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Showing posts from February, 2013

How to Prevent Biceps Tendonitis

How to Prevent Biceps Tendonitis             One of the questions I get from people is, “What injuries do you see all the time?”. My answer is always the same, “It depends what sport you are talking about”.   At Westfield High School we have 27 varsity sports and I get to work with every one of them on all three levels (Freshman, J.V., Varsity). It is safe to say that I get exposed to many injuries.   One that I see all the time, especially in swimming, is biceps tendonitis.             With any injury recognizing the injury is the easiest part. Any coach who has been working with swimming or baseball can tell you the signs and symptoms of biceps tendonitis. What I believe is the most important part is finding the cause of the injury. If you can find the cause you can fix the original problem. Whereas most other people focus on the site of pain, I like to fix the root of the problem.   I often ask my students if they focus on the fruits or the roots. The root is what creates th

4th Step to becoming a Great Leader

7 Steps to becoming a great Leader             #4 Be Passionate                         This should go without saying, but you must be passionate about what you do.   It honestly does not matter what it is. I have seen people passionate about plumbing and when you are around them, you can’t help but share in that passion. People who are passionate attract others to their cause. It is like a ball of energy that you cannot help but be attracted to.             I often get asked how I can juggle so many things into one day. For those who do not know me I own Flo Fitness, I am the Head Athletic Trainer at Westfield High School, I am an Adjunct Professor at Kean University and I am a Co-owner of Next Generation Fit Pros. This may sound like a lot of things, but it is all things that I am passionate about. I often smile because I am surprised that people pay me to do things I love. When you find and pursue your passion you never really work a day in your life. I know this sound

3rd Step to Leadership

            #3   Do not fear NOT being liked             One of the hardest parts of leadership is making the tough decisions. When you are in charge, you have to make the calls that are best for the team. Unfortunately the calls that are best for the team are not always the ones that are best for certain individuals.             As a leader you may not always be liked.   This is something I have noticed with parents and children lately. Parents want the kids to like them, so they never make the hard disciplinary decisions. When a leader fears not being liked, it comes across as a sign of weakness. Once you show this weakness your staff, kids, students, etc know that they can manipulate you into doing what they want. Once this shift of power happens you are no longer the “Leader” you are only a “Positional Leader”.             The difference between a “Leader” and a “Positional Leader” is that one is appointed to you, while the other is earned. The best way I can describe th

Becoming a Great Leader: Step #2

#2 Lead by example             I believe you should not demand anything from anyone that you are not willing to do yourself. One of the greatest quotes I have ever heard is, “A great leader never wears strips on their clothes; they wear scars on their back.” –Miles Monroe. If you are not willing to do the dirty work, your workers will not respect you. As the leader you will have to set the standard. You will have to be the brand.             One person who I feel is becoming a great leader is LeBron James. His success now is partially coming from the fact that he is walking his talk; he is living up to the hype around him.   He plays hard and expects that his team will play just as hard as him. In the past he would slack off at key parts in games and you could see the team doing the same. Now he plays like a man on a mission from tip off all the way until the last buzzer sounds. There is no let up, because if he were to be lazy, then the team would do the same.             L

1st Step to Leadership

7 Steps to becoming a great Leader             #1: Follow I believe all great leaders start off as great followers. The word follower has received a bad rap, but it is an essential part of becoming a great leader. Following is what we do as children. You see people walking, talking and interacting with their environment and you mimic them. As we get older the same principles hold true.   You need someone to get you started on your path to leadership.             My first piece of advice is: find a mentor. When people think of a mentor, they always think it has to be someone they know or see on a regular basis. This is not true at all. Many of the people I consider mentors, I have never met. This may seem silly but here is list of people I follow and study: Jay-Z, Bruce Lee, Eric Thomas, Michael Jordan, Les Brown, Bob Proctor, Daniel Pink. I have never met any one of these people but I have read their books or studied some aspect for their life. They have inspired me and mo