not mean crackers, candy, chips, muffins, etc. One of the best snacks to munch on throughout the day is almonds. I keep almonds nearby everywhere I go, literally. I have a bag in my office, another bag in my car, and one in my book bag. If almonds aren’t your thing, try some of these other  healthy options to keep you on track to reach your goals: plain yogurt (that’s not filled with sugar), other nuts or seeds, cottage cheese, a piece of fruit with a little bit of peanut butter maybe, or a dry protein blend to mix with some water or milk.

Josh Price, the Assistant Sports Performance Coach, is a Baltimore native who brings knowledge of the areas youth programs to the Gordon Institute. His experience with Parisi at LifeBridge, Boys Latin Football, and Loyola University Maryland all adds to his training style. Josh is active with local FCA functions and can be joined for huddles at Boys Latin. To schedule for Coach Price’s Speed Camp or to get started with Fit Club call 410-828-8218 or email him at JPrice@TheGordonInstitute.com.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb above with it.  If you would like a Word Document of the article sent to you, please email me at info@TheGordonInstitute.com.

GISP continues the IL Tip of The Day

 

They even show the mistakes! Man Inside Lacrosse is a tough crew. This series of video clips and drills was even more fun to do than it looks in this clip. Ryan Rabidou from Inside Lacrosse was willing to get right in and try the drills. Looking forward to showcasing more intermediate and advanced drills as the relationship between GISP's Director of Sports Performance, Robert Taylor, grows with Inside Lacrosse. Check out the tip of the day on IL by clicking here.

Coach Taylor featured on STACK!

 

And the tips keep on coming from Coach Taylor! This one features three videos and some good old fashion questions and answers from a recent interview with Coach Taylor and STACK. Check out the post by clicking the STACK logo above. Let us know what you think of what Coach Taylor had to say by leaving a comment below.

Coach Taylor featured in Inside Lacrosse!

The Director of Sports Performance at the Gordon Institute for Sports Performance, Robert Taylor will be featured on Inside Lacrosse. Check out the first video by clicking here. There will be blog posts and more video clips coming this week and through the remainder of the month to help showcase what Coach Taylor is doing to help prepare the lacrosse players that train at GISP for the upcoming season. For more information on the unique sport-appropriate training programs that Coach Taylor has developed for lacrosse, as well as many other sports, please call 410-828-8218 or email him at rtaylor@thegordoninstitute.com.

Eat Small, Healthy Meals Throughout The Day!

I have heard many times that "preparation is the foundation for success!" So in order to be successful at living a healthy lifestyle, prepare your food ahead of time. Simple as that! Please don't wait 'til the last minute, rush out the door, grab a burger, and tell yourself you're going to get back on track later. Make it easy on yourself, pack your 4, 5 or 6 small meals and your healthy snacks for the day, or week, so that you can stay on track and continue moving forward towards your goals!

Josh Price, the Assistant Sports Performance Coach, is a Baltimore native who brings knowledge of the areas youth programs to the Gordon Institute. His experience with Parisi at LifeBridge, Boys Latin Football, and Loyola University Maryland all adds to his training style. Josh is active with local FCA functions and can be joined for huddles at Boys Latin. To schedule for Coach Price’s Speed Camp or to get started with Fit Club call 410-828-8218 or email him at JPrice@TheGordonInstitute.com.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb above with it.  If you would like a Word Document of the article sent to you, please email me at info@TheGordonInstitute.com.

GISP Exercise of the Month

Foam Roller Program: IT Band and Outer Thigh

We have had runners reaching out to GISP after meeting us at the Baltimore Marathon Expo at M&T Bank Stadium a few weekends ago. They have been asking questions regarding how we help take care of our distance runner's IT band. One exercise that we do at the end of all of our workouts focuses on that outer thigh. Using a foam roller, the athlete applies pressure on the iliotibial band and tensor fascia latea area.
We teach our athletes to balance on their elbow or hands with the outside of the thigh on the foam roller. Slowly roll up and down that lateral aspect of your upper leg. Be sure to focus on the full length of the femur, from the hip to the knee.

You asked for some tips to make this exercise work for you, so here they are. Find a tender spot in the area you are working and keep the foam roller on this spot. Wait for the discomfort to diminish. This may be uncomfortable if it is the first couple of times you have tried this exercise. Remember that there is freedom for experimentation when using the foam roller program. Manipulate the roller to accommodate your needs.

As the Director of Sports Performance at the Gordon Institute, Robert Taylor oversees all aspects of the Sports Performance program at the Baltimore-based performance complex, encompassing the disciplines of Strength & Conditioning, Nutrition, VO2 Max, and Performance Evaluation and Training. Rob is also the founder and owner of SMARTER Team Training and international presenter. Coach Taylor was a strength and conditioning consultant for athletes on the Women’s Lacrosse World Cup Champion’s Team Australia in 2005, and was the Head Strength Coach for Team Australia’s 2009 World Cup team that played in the world championship game also. He has worked with professional organizations such as the Anaheim Angels, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Mutiny, and San Antonio Silver Stars. Coach Taylor has also worked with the athletic department at Loyola University Maryland, University of Delaware, UNC Greensboro, Cincinnati, Princeton, and Villanova. At each of these institutions, he has helped numerous athletes reach their dream of becoming professional athletes. Coach Taylor's athletes have gone on to be drafted by the NFL, MLB, NBA, MLS, MLL, and NLL. Coach Taylor can be reached by phone at 410-828-8218 or email at RTaylor@TheGordonInstitute.com.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb above with it.  If you would like a Word Document of the article sent to you, please email me at info@TheGordonInstitute.com.

GISP Tip of the Week on LaxLessons.com

This week's GISP Tip of the Week on LaxLessons.com features the Dot Drill exercise. Check out the clip that Coach Taylor did with LaxLessons' co-founder Ryan Rabidou. Keep in touch with GISP for more tips, exercises, and drills to come soon.

GISP featured on LaxLessons.com

LaxLessons.com stopped by the Gordon Institute recently to see what exercises Coach Taylor is taking his lacrosse players through this off-season. Check out the featured clip that Ryan Rabidou posted on LaxLessons.com that started the collaborative effort. More exercise tips will be posted from GISP's Director of Sports Performance on LaxLessons.com soon. So keep in touch with the GISP blog for more tips to come.

My First 5K Race...

On a beautiful morning in late September, I completed my first ever 5K race! Even though I was excited, I was also very nervous. I just had taken up running only 6 months earlier.  I had the chance to have my VO2 tested at work in March and what I got was great information that would help me exercise smarter.  It ‘s not like I wasn’t in good shape. I was because I have been a fitness instructor for over 13 years now, teaching classes like cycling, step, aerobics, muscle conditioning and yoga. I was in “group fitness instructor” shape.  But I wanted to see what it was like to be in “running” shape.  So I added running two times a week to my already busy exercise schedule and out of the blue, I decided to do my first 5k race only 4 weeks before the event. The running program that I followed was based on my results from the VO2 test. Did I mention that I also was battling plantar fasciitis in my left foot during the last 6 months? But I didn’t let that get in my way. I was hoping to break 30 minutes for my first 5K and ran it in just under 29 minutes. I was excited and pumped! I have the bug now to do another 5K and who knows, maybe one day in the near future I will do a ½ marathon. Running my first 5K made me realize that I can do anything I want to do. As Coach Taylor says, "If you give effort and have the right attitude, then you will be successful in any endeavor." What a great way to live your life!

Re Wies, a Baltimore native is the Metabolic Assessment Specialist and Yoga/SportStretch instructor. She is also an ACE Certified Fitness Instructor and has been teaching group exercise classes for the last 13 years around the Baltimore area.  Her passion for exercise shines through every time she leads a group exercise class.  Join Re for a complimentary Yoga/SportStretch class.  Contact her at 410-828-8218 or she can be reached at RWies@TheGordonInstitute.com for the current class schedule.

Eat A Healthy Breakfast When You Get Up In The Morning!

When you wake up in the morning, drink a glass of water and then eat your breakfast. Eat something grown in the ground or from an animal source. Think about it this way: the water is the key in the ignition and your breakfast is the spark that triggers the engine. If your engine isn't working properly, or isn't even starting, there may not be a spark! Breakfast and your post-workout meal may be your two most important meals of the day. Check back for information to come on your post-workout meal. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. If you aren’t getting your day started right, you may not be priming your engine for the workout that can make a difference.

Josh Price, the Assistant Sports Performance Coach, is a Baltimore native who brings knowledge of the areas youth programs to the Gordon Institute. His experience with Parisi at LifeBridge, Boys Latin Football, and Loyola University Maryland all adds to his training style. Josh is active with local FCA functions and can be joined for huddles at Boys Latin. To schedule for Coach Price’s Speed Camp or to get started with Fit Club call 410-828-8218 or email him at JPrice@TheGordonInstitute.com.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb above with it.  If you would like a Word Document of the article sent to you, please email me at info@TheGordonInstitute.com.