Articles by coach stephen on ArticleSnatch.com

Alternative Baseball Mental Tactics Used By Two-Time World Series Champions

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Oregon State Beavers baseball team repeated as the 2006 and 2007 College World Series Champions. That was the first time a team has achieved this feat. But that wasnâ€™t the only firstâ€. It was also the first time that high level collegiate athletes were seen using a baseball mental technique known as tappingâ€ on national televison. In fact, the team reports that no less than five prominent players utilize this new mental game technique on a regular basis. What is tappingâ€, you might askâ€¦ The most prominent form of tapping is based on the pioneering work by Gary Craig in the mid 90â€™s called Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). EFT is a meridian-based energy therapy, often referred to as do-it-yourself acupuncture without the needlesâ€. Instead you simply tapâ€ on a few clearing pointsâ€ on the face and body while focusing on the negative emotion you might be experiencing. The purpose is the clearâ€ the negative feelings and be able to focus on the positive intentions you desire to happen. While the method is considered unconventional by most baseball mental game standards, the results are well documented in many other disciplines. **End Summary** Topics: baseball mental]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Stephen Ladd of www.RMTforBaseball.com is a mental performance coach based in Columbus Ohio, USA and the author of Renegade Mindset Techniques for Baseball' (RMT). Ladd"'s book is the only baseball-specific manual utilizing the innovative and results-proven energy psychology work of Gary Craig, founder of Emotional Freedom Techniques.

Finding Time for your Pregnancy Workout

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Having trouble finding time for your pregnancy workout routine?Â It can feel like an added stress on top of full time work (or full time parenting),Â running a household and spending time with friends and family, butÂ making time for healthy habits can give you that added boost of energy do help you do it all. With extra energy from your pregnancy workout comes lower stress levels, making the challenges of daily life much easier to handle.Â And who couldn't benefit from that?! ByÂ using some ofÂ the tips below you'll find ways to fit your pregnancy workout into your routine: Schedule Your Pregnancy Workout Into Your Day Yep, this one's first for a reason.Â If you don't carve time out of your schedule for your health, the rest of these tips won't do you any good. I can tell you right now - if you're waiting until you have time during your day to exercise, it isn't ever going to happen.Â You have to make the time.Â Put you and your baby first by making your pregnancy workout a priority. You knowÂ the saying - "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail". **End Summary** Topics: pregnancy workoutexercise during pregnancyexercise in pregnancyexercises during pregnancyhealthy pregnancyhealthy pregnancy dietnutrition during pregn]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Michelle Ladd and Laura Flynn are your Fit & Healthy Pregnancy Coaches with over 24 years experience empowering women to make healthy choices and regain the joy of being pregnant. Not to mention reclaiming your pre-baby body as well. Visit http://www.FitandHealthyPregnancy.com for free special reports and newsletter with breakthrough techniques for the best pregnancy ever!

Pregnancy Food Plan Top Eight Foods to Avoid

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Having a pregnancy food plan in place is critical to both your health and that of your growing baby. Knowing which foods to avoid (or severely limit) during pregnancy is especially important. Itâ€™s a time in a womanâ€™s life when she should be especially careful to protect her developing baby. Some pregnancy food no-noâ€™s are obvious, like alcohol, but others may come as surprise. 1. Junk Foods It will be challenging to find the time to burn off those extra dead calories. Plus they are full of detrimental non-foodsâ€ that are bad for you and your baby. Junk food includes the usual suspects: fried foods, margarines, soft drinks, sweets, anything made with white flour (crackers, cookies, bread, cereals), and most boxed foods. They contain synthetic vitamin A which is toxic and best avoided while pregnant. Do the ingredient list testâ€ - how long is the list, and how many words look like something out of a chemistry text book? 2. Caffeine It is best to avoid or at least reduce your caffeine intake to no more than 200mg per day for your optimal pregnancy food plan. **End Summary** Topics: Pregnancy Food exercise during pregnancyexercise in pregnancyexercises during pregnancyhealthy pregnancyhealthy pregnancy dietnutrition during pregnan]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Michelle Ladd and Laura Flynn are your Fit & Healthy Pregnancy Coaches with over 24 years experience empowering women to make healthy choices and regain the joy of being pregnant. Not to mention reclaiming your pre-baby body as well. Visit http://www.FitandHealthyPregnancy.com for free special reports and newsletter with breakthrough techniques for the best pregnancy ever!

Morning Sickness Top Nine Tips for Fast Relief

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Many of my pregnant friends would say that it really shouldn't be called "Morning sickness." They said that a more accurate term would be "Day sickness." I was lucky and only had a mild version of morning sickness, but it still wasn't fun. Unfortunately, there is no "one size fits all" approach to dealing with the common pregnancy experience of morning sickness. It's more of a trial and error to find what works for you. **End Summary** Topics: Morning Sicknessexercise during pregnancyexercise in pregnancyexercises during pregnancyhealthy pregnancyhealthy pregnancy dietnutrition during pregna]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Michelle Ladd and Laura Flynn are your Fit & Healthy Pregnancy Coaches with over 24 years experience empowering women to make healthy choices and regain the joy of being pregnant. Not to mention reclaiming your pre-baby body as well. Visit http://www.FitandHealthyPregnancy.com for free special reports and newsletter with breakthrough techniques for the best pregnancy ever!

Pregnancy Nutrition Is Caffeine OK?

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Back in 1980 the FDA published a pregnancy nutrition warning advising women to restrict or eliminate their intake of caffeine because of its teratogenic effects (cause birth defects). This was echoed in 1994 with a review of over 200 medical journals by Dr. Astrid Nehlig that was published in The Journal of Neurotoxicology and Teratology. Currently, the advice on caffeine intake during pregnancy nutrition is moderation - meaning less than 300mg. This is because new studies show no harm with intakes less than that. Due to the fact that scientific studies are showing new and different results, I tend to be conservative in my personal view on caffeine and pregnancy. What does caffeine do? Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system, leaches calcium, reduces iron absorption, has a diuretic effect and crosses the placenta into your baby. **End Summary** Topics: diet for pregnancyexercise during pregnancyexercise in pregnancyexercises during pregnancyhealthy pregnancyhealthy pregnancy dietnutrition during preg]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Michelle Ladd and Laura Flynn are your Fit & Healthy Pregnancy Coaches with over 24 years experience empowering women to make healthy choices and regain the joy of being pregnant. Not to mention reclaiming your pre-baby body as well. Visit http://www.FitandHealthyPregnancy.com for free special reports and newsletter with breakthrough techniques for the best pregnancy ever!

Pre-Natal Vitamins - What The Mayo Clinic Pregnancy Guide Didn't Tell You

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Mayo Clinic Pregnancy Guide has a lot right about what's important to eat during pregnancy. They speak of how it's critical to have good eating habits while trying to conceive because major organs form during the first few weeks of pregnancy-before you even know you are pregnant! Without the proper nutrients during this time your baby may be at risk for both short and long-term health issues. The Mayo Clinic Pregnancy Guide also covers the usual suspects of pre-natal vitamins - calcium, folate, and iron which are indeed important, BUT none of them help with... ..fetal development of lung, visual system, skull, skeleton, kidney ...baby brain development ...assistance with utilization of minerals like calcium, water soluble vitamins ...your protein digestion ...your optimal thyroid and immune system function ...your production of sex and stress hormones What nutrient does all this? It's Vitamin A!! Okay, now you may be thinking you've heard vitamin A is that vitamin associated with birth defects. This claim is inaccurate and based on a study that used questionnaires from 22,000 pregnant women to find out about their eating and supplement habits. **End Summary** Topics: diet for pregnancyexercise during pregnancyexercise in pregnancyexercises during pregnancyhealthy pregnancyhealthy pregnancy dietnutrition during preg]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Michelle Ladd and Laura Flynn are your Fit & Healthy Pregnancy Coaches with over 24 years experience empowering women to make healthy choices and regain the joy of being pregnant. Not to mention reclaiming your pre-baby body as well. Visit http://www.FitandHealthyPregnancy.com for free special reports and newsletter with breakthrough techniques for the best pregnancy ever!

Why You Can't Afford to Skip Strength Training Exercise During Pregnancy

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Most people start an exercise program to lose weight. Of course, this isnâ€™t the objective of exercise during pregnancy but there are lots of other reasons to get started on or continue on a regular exercise during pregnancy routine. When you think of exercise, cardiovascular exercise is what usually comes to mind. Walking, jogging, swimming and many other activities that get your heart rate up are all part of this category. And, itâ€™s an important piece to the puzzle. But - The other half of the formula for a well rounded pre-natal exercise routine is strength training. This is the one people often forget about. The running (i.e. cardio) craze of the 1970â€™s is still in the forefront of peopleâ€™s mind when they think about good exercise, burning calories and a healthy, lean body. The truth is, while cardio is great for your heart, it is strength training exercise during pregnancy that will prepare you for the physical demands of being a mom. In addition, it is strength training that will play a bigger role in getting your pre-pregnancy body back, or making it even better than before! **End Summary** Topics: diet for pregnancyexercise during pregnancyexercise in pregnancyexercises during pregnancyhealthy pregnancyhealthy pregnancy dietnutrition during preg]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Michelle Ladd and Laura Flynn are your Fit & Healthy Pregnancy Coaches with over 24 years experience empowering women to make healthy choices and regain the joy of being pregnant. Not to mention reclaiming your pre-baby body as well. Visit http://www.FitandHealthyPregnancy.com for free special reports and newsletter with breakthrough techniques for the best pregnancy ever!

NLP for Golf Training

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

As a professional mental golf training coach, I've become known for my use of energy psychology to break through barriers and assist golfers in slashing strokes off their handicap. But energy psychology is only one of the renegade tools that I utilize with my golfers to maximize their performance. I've also been trained by several Master NLP Practitioners, and get great results with techniques like anchoring. What is an anchor? An anchor is formed when an internal response becomes associated with an external stimulus. Think Pavlov and his salivating dogs.. Hear A Bell = Salivate Anchoring yourself is very easy to do. But because anchors can be positive or negative, and programmed with or without your conscious awareness, it's to your advantage to set them deliberately when it comes to your golf training. Here's how to do it: When ever you smash an awesome drive or stroke the perfect putt, you are momentarily in what we call a "peak state". Immediately, perform some kind of unique action - say a specific phrase, snap your fingers twice, blink your eyes three times quickly, etc. **End Summary** Topics: golf]]> golf training]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Stephen Ladd is a Golf Performance Coach pioneering breakthrough energy psychology techniques, and the creator of Renegade Mindset Techniques for Golf. Visit http://www.RenegadeMentalGolf.com for free reports, videos, newsletters and an 8 part email mini-tutorial!

Why Traditional Golf Psychology is Useless and What to Do Instead

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Hundreds of thousands of golfers have tried the traditional golf psychology (positive thinking) methods to improve their golf scores. Some of them have had some success - some of the time. But from speaking with thousands of golfers, it seems that for most of you it has been an exercise in frustration and a waste of time. I'll let you in on a little secret - the traditional approach to positive thinking can indeed be frustrating and often is a complete waste of time. It's not that you weren't doing it correctly or often enough, or that positive thinking and affirmations have no value, it's simply that you were missing a major piece of the puzzle. You were practicing DENIAL. And a part of you knew it. As they say - "Denial ain't just a river in Egypt". You were essentially denying the part of you that knew what you were affirming, such as "I consistently hit 90% of greens in regulation" simply was not true. Even as you were repeating your affirmation over and over again, part of you whispered "bull****". I call that part of you the "inner critic". And let's face it; **End Summary** Topics: golf]]> golf psychology]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Stephen Ladd is a Golf Performance Coach pioneering breakthrough energy psychology techniques, and the creator of Renegade Mindset Techniques for Golf. Visit http://www.RenegadeMentalGolf.com for free reports, videos, newsletters and an 8 part email mini-tutorial!

Mental Golf Tips To Improve Your Performance

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

This brief article reveals three mental golf tips utilizing a cutting-edge technique known as "tapping". What is Tapping? "Tapping" is a do-it-yourself form of acupuncture, except you don't use needles. Instead you simply "tap" on a few "clearing points" while focusing on and saying (to yourself, if appropriate) the negative feeling or emotion. For the sake of simplicity, the following golf tips will only use a single point, referred to as the "collar bone point". However, it is not the exact collar bone, but rather the two bony notches at the base of your neck. It is about the spot where you would knot a necktie. Just "tap" this point with an open hand approximately 10 times as instructed in the tips below. It's that simple... Golf Tips # 1 - "Tapping" in your Pre-shot Routine Tap while focusing on any negative feeling or emotion you might have about the upcoming shot. If you don't have anything in particular, just use the term "tension". Take a deep breath and say to yourself "Let it be easy". Step up and swing the club. Golf Tips # 2 - "Tapping" in your Post-shot Routine What...you don't have a post-shot routine? **End Summary** Topics: golf]]> golf tips]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Stephen Ladd is a Golf Performance Coach pioneering breakthrough energy psychology techniques, and the creator of Renegade Mindset Techniques for Golf. Visit http://www.RenegadeMentalGolf.com for free reports, videos, newsletters and an 8 part email mini-tutorial!

The Truth About Golf and the Zone

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Zone - it is the Holy Grail of all athletes in every sport (but especially in golf)...the elusive mind/body state in which everything comes together. Golfers describing the experience of being "in the zone" usually sound like this: "Everything felt so easy" "My swing was so fluid" "I knew exactly what to do" Etc, Etc. Ah yes...anyone who plays golf has had this experience. Some for only a moment or two, some for an entire round or even a weekend tournament. But what is The Zone for golf, anyway? How do we get there and STAY there? There are certainly plenty of theories postulated by PhDs in sports psychology as to the exact biochemical happenings in the brain and nervous system during "zone time". They even hook golfers up with electrodes and monitor a plethora of information and biofeedback data. This is all done to assist these golfers in their quest for the Holy Golf Grail...The Zone. Although it would be kind to assume that these Ivory Tower theorists have the best intentions, my gut tells me that it is usually more a case of "intellectual masturbation". **End Summary** Topics: golf]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Stephen Ladd is a Golf Performance Coach pioneering breakthrough energy psychology techniques, and the creator of Renegade Mindset Techniques for Golf. Visit http://www.RenegadeMentalGolf.com for free reports, videos, newsletters and an 8 part email mini-tutorial!

Fix Your Golf Swing Faults - Fast

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

How many hours have you spent (wasted) trying to correct a golf swing fault? I know that when I first starting learning this game it was really just an endless succession from one swing fault to the next.Â I'd apparently fix one, but the compensation patterns that I adopted to do so would lead to another...and another...oh friggin' brother! Â I began to study this frustrating issue from a neuro-muscular (brain-muscle) standpoint.Â And then it all began to make sense.Â It was somewhat de-moralizing, but at least it made sense. Â What I discovered is that our bodies and our brains put together what is called a "motor engram".Â This is basically a movement pattern that becomes programmed into our computer (brain). Â You develop motor engrams all the time for repeated tasks.Â For example,Â most everyone can stick their carÂ key intoÂ theirÂ ignition withoutÂ one bitÂ of thought.Â Your body/mind has a motor engramÂ that knows the height and angle for the key to fit perfectly, without you thinking about it. Â Get aÂ new car, however, and you're going to miss quite a few times. **End Summary** Topics: golf]]> swing]]> golf swing]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Stephen Ladd is a Golf Performance Coach pioneering breakthrough energy psychology techniques, and the creator of Renegade Mindset Techniques for Golf. Visit http://www.RenegadeMentalGolf.com for free reports, videos, newsletters and an 8 part email mini-tutorial!