Chaos

The upcoming week will surely bring it's share of mayhem. The appropriately named "Uproar on the Lakeshore" will ensure this. Most of you are derby girls though. Chaos is where you thrive, often creating more as you go. So here is the way I see it. This is the finest teams in the land meeting in one of the nations largest cities( one of my personal favorites) to let the world know that a lot of strong women came to play and they do not aim to disappoint! This is another step toward the stage that derby deserves and I can't wait to see the results. Let's get this started with one last semi-difficult workout !

5 min. warm up
Stretch
3x 10 squat thrusts (burpees)
3x 30 sec. mountain climbers
3x 10 pushups
3x 10 inverted rows
3x 10 overhead press
3x 10 tricep dips
50 meters of lunges
4 planks to failure
2x 10 3sec. abdominal presses
5 min. cooldown
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Solitude

Preparation for any moment in life may be the truest key to being able to determine an outcome. It is the one variable to success or failure that we can have complete control of. Keep in mind as we go forward that even with the best preparation there will still be things outside of our control. The factors are mainly what accounts for the outliers that can be found where the unprepared find victory. Getting back to the task at hand though, it is time to start thinking through the mental aspects of the game with the pending national tournament. A few thing that I recommend going over in order to feel your best going into such a big weekend are the hours of work that have already been done. Think about the previous ten months worth of hours on wheels, hits that have been dealt and absorbed, laughter and camaraderie shared between teammates, and the dreams that you as women have built and are getting ready to have come true. The physical work is all but finished as far as preparation is concerned. Now it is about the mentality of executing that for which you have been working so hard at. Most athletes in this type of situation try to find some time to break it all down without a lot of chaos surrounding them. Collegiate and professional teams alike try and stay out of the spotlight as much as possible before big games as not to psych themselves out or get too excited and gas before the appropriate time. If I were in this position I would recommend carrying the mp3 player everywhere I could and shutting the world out as much as is possible. Life is chaotic for most of us but these are not stresses that you need to worry about in the final steps of mental preparation for big moments in your life where you are expected to be at peak performance. Try to find some quiet in your mind and be ready for the ensuing madness that you will unleash!

Stretch
45-60min. constant paced cardio
4-6 25 meter sprints
5 min cooldown
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

A Bit Dodgy

We are going to cut to the chase today and just jump straight in for the workout. Some good things are to come including nationals so plenty to look forward to. Have a Great Day!

5 min. warm up
Stretch
3x 20 Sumo squats
3x 20 fire hydrants (each side)
3x 20 leg extensions (each side)
50 meters of lunges
3x 10 push ups
3x 20 tricep dips
3x 10 inverted rows
3x 10 front raises
3x 10 superman
3x 20 scissor kicks
ABC leg lifts (draw the alphabet with your feet, I prefer lower case cursive)
2x 50 regular crunches (small movements, really fast)
2x 25 bicycle crunches
5 min. cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Theres No Higher Ground To Stand Than The Bottom Of The Pile

This is a nasty time in general with an upcoming election. For the record, I will not be discussing politics today or more than likely ever here. Standing in the gym that I train out of it has become hard to miss the backbiting jabs that are broadcast by candidates against there opponents. The sad part is that often they don't even accept responsibility for running the ad speaking poorly against their foe. It is times like this that I am reminded of why the derby community has both fascinated and confused me for so long. There is no doubt in my mind that in every bout I have seen both teams were in it to win it. I am sure that if you look hard enough you can find an ugly side to each competition but thus far I have not seen this nearly to the extent that I expected. After having been an athlete I am all too aware of the horrible things that can sometimes come from to individuals competing for a single position or victory. There were situations where I have seen intentional maiming of fellow teammates for a starting position. Then I began spending time around the roller girls. It was much to my surprise to find members of opposing teams, even opposing leagues, sharing meals, homes, and trade secrets. This still blows my mind. It has been my experience that most leagues are very open to allowing skaters from across the country to join them if they happen to be in town. My point is that in a world that shows evidence of no decency or honor left in competition I am elated to have discovered the island of refuge that derby has become for so many. Are you perfect? No. You do a really good job of accepting that and moving on though not to mention the respect that you generally show everyone else. Keep up the great work!!!

5 min warm up
Stretch
3x 10 straight arm twists (each side)
3x 10 wood chops
3x 10 floor bridge
3x 10 quadruped
3x 10 V sit twist
3x 10 jackknife crunch
4x 30 sec. plank
5 min cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Tighten It Up

Enough with the diatribes on life. This is a workout blog and it is time to get back to the real issues at hand. Today's issue, the laziness of your core. I am aware that it is not p.c. to call someone lazy and that core day is tomorrow but there is none here to fire me. So lazy core it is. Here is the deal! the lives that we live currently allow our core muscles to relax and cause tons of problems by not doing there job. One of the biggest problems that a weak core contributes to is a lack of good respiration. Because our abdominal wall is allowed to relax as we slouch at computer screens or wait tables wit no regard to posture, the diaphragm cannot properly contract or relax and we are not able to maximize the capability of our lungs. Anyone who has had some experience with singing can appreciate the difference between abdominal and diaphragm breathing. The best way to remedy this malaise is to consciously squeeze your abs and constantly hold good posture. This alone will help improve both your game and your life immeasurably. That is the focus for today now lets go to work!

5 min. warm up
Stretch
20 min moderate cardio
4x 50 meter sprints
4x 100 meter sprints
4x 200 meter sprints
2x 25 meter hill sprints
5 min cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Fight!

Every so often our worlds are reduced to only the most basic of necessity. Personally I have always been a bit of a minimalist. You can see evidence of this in a lot of my approach to fitness specifically in that I see no need for everyone to have a gym membership in order to be entitled to being in good shape. All of that aside though, the real question here is what do you do when life is kicking your ass? I'm not suggesting that we should take much time to complain about this or stay mad at our dads or anything of the sort. It is simply the truth that sometimes you just take a few tough shots and are slower getting up than normal. Derby girls know this better than most! I don't want to get too philosophical here or anything but let me share this. Recently I have run through some interesting situations. I am thankful for great friends and family but sometimes they just can't help. They can certainly offer tons of cliches that mean very little in practical application such as "You win some, you lose some" and "You'll have good days and bad days" and my personal favorite "Let go and let God". While there may be some wisdom in these statements and I am sure they come from caring, well intentioned people, for the most part they leave something to be desired. My new found realization is this: Good times and bad times seldom care enough for each other or for those they are affecting to wait in line. Most of our days will be a mixture of both great highs and devastating lows. That said, what are we to do with this theory? I suggest you fight and fight well. This is not a call to the militant or an uprising against peace. It is rather a call to fight to gain ground in the best of situations and to fight to hold fast in the worst. Take the time to fight your way through your day and make sure your fight is just. The only other thing I can offer is that when looking at a fight like the ones I am discussing, it is seldom worthwhile to fight a particular individual. More often you will find your battle is with yourself and if you beat yourself to badly than you have lost anyway. I know this because I am Irish and fighting is in my blood. The Irish have fought for years against everyone and mostly just beaten themselves. This week let's fight for more good in our days and a better shot at showing the rest of the world why derby girls are a force to be reckoned with! Now let's go to work!

5 min. warm up
Stretch
3x 25 meters lunges
3x 10push ups
3x 10 overhead presses
3x 10 speed skater jumps
50 meters karaoke(grapevine)
4x 30 sec. planks
2x 10 hip ups
25 bicycle crunches(each side)
2x 10 side crunches (each side)
5 min. cooldown
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

P.S. By the way, If you are just starting out most of the workouts will be completable for any fitness level. If there are any questions feel free to ask and I will try to stay on top of answering them! Thanks !

Whoa

I've lost track of whether it is early or late and for that matter what day it is. Unfortunately I'm not functioning well enough to come up with anything earth shattering or life changing this morning so I will leave it in your hands. The name of the game today is active rest. Take the day and enjoy it however you please but try to keep up and moving as much as possible. We will be back at it hard tomorrow so have a good break!

J

100

So this is the one hundredth entry in the blog. And to think that I may have commitment issues. I guess I will prove otherwise! Let's cut to the chase and just get to the business of improving ourselves.

5 min warm up
Stretch
4x 30 sec planks
2x 20 floor bridge
2x 25 reg crunches
2x 25 neg. tuck crunches
2x 25 leg extensions
5 min cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Action!

Exclamation points make everything better! I am going to suggest that this is because they place an overt emphasis on whatever the subject may be. Why am I discussing punctuation in a workout blog you may ask? Because it is the punctuation that is what closes out a sentence much the way that we need to punctuate the our lives with something. This may seem a little deep or far too shallow but bear with me for a second. We have arrived at the point in the year where transition is all to evident. The three main transitions that I am going to deal with are these: the transition into the contending for a national championship, the transition of beginning an off season after a loss, and the transition of becoming a roller girl for the first time and learning the ropes and discipline necessary to excel. The answer to each of these transitions I believe to be best summed up by the word action! The simplicity of this may throw you off but the psychology is much more complicated and it works. Action breed emotion. If you are finding yourself apprehensive, concerned, or conversely confident taking positive actions will help you weather the transitions with much more ease. I would encourage the someone who is competing for a national championship to take small actions toward continuing to improve their fundamentals and the relationships with their teammates. This is what is going to make the difference between trying and succeeding. This and tons of heart! For someone who is just settling into the off season, I would say start doing something positive to improve yourself as an individual skater. You cannot change the past and there is little that can take the sting out of a loss, but you can help insure that you are more prepared to not make the same mistakes ever again and you can be better conditioned as well. For our new girls, don't over think things. Just start making daily decisions that are going to help you improve. For all today, the best action will be a good cardio workout. Without further adieu...

10 min warm up
Stretch
45 min moderate cardio movement
10 x 25 meter hill sprints
10 min cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Hey Girl Hey

Thursdays here and it's time to snap some heads around as they check us out wherever we may happen to be. If you are lacking the ego to carry that kind of confidence you can have some of mine. Unfortunately ego is never something I am lacking. Confidence is what I am recommending today. The world can seem a scary place without a little swagger. And most importantly, for fuck sake you play roller derby! Men and women across the world find you intriguing, sexy, strong, feminine,and they all want to date you! This is the power that inherently comes with your amazing athletic ability and stunning good looks. You lace your skates and this curse comes with. And if this isn't enough for you to be excited about consider the fascinating women who form the roller derby family that you are a part of! I am envious just writing this! So with that frame of mind let's get to work!!!

5 min warm up
Stretch
3x 20 skier squats
3x 20 speed skater jumps
3x 20 push ups
3x 20 bent flys
3x 20 overhead press
50 meters lunges
2x 25 crunches of you choosing
2x 20 oblique crunches (each side)
5 min. cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

To The Point

It's Wednesday and that means plyo's. Best of luck and let's get to work!

5 min. warm up
Stretch
2x 25 meters bear crawl
4x 15 tricep dips
2x 10 squat thrusts
2x 10 box jumps( be careful)
2x 25 soccer throws
2x 25 wood chops
2x 25 meters skipping for height
5 min. cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

The Rythm of My Heart

After yesterdays post my day went into a direction that would have Lemony Snicket consider his series a vacation. So what the hell. It's Tuesday and I have decided that it is a perfect day to develop an outlook on life. If this is incoherent rambling forgive me but somewhere in here there is a point. How often we look into the past or the future and find frustration. Missed plays,wrong turns, failed alarms, conversations gone awry, balls dropped, fear, anxiety, worry, lack or loss of control, and the rest of the garden variety of mayhem that we can find if we look hard enough. To be honest even as I write this I am realizing that I am staring down the frosted barrel of winters loaded gun and dreading it ahead of time. What does the sum of all of these things really add up to in the end? What does it really matter? Here is my theory and it apparently is a simple one: Get started and don't quit. Leave room for adjustment and stay flexible enough to make them. Laugh the rest off and save your tears for others. They will need them to help them get through. Why so simple? What if it really is that simple? What you have done up to this point has gotten you to this point and for that it held some value. Unfortunately what got you to this point won't get you past this point. Leave you past failures behind as well as the successes. Take forward only the knowledge garnered and the confidence gained. Focus everything else on what is happening now. Eventually it should all add up to one incredible story but as the author you should spend more time writing than reading. Now to tie this together with what it means for your body. At this point we have established a good foundation, improved some strength , and helped our personal aesthetics. The most important thing from here to nationals is the little adjustments. Stretching your muscles, improving your flexibility, and getting you heart ready for another three day tournament is where we are focusing today. Thanks for humoring my rant and here is your workout!

5 min. warm up
Stretch
20 min of cardio @ moderate to intense level
50 meters of side shuffle jog(each side)
50 meters of karaoke steps(each side)
4x 50 meters long stride jogging
5 min cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Woo Hoo!!!

It's Monday and we might as well be excited about it, mostly because the week is beginning whether we are ready or not. Why not look at this week as though it is full of opportunities? We look at New Years that way. Why can't we live that way on a random Monday? What does this week mean for you? These may seem like strange questions and that might be true. The reason behind this line of thinking is that there is more to your health than the traditional physical body. Realize that the difference between improving and maintaining or declining is all in your mental approach first. I am not much for mysticism but the power that your mind possesses over your physical health is remarkable. If you talk to many athletes that have experienced injuries they often tell you that they felt off or as though something wasn't right before they actually end up hurting themselves. I am proposing that this can work in your favor as well. think about this week being the beginning of a new lease on life, an opportunity to take your health to a greater level than you ever have before. If this doesn't strike your fancy, feel free to just get your workout in. Either way I hope this is a great week for all!

5 min warm up
Stretch
10 dive bomb push ups
2x 10 wide grip push ups
3x 10 overhead presses
3x 10 bent flys
3x 25 meters lunges
3x 10 straight arm twists
4x 15 sec plank
4x 25 crunches of your choosing
5 min cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Sunday Bloody Sunday

For many of us Sunday is a day of relaxation. What this usually means is that it is also a day of throwing the good eating habits right out the window(especially if you are nursing a hangover). I will be the first to say I like to eat and not necessarily what is always healthiest for me. Sunday typically involves joining friends and family for a big meal and not getting a whole lot of anything else done. Most of you are more than likely a whole lot more dedicated to your fitness at this point than I am so if this doesn't apply I'm sorry. For the rest of you I have some good news and some bad news. I will start with the bad news. Being fit , or in good health is a full time commitment. There are no true holidays, breaks, or days off. Much like roller derby it is a way of life rather than just something you play with. This means that everything that you put into your body will either help or hurt you. Some substances you may feel have no affect however for your body to process even these means that it has to take it's focus off of something else. Again for some of you this is not an issue but we can all improve. If you are just beginning a new mindset where weight management, weight loss, or athletic performance are being considered this can feel like a daunting task. There is a ton of information out there about everything under the sun that can either help or hurt you. The problem is that among the vast available info many things seem to contradict each other. Let's take for example the myth of not eating after 8 pm. Many believe that the key to losing or maintaining weight is stopping your food intake by 8 in the evening. This may help you but it is not entirely true. There is nothing magical about this time of day that makes your body think that because it's eight and your no longer consuming that it is free to shed a few unwanted pounds. What the key is here, rather, is the fact that your metabolism slows while you sleep to a degree and having excess calories on a slow metabolism will allow your body to retain or gain weight. If you work overnight, you should eat because your body needs nutrition. The better approach to this is to stop taking in calories 2-3 hrs. before you go to sleep. So with some of the bad news out of the way, let's get to some good news. The good news is that if you keep your diet clean and mange your energy intake(calories) daily, you can afford to have an occasional bad day and the effect will be much more minimal. This means if you are going to be bad occasionally(like once every few weeks) go to town. Provided that you go overboard all at once your body will not be able to process all of the excess and will be forced to pass much of it rather than retain it as fat. Before you get too excited keep in mind that this is based on individuals to some degree and certain health conditions such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, or food allergies can cause different reactions. Generally speaking though it is better to have on blowout your diet day than to cheat as little as 100 calories throughout your week. These are just a few things to keep in mind as you enjoy what I hope will be a great fall day! Here is your workout!

60 min. moderate active rest( take a walk, play in the park, whatever you enjoy that does not involve just sitting still)
STRETCH

Enjoy!

J

And We're Off

I know it is the weekend so I will keep things simple. My mind is kind of gone right now anyway. Here is your workout!

5 min warm up
Stretch
2x 40 calf raises
2x 15 tricep dips
2x 15 lateral leg lifts
2x 25 reg. crunches
2x 25 straight leg crunches
2x 10 windshield wipers (legs going from right to left)
5 min cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Run For The Hills

It's Friday and another week is on the books. Before we go out in search of oblivion we have a little bit of cardio to do. Today is going to be a little nasty so I will apologize in advance. We are going to basically find the largest hill possible, preferably about 150 to 200 meters. If you are in Illinois, Florida, or parts of Texas this could present an issue. If you can't find a hill, stairs will have to do but you will only need about 4 full flights. Before we get started with the running, the cursing, the whining, and most of all the excuses, let me explain why we are doing this. It is important to push your body outside of it's comfort zone. Think about it like you would approach the track. Your skates are not going to hold the same edge on a sport court as they will on a wood floor with the same wheels. The same applies to your muscles and joints. You need to have both prepared for whatever is thrown at you. The benefit to the hills is simple. The incline gets your heart rate elevated higher faster, the uneven surface forces dynamic stabilization, flexibility, and strength and the fast twitch muscle training improves your power and quickness. Now to address the excuses. I understand that you already play a high impact sport and your joints more than likely feel it. I am also aware that everything that you do is with a helmet and pads on. If you stay light on your feet, stretch, and keep on your toes on the way up there will be no issues. That said let's get to it!

5 min warm up
Stretch
10x 10 meter hill sprints
6x 25 meter hill sprints
4x 50 meter hill sprints
2x all the way up
1x up backwards
1x up side stepping(each side)
5 min cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Blocked

Getting blocked is something that while incredible in roller derby, is very frustrating when you have to write. The great news for me and it will probably be a relief to you, is that I am not actually a writer. I simply play one on TV. That's not true either for the record. I guess the unexpected point in all of this is that you really shouldn't take yourself too seriously. There may be things in life you should take seriously, most of which I am still unaware exist, but yourself is not one of these. When was the last time that you got the chance to laugh at your own expense? I can typically find something to make me smile and shake my head before I make it into the shower in the morning. If I am able to make coffee without burning myself, someone, or something else I like to consider it a successful day. Talk about taking the pressure off. I only have to be on my game long enough to make coffee. Before I completely derail and lose all semblance of reason, I will stop short and hope that you find today lightheartedly. Here is your workout!

10 min. warm up
Stretch
3x 10 push ups
3x 10 overhead press
3x 10 side leg lifts(each side)
3x 10 bent flys
4x 15 sec single leg plank(2 each side)
4x 10 straight leg crunches
10 min cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

P.S. I want to offer my thanks to Kelly for her assistance and physical capability in putting together the workout explanations. I really appreciate your help!

The Plan

One of the essential Keys to success is to have a plan. For some of you that may mean getting ready for the national Bouts coming up while for others it may mean getting ready for next year or simply feeling better day to day. Exercise can be a difficult and somewhat intimidating area for many individuals and most gyms don't help put people at ease. I should say most people in gyms don't help put people at ease. I personally believe that this is because exercising often brings to light the very essence of our insecurities. Whether it is something we don't like physically about ourselves or the fact that we feel lost among the plethora of information, often times conflicting with one another, and are scared to do anything for fear that we will have our bodies or our egos hurt. Most of you are currently involved with roller derby in some capacity and one thing I appreciate about this sport in particular is the athletes ability to compete in whatever fashion they see fit. Some are ultra competitive while others just need a release for their aggression and a social network that is face to face rather than facebook(don't get me started). I would assume that most of us are looking for a combination of all of these things and that is how we are going to proceed from here. Over the coming months, we are going to lay the foundation for a body that both has the potential to look amazing as well as perform to it's fullest potential in life, sport, or whatever else you would care to use it for. We will be working with several different elements of the fitness equation and looking to improve incrementally. The plan will have a loose fitting schedule that you can tailor to your own schedule for maximized results. Monday and Thursday you can count on a resistance type workout that will be relatively low impact. Tuesday and Friday we will focus more on cardio. Wednesday we will be looking at core and plyometric training(if this doesn't make sense, it will be explained in the workouts). Weekends will be more focused on nutrition and odds and ends. So that is the basic overview of the plan from here. Today is Wednesday so plyos and core is up. Have a great day!!!

5 min warm up
Stretch
2x 25 meters high knee jogging
2x 25 meters butt kickers
2x 25 meters karaoke steps(each side)
2x 25 meters skipping for height
2x 25 meters skipping for distance
2x 25 meters bear crawl
2x 10 squat thrusts(burpees)
2x 25 negative crunch
2x 25 regular crunch
2x 10 plank into push up position and back(start in plank form, raise form elbows to hands and back down to elbows)
5 min cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Take The Day Off

For many of you it was a rough weekend of bouts that should have you pretty banged up. yesterday we pushed some blood through the muscles and that should help them heal. Today, take the day off and let yourself recover(maybe still from the after party). We will be back at it tomorrow!!! Enjoy!

J

Hungry Like A Wolf

I have to start today off with a Hey Girl Hey for my ladies in Kansas City. A great regional tournament showing and a trip to nationals, over all not a bad weekend girls! I would also like to congratulate the Texas girls on a hell of an effort and a trip to Chicago as well. Keeping along the lines of good news, I have finally posted some exercise explanations with pictures and will be adding video this coming week. Thank you all for tolerating the meaningless rhetoric that can be a trainers language. Hopefully this will clear things up a bit. Other than that, it's Monday and time to get after it. Let's try to make this a great week!

5 min warm up
Stretch
2x 20 straight arm twists
2x 20 push ups
2x 50 meters lunges
50 meters karaoke step
2x 20 overhead press
2x 20 bent flys
50 reg. crunches
25 straight leg crunches
4x 15 sec. planks
5 min. cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Back Again

Alright here we go again. Let me first congratulate those who have made it through the first rounds of their regional tournaments. Secondly, let me offer my condolences to anyone who lost their games yesterday or today. This is possibly the toughest portion of the season. As an athlete right now it is easy to focus on either the pain of defeat or the elation of victory. Take a few moments and deal with these emotions appropriately. The hard part is what we do next. Win or lose, it is time to go back to the grind. This is possibly easier to say than it is to execute. sometimes the reality of a situation is difficult to deal with but I will promise that it is better to deal with anything in life while taking action in a positive direction. So let's get back to taking good steps of action toward improving! That's closer to a cheesy statement than I ever hoped to go but whatever.

5 min. warm up
Stretch
10 dive bomb push ups
2x 10 wide grip push ups
50 meters of lunges
2x 25 meters of side shuffles(each side)
2x 10 inverted rows
2x 10 overhead presses
4x 30 sec. planks
2x 25 reg crunches
5 min. cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Go Time

It has been long awaited and is now upon us! The midwest regional tournament begins today! There have been a good many months worth of build up and now it is time to skate. I will not be posting a traditional workout today but rather just reminding you to get a good warm up and thorough stretch before getting started. Let me offer my best wishes to all athletes competing this weekend and if your regional tournament has already happened or is yet to occur, I hope it went/goes well. Have a great night and we'll be back at it tomorrow!

A Coaches Coach

Kind of along the same line as yesterday, today I am just throwing up one of my favorite speeches by a coach. The coaches name is Jim Valvano and the speech is one he gave at the 1993 espys. For more info on he and his foundation go to www.jimmyv.org . Here is the speech!

"Thank you, Thank you very much. Thank you. That's the lowest I've ever seen Dick Vitale since the owner of the Detroit Pistons called him in and told him he should go into broadcasting.

The I can't tell you what an honor it is, to even be mentioned in the same breath with Arthur Ashe. This is something I certainly will treasure forever. But, as it was said on the tape, and I also don't have one of those things going with the cue cards, so I'm going to speak longer than anybody else has spoken tonight. That's the way it goes. Time is very precious to me. I don't know how much I have left and I have some things that I would like to say. Hopefully, at the end, I will have said something that will be important to other people too.

But, I can't help it. Now I'm fighting cancer, everybody knows that. People ask me all the time about how you go through your life and how's your day, and nothing is changed for me. As Dick said, I'm a very emotional and passionate man. I can't help it. That's being the son of Rocco and Angelina Valvano. It comes with the territory. We hug, we kiss, we love. When people say to me how do you get through life or each day, it's the same thing. To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. Number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special.

I rode on the plane up today with Mike Krzyzewski, my good friend and wonderful coach. People don't realize he's ten times a better person than he is a coach, and we know he's a great coach. He's meant a lot to me in these last five or six months with my battle. But when I look at Mike, I think, we competed against each other as players. I coached against him for fifteen years, and I always have to think about what's important in life to me are these three things. Where you started, where you are and where you're going to be. Those are the three things that I try to do every day. When I think about getting up and giving a speech, I can't help it. I have to remember the first speech I ever gave.

I was coaching at Rutgers University, that was my first job, oh that's wonderful (reaction to applause), and I was the freshman coach. That's when freshmen played on freshman teams, and I was so fired up about my first job. I see Lou Holtz here. Coach Holtz, who doesn't like the very first job you had? The very first time you stood in the locker room to give a pep talk. That's a special place, the locker room, for a coach to give a talk. So my idol as a coach was Vince Lombardi, and I read this book called "Commitment To Excellence" by Vince Lombardi. And in the book, Lombardi talked about the fist time he spoke before his Green Bay Packers team in the locker room, and they were perennial losers. I'm reading this and Lombardi said he was thinking should it be a long talk, or a short talk? But he wanted it to be emotional, so it would be brief. So here's what I did. Normally you get in the locker room, I don't know, twenty-five minutes, a half hour before the team takes the field, you do your little x and o's, and then you give the great Knute Rockne talk. We all do. Speech number eight-four. You pull them right out, you get ready. You get your squad ready. Well, this is the first one I ever gave and I read this thing. Lombardi, what he said was he didn't go in, he waited. His team wondering, where is he? Where is this great coach? He's not there. Ten minutes he's still not there. Three minutes before they could take the field Lombardi comes in, bangs the door open, and I think you all remember what great presence he had, great presence. He walked in and he walked back and forth, like this, just walked, staring at the players. He said, "All eyes on me." I'm reading this in this book. I'm getting this picture of Lombardi before his first game and he said "Gentlemen, we will be successful this year, if you can focus on three things, and three things only. Your family, your religion and the Green Bay Packers." They knocked the walls down and the rest was history. I said, that's beautiful. I'm going to do that. Your family, your religion and Rutgers basketball. That's it. I had it. Listen, I'm twenty-one years old. The kids I'm coaching are nineteen, and I'm going to be the greatest coach in the world, the next Lombardi. I'm practicing outside of the locker room and the managers tell me you got to go in. Not yet, not yet, family, religion, Rutgers Basketball. All eyes on me. I got it, I got it. Then finally he said, three minutes, I said fine. True story. I go to knock the doors open just like Lombardi. Boom! They don't open. I almost broke my arm. Now I was down, the players were looking. Help the coach out, help him out. Now I did like Lombardi, I walked back and forth, and I was going like that with my arm getting the feeling back in it. Finally I said, "Gentlemen, all eyes on me." These kids wanted to play, they're nineteen. "Let's go," I said. "Gentlemen, we'll be successful this year if you can focus on three things, and three things only. Your family, your religion and the Green Bay Packers," I told them. I did that. I remember that. I remember where I came from.

It's so important to know where you are. I know where I am right now. How do you go from where you are to where you want to be? I think you have to have an enthusiasm for life. You have to have a dream, a goal. You have to be willing to work for it.

I talked about my family, my family's so important. People think I have courage. The courage in my family are my wife Pam, my three daughters, here, Nicole, Jamie, LeeAnn, my mom, who's right here too. That screen is flashing up there thirty seconds like I care about that screen right now, huh? I got tumors all over my body. I'm worried about some guy in the back going thirty seconds? You got a lot, hey va fa napoli, buddy. You got a lot.

I just got one last thing, I urge all of you, all of you, to enjoy your life, the precious moments you have. To spend each day with some laughter and some thought, to get you're emotions going. To be enthusiastic every day and as Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Nothing great could be accomplished without enthusiasm," to keep your dreams alive in spite of problems whatever you have. The ability to be able to work hard for your dreams to come true, to become a reality.

Now I look at where I am now and I know what I want to do. What I would like to be able to do is spend whatever time I have left and to give, and maybe, some hope to others. Arthur Ashe Foundation is a wonderful thing, and AIDS, the amount of money pouring in for AIDS is not enough, but is significant. But if I told you it's ten times the amount that goes in for cancer research. I also told you that five hundred thousand people will die this year of cancer. I also tell you that one in every four will be afflicted with this disease, and yet somehow, we seem to have put it in a little bit of the background. I want to bring it back on the front table. We need your help. I need your help. We need money for research. It may not save my life. It may save my children's lives. It may save someone you love. And ESPN has been so kind to support me in this endeavor and allow me to announce tonight, that with ESPN's support, which means what? Their money and their dollars and they're helping me-we are starting the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research. And it's motto is "Don't give up, don't ever give up." That's what I'm going to try to do every minute that I have left. I will thank God for the day and the moment I have. If you see me, smile and give me a hug. That's important to me too. But try if you can to support, whether it's AIDS or the cancer foundation, so that someone else might survive, might prosper and might actually be cured of this dreaded disease. I can't thank ESPN enough for allowing this to happen. I'm going to work as hard as I can for cancer research and hopefully, maybe, we'll have some cures and some breakthroughs. I'd like to think, I'm going to fight my brains out to be back here again next year for the Arthur Ashe recipient. I want to give it next year!

I know, I gotta go, I gotta go, and I got one last thing and I said it before, and I want to say it again. Cancer can take away all my physical abilities. It cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart and it cannot touch my soul. And those three things are going to carry on forever.

I thank you and God bless you all."



You can also see the full speech on you tube if you prefer. Let's go to work!

5 min. warm up
Stretch
50 meters lunges
50 meters karaoke step (each side)
8x 25 meter backpedal to sprint( start by back pedaling, drop into a sprinters start, explode forward at a full sprint for 25 meters)
50 meters side shuffle(each side)
50 meters bear crawls
4x 90 sec. 400 meter run
2x 30 sec side plank (each side)
25 full jackknife crunches
25 bicycle crunches
10x 3 sec. bridges
5 min. cooldown
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Let's See How Far We've Come

If you'll indulge me I am going to unravel a little bit today. Recently I have found myself with more irons in the fire than I know what to do with. This is typically when I am at my best however this time I am finding it hard to keep it together. Though I am not sure how everything will work out or what to do next, one thing is clear. I want to live a life that means something more than just to me. In many tragedies that occur, specifically in deaths, people search for meaning or reason. While I can appreciate the need for us as humans to have this information, I wonder why we don't seek it each day. What I am trying to say is that I want to be way more concerned with what each day means rather than my last. Let's face the facts, Life can be cruel, heartless, cold, calloused, brutal, and many other less desirable things. Admittedly that paints a bleak picture. Life can also be wondrous, beautiful, incredible, invigorating, awe inspiring, and breathtaking. The end result is the same. Life is worth living and I mean truly living! Moments should be treasured, love celebrated, personalities expressed, and senses of purpose fulfilled. These are the gifts that we are able to share, the best we can bring to the table. Sometimes it is easy to lose sight of this in the chaos that can become our lives but I believe that it is worth remembering. On that note, let's go build a body that was meant to Live!

5 min. warm up
Stretch
3x 10 chest fly
3x 10 overhead press
3x 10 inverted rows
2x 25 meters side lunge ( each side)
10 super man
2x 25 regular crunches
5 min. cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

P.S. The explanation page will be up this week. Just finishing it up over the next few days!

Blah Blah Blah

Tuesdays are my least favorite day of the week. Rather than rail on and waste some of your day as well, why don't we just get straight to work.

5 min. warm up
Stretch
20 min. interval training( 3 min. light, 2 min. moderate intensity)
2x 25 hip ups
2x 25 negative (reverse) crunches
2x 15 sec. single leg plank(each side)
5 min cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Wrong Again

I have to say that I have a tendency to be an absolutely brutal human being. I try to keep it as honest as I can, but I don't typically hold feelings in high regard. The longer I live, the more is see this as incredibly flawed. Don't get me wrong, it's probably best to play it honest. It's also important to speak your mind but sometimes better not to speak your whole mind. Roller girls have allowed me to see this in a light that has me both disgusted and impressed. The saying "You can't judge a book by it's cover" seems to be real appropriate at this point. The simple fact is that sometimes people and situations surprise you. Withholding judgment saves you from having to make even more difficult apologies. Please understand I'm not preaching but simply unraveling the knots in my own mind. I will say that I am thankful for the opportunity to work so closely with so many amazing women. It has truly been my pleasure and I look forward to each of your future successes. Speaking of success, there is more to it than luck. It takes hard work and preparation so let's get down to it!


5 min. warm up
Stretch
3x 10 push ups
10 dive bombs
3x 10 bent flys
3x 10 upright rows
3x 20 skier squats
2x 10 floor bridges
2x 10 jack knife crunches
2x 25 reg. crunches
5 min cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Straight From The Heart

Today we are focusing in on a cardiovascular workout. Let's start with the basics of what this means and why it is important. First off, when we are talking about cardiovascular workouts we are talking about getting your heart rate elevated to a point beyond normal life function. The cardio systems that we are working with are the heart, the veins, the arteries, and the lungs. Basically we are making the heart and lungs work a little bit harder so that they can be better equipped for everyday life, not to mention ready for the kind of exertion that they will need to put forth in athletic competition such as roller derby. A few factors need to be considered when we assess cardio health including how intense and how frequent your body needs to be ready to perform. We also need to look at the amount of time under stress that your body will need to perform as well as health factors associated with your daily life. Alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco use are two of the biggest things that need to be taken into account when we talk about this type of exercise. Both of these substance cause your heart t work harder at baseline and can certainly cause you to be winded easier, light headed, or cause your heart to race like a horse on speed. The positive thing is that the more cardio you do the better prepared your body is for external sources of stimulation. There is a lot of talk about target heart rate and maximum performance capability. The easiest way to assess whether you are effectively in your target heart rate is to try to talk. When you are within a good range you should have to breath in the middle of a sentence. If you can rattle on telling a story, you are not working hard enough. If you cannot get a word out because you are gasping for air, you are working too hard if that level is to be sustained for an extended period of time( roughly 7 min. or more). So there are a few of the basics. Let's put them to work and keep in mind that this can be any form of movement that elevates your heart rate, not just running or training on an elliptical!


5 min. warm up
Stretch
4x 400 meters @ 2 min pace
45 min. of moderate cardio movement
10 superman hold for 3 sec.
25 regular crunches
5 min. cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

Find Your Way Back

Ever gotten lost? I mean no gps in the world can help you, better have three days rations, no idea where to begin lost? From time to time I believe that we all find ourselves in these straits. As the old adage goes, if you find yourself digging a hole, stop digging. Sometimes along the way we get a few clicks off. I've got to be honest, this is where I have found myself often particularly in the area of working out. The danger in the aforementioned adage when it comes to your physical being is that you can lose ground way to easily if you stop digging. If you can identify right now with the sense of non motivation, start back at the basics. Work little things back into your day that will help you gain ground in getting back on track. On that note, here are a few steps that may help in the form of a workout!

5 min. warm up
Stretch
50 push ups as fast as possible
3x 10 bent flys
3x 10 overhead press
3x 30 pulse squats
4x 30 sec. planks
2x 25 reg. crunches
2x 25 straight leg crunches
5 min. cool down
Stretch

Enjoy!

J

First Of The Month

We are going to begin this month with a day of rest. I know it is hard to believe but with tournament season upon us it is going to be as important that your body feels energized enough to play. Today enjoy yourself and take some time to relax. tomorrow we will be back at it hard!


J