It’s that time of year again. The good vibes that accompany long summer days, offseason training, and vacations are replaced by excitement and fear as the imminent return to school approaches.

Part II: Hydration

The month of August brings the commencement of major international competitions and Fall sports practices. August also brings with it some of the hottest and most humid days of the year, which makes for a well-timed continuation of the discussion on how to optimize performance when training and competing in the heat. Part one focused on the benefits of heat acclimatization on thermoregulation for optimal performance, but proper hydration can truly make or break an athlete come game day. In this article, I will discuss why hydration is so important and then provide simple hydration strategies before, during, and after exercise.

The BridgeAthletic Building Block Series is a set of 5 exercises that can be performed by swimmers of all levels on the pool deck.

Welcome to our series of swim building blocks. This edition will focus on breaststroke-specific exercises to fine-tune your body position and power in the water. Add these exercises to your power days in the pool and focus on them through the off-season to come back stronger and ready to push hard going into next season.

Recovery is one aspect of sports that separates the elite athletes from the rest. The best athletes dedicate time and attention to their recovery, not just in the minutes following competition or training but also in the other 20+ hours of the day. Proper recovery demands a multifaceted approach ranging from the passive components like sleep and stretching to active components of rehydration, refueling, and foam rolling. To be successful, you must treat your recovery with the same attitude as in training: set goals and be consistent. Let’s touch on the primary pillars of recovery that you’ll use to hit peak performance day after day.

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).

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.