Nutrition for young developing athletes

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While getting children into sports is always a good idea, parents shouldn’t stop there. Many parents constantly strive to be a part of their child’s journey, either by practicing with them, teaching them the ropes, or having them watch highlights of the child’s favorite athletes. If you’re a parent of a child who’s passionate about sports, it’s best to know not just the sport, but the proper nutrition a child needs to develop his body and mind for the road ahead.


On that note, here are the most important things a child should consume to build his body the right way for competitive sports.

Water

Probably the most important of all food and drink, water is needed for the body to function. And because a child sweats a lot when he does sports, he constantly needs to be hydrated. Coaches and parents need to have a healthy supply of clean water every training session and every game.


Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates supply the energy children need to perform to their potential. About half of a child’s meal should be carbohydrates.

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Healthy fats

Once all the carbs are used up, the body turns to healthy fats. With this in mind, about 1/5 to 1/3 of a child’s diet should be healthy fats.


Protein

Protein doesn’t supply energy as much as carbs, but it is important in building muscles, which translates to increased strength and speed for children. Without protein, a child cannot grow to be a strong athlete.


Supplements

Vitamins and minerals are always a huge part of nutrition of professional athletes. Children as well, will benefit a lot from calcium and iron when it comes to their growth.


Hello, there. My name is Mike Volitich, and I’m currently studying sports therapy at the UCLA. My interests include sports, travel, fitness, and outdoor recreation. More of my musings here.

Take nature pics like a pro

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Two of my favorite hobbies are travel and photography, and it’s providence that they both complement each other really well. Ask any of my friends, and they’ll tell you that the most beautiful shots I take, I take when hiking in nature. I’m not saying that it’s easy, but it’s definitely rewarding.


Here are some tips I can share with you on how to take the best nature shots while in the midst of a hike.

The changing weather

The weather is a huge part of nature. It is unpredictable and awesome. Also prep your gear for changes in the weather. Consider also factors like temperature and humidity. Investing in waterproof gear (water-resistant won’t cut it) is a good idea.


Tripod, Tripod, Tripod

Often, hiking trails are uneven. Such is the natural terrain. To counter this, create a steady shot, and minimize blurring, bring a tripod.


The forest guide

Hiring a guide is a good idea if you or any of your friends aren’t familiar with the area. Not only will the guide keep you from getting lost, but they’ll also know the best spots to take your shots.


The full day effect

One of the most alluring things about the natural landscape is that it takes on different personalities depending on the time of day. A mountain range at sunrise is very different from one at sunset. The same goes for lakes, rivers, fields, and the like.


Hello, I’m Mike Volitich, a UCLA student pursuing a degree in sports therapy. When I’m not too busy with my classes, you’ll find me listening to podcasts and doing outdoor recreational activities like hiking, skiing, ultimate frisbee, and kayaking. For similar reads, visit this blog.

Organizing health and wellness events for your neighborhood: A few ideas

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It’s always a joy for health buffs and fitness enthusiasts when they see how much they’ve influenced other people into living a healthy lifestyle. However, the encouragement reaches a whole new level when people actually make time to organize health and wellness events for the benefit of their community.


As fitness enthusiasts ourselves, it’s always quite the experience to be invited to a community-oriented gathering to help people reach their fitness goals. Many of you may be reluctant to take the reins of organizing such an endeavor. Many of you may believe that it takes a lot of time, money, and effort to put these events. It doesn’t.

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Take for example family fun runs. Getting a solid sponsor from any business in the community to chip in for run-completion achievement shirts is all you’ll need money-wise. The rest of the logistics can come from volunteers, who can be positioned at stops and rest points to offer water.


Tag-football and half-court basketball tournaments may also attract a lot of people from the community. What’s better is that these games can be a weekly thing, and later, an official event for the neighborhood.


What about you? Can you come up with other ideas on how to organize similar events for your community? Feel free to share in the comments below.


My name is Mike Volitich. I’m currently studying sports therapy at the UCLA. I’ve always been interested in sports, travel, fitness, and athletic wear. More on health on this blog.

The top health benefits of hiking

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Many hiking enthusiasts will argue that the activity may even be better than running or joining marathons. This is because, unlike more physically demanding hobbies or sports, hiking allows you to take it easy and better take in the scenery. Hiking lets you dictate the pace, so to speak.


Hiking’s innate, less rigorous nature allows you to lessen the risk of injury while promoting great physical and mental well-being. You finish a hiking route less stressed, less breathless, as having had an unhurried communion with nature does wonders to stimulate your mind and remove your worries. In other words, you’ll come home feeling some euphoria from the long walk without being depleted nor exhausted.

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Taking in the fresh air while enjoying the sights and sounds of the world around you are perks unique to hiking. It’s great for meditation and contemplation, aids in improving your mood, and allows you to better ruminate on things that trouble you and work on sounder solutions.


Of course, hiking likewise promotes other important bodily benefits like weight loss, better sleep, and a healthier heart. It improves your blood sugar levels and lowers your blood pressure, strengthens your hamstrings, calf, and hip muscles, and enhances your core and sense of balance. After all, it still is an exercise routine.


Hello, I’m Mike Volitich, a UCLA student pursuing a degree in sports therapy. When I’m not too busy with my classes, you’ll find me listening to podcasts and doing outdoor recreational activities like hiking, skiing, ultimate frisbee, and kayaking. For similar reads, visit this blog.

Exercises that relieve lower back pain

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A lot of people experience lower back pain due to lack of proper exercise or a poor lifestyle. Resting it may alleviate some of the pain, but strengthening the lower back prepares it for the trains of quick movements, heavy lifting, and other taxing activities. Exercising these muscles can also relieve the pain. Here are a few exercises addressing lower back pain.


Bird Dog


Strengthening can ease the pain of your lower back in the long run, but mobilizing it is a faster way to get relief. Bird dog is a great exercise and all you need is a yoga mat.


Get on all fours, hands directly underneath your shoulders and knees under your hips with your spine in line with your head. Breathe in and extend your left leg and your right arm. Hold the position and your breath for 5 – 10 seconds and slowly breathe out as you lower them to the starting position. Do this twelve times alternating limbs as you go along.


Lower back stretches

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To do lower back stretches, start in the same initial position for Bird Dog. With a deep breath, slowly take your bottom half backward toward your heels with your hands staying in the same position as you breathe out. Hold the stretch for 20 – 40 seconds. Breathe in as you go back to the original position.

This stretching may not work at all if you have a herniated disc. If you experience pain when doing lower back stretches, have your back checked.


My name is Mike Volitich. I’m currently studying sports therapy at the UCLA. I’ve always been interested in sports, travel, fitness, and athletic wear. More on health here in this blog.

What Are The Roles And Responsibilities Of a Point Guard?

There are five starting positions in basketball. Depending on your skill set and physique, you will be delegated to a role best suited for you.  Each of these roles is vital to a game.  Throughout the NBA, there are players who excel at their roles and have carried their teams to great victories.  Among the five roles, the point guard is arguably the most important.  Here are the roles and responsibilities of the point guard.

The point guard position isn’t delegated to the smaller players.  This mostly depends on their skillset.  Point guards often have high basketball intelligence.  This means they are able to see situations like mismatches, open spaces, and avenues for scoring.  The point guard should also be able to coordinate with his team for offense.

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Reading situations is key for point guards.  He or she must establish the pace of the game, depending on the situation.  The point guard also seeks team mates in the court who have the highest probability of scoring and passing the ball to them.

In the event that other team members are unable to create space for themselves, the point guard should also be skilled enough to take matters into their own hands.  This is why shooting, especially outside shooting, is also a necessity for point guards.

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Hello there! My name is Mike Volitich. I’m a sports therapy student at UCLA. When I have free time, you’ll find me outdoors playing ultimate frisbee and other recreational sports. To pass the time, I listen to podcasts on sports, comic books, and movies. You might also find me cheering for my school’s varsity teams. Visit this website for more reads on basketball.

Top Basketball-Related Injuries

Basketball is definitely one of the more physical team sports. Professional basketball players spend several hours a day training and keeping themselves in tip-top shape. But regardless of how fit these athletes are, there is always a risk of pushing their bodies too hard to the point of injuring themselves. And sometimes, no matter how fit they are, athletes could figure in a freak accident that could cause serious injury.

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The most common injuries in basketball are sprains and strains. The most affected areas are the ankles, knees, lower back, hands, and wrists. Depending on the severity, a player may resume playing or mqy be forced to sit the game out.

As outlandish as it may seem, eye injuries are pretty common in basketball. When players move around and attack the hoop, players could get poked in the eye with a finger or hit with an elbow. Most eye injuries are not severe as most players could shrug them off and continue playing. However, some players have resorted to wearing protective eye gear during the game due to past eye injuries.

Knee injuries are uncommon but severe. Players put so much strain in their knees with all the non-stop running, jumping, and shifting of their weight. This can cause them to injure their medial collateral ligament. This injury can be treated with ice. However, if it’s the anterior cruciate ligament or ACL that’s injured, a player could be out for months, sometimes even for an entire season.

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Hello there! My name is Mike Volitich. I’m a sports therapy student at UCLA. When I have free time, you’ll find me outdoors playing ultimate frisbee and other recreational sports. If you’re interested in more information on sports, visit my Facebook page.