Should athletes continue to train through illness?

Every athlete during their career has experienced the frustration of illness which often temporarily derails their training. Many times the length of time off is determined by the severity of the illness and the rate of recovery, however, there are many athletes that claim that they’ve pushed through and trained while sick. Training while sick…

Can motivation be developed?

by Trent Weir  Algonquin College Sport Business Management Intern  Kieran Behan made his first Olympic appearance at the 2012 London Games as the first gymnast from Ireland to qualify based on his results. While it’s an impressive feat, it is only part of the story. As a young boy, Kieran suffered two major injuries, as…

Performance Anxiety

It is the dying seconds of a basketball game. Your team is down. Making the next basket would lift your team to victory. What do you do? Some players live for the high-pressure moments and want the ball in their hands, since the game is on the line. Others struggle under the pressure and may…

Resistance Training Using Your Own Body Weight

When you walk into most gyms, you will immediately see many different machines and various weight equipment laid out. Each one of these has a specific purpose. As a gym rat, you have the ability to choose between lifting light or heavy weights, based on what you are trying to accomplish in your workout. But…

College Athletes and Depression

There is a common perception that college athletes are tough and should be able to resolve problems that might lead to depression. In fact, just the opposite might be true. Having to handle what is essentially a full-time job and keep up with schoolwork might leave them feeling less well-adjusted than non-athletes. Along with the…

Response and Adaptation To Training and Exercise

When getting back to the grind after a good break from a long season, or when at the beginning of a new training or exercise routine, the body usually feels sore. For seasoned veterans, early season training feels very challenging; lets face it, getting back into shape can feel like a daunting task. For those…

Stretching It Out

Many people make the assumption that stretching and warming up are pretty much the same thing, when in fact they are quite different. Warming up is the preparation of your body for the demands of the physical activity you have planned, whereas stretching is focused on specific areas that are tight and require loosening. While…