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BOOMj Expert: Ageless Athleticism

2008-08-11 19:54:33

By: Dr. Micheal Yessis, Ph.D.

By Dr. Michael Yessis, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, California State University, Fullerton.

August 11, 2008

Call in to talk with top pro volleyball player Dianne DeNecochea as she is interviewed by Professor Michael Yessis of Cal State Fullerton about volleyball, the Olympics, and keeping fit after 40 and motherhood on “The Dr. Yessis Sports Training & Fitness” show live on Wednesday, August 13, at 9 p.m. EDT, 6 p.m. PDTat http://www.blogtalkradio.com/dryessis/2008/08/14/Dr-Yessis-Sports-Training-Fitness. All shows are also available on podcasts. The live call-in number is 347-633-9829.

We all love the human drama of the Olympics. There are thousands of astounding stories and inspiring personal quests at the Olympics that thrill us even if they don’t apply to our own lives. After all, how many of us can identify with Michael Phelps and his drive to win 8 gold medals?

But sometimes these finely-tuned athletes can be personal role models for our own lives. Dara Torres made the Olympic team at the advanced age (for female swimmers, at least) of 41 and after taking time off for a child. She worked herself back into shape and returned to the world of Olympic swimming, better and faster than ever – age is no barrier for Dara Torres.

Can we all learn from her example?

Dianne Shoemaker DeNecochea is another inspirational athlete for those of us battling those unshakable challenges – the ravages of time and the quest for a balanced life with your family. Dianne, at the age of 40, made it to the quarter-finals in the Olympic trials for this year’s women’s volleyball team, losing only to the eventual Olympic qualifiers, returning Olympic champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.

Like Dara Torres, Dianne has used age and motherhood to inspire her, not slow her down – having had not one, but two, children. Dianne was a top competitor from the very beginning, starting at the University of Tennessee where she was a two-time first-team Southeastern Conference player. In 2007, she was inducted into the Hall of Fame for the Lady Volunteers.

The keys to Dianne’s athletic success, which applies to every one of us, are the drive and determination to maintain a high level of overall fitness – strength, flexibility, quickness and speed. That allowed Dianne to:

Train for specific skill movements for her sport.

As the “blocker” for her teammate Barbra Fontana, it’s Dianne’s job to keep the other team from scoring on a spike, but she also has to keep up her regular role on defense. It doesn’t do the team any good if Dianne blocks a spike only to lose a point because she’s out of position when the opposition returns her block.

Quickness and agility are critical for Dianne. Having developed her overall fitness, her next step was to work with her skills trainer, Dr. Michael Yessis of Cal State Fullerton, so that she could land on her feet after a block while already moving backwards to get back into position, all in one movement. The combination of the quickness she developed as part of her fitness training and the moves and agility she developed with Dr. Yessis turned her into one of the most formidable defensive players on the tour.

Further training aimed specifically at the moves she needs to make at the net also bolstered her offensive skills with power and accuracy: she ranked number one on the AVP Crocs Tour in kill percentage for 2007.

Maintain her fitness level even when she can’t follow her regular training routine.

Dianne took a year off from competition when her second child was born, and was better than ever when she came back. She quickly regained her old form and more, finishing with Barbra as the 5^th-ranked team for the 2007 season.

We can each try to maximize our strength and fitness, no matter our current age, level of conditioning, or sport we play. Sport-specific skills can help us make that backswing, get to the net, or outrun that ground ball to first base. Most importantly, it can help us enjoy activities that keep us fit and live a longer, healthier life.

Whatever your sport, build your training and fitness programs around the skills and the moves you need to play that sport well. I invite you to read my Expert Articles about Sports Training & Fitness and to purchase my book, Building A Better Athlete, which will help you develop the mastery of technique in running, throwing, jumping and all the other skills necessary for a variety of sports. Most importantly, every athlete and would-be athlete has different strengths and weaknesses. Please contact me directly by commenting on my Expert Articles, and you, your fellow BoomJ and I will all work on getting fit together!