SUMMER 2014 PEAK PERFORMANCE NEWSLETTER
WELCOME OUR NEWEST WILDCAT...KATIE KNAPPENBERGER, SPORTS DIETITIAN HELLO WILDCATS! I am honored and excited to be joining you as your Sports Dietitian! Before arriving at NU, I worked as an athletic trainer, professor, and collegiate sports dietitian in Daytona Beach, Florida. I earned my master's degree in nutrition with emphasis in sports dietetics from the University of Utah and my bachelor's degree in athletic training from the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse. I am a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, a Registered Dietitian and a Certified Athletic Trainer. In my free time, I enjoy running, biking, cooking, yoga, and watching the Green Bay Packers. Although I'll call myself your Sports Dietitian (or Sports RD), I'd like you to think of me as your Nutrition Coach. I am not the “food police” and I'm definitely not here to put everyone on a “diet.” (You’ll never hear me use that four letter word!) I'm here to show you that eating high performance foods at right time can keep you from getting sick and injured. I can show you how to help your body to store and use fuel to your advantage. I’ve helped many, many athletes take their athletic performance to the next level. During your summer vacation, I’d like to challenge you to include these five high performance foods in your sports nutrition plan. These foods contain high levels of the nutrients necessary for your athletic performance to thrive. CHERRIES. The antioxidants in this super fruit decrease joint pain and muscle soreness. Cherries help you bounce back from the toughest workouts. Add fresh or frozen cherries to your yogurt, breakfast cereal, or smoothie. BLUEBERRIES. Recent research shows that the flavonoids in blueberries can improve memory and comprehension. Hoping to remember your opponents’ weaknesses from last season? Hoping to remember last semester’s calculus equations? Throw some blueberries into your pancakes or salad. WATERMELON. Watermelon not only provides hydration, they are also rich in L-citrulline. New research shows that this amino acid can reduce muscle soreness after intense workouts, which can lead to a better performance the next day. Create a refreshing summer drink by blending watermelon with lime juice and serving over ice. AVOCADO. This fruit (yes, fruit!) is loaded with monounsaturated fats, which are heart healthy and decrease inflammation throughout the body. Avocadoes are perfect for anyone who plans to begin next season injury-free. Spread avocado onto your sandwich instead of mayo. GREEK YOGURT. Greek yogurt is packed with protein, which builds and repairs muscles. It also contains calcium, which repairs bones and helps muscles fire. It doesn’t stop there! Greek yogurt also contains probiotics, which are vital to our immune and digestive health. Create a Greek yogurt parfait with the fruits mentioned above. Try topping baked potatoes or tacos with plain Greek Yogurt instead of sour cream. Nutrition is a game-changer. The difference between winning and losing often comes down to the way that athletes take care of their bodies (even during the off-season!) Embracing these high performance foods will certainly give you a competitive edge when you return to campus. I look forward to meeting each of you! If you have any questions about sports nutrition, feel free to email me at [email protected]
ATHLETES OF THE MONTH MAGGIE LYON TRE DEMPS
BASKETBALL
CHECK OUT THE NUSportsPerformance YouTube PAGE THIS SUMMER FOR A VARIETY OF CORRECTIVE EXERCISES.
FMS CORNER
SUMMER 2014 PEAK PERFORMANCE NEWSLETTER
WHY?? DO YOU CONTINUE TO TRAIN OVER THE SUMMER KEEP THE STRENGTH/SPEED/FITNESS/FLEXIBILITY YOU DEVELOPED OVER THE SEASON REDUCE THE RISK OF INJURY UPON RETURN KEEP YOUR SKILL SHARP...STRENGTH/SPEED IS A SKILL THAT NEEDS TO BE PRACTICED FACEBOOK—Northwestern Wildcats
KEEP A WINNING/COMPETITIVE MENTALITY
Sports Performance TWITTER — @NUperformNmed YOUTUBE—NUSportsPerformance
Mental Practice in the Off-Season The summer months provide a great opportunity to improve fitness and build strength, but also to improve your mental skills. Just as you can improve your performance through conditioning and strength, you can take advantage of the time away from competition to build your mental game so those skills are honed and accessible when your practice and competitive season begins. Visualization and imagery practice can improve your sport-specific skills, even when not actively practicing those skills physically. Imagery is the reproduction of all the sensory information involved in a particular action, which can activate and improve muscle memory associated with that skill. Below are a few tips to keep in mind when using imagery for enhanced performance: SET THE TONE. Just as you need to warm up your body before a competition or practice, prepare yourself mentally for visualization. Find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted, settle yourself in a comfortable position, and spend a few moments before beginning your visualization to attend to your breath, centering yourself in the moment. BE MINDFUL OF YOUR EXPERIENCE. Adopting a mindful stance when using imagery is important to stay present and nonjudgmental of distracting thoughts that may come into your mind. Imagine those thoughts as background noise, acknowledging their presence and returning your focus to the images of your visualization. IMAGINE IN THE PRESENT. Keep your visualization in the present, as if you are completing the action in that very moment. Keep your visualization in “real-time” as much as possible, so as to not go too fast or too slow through any particular skill. USE YOUR SENSES. Pay attention to all five senses during your visualization (visual/sight, auditory/sound, tactile/feeling, gustatory/taste, olfactory/smell). Senses help you stay in the moment, both during visualization as well as when you are in practice or competition completing the skill. QUALITY OVER QUANTITY. Frequent practice is important to the development of mental skills, but practicing in a purposeful and focused manner is critical. Keep visualization sessions short, but frequent, and find time in your day when you can be present and attentive during the exercise. For consultation on visualization, imagery, or other mental skills related to your performance, contact your athletic trainer to schedule a sport psych session with Dr. Jeffries, or email Dr. Jeffries @ [email protected].
ATHLETES OF THE MONTH MAGGIE LYON TRE DEMPS
BASKETBALL
CHECK OUT THE NUSportsPerformance YouTube PAGE THIS SUMMER FOR A VARIETY OF CORRECTIVE EXERCISES.
FMS CORNER
SUMMER 2014 PEAK PERFORMANCE NEWSLETTER
WHY?? DO YOU CONTINUE TO TRAIN OVER THE SUMMER KEEP THE STRENGTH/SPEED/FITNESS/FLEXIBILITY YOU DEVELOPED OVER THE SEASON REDUCE THE RISK OF INJURY UPON RETURN KEEP YOUR SKILL SHARP...STRENGTH/SPEED IS A SKILL THAT NEEDS TO BE PRACTICED FACEBOOK—Northwestern Wildcats
KEEP A WINNING/COMPETITIVE MENTALITY
Sports Performance TWITTER — @NUperformNmed YOUTUBE—NUSportsPerformance
Mental Practice in the Off-Season The summer months provide a great opportunity to improve fitness and build strength, but also to improve your mental skills. Just as you can improve your performance through conditioning and strength, you can take advantage of the time away from competition to build your mental game so those skills are honed and accessible when your practice and competitive season begins. Visualization and imagery practice can improve your sport-specific skills, even when not actively practicing those skills physically. Imagery is the reproduction of all the sensory information involved in a particular action, which can activate and improve muscle memory associated with that skill. Below are a few tips to keep in mind when using imagery for enhanced performance: SET THE TONE. Just as you need to warm up your body before a competition or practice, prepare yourself mentally for visualization. Find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted, settle yourself in a comfortable position, and spend a few moments before beginning your visualization to attend to your breath, centering yourself in the moment. BE MINDFUL OF YOUR EXPERIENCE. Adopting a mindful stance when using imagery is important to stay present and nonjudgmental of distracting thoughts that may come into your mind. Imagine those thoughts as background noise, acknowledging their presence and returning your focus to the images of your visualization. IMAGINE IN THE PRESENT. Keep your visualization in the present, as if you are completing the action in that very moment. Keep your visualization in “real-time” as much as possible, so as to not go too fast or too slow through any particular skill. USE YOUR SENSES. Pay attention to all five senses during your visualization (visual/sight, auditory/sound, tactile/feeling, gustatory/taste, olfactory/smell). Senses help you stay in the moment, both during visualization as well as when you are in practice or competition completing the skill. QUALITY OVER QUANTITY. Frequent practice is important to the development of mental skills, but practicing in a purposeful and focused manner is critical. Keep visualization sessions short, but frequent, and find time in your day when you can be present and attentive during the exercise. For consultation on visualization, imagery, or other mental skills related to your performance, contact your athletic trainer to schedule a sport psych session with Dr. Jeffries, or email Dr. Jeffries @ [email protected].
