THE

TRAINING REPORT

A SPORT PSYCHOLOGY BLOG ON STRATEGIES FOR THE YIPS & ATHLETE MENTAL HEALTH PERFORMANCE

What is the TRAINING REPORT?

The TRAINING REPORT is a resource for athletes & coaches that provides in-depth opinions & analysis on the following topics: Sport Psychology, Mental Health, Precision Nutrition, Organizational Psychology, and Strength & Conditioning!

FEATURED REPORTS

Featured

Sport Psychology Tactics - The Power Of Brainspotting For Athletes: A New Technique For The Yips (AKA Mental Blocks) & Peak Performance

Athletes are looking for cutting edge interventions to help them alleviate the symptoms of mental blocks. I want to use this Training Report to review one such intervention called Brainspotting and how this approach enhances sport performance outcomes…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Why Neurofeedback Can Help Athletes Recover From Concussions

One area of sport-related injuries that needs to be explored more are concussions and how wide spread this issue is across all sports. For this Training Report I want to discuss how concussions work and how Neurofeedback can be a potentially useful intervention for this problem…

Mental Health Performance - Psychedelics: A New Frontier In Sports

There is growing interest in the possible benefits that psychedelics can have on athlete mental health outcomes. For this Training Report I want to discuss the different variables of utilizing psychedelics within the field of mental health by exploring the science behind psychedelics, the neuropsychological implications, how sport psychology may potentially advance through the use of psychedelics, and considerations of sub-perceptual doses…

Organizational Psychology - The US Navy & Performance Excellence

Back in January of 2020, I was invited along with several other individuals to take part in a civilian program hosted by the United States Navy. The purpose of this program is to educate civilians on daily operations of an aircraft carrier and the importance of the US Navy’s mission. We were lucky enough to be flown onto the USS Nimitz, experience an arrested landing, spend the night aboard the Nimitz & leave via catapult launch…

Ben Foodman - Sport Psychologist & Certified Brainspotting Consultant in Charlotte North Carolina

TRAINING REPORT ARCHIVES

SERIES 5 TRAINING REPORTS

Featured

Sport Psychology Tactics - How NASCAR & Formula 1 Drivers Use Biofeedback To Enhance Mental Energy And Focus

Some athletes like NASCAR and Formula 1 drivers will work with sport psychologists to do biofeedback training. While this intervention is used to help athletes increase calm mental states, there are other applications that may be more important for racecar drivers and sport psychologists to consider…

Sport Psychology Tactics - How Athletes Can Train To Be More Aggressive For Mental Performance

Athletes experience conflict when coaches tell them to be ‘more aggressive’ yet society at large looks down at the behaviors associated with aggression and discourages exploring this emotion. For this issue of the Training Report I want to review how athletes can tap into aggression in ways that are both therapeutic while also enhancing performance…

Precision Nutrition - Exercise When Your Sick? Should You Sweat It Out? Or Rest & Recover

When athletes get sick, there is a significant debate amongst exercise science professionals on whether athletes should rest or train through the cold. For this issue of the Training Report I want to review Precision Nutrition recommendations on this topic…

Mental Health Performance - What Athletes Need To Know Part II. Depression, Trauma & Sports

Many athletes struggle with depression but are often told by sport psychologists that this is a mental health issue and not a performance issue. For this issue of the Training Report I want to explore what depression is and how seeking mental health treatment is part of the performance enhancement process…

Sport Psychology Tactics - How Professional Racecar Drivers In Motorsports & NASCAR Athletes Beat The Yips

NASCAR athletes and professional racecar drivers in motor sports experience intense physical, psychological and sociological pressure that can create the Yips. For this issue of the Training Report I want to talk about how the Yips affects drivers and what they can do to overcome this issue and ‘get out of their head’…

Organizational Psychology - 3 Strategies For Optimizing Problem Solving & Creativity

Industrial and Organizational psychologists are frequently tasked with helping teams in athletics and the private sector create better problem solving mechanisms to enhance their productivity. For this issue of the Training Report I want to review some of these strategies, specifically those that can enhance creativity…

Strength & Conditioning - Exercise Science Periodization Strategies Part I. Endurance Athletes

Endurance athletes have begun to rely more and more on state of the art strength & conditioning programs to help them peak at the right time for competitions. For this issue of the Training Report I want to review some of the exercise science behind endurance athlete periodization strategies…

Mental Health Performance - What Athletes Need To Know Part I. Anxiety, Panic Attacks & The Role Of Sport Psychology

Many athletes suffer in silence dealing with anxiety and panic attacks. Because the field of sport psychology has largely failed to establish the connection between mental health issues and sports performance, I want to take the time to review how seeking assistance for these issues will enhance performance outcomes…

Mental Health Performance - Football Athletes, Sport Injuries & Muscle Guarding: Understanding The Connection To Trauma

When American football players go through physical therapy to recover from a sports injury, they will often report symptoms of muscle guarding during and post recovery. For this issue of the Training Report I want to review why muscle guarding can be a trauma response…

Precision Nutrition - 7 Effective Ways To Make Time For Exercise And Nutrition

Sometimes the busy schedules that athletes have can make it difficult to maintain nutrition and fitness demands for their sport. For this issue of the Training Report I want to review a Precision Nutrition infographic that provides strategies on how to deal with these issues…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Athlete Trauma & PTSD: The Connection To The Yips (AKA Mental Blocks)

Athletes will often seek services from sport psychologists to overcome PTSD and sports trauma. For this issue of the Training Report I want to review what psychological trauma looks like in sports and how sport psychologists can actually help athletes with this issue by using Brainspotting…

Strength & Conditioning - The Connection Between Brainspotting & Mental Performance For Olympic Weighting Athletes

Oftentimes, strength & conditioning coaches underestimate how human psychology impacts physical performance. For this issue of the Training Report I want to review the psychology behind Olympic Weightlifting…

Sport Psychology Tactics - How Brainspotting Helps Actors & Musicians Break Mental Blocks And Enhance Creativity

Actors, musicians, dancers and other professionals in the performing arts are susceptible to a common issue that also plagues athletes: mental blocks (AKA The Yips). For this issue of the Training Report I want to review how mental blocks affect this performance population…

Precision Nutrition - White Vs. Sweet Potatoes: Which Are Really Healthier?

Athletes sometimes have nuanced questions about nutrition performance selections. Because nutrition is a complex subject, I like to refer athletes to Precision Nutrition for high quality nutrition science questions. This Training Report provides an infographic on nutrition strategies…

SERIES 4 TRAINING REPORTS

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Mental Health Performance - Why Trauma-Informed Psychotherapy For The Yips Is A Form Of Athlete Mental Training & Performance Enhancement

Athletes will inevitably experience traumatic moments in sports such as injuries, sports humiliations, and conflict with others. Because this is a general feature of sports performance participation, athletes need to use trauma-informed psychotherapy help them deal with these issues…

Mental Health Performance - The Connection Between Athletes, Sleep & Sport Outcomes

Most athletes don’t put much thought into how they can or why they should maximize on their sleep performance. But new emerging neuroscience research shows us that there is a direct connection to sleep performance and sport performance outcomes…

Precision Nutrition - How To Stay In Shape When You’re Busy (A Guide For All Athletes)

Sometimes athletes will have busy schedules that actually prevent them from staying in shape for their performances. Precision Nutrition has created this infographic with strategies that all athletes can use to stay in shape when they are busy…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Olympic Weightlifting, The Yips & How Athletes Can Solve This Mental Block

Olympic-style weightlifting athletes will occasionally experience mental blocks commonly known as the Yips. For this issue of the Training Report I want to review what the Yips looks like in Olympic Weightlifting and what can be done to solve this issue…

Precision Nutrition - How To Eat Healthy On A Budget For Athletes

Sometimes athletes are under the false impression that they need to spend excessive amounts of money to eat healthy. For this issue of the Training Report, we will review a Precision Nutrition infographic that provides strategies for eating healthy on a budget…

Strength & Conditioning - Core Development Guide For Athletes

When athletes are focused on their strength & conditioning, there are different approaches they can use. For this Training Report I want to focus on Prehab-style approaches that emphasize core training development and the benefits that come with these exercises…

Sport Psychology Tactics - How Athletes Can Understand The Difference Between The Yips & Burnout

When athletes go to work with sport psychologists, sometime they will try to address issues such as burnout or the Yips. However it can be difficult to tell the difference. This Training Report will explore the difference between the two and what athletes can do…

Sport Psychology Tactics - How Golf Athletes Use Brainspotting To Beat The Yips (AKA Mental Blocks)

When golfers experience the Yips (AKA mental blocks), they will seek the services of AASP CMPCs and sport psychologists. However, many of these athletes are beginning to discover the power of Brainspotting and how it can help with the Yips…

Sport Psychology Tactics - MLB Players, Brainspotting & The Yips

When Major League Baseball players work with sport psychologists they are usually trying to clear mental blocks. Recently, there has been a increasing interest amongst these athletes at using Brainspotting to help players deal with mental blocks (AKA the Yips)…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Equestrian Athletes & How Brainspotting Clears Mental Blocks

Equestrian athletes face many psychological challenges in different events such as hunter jumper or dressage. Once common psychological issues these athletes face are mental blocks (e.g. flight, fight, freeze). This Training Report explores what mental blocks are and how Brainspotting can help clear this issue…

Precision Nutrition - Macros Cheat Sheet Part IV. Eat The Rainbow

For the past several Precision Nutrition Training Reports, I have focused on providing cheat sheets on macronutrient selection. This is the final Report in this series, which will focus on how athletes can make smart choices with picking vegetables in their diet…

Sport Psychology Tactics - How Brainspotting Helps NASCAR Drivers Deal With Mental Blocks (AKA The Yips)

NASCAR Drivers are sometimes susceptible towards experiencing mental blocks that can affect confidence and performance outcomes. For this Training Report I want to review how these performers can use Brainspotting to clear this issue…

Sport Psychology Tactics - How Expansion Brainspotting Can Create Mental Flow States For Athletes

When athletes work with sport psychologists, they are usually trying to address mental blocks. However, athletes have begun to use sport psychology tactics such as Expansion Brainspotting to help create more flow states during more sport performances…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Tactical Athletes And the Importance Of Managing Autonomic Nervous System Dysregulation

Both sports and combat environment share the same qualities of a stress-test. Because this is the case there are many sport psychology strategies that tactical athletes can use to offset the negative outcomes of autonomic nervous system dysregulation…

Organizational Psychology - Why Business Leaders Should Focus On Corporate Athlete Wellness & Human Centered Approaches

Business leaders are oftentimes trying to find strategies that will enhance their workforce production. Because these leaders often turn to sport & organizational psychologists, I wanted to review 2 strategies that they can use to enhance corporate athlete performance…

Precision Nutrition - Macros Cheat Sheet Part III. Fat

Athletes recognize that making smart decisions on nutrition is a key part of sports performances. For this Training Report I want to provide a Precision Nutrition infographic that discusses how to optimize decisions around incorporating fat into one’s diet…

Sport Psychology Tactics - The Power Of Brainspotting For Athletes: A New Technique For The Yips (AKA Mental Blocks) & Peak Performance

Sport Psychology Tactics - Why NASCAR Drivers Use Simulation Training To Enhance Mental Performance & Win

NASCAR Drivers frequently work with sport psychologists & Certified Mental Performance Consultants to enhance their mental performance. For this Training Report I want to talk about one of the mental skills that NASCAR drivers frequently use to train their minds…

Organizational Psychology - 3 Simple Strategies For Building A New Team Position From Scratch

Sport & organizational psychologists are frequently tasked with helping athletic and corporate teams integrate new staff members within the team. For this Training Report, I want to review some of the organizational psychology strategies that can be used…

Precision Nutrition - Macros Cheat Sheet Part II. Protein

When athletes are trying to decide how to enhance their performance, one of the first areas the look to improve is through nutrition selection. This Training Report will provide a Precision Nutrition cheat sheet on protein guidelines for athletes…

Mental Health Performance - How Music Can Help Athletes Recover from Sports Injuries

Athletes that undergo sports-related injuries often struggle with the psychological side of this problem. For this issue of the Training Report I wanted to provide a link to an article I wrote for the Association For Applied Sport Psychology on this issue…

Sport Psychology Tactics - How To Develop A Highly Aggressive Mindset For Sports: A Guide For Athletes On Controlled Violence

Most sport psychologists try to help athletes learn how to be calm. But there are many times during sports when athletes need to learn how to be aggressive. For this issue of the Training Report, I want to explore why, when and how athletes should train to be aggressive…

Precision Nutrition - Macros Cheat Sheet Part I. Carbohydrates

Athletes need high quality resources when trying to make efficient decisions in regards to their nutrition selection. For this issue of the Training Report I wanted to provide a Precision Nutrition resource that can help athletes better understand carbohydrate selection…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Understanding How The Safe And Sound Protocol Can Help Athletes With Performance

When athletes compete and train, they are constantly putting their bodies through repeated stress tests which can train their autonomic nervous system to remain in a higher anxiety state. I was recently afforded the opportunity to write about this for Unyte ILS…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Why Neurofeedback Can Help Athletes Recover From Concussions

Strength & Conditioning - Program Design For Marathon & Half-Marathon Runners

Endurance athletes such as marathon, half-marathon and ultra-marathon athletes should always incorporate heart rate zone training and weightlifting into their program design. For this Training Report I am going to provide a sample program on these strategies…

Sport Psychology Tactics - How Neurofeedback Can Help Athletes Create Mental Flow States

Sport psychologists & mental performance consultants are constantly looking for new interventions to help athletes improve their mental performance. For this Training Report I am going to explore how Neurofeedback can help athletes create flow states…

Sport Psychology Tactics - How Sensory Deprivation Tanks Improve Mental Performance For Athletes

Athletes, coaches & sport psychologists are constantly looking for ways to speed up recovery & increase performance outcomes. For this Training Report I want to review how Sensory Deprivation Tanks can help elite performers achieve those goals…

Precision Nutrition - Eating When Sick: Should You Feed A Cold? Starve A Fever?

When athletes get sick, it can be tough to know how to adjust your training and nutrition strategies to speed up recovery. For this Training Report I wanted to provide a Precision Nutrition infographic that explores how athletes should approach their diet when they are sick….

Strength & Conditioning - The Ultimate Guide To Exercise Programming With Google’s Bard, Part 2 (With Some Sport Psychology)

I have previously written about how large language models like Google’s Bard will impact the sport performance space. For this Training Report I wanted to provide another example of the possibilities this tool will present to athletes, coaches & sport psychologists…

SERIES 3 TRAINING REPORTS

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Organizational Psychology - How To Improve Teamwork & Communication With Sport Psychology Techniques

Different organizations outside of the sport-performance world often look for sport psychology skills to help improve their team’s outcomes. For this issue of the Training Report I want to explore specific sport psychology strategies that different organizations can use…

Sport Psychology Tactics - How Combat Sport Athletes Can Use Brainspotting & Bodyspotting to Improve Their Mental Health

Combat sport athletes may be involved in one of the most grueling forms of competition. There is no question that these types of repetitive stress tests can shorten a combat-sport athlete’s career. For this Training Report I want to discuss approaches these performers can use to enhance their career longevity…

Sport Psychology Tactics - How to Improve Your Athletic Performance By Focusing on the Process, Not the Outcome

Back in January of 2020, I was afforded a rare opportunity to observe flight operations aboard the USS Nimitz. This was an invaluable experience to be able to watch some of the world’s most elite tactical athletes prepare for their ‘sport’. For this issue of the Training Report, I want to discuss the sport psychology lesson on being process focused and how I saw this on my trip…

Sport Psychology Tactics - How Athletes Can Improve Their Mental Game By Understanding The Difference Between Competition & Practice

In my work with athletes, a common issue that arises is that athletes have trouble understanding why they perform so well in practice, but cannot get those same psychological skills to translate towards competition. We will explore these concepts in this issue of the Training Report…

Mental Health Performance - How To Build Mental Toughness As An Athlete: A Guide For Athletes Of All Levels

Within the field of sport psychology, there is a popular term that coaches & athletes love to use: mental toughness. For this Training Report I want to take some time to redefine what mental toughness actually is and how athletes can achieve this important skill…

Precision Nutrition - The Super Shake Guide For Athletes: Turn Your Boring Protein Smoothie Into A Super Shake

A smoothie is a great way to get a quick and easy dose of nutrients, especially for athletes. But not all smoothies are created equal. For this issue of the Training Report I will be providing a Precision Nutrition infographic on how to make the ultimate smoothie…

Sport Psychology Tactics - How To Overcome Anxiety With Brainspotting & Achieve Confidence In Sports

When athletes go to work with sport psychologists, often times they are looking for ways to deal with anxiety in sports. For this Training Report I want to discuss why athletes need to address anxiety first before working on mental toughness training…

Strength & Conditioning - The Ultimate Guide to Exercise Programming With Google’s Bard, Part 1

Whether you like or not, the future is here. For this issue of the Training Report, I wanted to share another un-edited exchange between myself & Google’s Bard on how to design a strength training program for elite long-distance runners…

Precision Nutrition - How To Eat To 80% Full (And Why It Matters)

As a CSCS I am often asked nutrition science based questions. In addition to connecting athletes with qualified professionals, I always try to refer athletes to Precision Nutrition resources. For this Training Report I want to give you a Precision Nutrition infographic on how to eat to 80% full…

Strength & Conditioning - How Artificial Intelligence Will Destroy Current Strength Coach Jobs & Create New Ones

Artificial Intelligence is about to obliterate the current role of strength coaches & create a new one for sports performance specialists. For this Training Report I want to explore how AI & large language models like Google’s Bard will reinvent this field…

Mental Health Performance - Athlete Mental Blocks & The Yips: A Review Of How These Issues Affect Sport Performance

I have talked extensively about mental blocks and how prevalent of an issue this is within the world of sports performance. The truth is that the overwhelming majority of the time, mental blocks are the symptoms of deep rooted trauma. For this Training Report I want to re-examine the topic of mental blocks & trauma in sports…

Precision Nutrition: Fruits & Vegetables: This Is What Your Grandma Never Taught You

As an athlete, you know that eating a healthy diet is important for your performance. For this issue of the Training Report, I want to review a Precision Nutrition infographic that will be reviewing information on the importance of fruits and vegetables…

Sport Psychology Tactics - A Quick Guide On How To Use Imagery In Baseball

When athletes come to work with me, they are usually seeking my services to either overcome a mental block or find unique ways to enhance their psychological performance. For this Training Report, I wanted to provide information on imagery, and how this simple approach can yield powerful results…

Sport Psychology Tactics - The Psychological Profile Of Elite Golfers

When athletes study the traits of their successful counterparts within their field of performance, they are doing so with the hopes of replicating their success. For this Training Report I want to take the time to explore psychological characteristics of elite golf athletes…

Precision Nutrition - How To Stop Pressing Pause On Your Health And Fitness

If you're an athlete finding yourself pressing pause on your health and fitness, you're not alone. For this issue of the Training Report, Ben will be providing a Precision Nutrition infographic that reviews strategies for athletes to stop pressing pause on their health and fitness…

Organizational Psychology - 2 Key Strategies All Organizations Should Use To Enhance Motivation

When athletes are training for competitions, this can be a long process. Throughout their training it can be easy to lose motivation and not be as engaged in training and recovery methods. Employee motivation at companies is not different. For this Training Report, I wanted to highlight two key strategies that business leaders should always employ…

Strength & Conditioning - Why World Championship Athletes Need To Cross Train

Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialists (CSCS) and USA Weightlifting coaches have long contended that regardless of sport, all athletes need to cross-train either through strength training or participation in other sports. This issue of the Training Report explores why this is absolutely necessary…

Precision Nutrition - Portion Control Guide: Skip Calorie Counting. Try This Method Instead…

Proper portion control is essential for athletes of all levels. By eating the right amount of food, athletes can fuel their bodies for optimal performance. In this Training Report post, we will review how to use Precision Nutrition strategies to help with portion control…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Ice Baths & Athlete Mental Health Benefits

Ice Baths are becoming a popular sport psychology tactic for athletes. For this Training Report I am going to review the science behind ice baths for athletes and why this type of process can help athletes improve their mental performance through body recovery…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Athletes, Big Picture Concepts & The Reality Of Time

Many athletes seek the services of sport psychologists to help manage their anxiety. One reason anxiety levels are so high in athletes is due to their perception of time. For this Training Report, Ben has linked an article that illustrates this issue…

Mental Health Performance - Baseball Yips: Why Traditional Sport Psychology Won’t Help & Why Brainspotting Will

The sport of Baseball has a repuation for being one of the most mentally demanding sports. A common issue that arises from these psychological experiences in Baseball is called the yips. For this Training Report, we will provide an explanation about the Yips…

Precision Nutrition - 25 Ways To Eat Well On the Go

Many athletes have to travel for competition, which can make it hard to keep up with routines. For instance, many athletes find that it can be difficult to keep up with their traditional nutrition plan. For this Training Report I am going to provide a Precision Nutrition infographic that explores this…

Mental Health Performance - Reviewing Possibilities Of Psychedelics In Athlete Populations

Sport psychologists & sport psychiatrists are beginning to take a closer look at the possible benefits psychedelics may have on athlete performance. For this Training Report, I will review some of the discussions surrounding psychedelics, athlete mental health & performance…

Precision Nutrition - The Truth About Processed Foods: Some Aren’t As Bad As You Think

Athletes are often focused on trying to decide what foods they put into their body to both maximize their health and performance. Because this can be a confusing issue, I wanted to use this Training Report address common questions that athletes have about eating processed foods…

Strength & Conditioning - How To Develop Championship Athleticism With ALMOST No Equipment

Many athletes are under the impression that they need the most advanced equipment in strength & conditioning to achieve world championship results. For this issue of the Training Report, Ben explores a sample program design using a minimalist approach that will yield high caliber performance outcomes…

Sport Psychology Tactics - NASCAR Drivers, Motorsport Athletes & Peak Performance Mental Flow States

NASCAR drivers have psychological features that are required to be successful in their sport. But there are also mental characteristics that have universal application. For this Training Report I am going to discuss what those features are and how they can create mental flow states…

Precision Nutrition - 8 Ways To Optimize Your Immunity & Protect Your Health

I have discussed this in previous Training Reports, but as a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) I am frequently asked about questions regarding nutrition. Because this is not my primary training background, I wanted to find a resource that I could point athletes towards for frequently asked questions. Precision Nutrition (PN) is the go to resource for National Strength & Conditioning Association members…

Mental Health Performance - ADD / ADHD, Trauma & Neurofeedback: Review & Analysis

Attention Deficit Disorder and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD / ADHD) are controversial mental health diagnoses that spark a wide range of opinions. For this Training Report I want to review what ADD / ADHD is, and discuss how Neurofeedback / QEEG can potentially be a great intervention…

Precision Nutrition - What Should I Eat?! Our 3-Step Guide To Choosing The Best PALEO Foods For Your Body

As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) I have relied heavily on Precision Nutrition as a resource for the athletes I work with. For this Training Report I wanted to provide a helpful Precision Nutrition infographic that reviews the Paleo diet and how to best approach selecting foods for this nutrition profile…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Golf, The Yips & How To Use Brainspotting For These Mental Blocks

Many golfers experience mental blocks during competition and performance. There is still a lot of misinformation on this topic and how golfers can fix this issue. For this Training Report, I want to explore how golfers can efficiently work through mental blocks (aka the yips) and create flow states…

SERIES 2 TRAINING REPORTS

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Precision Nutrition - What Should I Eat?! Our 3-Step Guide To Choosing The Best MEDITERRANEAN Diet Foods For Your Body

The Mediterranean diet is a healthy eating pattern that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats. Precision Nutrition, a leading provider of online nutrition coaching, has created an infographic that provides athletes with suggestions on how to use a Mediterranean…

Strength & Conditioning - Why Only Elite Athletes Use Olympic-Style Weightlifting / Sample Program Design

USA Weightlifting Coaches and Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialists (CSCS) through the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) have been screaming about the benefits of Olympic-style weightlifting for years. This Training Report explores why ALL athletes need to include these lifts in their training…

Precision Nutrition - The Cost Of Getting Lean: Is It Really Worth The Trade-Off?

As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) I have had my fair share of clients ask how they can change their nutrition profile so they can ‘get lean’. For this Training Report, I wanted to provide this helpful Precision Nutrition infographic on the realities of dieting and getting lean…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Sports Injuries, The Yips, Mental Blocks & Brainspotting

When athletes experience sport-related injuries, they are often shuttled through an entire industry that is exclusively focused on providing only physical rehabilitation services with no consideration for the psychological impact on elite performers. For today’s Training Report I want to review the neuroscience behind sport injuries, the interplay between the mind and body, and how Brainspotting can effectively treat these issues…

Precision Nutrition - 3 Steps To Prepping (And Loving) Your Vegetables

Experts in sports performance nutrition are frequently engaged in identifying what foods athletes should consume, versus what foods athletes should not consume. For those that are interested in increasing their vegetable intake, this Training Report reviews a Precision Nutrition infographic that offers helpful suggestions on how to prep vegetables for meals in order to make them even more enjoyable…

Precision Nutrition - The Power Of Sleep

In my work as a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and performance specialist, I often find that athletes experience frustration with their inability to make gains when they hit ‘plateaus’ during their training. One area of athletic development that is commonly overlooked is the power of sleep. For this Training Report I wanted to provide a helpful Precision Nutrition infographic that illustrates the importance of sleep for athletic performance…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Using Your Eyes To Conquer Mental Blocks

When athletes consult with sport psychologists and mental performance consultants, they are usually encouraged to use mainstream sport psychology approaches such as imagery, deep breathing, goal setting, etc. While these approaches can be very helpful for some individuals, there are still a plethora of techniques available that are underutilized. I recently wrote about a new technique where athletes can use their eyes to beat mental blocks…

Mental Health Performance - Psychedelic Athletes

There is a general consensus that experiences in sport provide us opportunities to learn about ourselves. However, within the sport environment these opportunities can be overshadowed by individuals who have taken a rigid approach in dealing with athlete mental health issues such as the stigma associated with seeking mental health services. I recently came across an interview with Aaron Rodgers discussing his Ayahuasca experience…

Precision Nutrition - What Should I Eat For Mental Health?!

When I am working with my clients, I am often asked how nutrition can help or hinder my client’s mental health. The interplay between nutrition and psychological homeostasis is a complicated area of study, but there are some basic strategies that can be applied which can help significantly address this issue. Precision Nutrition has created this helpful infographic that provides simple but highly effective guidance on this subject…

Precision Nutrition - Good Stress, Bad Stress: Here’s How To Find Your Sweet Spot

Many sport psychologists and exercise science professionals advocate for people to find innovative ways to relax and avoid stress. But the fact of the matter is that not all stress is bad. One of the most important aspects in delivering elite performance outcomes is finding the sweet spot between good stress and bad stress. For this Training Report, I wanted to provide some helpful insight on the dilemma…

Mental Health Performance - Neurofeedback, Brainwaves & The Neuropsychology Of Sport Injury

Many athletes are consulting with sport psychologists to address issues surrounding the psychology of sport injury, but most sport psychologists are not focused on approaches that are based in scientific fundamentals of sport injury and trauma. For this Training Report I want to discuss a relatively new application that can help deal with psychological component of sport injury which is known as Neurofeedback.

Sport Psychology Tactics - Energy Management & Coffee Naps

I have found in my work with elite athletes that one area where athletes need to significantly improve in skill development is through energy management capabilities. For this Training Report I want to discuss why athletes need to invest more time into developing their energy management skills and how they can do this through different strategies such as coffee naps…

Precision Nutrition - Why Nutrition Science Is So Confusing

Whether I am working with athletes who are trying to find advantages in performance, or clients who are just trying to improve their overall health, I often find that many people are confused about what to believe versus what not to believe when it comes to nutrition science. For this Training Report I wanted to provide a Precision Nutrition infographic that discusses the complexity of nutrition science…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Neurofeedback, Athletes, Injury Rehabilitation & ADHD

Traditional sport psychology approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy & motivational interviewing are incredibly outdated when we consider the new resources that are available within the sport psychology space. For this Training Report I will cover one of these new resources which is called Neurofeedback. This technique incorporates the use of unique computer hardware-software applications that can measure brainwave activity…

Mental Health Performance - Athletes, Stress & Scheduling Energy

While many athletes have incredible insight into their athletic abilities, sometimes they can underestimate the impact that life stress has on their bodies, and overestimate how much energy they have internally to ‘attack the day’. For this Training Report I want to discuss this issue by exploring what stress is, how it affects the body and how you can manage your energy to deal with stress…

Mental Health Performance - How PTSD Affects Tactical Athletes & Veterans

Many veterans face complex issues that affect their lives in significant ways compared to civilians. One common issue that many veterans face is how to effectively deal with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). For this Training Report I want to take the time to explore the science of PTSD from a neuropsychological perspective, and explain the importance of why trauma needs to be thoroughly explored throughout one’s life…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Musicians, Mental Blocks & Brainspotting

Whether I am working with musicians in Nashville, or other artists within the field of music performance, one of the most common issues that I am sought after is how to help these types of artists deal with mental blocks. For this Training Report I want to discuss the neuroscience of mental blocks for musicians and common mental blocks that are experienced within the musical performance population…

Organizational Psychology - 3 Critical Similarities Between Corporate Teams & Sports Teams

When I am working with corporate athletes and leaders within the business community, these individuals are often surprised to learn that the approaches I use to help them improve their performance are almost exactly the same as the ones I use with athletes and sports teams. For this Training Report I want to discuss 3 critical similarities between corporate teams & sports teams and how they can enhance organizational productivity…

Mental Health Performance - Athlete Psychology, Sports Injuries & Chronic Pain

Many medical professionals helping athletes rehabilitate sport-related injuries & chronic pain rarely include mental health professionals during the physical rehabilitation process. Because our neuropsychology significantly impacts chronic pain and physical therapy outcomes, I want to explore why we need to use mental health interventions to complete the process of treating physical injuries & chronic pain…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Athletes, Performance, Bilateral Stimulation & 8D Audio

Sport psychologists, mental performance specialists & other experts within the field of human performance have begun to utilize bilateral stimulation to help athletes achieve peak psychological performance. For this Training report, I am going to discuss one form of bilateral stimulation which is known as 8D audio, and explore how elite performers can benefit from using this tool…

Strength & Conditioning - Implications Of Psychological Trauma For Tactical Athletes & Human Performance Professionals

Tactical athlete populations such as military personnel, police officers, and fire & rescue will work with human performance experts that specialize in strength & conditioning to help enhance their performance through a variety of exercise science applications. I was recently afforded the opportunity to write for the NSCA’s TSAC Report (Issue 63) to discuss how psychological trauma can affect tactical athlete performance in strength training…

Mental Health Performance - Cannabinoid-Based Medications, Athletes & Psychological Health Considerations

There has been a debate within the field of mental health about both the benefits and detrimental aspects involving Cannabinoid-Based Medications (CBMs). Because there are so many different avenues of discussion on this topic, for this Training Report I want to explore the different components of Cannabinoid-Based Medications as well as providing an introduction to the issue of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome…

Sport Psychology Tactics - The 4 Most Important Traits Of Endurance Athletes

Through my work with endurance athletes, I have seen firsthand what has helped them succeed at the highest level of their craft. Interestingly, when working specifically with this population I’ve noticed that there are very distinct yet common mental characteristics that these individuals utilize to help them achieve their level of success. I recently wrote about these athlete traits for Tailwind Nutrition…

Organizational Psychology - 3 Key Strategies For Creating Organizational Momentum

Organizations and sports teams are always trying to find effective strategies to help create organizational momentum quickly and efficiently. For this Training Report, I want to discuss what these common features of organizational momentum are, while also exploring how different teams from both the sport & corporate world can identify and harness these capabilities…

Strength & Conditioning - Hypertrophy Programming

As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, clients frequently ask me how they can train effectively to add muscle mass. While this may seem like a very simple answer, the truth is that the approach will need to be somewhat different per individual. For this Training Report I will review critical strength & conditioning protocols as well as Precision Nutrition strategies to help individuals increase muscle mass…

Mental Health Performance - Exercise Prescription For Improving Athlete Psychological Outcomes

Research strongly suggests that exercise is a critical component towards maintaining positive mental health outcomes. For this Training Report I will cover three critical areas of exercise that can improve psychological health. These areas include weight training, cardiovascular training and rest & recovery tactics…

Precision Nutrition - 3 Steps To Fix A Broken Diet

A common question that I have received as a certified strength & conditioning specialist is how can individuals fix or improve their diet? The field of nutrition science is layered with complexity, & trying to figure out what the best approach is for improving eating habits can be incredibly frustrating for clients. For this Training Report, I wanted to provide a helpful Precision Nutrition infographic that reviews strategies for helping repair broken diets…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Psychological Pre-Performance Routines Used By Olympic & Paralympic Athletes

An elite level athlete preparing to compete at the Olympics recognizes that they need to be just as committed to training their mind as their body. For this edition of the Training Report, we will discuss sport psychology tactics that Olympians & Paralympians frequently use to enhance their psychological performance during training and sport competition.

Mental Health Performance - Psychedelics: A New Frontier In Sports

Sport Psychology Tactics - Cyclists & Training Through Mental Blocks

One area I believe cycling athletes should focus their mental training on is overcoming mental blocks. Through my work as a performance coach and psychotherapist, this is the most common issue athletes seek consultation for and is arguably one of the most complex problems to work through within the field of sport psychology. For this Training Report I will focus on strategies that can help cycling athletes train through this issue…

SERIES 1 TRAINING REPORTS

Featured

Strength & Conditioning - How To Train Everyday As An Athlete & Avoid Overtraining

Many Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialists and other experts in sports performance have been developing new methods to help athletes such as Olympic weightlifters effectively train seven days per week. For this Training Report, I will be reviewing self-monitoring recovery tactics, what daily training protocols look like, and how different energy systems require different periodization tactics…

Organizational Psychology - Leadership Development Strategies

Throughout my consulting work with different organizations I have found that many critical aspects of United States Navy leadership development are missing from businesses within the private sector. For this Training Report I am going to discuss some of the leadership development strategies I observed aboard the USS Nimitz, while also reviewing organizational psychology tactics that your business needs to be adopting…

Precision Nutrition - Best Keto Foods For Your Body

The Ketogenic diet is currently one of the most popular approaches in weight loss and nutrition lifestyle. But as many people begin to investigate what is involved with this approach, there is some initial confusion about what foods should be avoided versus what foods should be consumed. Precision Nutrition has created this helpful infographic to help guide individuals on their journey into the Ketogenic diet. Enjoy!

Strength & Conditioning - Training For Mountaineering & Endurance Athlete Performance

One of the most challenging sport performance environments to train for are mountains. Whether you are an alpine athlete, trail runner, a tactical athlete or ski mountaineer, you need to cultivate the perfect blend of endurance, explosive power, strength & psychological fortitude to overcome the obstacles that mountains produce. This Training Report issue will cover all of the key elements involved with mountaineering performance.

Sport Psychology Tactics - Sleep Performance & Athletes

Elite performers and athletes recognize that sleep is a vital part of their performance, but may not necessarily understand ‘the why’ or how sleep quality can have such a significant impact on their performance. For this Training Report, I want to focus on exploring the science of sleep, why sleep is so important for elite performers and athletes, and how to develop a routine to potentially enhance your sleep performance…

Sport Psychology Tactics - What Are The Yips? Analysis & Treatment Interventions

In Baseball, many pitchers are referred to sport psychologists because they are often susceptible to what is known as The Yips. The Yips is a psychological phenomena where baseball players randomly lose their ability to execute standard sport performance movements despite being physically healthy. For this Training Report I will review the neuropsychology behind the Yips & promising treatment interventions that have shown to be highly effective…

Mental Health Performance - ADD / ADHD & Athlete Considerations

Many of the athletes that I have worked with who have been diagnosed with ADHD will describe the experience of ‘walking through a fog’ until they received proper medications and therapy to help alleviate their symptoms of ADHD. For this Training Report I will be reviewing the diagnostic criteria of ADHD, unique considerations for athletes & some simple strategies to help improve focus.

Sport Psychology Tactics - Understanding Your Purpose

Understanding why you chose to be involved with your given sport will help you get through the rough patches in competition. When things become overwhelming it can be easy to forget these foundational reasons and before you know it, you may not even be sure why you are continuing to grind through the hard work. I recently discussed this in an article I wrote for Tailwind Nutrition.

Precision Nutrition - Liquid Nutrition Guide For Athlete Performance

Healthy drinking habits are more important than athletes realize. Utilizing the correct hydration strategies can be the difference between a good performance & a great performance. As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, I thought this infographic would be both interesting and helpful for many of the subscribers on the Training Report. Enjoy!

Organizational Psychology - The US Navy & Performance Excellence

Precision Nutrition - Nutrition For Injury Recovery

Injuries are an inevitable component of sports performance. Whether you are just a weekend warrior, a college athlete, or a high level performer, it’s important that you have strategies in place to help speed up your recovery. As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, I frequently refer to Precision Nutrition for tactics within the field of nutrition science to provide guidance on issues such as nutrition and performance….

Strength & Conditioning - Olympic-Style Weightlifting Program Design Part II

This is the second Training Report series that will cover Olympic-style weightlifting program design. As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and a USAW Level 2 coach, clients I consult with will often ask about the process of designing a long-term weightlifting program. For this Training Report I will be providing an example of an annual training program schedule that illustrates the macro training block format…

Strength & Conditioning - Olympic-Style Weightlifting Program Design Part I

For this Training Report I wanted to provide a sample 6 week Olympic weightlifting mesocycle. This is a generalized program and is not meant to be utilized by readers due to the fact that individual considerations have not been factored into this program. Rather, this is an illustration of how percentages and workload should change throughout the training period when preparing for an Olympic weightlifting competition.

Precision Nutrition - Workout Nutrition For Athletes

Athletes and strength coaches are always trying to identify what the most effective workout nutrition strategies are for their individual programming. Precision Nutrition has this info-graphic on their website that presents a guide to this topic. As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and Precision Nutrition level 1 coach, I have received a lot of positive feedback from the athletes I have shared this with…

Strength & Conditioning - Kettlebell Workout

Over the course of my career I’ve found that while many athletes want to use kettlebells, they are hesitant to start training with them because they aren’t quite sure what to do with the kettlebell. For this training report I want to provide a sample kettlebell training session that you can use as a general point of reference. Research suggests that unilateral work will enhance bilateral training outcomes & kettlebells are a great way to achieve that outcome.

Mental Health Performance - Psychological Sports Trauma & Athletes

There is no diagnostic criteria for Psychological Sports Trauma, yet millions of people participate in sports every year and are potentially susceptible to these issues. I believe a more serious discussion needs to be had on widespread psychological trauma experienced during sport performance. For this Training Report, I want to discuss what Psychological Sports Trauma is & why the overwhelming majority of effective sport psychology work needs to be rooted trauma work…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Athletes & Diaphragmatic Ratio Breathing

Top performers enter flow states at will, not by accident. Unfortunately, I find that many athletes are under the impression that it is a matter of luck being able to experience a ‘flow state’. Fortunately, there are many techniques within the field of sport psychology that can help athletes enhance their access to this state of mind. I recently wrote an article for Training Peaks discussing how a certain type of deep breathing can actually slow down an ‘over-active’ mind during high pressure situations.

Sport Psychology Tactics - One Rep Maximum Attempt & Imagery

Many people have the misconception that a one rep max only requires brute strength. Experience has taught me that successfully completing a one rep max is a process that involves precision and focus. I recently wrote an article for Volt Athletics exploring how athletes can use imagery to help enhance their experience and performance during a one rep max.

Precision Nutrition - Calorie Counting Part II

This is the second Training Report covering calorie counting. I will continue to review the complexity behind this subject and explore the science that is involved with this topic. This Training Report provides a Precision Nutrition info-graphic reviewing content on the issue. Athletes, high performance individuals, and people who are looking to improve their health outcomes should be aware of what is involved with this process. Enjoy!

Precision Nutrition - Calorie Counting Part I

For this Training Report, I want to review the complexity behind calorie counting and explore the science that is involved with this topic. This Precision Nutrition info-graphic provides excellent content on the issue. Athletes, high performance individuals, and people who are looking to improve their health outcomes should be aware of what is involved with this process. Enjoy!

Sport Psychology Tactics - How Brainspotting Can Help Athletes Improve Their Performance

The field of sport psychology has developed many cutting edge techniques that have been used to help athletes overcome psychological issues during sport performance. Biofeedback, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, & recovery monitoring devices such as WHOOP have helped athletes improve sport performance. However, Brainspotting is a new clinical intervention that is getting ready to take the sport psychology field by storm…

Precision Nutrition - How To Master Meal Prep

A common issue my clients have in regards to prepping for a healthy meal, is that they don’t have a good strategy that helps them stay consistent. Precision Nutrition has put together these simple strategies for how to master meal prep and continue eating healthy. As a Precision Nutrition Level 1 coach, I regularly review this process with the athletes I work with, and wanted to make these tactics available through the Training Report…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Training Peaks & Tracking Psychological Health

When athletes and coaches begin planning for how they will train over the course of the year, they use a variety of different strategies. One thing that is usually absent from designing training programs is how to track psychological health effectively. It is absolutely critical that coaches and experts within the field of sport psychology promote the idea that mental health is directly tied to mental performance…

Strength & Conditioning -Hang, Pause, Power Snatch

One of the best ways to develop power in athletes is through the Olympic-style weightlifting movements. The snatch in particular is an extremely effective exercise to prescribe due to the need for the athlete to generate a high level of vertical ground reaction force. I can say as a coach whenever I have taught this exercise to athletes, they have reported significant improvement in their specific sport domain…

Strength & Conditioning - Destroying the One Rep Max Myth

Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialists, Tactical Strength & Conditioning Facilitators and USA Weightlifting coaches are experts in periodization and program design. However, there are some sport coaches and strength coaches that avoid one rep max attempts. I will be using this Training Report to debunk those myths and provides an Olympic Weightlifting training program example that all athletes and coaches can use as a reference…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Volt Athletics & Motivation

Staying motivated through rough patches in training is something everyone deals with regardless if you are a collegiate athlete, professional athlete, or just a casual weekend warrior. Sport psychologists and mental performance coaches are constantly on the lookout to find the best techniques and strategies to help their clients maintain and enhance their motivation…

Precision Nutrition - Why You Can’t Stop Overeating Junk Food & 7 Ways To Stop

Whether you are a high-level athlete or a sedentary individual, at some point you have probably had the experience of overeating junk food. There are a variety of reasons for why this is, and I believe it’s important that we increase our awareness about the the processed food industry and how our bodies respond to junk food. This Training Report will explore the reasons why it’s easy to overeat junk food and strategies on how to stop…

Organizational Psychology - Elite Negotiation Skills

When I am working with high-level business executives (also known as corporate athletes), I will go through sport psychology tactics that are helpful for enhancing the effectiveness of their interactions in high-stakes negotiations. For this Training Report, I want to review proven negotiation skills that are used at all levels throughout the ‘corporate athlete’ world…

Mental Health Performance - Psilocybin & Brainspotting: A Multi-Modal Approach

For this Training Report, I want to review the relatively new treatment options of Psilocybin & Brainspotting, how they can potentially help patients, and why we should consider a multi-modal approach using these interventions. I want to explore the theoretical concepts associated with these treatments and why mental health practitioners with the proper resources should start to investigate whether these interventions can be utilized…

Sport Psychology Tactics - Enhancing Musician Creativity Through Brainspotting

Often times people have the misconception that sport psychologists and mental performance coaches exclusively work with athletes, when in reality many professionals within the field of sport psychology actually work with a variety of performers such as musicians. For this Training Report I am going to discuss how musicians can enhance their creativity through specific Brainspotting interventions…