The Science of Motivation, And How High-performance Athletes Access It

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The Science of Motivation, And How High-performance Athletes Access It

Coaches and athletes love high-tech gear and fancy training equipment because, understandably, if they train with the best of the best, their athletic abilities will exceed that of their opponents. But when you strip all of that away, athletes will discover that the mental game ends up being the cement that is keeping everything together.

While many of us are eagerly awaiting the day our gyms and training facilities re-open, we can start dedicating time to training our minds the way we should have been pre-pandemic. Today, I want to focus on a critical area of mental skills training, which is motivation. I’m going to discuss what motivation is, and how we can re-acquire that passion the same way high-performance athletes stay motivated.

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Equipment Settings vs. At-Home Workouts

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Equipment Settings vs. At-Home Workouts

Sport seasons have been canceled, schools have transitioned to remote learning for the rest of the academic year, and people everywhere are extremely limited when it comes to gym and weight room access. Athletes around the world have invested countless hours to develop their strength, athleticism, and performance. Coaches dedicate their livelihood to giving their athletes opportunities to succeed. At Volt, we believe in providing pathways for all to continue their fitness journey and thrive amidst the crisis at hand.

We now offer more at-home training options than ever before—and with more options come more decisions... The good thing is, we’re here to help with that decision. Whether you’re a coach setting up your team for success or an athlete trying to make the most of your situation, we’re here to help you solve one of the most frequently-asked-questions from the Volt Family:

Should I stick with my original program and adjust my Equipment Settings, or should I make the switch to an At-Home Workout program?

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The Ultimate At-Home Workout Upgrade: Introducing Equipment Settings

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The Ultimate At-Home Workout Upgrade: Introducing Equipment Settings

Life-as-we-know-it has changed dramatically over the past month. With gyms across the nation shutting their doors and many mandatory social-distancing orders in place, access to gym equipment simply isn’t in the cards for most people. As we’ve all been adjusting our lives to this new normal, it’s as important as ever (for physical and mental health) that we stay active.

With that in mind, our team at virtual Volt HQ has been working tirelessly to help you maintain your workout routine, whether your gym is a garage, backyard, or living room. As part of that effort, we’ve been building a brand new feature that enables you to customize your workout program based on your available equipment. I’m excited to announce that with our latest update, that feature is now live and available within the Volt app!

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Training during COVID-19: Back to the Basics of Movement, Health & Sports Science

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Training during COVID-19: Back to the Basics of Movement, Health & Sports Science

This may be a good time to re-set and return to the basics. Re-set not only our basic movement patterns and strength training regimen but also slow down; keep it local; re-connect with our neighborhood; play backyard and playground games; find simplicity and solitude; reading; self-assess who we are and what matters; appreciate humanity, etc.

And finally, let’s keep in mind the social connections that humans need to sustain quality of life. Yes, physical activity, strength training, nutrition, sleep, stress reduction and relaxation are all important to health and well-being, but when it comes down to it, the number 1 determinant of happiness and a good life is…positive social relationships.

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Raising the Bar with Workplace Wellness

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I have never been a CEO or business owner. But, I have been a head coach. I’ve wanted my athletes to feel that every practice or training session was efficient and productive. I’ve wanted the athletes to be focused and put in 100 percent effort. And, most importantly, I’ve wanted my athletes to get good work done. You hear coaches yell it all the time: “Hey, let’s get to work!”

Hmmm…sounds a lot like a CEO, doesn’t it? Just exchange ‘employees’ for ‘athletes.’

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How to Get a Great At-Home Workout with Volt

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How to Get a Great At-Home Workout with Volt

Let’s be real: it’s a strange, scary time in our world right now. And while a workout routine can seem like the least of our worries, if you’re like me, physical activity is an important method for staying healthy and managing anxiety, especially in uncertain times. If you can’t get to the gym (or if your living room has become your gym for the foreseeable future), here are 3 quick tips on how to modify your Volt workouts to fit your equipment—even if your only equipment is your own bodyweight.

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#WHYITRAIN: The Big 5-0. Reflections on LTAD, Aging and a Healthy Lifestyle

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I remember hearing in the early days of my academic career “it’s interesting to see how researchers turn their attention to the effects of aging on the cardiovascular system, strength, etc. when they get older.” I’m not here to tell you that I am shifting my focus from pediatric exercise science and youth athletic development to aging. It just happens that I’m a bit more interested personally in aging as I turn the Big 5-0, and get to experience all of age’s great effects!

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Training Editor 2.0: Volt’s Most Flexible Programming and Periodization

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Training Editor 2.0: Volt’s Most Flexible Programming and Periodization

Drumroll, please… After a lot of hard work by our team at Volt HQ and countless conversations with #VoltFamily members, we’re excited to announce the launch of the Training Editor 2.0! Our newest release includes more flexibility, capabilities and control when it comes to managing your training. With these powerful tools, coaches are now able to tailor their team’s training like never before. The #VoltFamily has been asking for more flexibility in the Volt Training Editor, and today, we’re thrilled to be delivering on that request. 

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Understanding Block Schemes and Intensity

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Volt’s Training Editor makes it easy for coaches to adjust aspects of training such as workout duration, workout structure, number of workouts per week, and the periodization schemes and intensities. In this guide for coach users, we will break down block schemes and intensities for each of the periodized training blocks in the Volt system, to help you navigate the Training Editor features with confidence and agility.

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Why Everyone–Not Just Athletes–Needs Resistance Training

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Strength Training—it’s all about biceps, barbells, dumbbells, and meatheads, right? Well, that’s simply wrong! 

Strength training is a form of physical activity and exercise that should be part of everyone’s pursuit of health and fitness. Youth. Teens. 20-somethings. Adults. Grandmas and Grandpas. Aunts and Uncles. Athletes. Recreational athletes. Powerlifters. Gym rats. Firefighters. Military. Teachers. Lawyers. Diabetics. Cancer survivors. Small business owners. Software engineers. Everyone!

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