Carbohydrates

As an athlete, one of the key ingredients to success is what you put inside of your body. Eating foods that are fried, fatty, and full of sugar is detrimental to an athlete. Those type of foods stay inside your body for days and do not breakdown easily, causing an athlete to run noticeably slower and play sluggishly. The common quote, "you are what you eat" relays to this topic perfectly in that what you put inside your body really does have an effect on your performance and athletes need to be more aware of their intakes. 


Carbohydrates provide athletes with a great source of fuel and energy. Most people believe in cutting back on carbohydrates, though with athletes it is the exact opposite. Cutting back on carbs is not in the best interest for athletes because limiting carbohydrates can effect a person to feel overly tired, worn out, and unable to perform at a perk performance. Carbohydrates helps the athlete build energy, power, and strength and enhances workouts as well as performances. There are some carbohydrates that are better then others for example fruits, vegetables, and grains are a great source of carbs. Whole grain products such as brown rice, oatmeal, and whole-wheat bread is a much better choice compared to the processed white rice and white bread that some people generally eat. Whole grains provide a great source of energy, fiber, and other nutrients that athletes need to maintain a healthy and energetic fitness routine and lifestyle. Carbs that are filled with sugar such as candy bars and sodas are terrible for athletes to consume because they do not contain any nutrients. These items may give you a quick boost of energy, however they are notorious for running out and crashing on a person before they have even finished their workout. Sugar carbs should be avoided at all costs and athletes should not continue to keep them in their diets, as well as fast foods. Fast food and anything fried is such as detrimental as sugars. Athletes need to maintain healthy eating habits with the right proportions in order to be successful. They need the right sources of protein and carbohydrates to be sufficient and to live a healthy lifestyle. 

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Syracuse Men's Lacrosse

Today, as part of a team bonding activity, the Cortland Women’s Lacrosse Team attended the Syracuse vs. Army Men's lacrosse game held in the Carrier Dome. Usually on the weekends when we have off from practice we get together to hang out and participate in team activities. We are a very close team and love hanging out with each other all the time. Our bonding off the field has an effect on our team play on the field showing our connections and trustworthiness in one another. Throughout the lacrosse game we watched, it was obvious that both teams had complete confidence and trust with each other.

The game started off with number 6 ranked Syracuse coming in strong and confident against an unranked Army team. At the end of the first quarter Syracuse was up 4-2, and the fans were beginning to think that Syracuse was going to eventually easily slip away with the lead. However, Syracuse had forgotten about the Black Nights ability to fight till the end and never give up, which is why the out scored the Orange 3-0 in the second quarter, giving them a lead of 5-4 at half time. Army men are fearless and determined hard workers, which is why they were able to outplay Syracuse in the second quarter. Being up at half time is a known advantage for the winning team because they do not have to worry about making plays to come back from the deficit.

As the second half began the battle between the two teams commenced once again. The score was going back and forth, goal by goal with every play, keeping everyone in the stands on their feet. Finally Syracuse scored within the last few minutes and Army missed their chance to tie the game up with just 18 seconds left on the clock. Close games like this is why I love sports, especially collegiate lacrosse. Watching such a talented and skillful group of players today made us all very excited for our upcoming game on Thursday to open the season. 

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Technology Through the Years

When I first started learning about the internet I was obsessed with logging onto AOL and hearing the voice say “you’ve got mail” when I would check my e-mail. I then moved on to AIM, having my own screen name, hundreds of friends on my buddy list, and creating my own profile about me. After being bored with AIM I quickly moved onto creating my own myspace web page, which did not last long due to the instant popularity of facebook. Although facebook is still extremely popular amongst people of all ages, twitter has been catching on recently within the last year. There are several new online social media links and web creations that continue to surface every so often. This semester I was introduced to web blogging for the first time and so far I have had a positive experience with it. Blogging is definitely interesting because everything I post are my own personal thoughts, which I was uncomfortable exposing at first, though I have learned to enjoy blogging very much. There are so many ways to communicate with people via the internet, I can’t even imagine what the next crazy idea will be in the future. To think that we can actually video chat with someone across the world is mind boggling to me. This technology is so amazing, I never would have thought any of this was possible if you asked me 10 years ago when I was waiting for my Dell to start up to go onto AOL. These computer geniuses continue to surprise me with their thoughts and ideas, I think it is great that they continue to benefit our society with technology and social media devices.

 Another thought that I think it is crazy is the fact that I am only twenty years old and I have already experienced an incredible technologic revolution from old school Dell computers to the new unbelievable MAC computers, i-Pads, and various other gadgets. My very first Dell computer was huge and required several compliances in order for it to work. Now my Macbook pro is the lightest and easiest piece of technology I have ever used and I can take it anywhere with me. I am very tech savvy and I would say I know a lot about computers; however there is probably millions of more functions, applications, and ways about computers that I am not even aware of due to the numerous options and capabilities. 

Nikes Advanced New Sneaker

Nike is one of the world's most famous athletic brand name ever known. Nike is internationally connected through the world of sports and the Nike company continues to research, invest, and create new products that will benefit and enhance performance. The new Nike Hyperdunk + sneaker coming out is very technologically advanced. This sneaker is basketball specific and is going to be able to track every movement on the court such as how fast you sprint, how high your vertical is, and how hard you play. All of this information is going to be tracked by a device built within the sneaker which will then sync directly to your phone and instantly be available. This new technologically advanced sneaker has the potential to completely change working out completely. Not only can you track your own success, you can also see your teammates and competitors scores and numbers creating a challenge and a competitive edge every time you step onto the court.  

With this new sneaker every person is going to want to get their hands on them, whether they are basketball players or not. The fact that one of the most famous basketball players, Lebron James, is endorsing this product will make people want it even more. This sneaker can definitely change the game of basketball for all athletes as well as coaches and recruiters. For any coach looking to recruit a player based on their statistics, this product is the perfect way to get live and instant feedback on an athletes performance and be able to compare it to the other athletes at the same time. This sneaker is a recruiters dream tool. Also available will be another type of sneaker for men and women that is more work out specific rather then basketball specific. Those who wish to purchase this item will be given instant feed back on other related workouts which will benefit and enhance their performance level as well. This sneaker is unbelievable and a truly genius idea. Nike continues to amaze me everyday with the new technology they are incorporating into their products. 

Tabta Training

Today in class, Dr. Yang decided to shake things up a bit and commence our lively group by completing a high intensity workout.  Usually at 8 am everyone is still trying to wake up and get the sleep out of his or her eyes; however, this morning’s workout was very effective. At the beginning of class, generally we talk about upcoming topics, current events relating to physical fitness and activity, and various other subject matters. Today, we tried a high intensity interval training known as Tabata. High intensity interval training is an extremely effective form of cardiovascular exercise, completed in sessions that may vary anywhere from nine to twenty minutes long. Although these workouts are very short, they are very intense, providing the participant with the proper conditioning needed to improve the metabolism and burn fat.

The tabata method is based on a study done in 1996 and consists of 20 second of ultra intense exercise, followed by a 10 second rest period. These 30-second intervals are repeated continuously for 4 minutes long, which is 8 cycles. Throughout these 8 cycles, participants are trying to complete the most intense form of workout possible, such as high knees, jumping jacks, striking objects, pushups, and etcetera. Another method to use this style of intense exercise is to complete 60 seconds of intense exercise, followed by 75 seconds of rest period. This cycle can be repeated for 8-12 cycles in order to be effective. Tabata is a recently new form of physical fitness and applications can be downloaded onto any smart phone or computer. This application allows participants to get in a high intense workout whether they are in their office, in their room, or at a store. Tabata is great short interval workout that has the same benefits as any other workout and it is very easy to control and complete. I believe tabata is a great source of physical activity and it would be great to implement this workout more in other classes. 

School Leaders

School leaders are those who set good examples for everyone within the district and those willing to go the extra mile to make sure their school is a wonderful learning experience. School leaders are self-motivated and determined to create an energetic environment and a positive setting. Anyone can be a school leader, whether it is the principal, a guidance counselor, a physical educator, or even a student; there is no limit or criteria to be a leader within your community.

Those who are willing to set a good example are generally among the most respected and influential staff members within the district. Those staff members come to work everyday with an enthusiastic attitude, ready to start the experiences. Most school leaders do not have the intent to always have an impact on the students and others within the district; instead they have the natural instinct to accomplish these tasks anyway. Without even trying, leaders naturally take over situations and set examples as they proceed with their daily routines.

Leaders also enhance the energy level within the schools, making it a fun and friendly working and learning environment. Physical educators create a positive learning environment by motivating students to participate in athletics every day and increase their physical fitness activity level. Physical educators also inspire their students through motivation to achieve their goals and be successful throughout athletics and team-oriented ambitions. In physical education, teachers have the power to create a high energy learning community and they have the ability to lead students towards making the right decisions and choices for themselves. 

Curriculum Guidelines and the Instructional Approach

Curriculum should be a framework of the subject and should include the personal goals of the program. The intended goals should be set up and introduced in a series of benchmarks, working from the top down, to assure success and accomplishments. In a curriculum, the teacher should always state their end of performance task goal that they wish the students to achieve. Following this intended goal, the curriculum should include what the teacher will teach and provide the students in order for them to learn and become successful. In a curriculum there should not be any surprises, the intended lessons should be well planned and the organized ahead of time. I also believe that a curriculum should sell your program and showcase your strengths as a physical educator. They should show off the various areas in which the teacher can provide their students with the best equipment and lessons for physical activity and they should also be a guideline to how well the program is run. 

Instructional approaches must be clear and concise. They must include the proper standards, skills, and cues in order to be appropriate. When teaching the instructional approach it is important to understand your audience and realize their level of knowledge. Teaching has various methods for different ages, which is why when going about the instructional approach one must realize their audience and teach to their abilities. As a teacher, the instructional approach must have clear directions and steps in order for the students to follow and comprehend. Short and simply cues are much more effective compared to long dragged out words and sentences when remembering the sequences to various skills. The instructional approach can have a tremendous impact on the students if done correctly and if the proper amount of time is put into planning the lesson. I believe that the instructional approach should be taught at the beginning of most lessons, that way the students can understand the rules, concepts, and strategies that will be used throughout.