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My Comeback Chronicles #6- Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts
Can you be exhausted and recharged at the same time?
All in all no regrets, well except one  it happened at the awards ceremony when they handed out the gold medal. They gave away a tiny plush alligator (Games Mascot?), I did a double take….man, I would have loved to give that to my three year old grand-daughter …..sorry Tink….Pop Pop didn’t realize what was at stake.
So to put the indoor season in context I won the US Nationals at 60m with a time ranked second in the world overall, Silver in the 60m at the World Championships, and fourth in the Long Jump. Inches separating me and my competitors. So not to bad for doing the whole “rip van winkle” thing for the past 13 years. So fuck you track gods, fate or whoever, as far as I’m concerned the medals were the prizes but the rewards are the stories and memories that will stay with me forever.
It was great to be welcomed back into the masters community by old friends and new, David Jones, Kevin Biggers, Clinton Aurelia, Robert Thomas, Henry Landry, Bill Collins, Val Barnwell, Tony Di Salvo, Alan Sims, Francios Boda and […]
My Comeback Chronicles #6- Final Thoughts2025-04-07T12:47:38-07:00

My Comeback Chronicles #5 – Long Jump – Playing in the sand

Long jump competition-Playing in the sand FUN and Unfinished business
First a funny little story. I was a junior in highschool, dual meet competition, I’m on the runway. I motor down as fast as I can, I’m about to jump and I catch my spike!! Easy to do with the nails we wore back then for dirt tracks, I trip and go flying superman style into the pit face first! Easily sliding 17ft, least they coulda marked it. It was embarrassing but all I could do was brush the sand out of my face, hair and shorts I shrugged and laughed with everyone else….that’s track.
For the most part the sprints are business but the jumps are pleasure. It scratches two itches, one its just plain fun and two I regret not pursuing it fully as a younger athlete.
Now this may be blasphemy for the Long Jump(LJ) purists but I like the idea of “sector” take off points versus hitting the board. Just quickly, for those who don’t know the LJ requires a great combo of speed, skill and jumping ability to run, hit the takeoff board (20 in wide) […]
My Comeback Chronicles #5 – Long Jump – Playing in the sand2025-04-03T10:30:27-07:00

My Comeback Chronicles Blog Post #4 Taking on the World

Blog Post #4  Taking on the world
THE TRIP
I own rental property, most everyday out of the year things are great but let me leave this time zone and something bounds to happen…. whether its a volcano erupting and hot lava running down my driveway, a zombie horde, or Godzilla fighting Mothra on my front lawn you can bet its gonna happen at my place. So I’m used to that curveball. At nationals last month it was a busted water heater. This time a I got a different kind of pitch.
Of the 40 years Ive been flying all over he world, Ive never missed my initial outgoing flight. Well, your boy did this time. Being the planner that I am I had purchased the flight months ago. During that time the airline had made changes to the flights due to changes in their flying schedules, booking me on alternate flights. I in turn made my own changes as well. Well with all the back and forth in my mind I was locked into my initial itenerary, an overnight flight Saturday into Sunday. Well I forgot I made the change to flying Saturday […]
My Comeback Chronicles Blog Post #4 Taking on the World2025-04-03T10:46:20-07:00

Turning Setbacks into Opportunities: What to Do When You Don’t Make the Team

Turning Setbacks into Opportunities: What to Do When You Don’t Make the Team

In the world of sports, not making the team can be a tough pill to swallow. However, Coach Eric Johnson and his co-host delve into the silver lining of being cut from a team and how it can actually propel athletes to greater success. Let’s explore the key takeaways from their insightful podcast.

Embracing Rejection: A Path to Improvement

Learning and Reinventing
Learn from Feedback: Engage with the coach to understand why you were cut and what areas need improvement.
Reinvent Yourself: Use the setback as motivation to show significant improvement for the next opportunity.

Preparation for Success
Ready for Prime Time: View the extra time as a chance to prepare intensively for future opportunities.
Maximize Training: Focus on training to excel, especially when aiming to be scouted by college programs.

Cultivating a Winning Mindset
Harnessing Motivation
Fuel Your Fire: Let the rejection fuel your determination to prove yourself.
Develop Resilience: Use setbacks as a catalyst for becoming a better, more resilient athlete.

Competitive Mindset
Earn Your Spot: Understand that competitive sports require continuous effort and improvement to secure your place.
Annual Challenges: Scholarships are on a yearly basis, emphasizing the need for ongoing dedication and performance.
Looking Ahead: Webinar and Resources

In conclusion, […]

Turning Setbacks into Opportunities: What to Do When You Don’t Make the Team2024-05-13T22:40:42-07:00

Unlocking the Path to Athletic Success: Overcoming the Pack Mentality Embracing Individuality in Sports

Unlocking the Path to Athletic Success: Overcoming the Pack Mentality
Embracing Individuality in Sports

In the world of sports, it’s easy to get caught up in the “pack mentality” – a tendency to follow the crowd, blindly adopting the same training programs, coaches, and strategies as everyone else. However, as Coach Eric Johnson and Coach Aaron discuss, this approach can be detrimental to an athlete’s growth and ultimate success.

The Dangers of Conformity

The coaches emphasize that the pack mentality can stifle an athlete’s individuality, creativity, and personal development. They argue that true success often comes from stepping outside the box and finding the path that works best for the individual, rather than simply following the crowd.

“If you’re with the pack, expect to be with the pack.” – Coach Eric Johnson

Developing Goals and Aspirations

One of the key issues the coaches identify is the lack of clear goals and aspirations among many athletes. They believe that without a strong sense of what they want to achieve, athletes are more likely to fall into the trap of the pack mentality, simply going along with what everyone else is doing.

“What’s wrong with aspiring to greatness? You have to shoot for something.” – Coach Aaron

Collaboration and Empowerment

The coaches […]

Unlocking the Path to Athletic Success: Overcoming the Pack Mentality Embracing Individuality in Sports2024-05-13T22:57:05-07:00

Water Work Outs – Come On In the Water’s Fine

October 2021

By Aaron Thigpen, Gamespeed

You gotta be wondering, I play a land based sport, why would he be talking about pool workouts? Well pool workouts are valuable to all athletes.  For most athletes, you don’t even need to have an Olympic size pool. There are a variety of exercises that can be performed to give you the perfect workout for your sport.

Benefits of Pool Workouts

  • General overall conditioning – aerobic, anaerobic, strength.
  • Non weight bearing in nature reduces wear and tear on joints.
  • Water provides enough resistance for motor learning and patterning for those recovering from injury.
  • Builds connective tissue strength.
  • Active recovery & regeneration.
  • Variety- Can use implements such as dumbbells, resistance cords, medicine ball, kettlebells
  • Can apply some sport specific movements. (swinging a bat, throwing, dribbling).

Try this shallow water workout

Three minute easy swim mixed strokes or dog paddle (warmup)

3-4 Sets of:

Rest 30-60 sec between exercises and 2-3 min between sets.

30 sec Hi Knee Run

20 x Alt Arm Raise Side/Front

20 x Tuck Jump

30 sec Wall scissor kick

40 x Running Arm Swing

20 x Split Jumps

Three minute easy swim mixed strokes or dog paddle (warm down)

Not just for  H2O athletes, mix in some water workouts weekly to […]

Water Work Outs – Come On In the Water’s Fine2021-12-17T13:42:40-08:00

Want to get Fast? Jump to It with Plyometrics

Want to get Fast? Jump to It with Plyometrics

By Aaron Thigpen, Gamespeed Sports, August 2021

In an athletes pursuit of speed the one thing that brings the “speed -power” equation together is plyometrics (Plyo’s). Plyos can be defined as “exercise involving repeated rapid stretching and contracting of muscles (as by jumping and rebounding) to increase muscle power”. I encourage coaches to add these to an athletes training regiment. Below is a brief progression of how to introduce plyometrics to young athletes.

Jumps/Hops: Provide ability for vertical and horizontal projection. Two footed hops are the most basic form. When working with young athletes be sure to monitor proper take off and landing technique.  They require no equipment but coaches can advance athletes to jump over and onto obstacles such as cones or boxes. Once there is proficiency athletes should move onto single footed jumps and hops.

Skipping: Adds the aspect of rhythm and coordination and starts to mimic the running action. A  simple progression might be no arm skipping, arm drive skipping or skipping in place as well as directional skipping. Changes in height (amplitude) can teach athletes how to apply force to the ground and effect propulsion.

Bounding: In its simplist definition […]

Want to get Fast? Jump to It with Plyometrics2021-08-07T13:47:37-07:00

5 Reasons to Consider A Summer Lifting Program

Okay summers here. Time for sun, fun and weights? Yes I said weights. Summer is an optimum time to make strength gains. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking “bulking up”.  I mean developing and improving relative “strength to body weight ratio”. The type of strength work that can translate into power and explosiveness when you get back on the court or field.

Here’s some good reasons why:

More Available Training Hours – With no school you may have a few more available  hours to schedule gym time.  Now you can take your time and not just squeeze it in but quality time. Also with more time comes more consistency which is the foundation for developing strength.

Replenish Strength Stores– Summer is a great time to replenish strength stores that are depleted from the rigors of the past competitive season. Reload!

Opportunity to Correct Imbalances – Summer provides an opportunity to get the body centered. Playing sports creates imbalances that need to be corrected in the off season. For those whose competitive seasons were more demanding you can recover from injuries and trauma and reset the body  for the next season.

Do Things The Right Way – Time to cross the T’s and dot […]

5 Reasons to Consider A Summer Lifting Program2023-06-01T10:44:14-07:00

The “Training Effect” – How long does it take?

“The Training Effect”- How long does it take?

By Aaron Thigpen, May 2020 

How long will it take me to get faster? how long will it take me to get stronger? The most common questions asked by parents and athletes.  There are a lot of factors that can determine that time frame. However, there must be a clear understanding of the training process so as to have the right expectations and most importantly adherence to the training program.

Understanding the training process, I break it down into these FIVE phases:

  • Initial learning– Learning the exercises, the athletes introduction from a physical, technical and mental standpoint.
  • Early Physical Adaptation – The process of progressing through the workout routines, the athlete’s physical ability to complete the training, the ramping up. Initially  high levels of soreness, completing partial reps or sets of the activity.
  • Major Adaptation – The program is in full flight, adjustments where intensity and volume are modulated for desired effect, body’s training IQ goes up.
  • Application – Transferring the attributes of the training to sport specific activities. (throwing harder, running faster)
  • Performance – Executing the attributes on command under pressure in a competitive setting.

You may notice the absence of a time […]

The “Training Effect” – How long does it take?2021-05-21T11:30:40-07:00

The Awkward Athlete

THE AWKWARD ATHLETE
by Aaron Thigpen, Gamespeed Sports
May 2021
A few years ago I was approached by two parents. They had a thirteen year old son who had dreams of playing varsity baseball. They were actually apologetic about their sons athletic abilities. I asked them to bring him in for an Evaluation. Turns out they were right. The lanky, awkward kid was uncoordinated, clumsy and off balance in every thing he did. The most basic movements were a struggle and he looked on the verge of injury in most cases.
After the evaluation I informed them of my thoughts and suggested they bring him in twice a week, commit fully to the process and lets see where it goes over the next four years.
Fast forward four years later, my baby giraffe had become a strapping 6ft 200lb athlete. I had the joy of watching this young man pitch a complete game in the finals of the NCS Championships (90mph fastball) and hit the game winning RBI off the center field wall (400ft) of the Oakland A’s stadium.
My baby giraffe […]
The Awkward Athlete2021-05-13T11:18:01-07:00

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