Holistic High Performance Podcast

Few people are as aware of their bodies as professional dancers are. Not necessarily aesthetics, but the 'mechanics,' the function and feedback. Their bodies are not only their source of vitality and expression, but their livelihoods, and therefore need to be respected, maintained, and healed. We can all take lessons from their awareness and rejuvenation. BetsyAnn Baron has a unique view of body awareness, as a former professional dancer with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal. Her own experiences with injury and healing led her to the next phase of her life, that of a massage therapist and Structural Integrator. She also developed and teaches Structural Myofascial Therapy. What You Will Learn   - Unlearn some of the things done to our body. - Structural Integration as a way to reset your body to restore   health, wellness, and vitality. - Just because we get older, that does not mean that we have to deteriorate.

For some athletes, their path is clear and straightforward, often laid-out for them from a young age. Follow and connect the dots and you'll get there if you put in the hard work and stay focused. For the rest of us, athletics, as in life, is full of twists and turns, and forks in the road. At some point, 'greatness' and 'winning' is not the goal, as getting older, relationships, children, and a hundred other things can divert us from our goals and force us to re-prioritize. Our next guest perfectly illustrates this non-linear road. Jennifer Wheeler was a collegiate runner, who transitioned into Roller Derby, and then into professional road cycling. Even then, she left to take a job, have a child, and returned to cycling while trying to balance it all. What You Will Learn  The path to your sports goals is not always clear – it's okay to take a break and concentrate on other things. It IS possible to return and/or change your focus to adjust to your new realities. Don't give up – adjust, and build a community that supports you, and you them.

During the past year we've had less control over where we go and who we meet, and have witnessed one of the most profound public health crisis of our lifetimes, along with its economic fallout. We've all been spending considerably more time at home, and have had more time to rediscover some more simple pleasures and joys. One of those joys is food. Some have taken the imposed home time to cook more, while others have taken this opportunity to try a new diet. Or, a combination of both – perhaps even a diet that is not only based on 'what' we eat, but what our bodies are telling us. No one diet fits everyone, and our guest for this episode advocates for not only a whole foods based diet, but one that we tailor to ourselves – our cravings, our bodies, our lifestyles and our minds. Mia Cara is a wellness coach who not only advocates for individual-based diets, but also the larger picture of wellness. Through a combination of eating well and treating our bodies with the respect they deserve, and listening to what our bodies are telling us, we can achieve higher levels of wellness.   What You Will Learn  - What foods are not fit for human consumption. - Learn to listen to your body. Not every 'diet' will work for everyone. If you listen, you'll find out what works best for you. - How blood type affects what you eat (even it you don't consciously know it), and also what type of exercise you need. - Getting useful information from food labels. - How fasting helps your body regulate itself. - Why bee pollen is magical.

Despite our best intentions, our best plans can, and often do, fall short. We've been taught since we were young to have goals and pursue them, sometimes doggedly and without question. This idea has followed many of us into our adulthoods, where we dutifully create goals, but without introspection or a plan, follow them without vision or flexibility. Author, coach and instructor, Mary Marshall, is a strong proponent of upgrading the concept of mere goals to that of Smart Goals – the idea that goals should be realistically achievable, incremental, and in the case of 2020, adaptable. As in life, and as they are part of life, goals need to adjust to our changing realities and life circumstances. Marshall's most recent books include How Not to Be a Leader, How Not to Build a Great Team, and How Not to Create a Winning Strategy. Her previous books include The Entrepreneur Puzzle and The Great Cultural Disconnect. What You Will Learn  Tailor your goals to what you can actually accomplish. Learn which part of your goals are worth keeping and which parts are changeable. Get into the mindset that it's OKAY to change your goals, and hear some real examples of how to make that determination.

Winning on the field is nice. But it's even more important to translate the lessons we learn there to life beyond sports. To apply the discipline, work ethic and growth mindset of an elite athlete to everything we do. Coach James Laurence is the Founder and CEO of Legerity Sports Performance, a coaching program for high-performing athletes of all ages based in Covington, Washington. James played football and ran track and field for the Antelope Valley College Marauders before earning a football scholarship to Western Washington University, where he received his bachelor's degree in exercise science. James has 17 years of experience training a wide variety of elite youth, high school, collegiate and professional athletes. On this episode of Holistic High Performance, James joins Daniel to explain why he didn't play organized sports until seventh grade and how that informs his perspective as a coach now. He walks us through his journey from college football player to founder of his own coaching program, sharing the evaluation process he uses to determine if an athlete is a good fit and describing the growth mindset that helps him adapt as the industry changes. Listen in for insight on the foundation of faith in James' family and learn how pursuing his own goal to compete on the world stage has shifted the way he thinks about coaching. What You Will Learn Why James didn't play organized sports until seventh grade and how that informs his perspective as a coach now The challenges James faced in being a husband, father and college athlete Why James wasn't the DII football superstar he anticipated at Western Washington The series of jobs James took on when his pro football career ended Who mentored James in building Legerity Sports Performance The evaluation process James uses to decide if an athlete is a good fit for his coaching style Why James is focused on helping athletes channel the lessons they learn on the field into life after sports Who inspired James' growth mindset and how it helps him adapt as the industry changes James' commitment to helping his athletes learn to 'drive in traffic' James' personal goal to reach the podium in high hurdles at the World Championships by 2025 and how training has given him empathy for his athletes' mental struggle The foundation of faith in James' family and how his wife and kids inspire him to be better Connect with James Laurence Legerity Sports Performance Connect with Daniel Christofferson Holistic High Performance Daniel on LinkedIn Resources Seattle Chinese Athletic Association Dave McBroom Taylor Barton Dale Baskett Mike Cunliffe