All of your training and hard work has been for this one big athletic competition. In the week before the event, you want to be sure that your body and your mind are sufficiently prepared for the challenge ahead. Here are three things to do the week before a sports tournament in order to deliver the most success.

Don’t Wear Yourself Out

Although it may be tempting to keep pushing your body, it is important to be mindful that you do not over train. The week before the tournament should be devoted to rest and relax. While it is a good idea to do light exercise to keep your muscles fresh, you also do not want to wear yourself out. Fatigue Science suggests that knowing that you might be too nervous or excited to sleep soundly the night before the tournament, it is a good idea to bank some sleep leading up to the event. Be sure to turn off the television, smartphone, and all electronic devices so that your rest is not interrupted.

Make a Plan

Competitive Edge recommends to put your mind at ease before the tournament by making a plan and learning how to keep focus. If you are traveling for your tournament, be sure to make a packing list and doublecheck it so that you do not inadvertently leave something important behind. It is also a good idea to plan your meals in the days leading up to the event so that you are sure that your body has what it needs to perform. Take care to ensure that you also have adequate hydration levels by nourishing your body with water.

Take Your Vitamins

In addition to getting the recommended amount of protein and carbohydrates, it is also vital to nourish your body with vitamins. ASEA explains that cellular health is at the foundation of overall health and wellness, so targeting cellular health with your dietary supplements should be a priority. Months of hard training can deplete the body and put it at risk of contracting illnesses. Supplements such as zinc and vitamin C can help to boost the body’s immune system and keep it functioning at optimal performance levels.

You will head into your tournament with high confidence if you have taken the time to adequately prepare your body for the rigors ahead. Be kind to yourself in the week prior by taking in the nutrients, hydration, and rest that you need to be the best.

Read these other interesting articles on similar subjects!

• Trying to Lose Some Weight? Be Careful
• Things a teen can do outside and not on the phone

Youth on Course — the non-profit providing young people with subsidized budget golf rounds, college scholarships, caddie programs and paid internships – has organized challengers from six states and the District of Columbia to participate in its 3rd Annual “100 Hole Hike” to raise funds for its nationwide program.

On Monday Sept. 10, supporters from Georgia, Missouri, Minnesota, California, Pennsylvania, Utah and Washington, D.C. will aim to complete more than five rounds of golf in one day, securing donations for every completed hole. Contributions in 2018 have already doubled last year’s total, eclipsing $200,000 two weeks before the event.

“With each dollar raised, Youth on Course continues to help remove the cost barrier for young people to play golf,” says Youth on Course Executive Director Adam Heieck. “The outpouring of support means providing further access to opportunities for junior players.”

Born in Northern California, Youth on Course helps fund budget golf rounds for members to increase affordability and accessibility to the game. The organization has grown its presence to 26 states and reaches more than 40,000 kids ages 6-17 who can play at partner facilities for just $5.

Fundraising for the 2017 Hundred Hole Hike resulted in Youth on Course securing $91,506 to support its goal of providing affordable golf for all members. To support the “hikers” and Youth on Course, backers can pledge any amount per hole to any participant.

Follow Youth on Course via Twitter and Instagram (@yocgolf) using the hashtag #YOCH3 for the latest information about the event and real-time updates.

In addition to subsidized rounds, the organization also facilitates college scholarships, paid internships and a caddie program. Since the inception of the scholarship program in 2008, Youth on Course has awarded 222 students with scholarships totaling more than $1.4 million in financial support. The current Youth on Course scholarship retention rate is ninety-eight percent, with 53 students already graduated.

 YouthOnCourse.org | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube

14-year-old Olivia Sulek just became the youngest Reebok CrossFit Games winner in history, here is what she had to say about her accomplishment:

“To call myself the fittest teen on earth still hasn’t sunk in. This past week has definitely had its ups and downs, but I wouldn’t trade the result for anything else. If anyone asked me one year ago if I thought I could even qualify for the Games I would’ve thought they were crazy. To win the Games, I never would’ve imagined in a million years.”

From the press release:

Today, Renaissance Periodization (https://renaissanceperiodization.com) – diets and training backed by science – is thrilled to announce that three of their athletes were named “Fittest on Earth” at this year’s 2018 Reebok CrossFit Games with others topping the podium and leaderboards.

Making headlines as the youngest CrossFit Games winner in history was Renaissance Periodization athlete, 14-year-old Olivia Sulek, of Ohio who won the Girl’s 14-15 year-old category after taking a commanding 86 point lead in the final afternoon of the Games.

“Olivia is a very committed athlete so when we realized that her diet could be better preparing for the Games, she was all over it,” added Nicolas Simpson, Sulek’s coach and Owner of ESF CrossFit. “I had previous success with Renaissance Periodization helping me prepare for regionals so working with them was a no-brainer.”

In the team competition, “Fittest Man in History” Rich Froning along with Lindy Barber on Team CrossFit Mayhem Freedom won the Games for the third time in four years. Prior to this, Froning was named “Fittest Man on Earth” four times. Also topping the leaderboard at this year’s Games, was Renaissance Periodization athlete Annie Thorisdottir who placed fifth this year after becoming the first female to win the CrossFit Games twice in addition Renaissance Periodization athletes and Fittest American Female Kari Pierce who placed sixth.

“We’re incredibly excited to see three Renaissance Periodization athletes top the podium at the 2018 CrossFit Games,” commented Renaissance Periodization Founder, Nick Shaw. “Their relentless work ethic and determination have paid off in a big way and we’re happy to have played a role in helping these incredible athletes reach the pinnacle in their respective sport.”

Renaissance Periodization was founded in 2012 with the understanding that science is the surest path to the truth, and in this field, to results. Their approach is the rigorous application of scientific principles to nutrition and training and was built on a foundation of peer-reviewed literature and experimentally confirmed theory. Renaissance Periodization boasts the most qualified staff in the industry of 20+ experts including a practicing medical doctor, 17 PhDs and five Registered Dietitians along with U.S. Olympic Sports Nutrition Consultant, Dr. Mike Israetel. Since 2012, Renaissance Periodization has helped hundreds of thousands of clients worldwide, ranging from world champion athletes to everyday men and women looking to get in better shape.

To date, Renaissance Periodization and their team of professionals are the official dietitians for Team USA Weightlifting and USA Powerlifting. For more information on Renaissance Periodization, visit www.renaissanceperiodization.com.

Ping Pong, or table tennis as it is often called, is a game which is loved by many. This is an easy to play game and a sport which offers many benefits. This is the second largest sport in the world. It is also known as life-time sport since it can be played for life, even when old. So get started now so you can beat your fellow senior citizens when you turn 90 haha.

Let’s have a glance at some reasons why you should play ping pong.

Bonding

Ping Pong is a sport which can be played anywhere. It can be played at home, in community centers and also in schools. It helps in developing a great bond of friendship – whether it is between family members, friends, or new people. People who play the game are known to socialize much better. When kids learn to play the game, they bond in a better way with their friends and members.

Physical Development

Ping pong is one great way of staying in shape. It helps in improving hand-eye coordination. Studies have revealed that a game of table tennis helps in strengthening bones, develops muscles and strengthens the body. The game is about repetitive and also multidirectional movements, so helps in building flexibility and agility.

Great for the Brain

Ping pong helps in improving motor functions. It builds energy and helps in long-term memory functions. Table tennis is one game which helps in improving the functioning of your brain the more you play.  

Inexpensive

Ping pong is is quite cheap. You do not have to buy a lot of equipment or gear to play the game. It can be played anywhere with a ping pong paddle, a ball and a table. You bareley even need a net. Thus, you can start off quickly without making a major investment.

Easy

Though you may not become a master at once, you can learn to play the game in about 10 seconds. This is one game which can be easily played by all – irrespective of gender, age and size. The rules are simple. Teens can start playing from an early age and can master the sport by the time they are adults.

 Great Exercise

Young people often do not feel motivated to exercise and it gets really difficult to get in a workout. If you start playing ping pong from an early stage, it works as a great exercise. You start losing extra fat. The body gets flexibleand you will start moving towards fitness.

Author:  Lisa J. Richie has spent a lot of time researching about Ping Pong. She helps people with her tips, suggestions and advice related to the game. You can find all her articles in Gosports reviews. This is the place to find the best ping pong equipment, according to Lisa.

There are a lot of things you can do to get and stay in shape, from running to P90X to martial arts to soccer. One teen has raised the bar on fitness recently through the sport of CrossFit, where she was just dubbed the “Fittest Teenager in the World” in her age bracket for the second year in a row!

Kaela Stephano has been doing CrossFit for about 3 years and Olympic weightlifting for 1 year. In July of 2016, Kaela competed at the 2016 Reebok CrossFit Games in the 14-15 year old category, and was crowned in 1st place – making her the fittest 14/15 year old on earth! In addition, Kaela competed at Youth Nationals for weightlifting in June of 2016 in the 58 kilogram weight class in the 16-17 year old category and won 1st place overall. Earlier last year, she also competed in Wodapalooza Miami 2016 in January and took 3rd place in the 13-15 year old category.

Earlier this month, Kaela returned to the Reebok CrossFit Games where she took First Place again! Here is a list of her achievements so far:

2017 Reebok CrossFit Games, 1st place, “fittest 16/17 year old girl on earth”
2016 Reebok CrossFit Games, 1st place, “fittest 14/15 year old girl on earth”
2016 National Youth Weightlifting Champion, 1st place, 58 kg 16/17 year old girls
2016 CrossFit Open, 8th place in the world, 14/15 year old girls
2016 Wodapolooza Miami CrossFit Fitness Festival, 3rd place, 1-15 year old girls
2016 Junior National weightlifting, 5th place, 58 kg 16/19 year old girls

With obesity still a crisis in the United States, we reached out to Ms. Stephano for some tips. Hopefully this motivates to get off your phone for a while and break a sweat today!

Hi Kaela, nice to e-meet you! First of all, tell us a little about yourself…

First of all I just wanted to thank you for reaching out to me. It means so much to me! My name is Kaela Stephano, I am 16 years old and I am the fittest 16-17 year old girl on earth.

So…you were dubbed “fittest 14-15 year old girl on earth” after winning the 2016 Reebok Crossfit Games….and you just took first place AGAIN about a week ago in the 16-17 year old category, right? Congrats! What was the best part of the experience at this year’s games?

My favorite moment of the Crossfit games this year was crossing the finish line on the final event and realizing that I had just won.

At what age did you start training?

I started crossfit in January of 2014 when I was 13 years old.

Tell us about your training regimen—as far as how many days per week and what a typical training day looks like.

I train 6 days a week 2 times a day for around 6 hours.

Did anyone ever discourage you or tell you that this sport is not for girls?

When I first started crossfit, the trainers at my old gym didn’t believe in me and they didn’t encourage me. However, after switching to Crossfit Hype I have found life-long training partners and friends who encourage me, cheer me on, and believe in me.

Have you even been bullied? If so, what did you do to handle it?

Since I have been homeschooled my entire life, I have never been bullied.

What is your personal favorite exercise?

My favorite exercise is handstand push-ups, strict or kipping.

Tell us about your diet…what do you generally eat and what do you absolutely avoid?

I eat lean meats, lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts, complex carbs, such as Explore Cuisine pastas, oats, rice and sweet potatoes. I try to stay away from anything unhealthy. I also weigh and measure everything I eat and track it on myfitnesspal to make sure I hit my calorie, protein, fat, and carbohydrate goals for the day. Explore Cuisine pasta helps me to meet my protein goals for each day as it is loaded with plant based protein and fiber and low in fat and carbohydrates.

Crossfit and weightlifting are tough sports…what keeps you going and motivated?

I am motivated by my desire to be the best and to glorify God.

Give me your Top 5 Tips for teens to get into shape.

1. Work hard
2. Eat healthy
3. Believe in yourself
4. Make exercise a priority and a part of your daily routine
5. Get a workout/accountability partner

Who are your role models in general…who do you really look up to and why?

I don’t have any specific role models, but I look up to all of the Crossfit Games athletes and to some Olympic weightlifting athletes.

Where would you like your training to take you in the future…that is to say what are your goals?

My goals for the future are to win the Crossfit games as an individual female and to go to the Olympics as a weightlifter in 2020.

Best experience as an athlete thus far?

The best experiences I have had as an athlete have been winning the Crossfit Games 2 times in a row and being able to travel nationally and internationally for weightlifting representing Team USA.

And the worst?

The worst experience I have had as an athlete has been the mental aspect of training. I struggle with being in my head and telling myself that I am not good enough.

Tell us something people would be surprised to know about you.

Something that often surprises people is the fact that I never did gymnastics and that I was a dancer for 13 years of my life.

Biggest pet peeve?

My biggest pet peeve is a lack of order. I love planning, having a schedule, and being organized.

Any causes you are passionate about?

I am passionate about glorifying God with my life.

What’s coming up next for you?

In October, I will be traveling to Colombia for the Pan American Championships for weightlifting with Team USA.

Where can people connect with you on social media?

Follow me on Instagram @Kaelastephano

Could we please get a quick selfie?