Metamechanics For Dummies

Oh wait. Did I just call you a dummy?

Jokingly sure, but we're all dummies in certain
areas till we learn about them. There's no
shame in not knowing something. The shame
is in being too proud to learn when you have the
means, the opportunity, and it will benefit you.

I just doubt if you know what metamechanics
means because as far as I know, I made the
word up a couple of minutes ago.

We all understand what I mean by the
mechanics of something. The nuts and bolts.
The fundamentals. The way you do a certain
job right. Such as in the mechanics of your
profession.

In our case we talk about the mechanics of
shooting, of the jumpshot, of the freethrow,
etc. We're talking about the physical actions
that make for the most reliable, consistent
shooting. Those are readily available, and
they can be developed through repetition in
practice.

Meta is a Greek prefix used in words like
metaphysics. It means beyond, above, or
underlying. Metamechanics is what underlies
or goes beyond the mechanics of something.

One of my mentors, Matt Furey said it this
way recently:

'...you can only succeed when you understand
that knowing the mechanics of something is
not enough. You must also know the mechanics
of your own mind.'

You and I both know people who know their
fields inside and out, but in many ways have
just never hit the level of success they want.
Something inside of them may not let it
happen. Maybe they don't feel they deserve
it. Maybe they have limiting beliefs, etc.

I've been there myself more than once, and I'm
now learning how to consistently grow out of it.

That's why I'm so fascinated by the mental
aspects of shooting. Because the same thing is
involved in any success you have in anything.
If, for instance, you know a business inside
and out, that's not enough. You also have to do
things like expand your self-image to see
yourself being a success.

That can happen one step at time by paying
attention to the little successes you have and
building on them while also forgiving yourself
and learning from your failures.

It can also happen by learning to use your
ultra-powerful imagination positively. Too
many of us are better at using our imaginations
to create worry, criticism, frustration, and fear,
but there is good news. We know how to use the
mechanism. We just have to work at pointing
it in the right direction.

Shooting For The Stars,

Coach Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. The metamechanics of shooting is exactly
what Coach Stan Kellner teaches in his
revolutionary new 'How To Be A Prime-Time
Shooting Machine' DVD.

See how basketball cybernetics can release the
champion shooter locked in your mind today at:

http://www.deandelker.com/kellner_order.html

P.P.S. You can learn tons about fitness, health,
and success from best-selling author, entrepreneur,
and national/world-champion martial artist Matt
Furey at http://www.mattfurey.com/ and
http://www.psycho-cybernetics.com/. I would
recommend everyone who wants to win get on both
Matt's daily email lists ASAP.

Copyright, Delker Enterprises, Inc. 2006,2007

This blog is protected by copyright with all rights
reserved, except you can copy and use any
complete entry as long as the links are intact and
this message is included.

Coach Dean Delker
8413 SW 4th Place Gainesville, FL 32607 USA
352-494-6572 Phone

http://www.deandelker.com/
dean@deandelker.com

The Secret of Athletic Performance

My 16 year old Andrew had a question recently on
the way to school.

"Who's the greatest football player of all time?"

That's a toughie, right? There are so many positions
and skills involved in American football it's not easy
to come up with an answer.

I've always heard people say Jim Brown because not
only was he a great running back, but the feeling was
he could have been just as dominant on the defensive
side of the ball in any number of positions if he'd
needed to.

I think I'd have to say Walter Payton myself though.
That guy epitomized a football player for me. Sure
he was on the great Bears teams of the mid-80's, but
most of his career they weren't all that good. And
he was pretty much their only offensive weapon.

Thing is we all know an athlete when we see one, but
can we define what makes someone the greatest?

Is it strength? Endurance? Agility?

Flexibility? Balance? Explosiveness?

Stamina? Toughness? Speed? Power?

Attitude? Intelligence? Take your pick.

I guess maybe the perfect specimen in any sport
would have all these qualities wrapped up in one,
but I like the way master freelance strength coach
John Wood has described the perfect athlete:

"...when they move they look like liquid steel
- every muscle relaxed but incredibly powerful
and ready for anything.

That's really one of the secrets of athletic
performance - to be in perfect control of your
muscles, and your mind. Everything else falls into
place when that happens and there is a direct link
between the two that can, in fact, be strengthened."

To shoot a basketball like a superstar some muscle
groups need to contract while others relax so they
don't intefere in the shooting stroke. This takes a
high level of mind and body control.

The key to developing that kind of control is to
stay away from "mindless" exercise. You want
training that builds and strengthens the mind/
body connection.

Jumping on a treadmill and plugging in headphones
so you can zone out is the opposite of what you need.
The same with mindlessly pumping iron, or
aimlessly shooting around with a basketball. You're
not developing anything that way.

For my money there is nothing that develops body
control like bodyweight exercises done right. They
take more concentration and involve deeper neural
pathways than pushing around some external object.
They strengthen the body in natural movements
involving major muscle groups so your muscles learn
to work together in concert, unlike what you get with
weight training's isolation movements.

But before you roll your eyes and tell me how boring
pushups are, let me agree with you. You need more
than that. You need to work your muscles from
different angles to develop unshakeable functional
core strength. And you need to incorporate deep
controlled breathing and mental focus in all you do.

Unfortunately though until recently women have had
to to force feed themselves exercises developed by
men for men. A lady could still benefit from these to
some degree, but now there is a better way.

Fitness afficianado Eddie Baran has taken his unique
experience with bodyweight training, gymnastics,
handstand training, and climbing to craft a bodyweight
scupting and training program geared toward the
female who wants the body of an athlete.

Ladies, you don't wear men's jeans if you want to be
at your feminine best. Neither should you settle for
a man's exercise program. Learn how to develop
body control the way your body was designed today
by seeing what Eddie Baran has to teach you at:

http://www.deandelker.com/body_sculpting.html

Shoot For The Stars,

Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. Guys, don't forget I recommend a kick-butt
fitness training program for you too developed by
a world-champion fighter that develops full-body
functional strength, endurance, and flexibility.

Coach Nick Nurse has been using it for a couple of
years in England to develop champion caliber
basketball teams with a huge conditioning
advantage.

Now you can even join an Inner Circle
membership club and get fitness tips and advice
from coaches and athletes around the world. Don't
be a lone ranger, but find out how to become a
world-class athlete today at:

http://www.deandelker.com/matt_furey.html

P.P.S. If you feel the need for hand, wrist, and
forearm strength for shooting like I do let John
Wood introduce you to his graduated resistance,
industrial-strength hand grippers.

They would be perfect stocking stuffers for the
athletes in your life. Conveniently available
today at:

http://www.deandelker.com/captains_of_crush.html

Make Every Shot Count

Copyright 2006 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

A Tale of Two Brains - Continued

I play bass guitar and can do most of what I need
to now without thinking. It has become automatic.
What was once hard has now become easy. If not
I'd have trouble expressing the music that's in my
heart. Having to think about it too much would
defeat the process.

The same with typing, riding a bicycle, driving a
car, walking as a toddler. We've all done enough
repetitions of those acts to master the skills.

Your number one goal in learning anything is to
convert conscious thought and actions to automatic,
subconscious thoughts and actions. Shooting the
basketball is no exception.

But is there another way to convert knowledge
from the conscious to the subconscious mind
besides repetition?

Yes, there is. A very good way.

There is one activity we all do that acts as a bridge
between the two brains I talked about last time.
Believe it or not, that bridge is breathing.

Breathing is automatic most of the time. And that's
a good thing, right? We can sleep or even get
knocked out and we keep breathing.

But breathing can also be conscious. You can hold
your breath or slow your breathing at will. It's
under the control of your conscious mind. And
when you consciously control your breathing while
practicing a skill you tend to integrate the two
thinking systems much better and faster.

You probably think you know how to breathe, but
that's not necessarily the case. Many of us breathe
too shallowly. That won't get the job done when
you're trying to learn or improve a skill though.

But hey, I'm just a newbie at all this stuff myself.
Fortunately I do know an expert though. Karen
Van Ness. Karen is a Certified Fitness Trainer
who played high school and college basketball. She
also holds Black Belts in Tae Kwon Do and Karate.

Let Karen show you how you can supercharge your
breathing and you'll be equipped to lock in automatic
shooting faster than by just using repetitions today
at:

http://www.deandelker.com/best_breathing.html

Shoot For The Stars,

Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. The Zen Master of the Internet Matt Furey also
features breathing prominently in his "Combat
Conditioning" course. See how he uses it do build
strength, flexibility, and endurance by flying over
to":

http://www.deandelker.com/matt_furey.html

Copyright 2006 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

Breathe For Success

I'm still interviewing Dwight J., my IT co-worker
who regularly wins target shooting competitions
in Florida, and I asked him this question.

"Dwight, what is the most important factor in your
shooting success?"

He didn't answer right away, and in fact, asked me
a question in return.

"Dean, what is the body's most important nutrient?"

I thought a little while and was getting frustrated.
All nutrients work together. How can I single one
out? Finally to get it over with I said,

"Protein". Again he came back with a question.

"How long do you think you could live without
protein?"

I know people have fasted for over 40 days so I
answered,

"6 or 7 weeks" while Dwight slowly shook his
head.

"O.K. That's not it. You're probably talking about
water then because you can't go more than a
couple of days without that. Dehydration kills."

Dwight said, "That's true, but not what I was
looking for. Maybe you wouldn't consider this a
nutrient, but I'm talking about AIR, oxygen,
breathing. You can only live a few minutes
without that, right?"

Then he told me the most important factor in
being a good shooter is controlling your
breathing. He goes through a series of deep
breathing routines that both slow and relax his
mind and body right before he goes out to shoot.
He says that is the single most important step he
takes.

Deep breathing is one of the most powerful tools
you have as an athlete, but I'm not talking about
huffing and puffing. I'm talking about controlled
deliberate breathing. Breathing for success like
this is an art you must learn. Then when you
combine a burning desire and visualization with
it you are on the path to becoming super-human.

The best I've ever seen at helping you develop
peak performance on all levels is Matt Furey.
Matt is a world-class athlete, NCAA champion
wrestler, expert in old-school "Catch As Catch
Can" wrestling, mixed-martial arts world
champion, and he has the flexibility of a
teenage gymnast.

More important than that he has a passion for
helping you get the most out of your body,
mind and spirit.

And Matt has opened up his coaching to where
you can now join his "Inner Circle". If you know
what's good for you, you won't hesitate a second.
You'll go find out what Matt's all about now at:

http://www.deandelker.com/matt_furey.html

Shoot For The Stars,

Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. Every thing Matt teaches will make you
better at shooting hoops, or coaching because
you will have tools you didn't even know existed.
He even has it set up where you can try his Inner
Circle for free.

The only way you can miss on this deal, is to miss
out. Get thy buns in gear now and sprint on over
to:

http://www.deandelker.com/matt_furey.html

You'll thank me every day.

Make Every Shot Count.

Copyright 2006 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

Can I Get An Update

In my Clark Kent day job I am a computer systems
administrator at the University of Florida. Whenever
we get a call at our Help Desk one of the first
questions we ask is:

"Have your updates been done recently?"

We do the updating automatically for most of our
systems, but if a user has his computer turned off
during the update window, they can miss it. And
missing it can be disastrous. It's a big security risk.

Not getting the latest updates on the art and science
of shooting hoops can severely affect you too. I am
all for learning and practicing the fundamentals, but
sometimes people do come up with a better way.

I started playing tennis when I was 6 because we
lived about a block from the city tennis courts.
Every summer a wonderful old soul from the YMCA
named Doc Hosbach would organize older kids to
teach tennis lessons to the youngsters, sell discount
equipment, organize games, and tournaments, etc.

I was pretty good and was runner-up in the 14 &
under city-wide tournament when I was 11. Soon
after we moved, and I never was able to put the
same amount of time in it as I had when I was
younger, but I still have good strokes, and a
surprisingly good serve.

I took some lessons a couple of years ago though,
to try to get back in the groove, and found my
basic strokes were older than old school. It was
like a 2 handed set shot is to basketball. With the
new techniques though the forehand now is much,
much more powerful and more versitile than it
ever was before.

So even if you have good fundamentals you still
might need an update or two in your shooting
technique.

But other times there are old skills that have
been forgotten, and need to be brought back into
the light. Matt Furey's revival of "Catch As Catch
Can" wrestling from the turn of the century
wrestlers like Farmer Burns is an example.

Please don't ever get where you think you know it
all, and can't learn anything anymore. Coach Tom
Nordland didn't sit back on his laurels when his Swish
video became a best-seller 9 years ago. He kept on
refining his shooting system and learn more. Finally
he had figured out so much more, he had to come out
with a new DVD, Swish 2. If you don't have it yet
you could be losing out in a big way.

See how you can get double the bang for your buck
today at:

http://www.deandelker.com/swish2.html

Shoot For the Stars,

Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. I love to get feedback on what you are learning,
and the kind of results you are getting. Thanks to
all who've written me already at
dean@deandelker.com


Copyright 2006 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

What Can Focus Do For You

I don't hear a lot of people talking about the virtues
of concentration and focus. It's something I think
most people associate with things that require
extreme concentration like tightrope walking.

The truth is for any kind of athlete though focus
can be invaluable. It will allow you to:

-> Defeat teams with greater athleticism

-> Perform with more consistently by not drifting
mentally in and out

-> Perform when it matters most, like free throws
in crunch time.

-> Work smarter in practices and in the off season

-> Block out adversity and distractions

With the ability to focus on the moment an athlete
can get in a mental state which will let his or her
physical ability be maximized. What people call
"being in the zone".

The value of focus for a shooter is obvious, but the
ability to concentrate and get in the zone where
your mind doesn't interfere with what you've
been trained to do is a skill everybody needs so
keep practicing your sitting still routine. It's a
good start.

Get another good start putting your focus to best
use by spending time with Coach Stan Kellner on
his "How To Become A Prime-Time Shooting
Machine" DVD. Learn how to use your mind at it's
fullest in shooting a basketball today at:

http://www.deandelker.com/kellner_order.html

Shoot For The Stars,

Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. Don't forget to have fun too. Did you know
you can exercise and compete with an inner and
outer smile, and it helps take your performanc to
a another level. Learn how to supercharge your
conditioning today at:

http://www.deandelker.com/matt_furey.html

Copyright 2006 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Workouts

Do you know how to get the most out of your
workout?

You may not believe me now because it goes
gainst common practice, but it's not by listening to
hard driving, fast-paced music.

My friend Tania explains it this way:

Fast pumping music will raise your heartbeat,
adrenaline, and stress hormones artificially
which nobody needs. And it will make it next to
impossible to do quality, deep, controlled
breathing.

It will also rev up your brain and make it harder
to focus, concentrate, and center on what your
body is doing.

Mindless movement to mindless music
will dumb you down.

And when its the mental game that separates
champions from pretenders, don't you want your
mind to get sharper every workout not duller?

In contrast, slow, controlled, high frequency music
will relax you and allow you to breathe more deeply
and concentrate more fully. You will be more in
touch with your body, feel more together, and get
the most out of your training in both body and
mind.

Try listening to classical music for a change and
even better learn more about how to reach peak
performance from Tania today at:

http://www.deandelker.com/secret_power.html

Shoot For The Stars,

Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. Tania and I have a coach who understands
aligning mind and body through exercise. Matt
Furey is his name and his conditioning program
develops grace, mental power, functional strength,
toughness, and stamina like nothing else I've ever
tried.

Give a look see, and you're sure to find something
you need to take your fitness to the next level at:

http://www.deandelker.com/matt_furey.html

Let's Hear It For The Girls

What can girls or young boys do to build up their
shooting strength?

Rhythm and timing and leg strength can produce
good range on your shooting, but sometimes you
do need to build up specific muscle groups.

Donna Bruneau-Lester wrote to a coaches forum
I frequent and had the following to say:

"As a rule girls usually don't have the strength to
shoot from behind the arc [till they're older], but it
doesn't have to be that way. I could shoot a ball at
11 from behind the arc and still have good form."

Donna says what she did to achieve that was do
pushups, pushups, and more pushups. It's a good
way to build strength without building bulk.

To work the part of the arm usually weak in a
woman she recommends pushups with your hands
turned inward toward each other. You can vary
the distance apart, and also move the hands further
up toward the face for developing the upper body
further.

Also key to Donna's young training regimen was
doing a lot of 1 handed shots starting near the
basket and working outward after hitting 5 or 10
straight. Remember to keep your arm in a perfect
"L" for the best results.

Don't forget to work on your non-dominant hand
too.

If you want to add variety to Donna's pushups
and build core strength, you owe it to yourself to
explore Matt Furey's politically incorrect
bodyweight training program. Matt teaches a
Hindu pushup that looks like a cross between
yoga and pushups, and comes complete with
power breathing and mental imaging so it works
out your mind too.

One of his other core body weight exercises is
called the Hindu squat. It's like no other leg
exercise you've ever seen and it works every
muscle you can think of in the lower body.
Couple that with some hill or stair sprints and
you have a 15 minute workout with star power.

Get your kids started on body weight exercises
like that and sit back and watch them mow down
their competition today. Get the lowdown on real
functional strength and endurance today at:

http://www.deandelker.com/matt_furey.html

Shoot For the Stars,

Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. Hal Wissel also stresses the one-handed shot
for mastering proper shooting form. Whether
you're 6 or 60 if you're shot's not consistent Hal
can show you why. Catch the shooting fever
today at:

http://www.deandelker.com/wissel_order.html

Whither Strength

Where does strength for shooting come from?

Dr. Hal Wissel says it comes from the rhythm of
your down & up leg motion. So do most shooting
coaches. No matter what they call it leg drive is
of primo importance.

Leg drive lets you keep your upper body relaxed.
Coach Gary Groharing of the Strictly Shooting
camps in the metro Chicago area calls it 'soft on top.'

The kinetic chain of events in getting that power up
thru the legs into the shot is also critical. Everything
needs to go down together and everything needs to
come up together. The better both halves work
together the smoother and more accurate the shot is.

So shooting strength is much more than arm and
shoulder strength. Leg strength is also a must, and
you have to have a solid mid-section. Core strength
is what you need to transfer your leg power through
to the upper body and to the ball.

Does that mean I recommend running out and doing
Pilates every day? That might not be a bad idea, but
it's not very convenient. You need something you
can do every day, at home or in a hotel room without
any bulky or expensive equipment.

My friend Matt Furey has the perfect answer for you.
Matt has developed an intense daily bodyweight
program for building leg, core, and upper body strength.
And it does this while integrating mind and body and
building endurance and flexibility. And it doesn't take
hours to do either.

Matt's book 'Combat Conditioning' is an international
bestseller which combines Eastern wisdom with
powerful breathing and natural wholistic muscle
building. The result is a body that works together,
and it will provide a great foundation for becoming a
shooter.

See what it can do for you today at:

http://www.deandelker.com/matt_furey.html

Shoot For the Stars,

Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. Sign up on Matt's opt-in email list, and find out
how you can get "Combat Conditioning" free for
taking a 1 month test drive in Matt's Inner Circle.
You will be estatic you did.

The Evolution of a Champion

Udonis Haslem, the undersized blue-collar NBA
power forward was in Gainesville yesterday. It
had been a couple of years since the last time he'd
come home to his alma mater. This time he was
walking taller than usual though. After all he was
a world-champion now.

Those who've known him since Miami Senior High
days though will tell you he's always had a
champion's heart.

He came to the University of Florida as an
unheralded recruit and led the Gators to four
straight NCAA tournament appearances. As a
chunky back-to-the basket center he even
propelled his team to the National Championship
game as a sophmore.

When the NBA passed on him out of college he chose
to play in Europe and used the time to lose 40 lbs,
develop a mid-range game, and become a beast as a
rebounder and defender.

By now you know Pat Riley and the Miami Heat
have taken a chance on this overachiever and have
been rewarded with one of the league's primo
warriors. He's a player who contributes in every
way as his 17 points, 10 rebounds, and defensive
job on Dirk Nowitzki in this year's championship
game attest.

For the past couple of weeks U.D. has been working
with shooting coach David Thorpe on extending his
shooting range.

'I have to do it because Shaq sucks up all the paint.'
Haslem jokes.

And Florida Gator coach Billy Donovan had this to
say about his former player:

'He's one of the guys who gets it. One thing I've
always respected about him is it's all about winning
with Undonis. He has found ways to evolve himself
and he's found a way to affect winning at the next
level. He's a warrior, mentally.'

One of the keys to long term success in anything is
being able to read the prevailing winds and adapting.
Like course corrections with a guided missle we all
have to zig zag ourselves to our eventual goals.

'Cybernetics' is the term author and plastic surgeon
Dr. Maxwell Maltz' coined for that kind of goal seeking
activity in the 60's. In fact, it comes from the Greek
word for steering a boat.

Psycho-Cybernetics then is how to use your thoughts,
imagination, and feelings to steer your life to desirable
goals.

For all you'll ever need to know about this process you
want to check out Dr. Maltz' lifetime work, the 'Zero
Resistance Living' course. It's available only at:

http://www.deandelker.com/zero_resistance.html

Shoot for the Stars,

Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. For all you'll ever need to know about how to use
your mind on the basketball court you want the books,
CD's, and DVD's of Coach Stan Kellner. There is a world
of powerful information there on how to be the player
and shooter you dream of being. Today is your day to
start evolving at:

http://www.deandelker.com/kellner_order.html

The Hidden Benefits of Shooting Hoops

I wonder if you realize what you've gotten yourself
into wanting to be a great shooter? It's actually
possible to set yourself up for life.

When you visualize yourself putting the ball in the
hole you are expanding your self-image to new
levels. You are focusing on what you want, and
letting the inner image change. Then the doing
becomes easier.

When you see yourself as a shooter your life can
change.

You will have learned a ton about desire, belief,
confidence, your mind, goals, perserverance, and
I could go on and on. What you learn on the court
you can apply to most anything you do in life, and
come out a winner. That is priceless.

The processes you learn can also make you more
successful in love, relationships, money, career,
spirituality, education, research, business - every
good thing you want.

For instance I'm sure you've heard the phrase 'time
is money'. And that's true up to a point, but really
isn't it ideas that make money. Creativity is a mental
skill, and as you sharpen your mind on the court, and
apply those same skills to the money game you will
have a much brighter future.

The best, most comprehensive mental program I've
ever seen for basketball comes from Coach Stan
Kellner. I was raving about the book yesterday, and
there is a wealth of information there.

It may be the best buy I've ever seen. It sells for $15,
and there are hundreds of powerful ideas to act on.

The same holds for his 'How To Be a Prime-Time
Shooting Machine' DVD. There's nothing else like it
so I've made it easy for you to order it today at:

http://www.deandelker.com/kellner_order.html

Shoot For The Stars,

Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. My business and life coach Matt Furey has
the ultimate winners attitude, and he teaches it
through exercise, conditioning, and mental power
programs.

He's also the head honcho at the Psycho-Cybernetics
Foundation where he carries on Dr. Maxwell Maltz'
vision for self-image building. You would do well to
visit Matt's sites and absorb as much as possible from
him. His daily emails are an education in themselves.
Now is the time. Here are the places:

http://www.deandelker.com/matt_furey.html

http://www.deandelker.com/zero_resistance.html

God Bless.