Dump Your Junk

Can you pitch your junk mail without reading it?

Most people can.

There are curiosity junkies who're afraid they
might miss something valuable. It's tough for
them. But even those people probably could
if they knew there was a reward involved.

There is. If you can pitch it, you can concentrate
like me.

All I do is relax with slow, deep, complete
breathing and focus on a thought I want to hold.
My goal is to get to where I can focus on that one
thought and let all others flash by. I see them as
junk mail I don't want to open. The postman may
deliver it, but I don't have to open it.

Not that these other thoughts are all junk, but if
they don't contribute to my focusing thought I
want to let them drift away for the moment.

To get started I sit comfortably, take a couple of
deep slow breaths while relaxing my body. I start
with the feet, move up to the calves, quads and
hamstrings, glutes, abs, back, chest, shoulders,
arms, hands, neck and head.

Try it.

Don't worry how good you are. You'll get better
with practice and be able to relax almost at will.

Then focus on a thought, idea, or mental image
and begin to let go of all the other thoughts that
will bombard you. Keep your breathing nice and
relaxed.

Start with 5 minutes and build up to 15 or more,
and you will be growing your power of
concentration every day.

Shoot For The Stars,

Coach Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. Hey, I just learned how to breathe this week.
Stay tuned the next couple of weeks, and I'll have
something to show you what I mean. If you can
take your eyes off of March Madness that is.

P.S.S. Coach Tony Alfonso has poured a lifetime
of experience at training ballers into his new 137
page Strength & Speed Training manual. If you
or your program can't afford a dedicated strength
and conditioning coach Tony's book will lay out
exactly what you need to do to get better.

And it's filled with workouts for all phases of the
basketball year: in-season, post-season, pre-
season, off-season/summer and everything in
between.

If you need more strength, flexibility, quickness,
speed, explosiveness, stamina, or toughness let
Tony show you how it's done right at:

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

Note: This blog entry is protected by copyright with
all rights reserved, but you do have permission to
copy and use it in its entirety as long as the links are
intact and the contact information is included.

Copyright 2006,2007 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

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

dean@deandelker.com
www.deandelker.com

Feng Shui Your Mind

For awhile there I couldn't turn around without
somebody throwing Feng Shui in my face. I got
sick of it. My teenage daughters and all their
friends were really into it, for example.

For those of you who have been living under a
rock the last couple of years Feng Shui is the
ancient art of creating an environment which
has a positive, peaceful, supportive energy.
By using space, placing objects, being aware of
colors, textures, lines of sight, etc. you can
create a more emotionally uplifting place to
live or work.

Think of it as the opposite of clutter. In order
for energy to flow powerfully, and for your
space to support your mental and emotional
well-being the clutter must be cleared.

It is good to know a lost art like this can be
revived because we all want to revive the lost
art of shooting too. For that to happen a
related skill needs to be reborn, and that is
concentration or focus.

Without that don't expect to get anything near
the results you want in any area. Success
depends on concentrated effort. As the Bible
puts it, 'a double-minded man is unstable in all
his ways.' So if you've been plagued by
inconsistency lately concentration is probably
what you've been lacking.

The key is not just eliminating clutter from your
environment, but from your mind and heart too.
In the days ahead I'll help you work on that.

Shoot For The Stars,

Coach Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. Any exercises that give you better control of
your body help you also control your mind and
build concentration. That's one reason I've
always recommended the deep breathing and
controlled bodyweight exercises taught by Matt
Furey (www.mattfurey.com) and for women
Eddie Baran (www.eddiebaran.com).

Mindlessly exercising is one of the worst things
you can do for any sport. It makes you dumb
and dumber. Now though I've found a basketball
conditioning program that works on everything
you need to be a force on the basketball court.

If you want to develop superior strength, better
footwork, increased agility, insane explosiveness,
and rock-solid core power. Coach Tony Alfonso
has designed a superior, year-round conditioning
program just for basketball players. It's available
as a downloadable e-book now at:

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

Get started now and make a difference for
summer league play or for next season.

Note: This blog is protected by copyright with all
rights reserved, but you do have permission to
copy and use entries in their entirety as long as
the links are intact and the contact information is
included.

Copyright 2006,2007 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

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

dean@deandelker.com
www.deandelker.com

Take One For The Team

What if your conditioning were a source of pride,
unity, and a champion attitude instead of
punishment for your team.

And what if running and sprints and intervals
were the part of practice both players and
coaches looked forward to the most. What if it
was that time in your practice when nobody
wanted to let the rest of the team down.

That's probably different than anything you
have ever seen on a basketball court, but it
is exactly what Coach Bruce Brown wants
you to experience.

He calls it:

'Team Building Through Positive Conditioning'

That is part of the DVD series 'Character Based
Coaching', the book 'Teaching Character Through
Sport', and a $5.00 booklet I mentioned back in
November. Since I forgot the link before though
you can find all that and more at:

http://www.proactivecoaching.info/

If you want to coach or be coached with winning
attitudes like that you owe it to yourself to
investigate further.

Don't worry. I'm not forsaking the shooting game.
Every area of your game you sharpen up will help
you be a better shooter and have more mental
toughness. And if you're concerned about recruiting
remember most coaches will take high character
guys and girls in a heartbeat.

Shoot For The Stars,

Coach Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. A reader emailed asking me what DVD(s) I'd
recommend for his high school freshman daughter.
I got a little long-winded (Imagine that) but it
turned out well so I'm going to be writing it up
soon for all to see.

Please note too there are other shooting DVD's I
love and will feature in the future. I just haven't
had the time to do the writing and web
development yet.

P.P.S. In case you're wondering I like Tom
Nordland's Swish 2 DVD for kids and most
females. It's an easier, more intuitive method to
learn, and the eye, arm, elbow, hand, and basket
all being in alignment makes targeting easier.

Push the 'Easy Button' for shooting hoops today
at:

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

Make Every Shot Count

How To Fall In Love With Conditioning

Coaches, you can completely change the way you
and your players look at and perform, conditioning.
Take what is usually the hardest, most negative
part of practice and turn it into a positive team
building experience.

How?

Here are suggestions from Coach Bruce E. Brown.

1. The better your team practices the more
conditioning you let them do.

2. Praise all great effort regardless of outcomes.

3. Players losing a drill or competition do not get
to sprint. Winners do.

4. Reward your best workers instead of punishing
your worst ones. Stop punishing those who are
trying their best. Their work ethic will develop
them into productive players.

5. Don't wear your team out foolishly. Know when
enough is enough. Seek quality and intensity over
volume. One key to making this work is
understanding how to use high intensity sprinting
such as that taught by Coach Tim Kauppinen at:

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

Shoot For The Stars,

Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. Keep your eyes and ears tuned for an
announcement soon how you can win $19,500 for
placing 16th in a 3-point shooting contest. I don't
dare tell you what the winner gets yet because
you won't believe it, but you will certainly like it.

If you ever needed a reason to practice like a
madman this will do it for you.

Make Every Shot Count

Copyright 2006 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

The Power of Positive Conditioning

A couple of weeks ago we were discussing how
speed coach Tim Kauppinen and I think it's
counter-productive to use running, sprinting, and
stair work as discipline for not paying attention,
goofing off, insubordination, etc.

I'm not saying some players don't need negative
motivation. Everybody is different. You do what
you have to do.

But in general we feel performance will be at a
much higher level if players are taught to value
and cherish conditioning.

How much better would your team be if
conditioning were treated as a source of pride, not
a result of punishment. In that environment you
can also use your sprinting to build teamwork and
chemistry.

Here's what Coach Bruce E. Brown asks his
players to get them in the right mindset:

1. Do you believe being in great condition will make
you a better player?

2. Do you believe being a better player will make
us a better team?

3. Do you believe conditioning will let us all have
more success?

4. Do you believe great conditioning is something
championship teams have?

Conclusion: Conditioning should be treated as a
privilege.

Stay tuned to find ways to make that happen.

When you discover the value of hill and stair
sprinting you should find yourself playing and
shooting at an elite level.

Find out what you can expect today at:

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

Shoot for the Stars,

Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. Even if you're not an athlete when you find
how powerful and time effective uphill work can
be you'll be proud to watch the changes that will
happen in your body. Let Coach Tim educate you
today by running over to:

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

Make Every Shot Count

Copyright 2006 Delker Enterprises, Inc.

Why Coach Locked His Locker Room

Coach Kenny Sacht from Boise, Idaho recently sent
the following question:

"What is an alternative to running to "get their
attention" (as I state it). If my kids aren't paying
attention or they don't run to the next drill, I let
them know this is not punishment but a simple
way to help them learn it is important to do what
I say when I say it. It gets their attention! What
is a good alternative?"

How DO you maintain discipline if you can't hold a
big negative stick over their heads? And how do
you take what's usually the hardest part of
practice and turn it into a positive experience the
kids will aspire to.

Coach Bruce Brown teaches proactive coaching and
team building through positive conditioning. He
uses drills that condition but are positive, fun, and
emphasize team building. He also presents
conditioning as a source of pride. If you want to be
in the "inner circle", or the "champions club" here
is what you'll need to do.

According to newspaper reports Florida's new
football coach Urban Meyer thinks much the
same. He has presented conditioning from the
beginning as a prerequisite for entering into full
status as a Florida Gator. If you don't have the
right attitude about staying in shape, you aren't
even part of the team.

I remember his first summer here when players
were doing voluntary workouts he kept the locker
room locked. Players had to work out in their own
clothes, get their own showers, etc. They had to
earn the right to even wear the school's colors in
a practice uniform by showing they took pride in
their conditioning.

It's a year later now though, and this group of
Gators has bonded together as a truly well
conditioned team. Maybe that's why they are
undefeated and rising in the polls as I write.

I've ordered some materials from Coach Brown,
and I'll have a more complete answer for Kenny
down the road, but I did think of one factor that
will help a lot.

The way Coach Kauppinen teaches sprinting and
especially uphill sprinting you can get great results
without killing yourself in conditioning.

You don't have to run, and run, and run to build up
endurance. I know that goes against conventional
wisdom, and it's hard to believe but you owe it to
yourself to get up to speed on the latest research
on the benefits of sprinting. One of them is saving
time, and wear and tear on your body.

Coach Tim will get you up to speed in short order
if you sprint right over to:

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

Shoot For The Stars,

Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. Danish scientists at the University of
Copenhagen saw runners who performed high
intensity sprints increase their V02 max by 7%,
even though they ran half the mileage of a
control group.

Find out how to maximize your training today
by speeding over to:

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

Gluttons For Punishment

My friend Speed Coach Tim Kauppinen from
Badgerland Central showed me something today
that really needs repeating. I believe the majority
of coaches in most sports do something all the
time that is stupid.

I've done it myself many a time.

And "it" is to use suicides, wind sprints, running
laps, and running stairs as punishments for
goofing off, not paying attention, or losing a
drill.

There's no question the offenders get better
conditioned, but at what price?

Think about it. Why would you want to plant
negative associations in their minds with a top
notch opportunity to get stronger and faster?
Do you think they are going to want to do extra
punishment on their own outside of practice?
Do you think they will do hill or stair sprints in
the off- season to get better. Not likely.

What if you were to put sprinting drills in a
place of honor in your practices. Maybe only
let your achievers have the time to do extras.
It would be controversial, but think how you
could change the mindset of your team.

What do Walter Payton, Jerry Rice, Marcus
Allen, Junior Seau, Curtis Martin, Simeon Rice,
and Lance Armstrong know that the average
athlete doesn't?

There's an huge edge to be gained doing uphill
sprints.

Maybe you need to look at the studies that show
the benefits of uphill sprinting. Coach Tim is
ready to help you out today at:

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

Shoot For The Stars,

Dean - The Dean of Shooting Hoops

P.S. It's Homecoming this weekend here in
GatorLand, and there's always something
very powerful about coming home. There's
a way to shoot hoops that makes you feel
right at home. Let Coach Tom Nordland show
you how that is done today at:

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

Copyright 2006 Delker Enterprises, Inc.