From Ordinary to EXTRAORDINARY Series: Focus on Jimmer Fredette

March has been a pretty "mad" month, and I mean that in the most positive way possible. Yes, I am referring to March Madness with all of the great basketball games, but I am also referring to some really amazing experiences with client/patients.

There have been some really extraordinary moments and it got me thinking "How are these people so extraordinary?" I wanted to take a few case studies and look at why I think they are successful. Hopefully, I can hack some of their secrets so you can in turn apply them to become EXTRAORDINARY.

This is Part 1 of my ORDINARY TO EXTRAORDINARY SERIES starting with BYU'S JIMMER FREDETTE and why HE'S THE MAN!

Jimmer Fredette: TEAMWORK OFF OF THE COURTS
If you seen any of the games during March Madness, you will most likely have heard the name JIMMER FREDETTE of BYU. He is one of the NCAA's leading scorers whether from dunks, lay-ups or 3 point shots. He's legit! However, I did some research on this athlete to see how he went from Ordinary to Extraordinary and here's what I came up with.

• Youngest of three children
• Very competitive from the young age of 4!
• Played sports with his older brother and their friends being able to hit 3 pointers  and dodge other players at age 5
• Father took him  for schoolyard  play with adults when he was age 8 as well as travelled to more intense competition with his AAU league. 
• Mother allowed him to dribble in throughout the house and even went as far as to build him a dribbling studio in the basement of their house
• Uncle started speed training with at age 5 and still works with him

Jimmer had a TEAM when he was a young boy who challenged him and pushed him because they saw at a young age that he probably had talent, but most importantly was his DRIVE TO COMPETE AND GET BETTER. This amazing team who encouraged him in many ways knew that he had the drive and willingness to succeed and win. This is extremely fertile ground from going from ordinary to extraordinary. 

What did this all add up to? Well here's a quote from Sports Illustrated writer Kelli Anderson about Fredette's playing style from a January 2011 article, 

"Facing the opposition's best defender (or, more often, defenders), he pulls up going right or going left. He shoots off the dribble, off the wrong foot, off balance, off the glass. He finishes in traffic with a dozen deft moves, including a funky scoop shot, originating from his waist, that he can make with either hand."

Of course, I cannot ignore all of the great teams and coaches on the court that he has. I am interested in that, but I want to go back to the start of his career. From there, we can build.


Principle of Ordinary to Extraordinary: SUPPORT

Strategy of Ordinary to Extraordinary: Assemble a team of people who believe in and support you mentally, physically spiritually. Negative people and situations will not help and will most likely do the opposite.

Technique of Ordinary to Extraordinary: 
1) Look at 5 people and/or situations in your life today. It's easy. What are the first five people or situations that pop into your head? Write those down on a piece of paper.
2) Analyze if they are positive or negative and write a "+" or "-" next to them. It should take about 2 seconds for each.
3) If that situation or person has done nothing positive in your life in the last 6 weeks, you do not need it so ELIMINATE IT.  It is an energy leech and will continue to do so ad libitum.
4) If that situation or person has done something positive in your life in the last 6 weeks, you do need it. If it's a person, send them a quick thank you for supporting you. If it's a situation, encourage others to participate and spread the wealth.
5) If you are working on something and need help, look for someone who is at the top of their game, contact them and ask for their help. If you are sincere, they will help you. Nothing makes people feel better than helping someone out who REALLY wants to learn.
5) Repeat as often as necessary.

As always, I welcome questions and comments. Please send them to will@3doptimalperformance.com

Thanks!!!!

Will


Here's a great video highlight of Jimmer Fredette.

3-D OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE QUOTE SERIES: MOHANDAS GAHNDI

"Service which is rendered without joy helps neither the servant nor the served. But all other pleasures and possessions pale into nothingness before service which is rendered in a spirit of joy."  

-Mohandas Gandhi

3-D OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE QUOTE SERIES: MORPHEUS

"Don't think you are, know you are. Come on. Stop trying to hit me and hit me. "

- Morpheus

How often do we TRY??? I'm willing to bet that you TRY more often than not at anything from fitness to relationships to business. 

Stop trying. Know that you can and do it.

Dermoneuromodulation - based Training Introduction and Short Video

Recently, I have become quite enamored with the NERVOUS SYSTEM. I mean, let's face it: IT'S THE CONTROL CENTER OF THE BODY.

The brain controls everything and is supplied with information via the nerves. It controls everything from our heart rate to cell proliferation to movement. When we consider working with the body in either a rehabilitative or training setting, considering the power of the nervous system would benefit both the client/patient and the trainer/therapist. Yes, we can still look at biomechanics, fascial manipulation, joint mobilization/manipulation, muscle action, etc; however, let's not lose track of what rules what. After all, the brain is king.

A fantastic Physical Therapist by the name of Diane Jacobs in Canada has created an amazing technique called Dermoneuromodulation. Here's a short excerpt from her manual:

The DNM system takes into account cutaneous nerves. The treatment rationale includes providing the nervous system with novel stimuli to assist it to function more easily and economically. Ordinary mechanical pain (from movement deficiency) becomes decreased, usually markedly. Follow up homework includes movement suggestions, but not usually any “exercise” as such. This approach is consistent with neurodynamic theory and pain theory.

Working with DNM and Applied Functional Science based functional training has provided me with an even more effective tool bag to work from. Below is a short video demonstrating the union of DNM and AFS Functional Training. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Send comments and questions to will@3doptimalperformance.com

All the best!

Will

The problem with TECHNIQUE

To me, it's amazing what it taught these days in many disciplines. We see so many techniques and tools that are passed around to each student, usually in a very cookie cutter fashion. I am guilty of doing that with students in the past and for some reason, they got good results. Maybe it was because part of the technique was right which was held together with the students natural "talent". It's hard to say.

However, as I study biomechanics, neurology, kinesiology, etc, the more I see techniques are just the TIP OF THE ICEBERG in terms of what it really takes to have successful, repeatable and sustainable results. Well, what is it? What makes technique the final stage?

Fortunately, I was able to study under two great physical therapists, Gary Gray and Dr. David Tiberio of the Gray Institute who taught me about Principles - Strategies - Techniques paradigm.

The thing is that many people create techniques. Business. Politics. Psychology. Medicine. Athletics. Literature. Music. They create this little package, tool, manual that has some groundbreaking technique that is supposed to be THE THING. However, when we start looking at many of these techniques and what they are based (or not based) on (principles and strategies), we see that they are not really anchored to anything scientific. Evidence sure but not much based on the laws of nature, physics, biology, neurology. They are guesses on guesses on assumptions.

Working with PRINCIPLES or the WHY helps us to understand what is really going on. They are principles like GRAVITY, MASS, MOMENTUM, FORCES, 3-DIMENSIONS in physics. They are the deep anatomical and physiological knowledge of the brain that is at the center of human operations (thoughts, beliefs, emotions, movement). They are the functional aspects of skin, nerves, muscles, fascia and bones. These are the things that we know to be true.

Our STRATEGIES are based on the PRINCIPLES. They are our plans of action or the HOW. They give us direction in where we are going realizing that sometimes this is a not a straightforward direction. It may take us up, down, side to side and around in circles but at least we are aware of that. We are not just wandering aimlessly.

The TECHNIQUES are what we do. They are the WHAT and these are based out of our PRINCIPLES AND STRATEGIES. There is a foundation to these techniques.

Our tendency is go with what we see. What's on the surface. What is most easily identifiable. However, this superficial look is just that. It does not allow you to see what is REALLY going on underneath. There is usually a lot. It's what the microscope did for us. It allowed us to see the what the naked eye could not.


As we look at building skills/techniques, please understand that there is a lot much to what is going on with the technique. Here's the thing: these techniques should be able to hold up in the light of scientific scrutiny. Real science. Question those who create techniques AND seek to verify that which they tell you. When it does not hold up, politely excuse yourself and run like hell when they start to make stuff up to cover for their shortcomings.

Yes, this applies to anything. Do it. Here's a little warning though: IT IS DIFFICULT. It will not be easy to get and it may frustrate the hell out of you when you do it, but as you start to incorporate this thought process  more and more, you will really be able to uncover aspects of the skill/activity that you never imagine. Your results will be amazing and you will have truly learned something special.

Questions? Comments? Email me at will@3doptimalperformance.com

Space and Time: Focus on TRANSITIONS

It's been a while since I've posted on the blog. Partly because of life getting busy and also because I am not sure people are actually reading the blog. However, I will not let that deter me anymore. I made a commitment to write at least 3 blog posts per week, I'm going to stick with it.

As I teach and coach more, I'm seeing the importance of TRANSITIONS. The space and time in between is what transitions are all about. It happens with music, written word, sports, etc. Life is not just a series of snap shots. It is a wonderful flow that moves us forward in time and it's the space and time in between events and activities that make it exciting and meaningful.

Recently, I've been working extensively with baseball and yoga. Yoga is pretty constant but tis the season for baseball, and unfortunately the injuries that can come with increased demand on bodies that are not prepared for it, but I digress.

Looking at the the yoga sequence, we see all of the "poses" in the Sun Salutation/Surya Namaskar. We see what the pose is supposed to look like with the drawing but what's so important is HOW we got into the pose. How our body is sequenced and coordinated to get there is just as, if not more, important than the actual pose since the quality of how we get in and out of them determines the quality of the actual pose.

It's the same thing with baseball. We see that the sequencing of the motions in the body and how well coordinated they are are directly proportionally linked to the effectiveness and efficiency of the throw. Better sequencing of the entire body leads to increased sustained velocity and decreased injury. However, we have to know how work with the transitions between the "stages" of the throw. It cannot be willy-nilly and done haphazardly. I believe for 98% of people, the basics of the skill, must be broken down into parts, then connected, and then integrated into the skill. If not, we just will see "snap shot" pitching with dysfunctional and painful arms. For the other 2%, well, consider yourself the "naturals" but keep working harder to get better.

Is paying attention to the transitions difficult? Of course it! Very few people want to look in between the spaces. It's not sexy or glamorous, BUT it is the key to success and growth.

Questions? Comments? Please direct them below or send me an email at will@3doptimalperformance.com

Have a great day!

Will

NEW VIDEO: Tri-planar functional workout

Sooooooooo... February was a bust in terms of writing. I will say that I got really sick with an ear infection of all things and that knocked me out for a while.

Anyway, I'm back and will get back to the writing. I wanted to share a quick 7 minute video of a functional workout I filmed awhile back. The cool thing is that it takes the standard Dumbell bench press, push-ups, squats and squat jumps to another level utilizing different foot and hand positions.

Enjoy!!!