Part I: Heat Acclimatization

As the summer temps heat up, so does the competition. With so many high stakes national and international events taking place this summer, athletes are feeling the pressure of competition. If that wasn’t enough, add the environmental demands of heavy, suffocating humidity or that blinding, blistering sun. In this two-part series, I hope to provide some insight into how you can beat the heat and (hopefully) your competition starting with heat acclimatization education and strategies (part I) followed by proper hydration and cooling methods and how to recognize early signs of heat exhaustion, a potentially dangerous clinical scenario (part II).

All successful performance starts with clearly written goals. The greatest athletes in the world have an established system in place that helps them plan for growth and improvement in their sport. Developing your own improvement plan through appropriate goal-setting is a fundamental step on your athletic journey that will help you know you are on course to achieve your performance potential.

Whether we're competing in front of 150 or 15,000 people, that’s not why we compete or what truly makes us nervous. Let’s turn our attention inward, to the swimmer’s mind in the moments preceding the big race, and discuss how to channel your energy in the right direction. 

You’ve arrived on the big stage. Now what? Unless you’ve been competing for gold before, this is probably the biggest meet of your life. At first, it may seem as if the lights are all brighter and the other swimmers are all bigger, stronger, and faster than you imagined. Don’t let these distractions and worries get into your head. Take these first 24 hours to settle in. The more you’re able to replicate your home training environment and schedule, the better you'll perform come race day.

San Jose, California – Starting their Summer Series international test matches, the USA National Team Men’s 15 Eagles met the Italian National Team on Saturday at Avaya Stadium. Looking to prove they can match up with a Tier One, the Eagles played well, staying within striking distance the whole game though coming up just short of in the end [Game Recap Here]. As the Official Training Technology Provider of USA Rugby, BridgeAthletic ran it’s third halftime contest of the year, this time with athletes from three local Northern California clubs.

This month’s edition of Sports Psychology builds on last month’s Goal Setting article defining the types of goals that athletes can set for themselves and what influence these have on their performance. It is the second article in a three-part series focused on providing the educational knowledge, training tools, and actionable steps that help performers create goals that will lead them toward personal excellence.

SAN JOSE, CA - In a little more than one week, the #BridgeBuilt USA Men's Eagles will take the pitch against Italy at Avaya Stadium in the Bay Area of California. As the Official Training Technology Partner of USA Rugby, BridgeAthletic will be organizing a rugby skills & drills competition during halftime. 

This month’s edition of Sports Psychology expands upon the Plan Phase of the Learn, Plan, Perform Model, a psychological framework in which athletes can create a clear vision of success and identify areas for improvement along their journey toward peak performance. It is also the first article in a three-part series focused on providing the educational knowledge, training tools, and actionable steps that help performers create goals that will lead them toward personal excellence.

Muscle cramps can be a royal pain in the rear….and hamstring, calf, quad, … the list goes on. Even with the most disciplined training, fueling and hydration plan, a bad cramp can still find a way to hold you down on the day of a competition and completely change your performance. In fact, it is one of the most common medical problems encountered by competitors in an Ironman or any other ultra-distance event as well as affecting athletes of many other sports – especially during the conditioning phases early in pre-season training.