Eat and Drink All Day

When we think about staying well hydrated, most of us think only about drinking enough. Food also plays an important role in good hydration. Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of water, and a diet abundant in fruits and vegetables can contribute up to 4 cups of fluid a day to your diet. Fruits and vegetables are also the primary source of potassium, an important electrolyte in fluid balance. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables regularly throughout the day helps your body hang onto the fluids that you drink, preparing your body for a hard workout at any time during the day. Set yourself a goal of eating 9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

On warm days when you sweat more than usual, it’s important to have enough sodium in your system. While you don’t want to go overboard, it’s a good idea to have a moderate amount of salt in your diet on those days. If you are already eating foods high in salt like fast foods, processed foods, and lots of snack foods, then you should probably think about replacing some of those with more natural, whole foods. If you are already eating a diet that is low in processed and packaged foods, then adding some pretzels and baked chips, salting your vegetables, and drinking a regular V-8 juice can add just the right amount of sodium to keep your fluids in balance out on the field or track.

It is particularly important to be drinking, of course. Not just around exercise, but all day long. Have a fluid plan just like you have a food plan. When you wake in the morning drink at least 2 cups of water. Throughout the day take sips from the drinking fountain or carry a water bottle with you. Adding ice to the water and using a thermal sleeve can help it stay cold for several hours. At lunchtime, refill your bottle with water and ice in the school cafeteria. Most of the “lunch ladies” behind the line will help you get ice if it’s not accessible otherwise.

Sports drinks are fabulous for around exercise, but they should not be the beverage that you drink all day long. You want to get your calories and electrolytes from foods that also contain all the other important nutrients you need to perform at peak levels. Sports drinks are lacking in everything except the 3 nutrients that your body directly uses during exercise: water, sugar and electrolytes. They are empty of everything else so that these nutrients can be absorbed and utilized quickly during activity. Throughout the day choose water, lowfat and nonfat milk and 100% fruit juices to round out your fluid intake and nutrition.

Before, During and After Exercise

Hydration is a major issue in warm and humid weather. While you might feel basically okay, you could still be dehydrated enough to diminish your performance. Most of us walk around slightly dehydrated all the time. It gets even worse when the temperature is warm.

You lose about a quart (4 cups or 1 liter) of water per hour of exercise, depending on your size and perspiration rate. When you’re working out moderately in a milkd climate, you are probably losing 1 to 2 quarts (1-2 liters), or 2 to 4 pounds (1-2 kg), of fluid per hour through perspiration. That means that a 150-pound (68 kg) person can easily lose 2 percent of the body’s weigh tin fluid (3 pounds or 1.5 kg) within a nhour. If exercise is more intense or the environment is more extreme, fluid losses will be greater. Thus, you can see how easily you become dehydrated.

If you don’t replenish fluid losses during exercise, you will fatigue early and your performance will be diminished. If you don’t replenish fluid after exercise, your performance on successive days will decay, and your long-term health may be at risk.

According to the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA), dehydration:

• Impairs your physical performance in less than an hour of exercise—or sooner if you start working out in a dehydrated state;
• Cuts your performance by as much as 48 percent; and
• Increases your risk of devleopiong sympotmos of heath illness, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke.

For workouts, here’s a schedule that will keep you well hydrated.

Fluid Replacement for Athletes—A Summary of Practical Applications from the NATA Position Statement

Before Exercise

2-3 h before, drink 17-20 oz of water or sport drink

10-20 min before, drink 7-10 oz of water or sport drink.

During Exercise

Athletes benefit from drinking fluid with carbohydrate in many situations.

If exercise lasts more than 45 min or is intense, fluid withcarbohydrate (sport drink) should be provided during the session.

A 6%-8% carbohydrate solution maintains optimal carbohydrate metabolism.

During events when a high rate of fluid intake is necessary to sustain hydration, carbohydrate composition should be kept low (less than 7%) to optimize fluid delivery.

Fluids with salt (sodium chloride) are beneficial to increasing thirst and voluntary fluid intake, as well as offsetting losses.

Cool beverages at temperatures of 10 degrees to 15 degrees C (50 degrees to 59 degrees F) are recommended.

Every 10-20 min, drink 7-10 oz of water or a sport drink. Athletes should be encouraged to drink beyond their thirst.

After exercise

Within 2 h, drink enough to replace any weight loss from exercise; approximately 20 oz. of water or sport drink per pound of weight loss.

Within 6 h, drink an additional 25%-50% more than weight loss from exercise.

The truth is, Cutler’s story did not end where his insulin began.  In fact, Jay Cutler is in the middle of a new tale, seeing whether or not he can master the mystery of his own body while playing the most important role on a football field.

The problem for Cutler is that Type 1 Diabetes is a permanent failure of the body to produce appropriate levels of the hormone insulin.  Insulin is a major player in a group of hormones that help athletes and everyone keep energy going to the right places.  While insulin tells the liver and muscles to make glycogen, a quick access form of stored sugar, other hormones turn that stored sugar back into sugar for energy during time of stress, such as last night’s game.

Insulin gets fat cells to store energy as fat, keeping energy stored for longer workouts.  Other hormones in Cutler’s body use this fat during longer workouts and over the course of a season.  Our body’s cells, especially exercising muscles need energy to do their work.  Insulin helps unlock the cells’ wall to allow glucose to enter.  It even gets muscle cells muscle-making machinery working instead of breaking muscle down.

In concert with the other hormones, insulin allows us all to navigate the different parts of our lives and exercise routines effectively.  Our body keeps it all running smoothly, adjusting for stress, exercise, illness, travel, weather conditions, diet, and a host of other factors.  It’s all automatic for most of us.

Unfortunately for Jay Cutler, it is no longer automatic.  Not only does he have new offensive packages to learn, he’s got to learn how to inject himself with the proper amounts of insulin at the proper times to mimic the way his body would do it.  Done right, Cutler can keep his body strong, use it to exercise and perform in sports, and recover in preparation for the next round of physical challenges.  In the case of a professional football player like him, this means being aware of his diet, the stress of elite sports on his body, other stressors in his life, his level of fatigue, travel, weather conditions, injury, and illness, and probably a whole host of other issues.  It’s almost enough to make you miss that defensive tackle about to crush you into the turf!

And then there is game day.  The human body has special requirement when exercising that are difficult to meet without insulin.  Mimicking the body’s insulin regimen during high performance athletics can be extremely tricky.   Jay Cutler wants to be on his game, but let’s say he gets it wrong.  Then what happens?

Let’s say he gives himself too much insulin or has a more stressful game than usual, making him require more sugar than expected.   Cutler’s muscles and brain are working hard to process the defense’s package, move the ball down field, and avoid getting plowed by a rushing linebacker.  In his body, the hormones, including the insulin he injected, allow this by generating sugar from storage and getting it into the muscles and brain.  At first, the sugar in his blood goes into the muscles and brain, which is good.  But as mentioned above, insulin makes the body store sugar, so the extra insulin counters the signal to release those sugar stores.  The level of sugar in the blood drops, leaving the brain and muscle in a lurch.

This is termed hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).   It can be so severe as to cause seizures, even death.  But more often confusion, impaired judgment, inability to communicate, and even lowered self confidence effect people with less severe drops in blood sugar.  A bit too much insulin, tougher conditions, or an injury (a hurt finger?) can all precipitate such a situation.  Could such an issue lead to a dropped pass or an interception?

On the flip side, Cutler could also give himself too little insulin for the stress of a game.  In this case, the hormones besides insulin are releasing the stored sugar without enough insulin to get it into the muscles and slow down the sugar-releasing process.  As the blood sugar rises, sugar is dumped into the urine and pulls water with it leading to dehydration.  At the same time, the muscles are forced to use other energy sources which produce byproducts that acidify the blood.  Dehydration and changes in body pH both have detrimental effects on the body’s ability to perform.  In worst cases, it can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, a dangerous lowering of the blood pH that can even cause coma or death.  More likely, it could zap Cutler’s energy during a game and reduce his performance potential.

I don’t suggest that Cutler’s bad games come as a result of his diabetes.  Every quarterback has an off night, with or without diabetes.  But we should consider that the leader of the Chicago Bears offense now has to run a body system far more complicated than any NFL playbook, made more complicated by his daily job as an elite athlete, and with serious consequences if he does not do things just right.

As a result, the story of Jay Cutler’s diabetes is definitely not over.  It will continue to unfold over the course of the next several seasons.  Will type 1 diabetes continue to give Jay Cutler problems?  Will he be able to run his body like an efficient offense?  Will insulin give him a shot at becoming a top NFL quarterback given the extra challenges he faces in a game where only the sharpest succeed?  The story goes on.

EXPOSURE

There are many reasons why some student-athletes are recruited more than others. The number one reason is exposure. If you need the exposure to get involved with at least 100 schools, you should begin to market yourself as soon as possible.

HOW TO MARKET YOURSELF

There is the more traditional way of using direct mail, and the more modern approach of using e-mail. If you use either of these methods, please understand it is time-consuming and expensive to do it the right way. All correspondence must be personalized and all coaches (not just the head coach) must be contacted. Just remember, the greater the effort, the great the reward.

Also keep in mind that a quality collegiate scouting organization is an affordable and effective way to produce the contacts you need.

READING BETWEEN THE LINES

So…finally…you are receiving recruiting mail! Are the letters unsolicited? Are they in response to a letter you have written? What do the letters mean? What is the coach saying? Are you getting the message?

Read your recruiting mail carefully. It is important to evaluate each school and how interested they are in you. If you don’t like the messages in the letters you are receiving, you should broaden your search and contact a wider range of college coaches. DON’T GIVE UP!

The first aspect of training is to make sure the body can adapt to the training easily. One big mistake that is made is to be in a weight room, stack the weights, and then crank it out. The body must be prepared for the stress it will have to be under. An example is you wouldn’t go out and take 200 shots on net without small increases each time out. In order to do this you must get the body acclimated to handle stress. One of the first things I do with my lax players is start with an Active Dynamic Warm-up. I make it last 20-30 minutes, to condition the body with low stress levels on it. The next step is to move into body weight exercises. This teaches control and builds strength quickly. Also, it conditions the joints and muscles before the heavier loads are taken on. Furthermore these exercises can be done almost anywhere and are sometimes the ones forgotten when an athlete works out. I keep it basic and simple. Too many times I see athletes looking to do the “Crazy” exercise because it looks cool. Think of your training body as building a house. The first thing that is built is the foundation, then the framing, roof, walls, and then the materials inside. If you do not set a good strength foundation everything else will suffer as it would in a house. Base level strength can be defined as the ability of muscles to produce tension and exert resistance against outside forces. What does that mean?? It means the ability to produce movement with your body.

There are many different types of strength; we are going to focus on Absolute Strength. This is defined as the maximum force an athlete can produce, in respect to their body weight. Bodyweight and performance are closely related in sports. One of the best tests you can use on yourself is Maximum Chin-ups. If you take a group of athletes and have them all perform a maximum chin-up test, the odds are the ones who do the most chin-ups will run the fastest. I know you’re probably saying to yourself,” chin-ups are arms, but I run with my legs.” The fact is that relative to your body weight you need to be strong, as well as have your upper body producing power when running. A good guideline is: for boys 12 and under, 5-8 is good; girls 12 and under, 1-2 is good; boys 13 and up, 8-10 is good; girls 13 and up, 2-5 is good. If you want to get faster you need to get stronger!! Ok, now on to the Strength Program. Give yourself 1-2 days to recover between these workouts. Also make sure you are doing your speed work. Good Luck!!!

Here is a 2-day Beginner Program:
Day 1
Active Dynamic Warm-up 15 minutes

1. Push-ups: 2 sets of 15
2. Chin-ups: 1 set of maximum
3. Dumbbell squats: 2 sets of 10
4. Dumbbell Lunges: 2 sets of 10 each leg
5. Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 2 sets of 10
6. Core- Toe Touches: 2 sets of 20, Leg Lowering: 2 sets of 10 seconds each
7. TAKE 45 seconds to1 minute rests between sets
8. Stretch

Day 2
Active Dynamic Warm-up 15 minutes

1. Dumbbe1l Side Lunge: 2 sets of 10
2. Dumbbell Step-up (on a box or bench @ knee height or above) 2 sets of 10
3. Dumbbell Bench press: 2 sets of 10
4. Push-ups: 2 sets of Max
5. Chin-ups: 2 sets of Max
6. Dumbbell Curls: 2 sets of 12 supersetted with plate holds
7. Core- Seated Rotations: 2 sets of 20 each side, Standing woodchoppers 2 sets of 10
8. TAKE 45 seconds to 1 minute rest between sets
9. Stretch

Energy

To maintain body weight and health and maximize training effects, female athletes must consume enough calories during periods of high-intensity training.  Without enough energy available to all systems of the body, muscle will be lost, menstrual function can become disturbed, bone can be lost and maximal bone density will never be reached. Poor energy intake can lead to an increased risk of fatigue, injury, illness, and a prolonged recovery process.

If body fat or weight must be decreased, begin the process months prior to the competitive season. This way weight loss can be done gradually, with a balance of increased exercise and a very small amount of calorie restriction, limiting any nutritional deficits.

Protein

All athletes need more protein than sedentary individuals, and the needs of female athletes are the same as their male counterparts. Adult endurance athletes require 1.2 to 1.4 grams /kg (0.55 to 0.64 grams/pound) of protein per day to maintain health and performance. Adult strength athletes require 1.2 to 1.7 grams/kg (0.55 to 0.77 grams/pound) of protein per day. Adolescent athletes have the additional energy and protein needs of growth, and should add at least 10 percent to these values. When energy intake is restricted, protein requirements increase, and an additional 10 percent should be added on again. The same is true for vegan athletes.

Vitamins and Minerals

B-vitamins play a critical role in exercise performance. Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine (B-6), pantothenic acid, and biotin are involved in energy production during exercise. Folate and B-12 are required for the production of red blood cells, for protein synthesis, and in the repair of all tissues, including the central nervous system. Several B vitamins are frequently low in the diets of female athletes; especially in cases of vegetarian diets or those with disordered eating patterns. Riboflavin, pyridoxine, folate and vitamin B-12 have been identified.

Calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium are the primary minerals low in the diets of female athletes. The reason is typically the same as for vitamins: low energy intake. This means restricted food consumption and low nutrient content.

Calcium is especially important for growth, maintenance, and repair of bones; maintenance of blood calcium levels, regulation of muscle contraction, nerve conduction, and normal blood clotting. Iron is required for the formation of red blood cells which contain the oxygen-carrying protein myoglobin and hemoglobin, and for enzymes involved in energy production. Zinc is critical for growth, building and repair of muscle tissue, energy production, and immune function. Magnesium plays a role in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It is critically involved in cellular metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, and regulates neuromuscular, cardiovascular, immune and hormonal function.

Even when an athlete tries hard to follow a healthy diet, there are stressful, busy days when it is nearly impossible to eat everything that you need. I encourage athletes to take a one-a-day style vitamin-mineral supplement to cover any occasional holes in the diet.

Good Food Sources of B-Vitamins

Thiamin: Whole and enriched grains, legumes, nuts, pork and yeast.

Riboflavin: Milk and dairy products, eggs, liver, almonds, soynuts, shellfish, fortified breads and cereals

Niacin: Yeast, meat, red fish, poultry, fortified cereals, legumes, seeds, some leafy green vegetables

Vitamin B-6: Fortified cereals, beans, meat, poultry, fish, some fruits and vegetables

Pantothenic acid: In a wide variety of foods, including liver, kidney, yeast, egg yolk, broccoli, fish, shellfish, chicken, milk, yogurt, legumes, mushrooms, avocado, sweet potato, whole grains

Biotin: Nuts, liver, egg yolks, shellfish, soybeans

Folate: Leafy green vegetables, fruits, dried beans and peas, fortified breads and cereals.

Vitamin B-12: Meat, dairy products, eggs, and fortified foods.

Good Food Sources of Minerals

Calcium: milk, yogurt, cheese, salmon, tofu, rhubarb, sardines, green leafy vegetables, beans, peas, almonds, sesame seeds

Iron: Best: Meat, fish, poultry. Also: fruits, vegetables, dried beans, nuts and enriched grain products

Zinc: oysters, red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, some seafood, whole and enriched grains, dairy products

Magnesium: Legumes, nuts, whole grains, vegetables

All of the major collegiate programs now are recruiting great lacrosse players that are also great athletes. The game is getting faster every year and the NCAA teams are looking for more athletes/ lacrosse players than ever before. The demands of the sport are unique in that the players need to be skilled, faster straight ahead and laterally, and  have size and strength. A good example is Paul Rabil (former -Johns Hopkins , now current Boston Cannons Middie) at 6’3’ 225 pounds and has speed like an NFL wide receiver. This is becoming the trend in the sport. Football players who use to played lacrosse in the spring to stay in shape , are now dropping football to play club lacrosse and train year round. This type of year round activity makes it challenging to set aside time for a strength and conditioning program. All I can say is you must find the time. The first thing that you need to do is come up with a game plan. Find out what your school practice and game schedule is like. Then plot it on a calendar and look for 2-3 days at 45 minutes per to block of time for your strength and conditioning. Remember Saturdays and Sundays count!!!

From there see what you have what type of access to a weight room, track/ field or gym you have If you have an opportunity to work with a Certified trainer/coach to teach you the proper training techniques I strongly advise it, it will be a great investment in you athletic career. Too many athletes do not reach their potential because they are ill informed or get hurt while training. This can lead to an athlete staying away from speed and strength training. Once you feel comfortable to go out on your own make sure the programs is well thought out and you record all your workouts. Now let’s get down to business!!!

Training for lacrosse needs to cover 3 major parts. 1. Speed (linear, agility, and speed conditioning), 2 Strength, 3. Stick work

In this section I will discuss training techniques for Speed enhancement. We will 1st discuss a beginner program for a junior high school/high school player.

The 1st aspect a lacrosse player had to improve upon is warm-up/conditioning and flexibility. We believe in the Active Dynamic Warm-up (10-15minutes) Why is an active warm-up important? An Active Warm-up increases heart rate, increases body temperature. An Active Warm-up leads to greater strength power, and faster sprinting ability. If you want to become a better athlete, you need to make the Active Warm up part of every workout!

Warm-Up #1

1.Body Squats 2 sets of 12

2.Walking high knee pull 10 yards

3.Line Jumps (forward/back and side/side) 2 sets of 10

4.Side Shuffle 2 sets of 10yards

5.Dot Drill 2 sets of 10 sets

6.Carioca 2 sets of 10 yards

7.Lunges 2 sets of 5/ leg

8.Back pedal 2 sets of 10 yards

Lay on the ground

1.Supermen 1×20

2.Lying on back leg swings 1x 10 each leg

3.Push ups 1×15

4.Sit ups1x 20

5.Mountain Climbers 1×10 each leg

Speed work should be done 2-3 days/ week

Day #1 Agility

Ladder Drills 10 minutes

Lacrosse Specific Footwork

Pro-Agility 5-10-5 shuttle Run 4x

Pull Outs 4x

Roll Dodge 4x

Roll with Pull Out 4x

Day #2 Speed

10 yard sprints 4x

20 yard sprints 4x

40 Yard sprints 2x

10 Yard Sprint –backpedal-sprint 4x

Day #3 Speed Conditioning

100 yards sprints 3x

400 yard sprints 2 x

300 yard shuttle w/ 50 yard increments 1x

Myth 1:

REALITY: Only 0.8% of High School Student-Athletes receive a fully funded Division 1 scholarship. These are hundreds of outstanding Division II and III colleges around the country that provide scholarships, grant money and an outstanding education.

Myth 2: The Only College To Consider Are Big Name Schools Or Universities?

REALITY: Don’t get caught up in the name game. According to US News and World Report, over 50% of the tip-rated college and universities do not have Division 1A football programs. This is about getting your education and going someplace where they care about your future…and believe in you.

Myth 3: My High School Coach Will Take Care Of my Recruiting Responsibilities?

REALITY: They are a great resource for college recruiters, but it is your responsibility to market your talents and get your name front of college coaches. The average high school coach has personal relationships with less than 5% of the collegiate opportunities across the country.

Myth 4: Once a Student – Athlete Is a Senior, It’s Probably Too Late To Be Recruited?

REALITY: Other than the big time schools, a major portion of athletic recruitment takes place during your senior year. Eighty percent of college programs make their final recruiting decision after January 1^st of the student-athletes senior year.

Myth 5: Parents know what’s best For Their Own Student-Athlete’s Scholarship Chances and, Therefore, Must Make Sure the Coach Is Providing Such Opportunities?

REALITY: High school sports are supposed to be fun. If parent meddle with their school coach and put pressure on their kids, the joy of competition will be lessened.

Myth 6: Better To Walk-On At A Name School Where You Might Have The Possibility Of Playing Rather Than A Smaller College Where You’re Sure To Play?

REALITY: One of the most important choices a student-athlete makes is finding the idea school, not just the biggest or most familiar. If you love your sport, you’ll want to play regardless of size or location.

Myth 7/ If You Receive A Call From A College Coach You Are Sure To Be A Scholarship Candidate?

REALITY: Just because you’re getting calls from college does not mean you are one of their top recruits. Ask the coach directly, “Are you offering an official paid visit, and will you be making a home visit?” Their answers will signal their true interest in you.

Myth 8: Does Having More College Options Hurt Your Chances?

REALITY: The more options you have available, the better your chances to not only find the best financial package, but also the right college for you. Put yourself in a position to negotiate by being involved with as many schools as possible.

Myth 9: UTILIZING A RECRUITING SERVICE IS THE BEST WAY TO GET A COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP?

REALITY: College coaches rarely use recruiting services. However, most college coaches do use collegiate scouting organizations. We would only recommend an organization that has established coach relationships, works with qualified student-athletes and offers a money back guarantee.

Myth 10: THE BEST WAY TO GET DISCOVERED IS TO GO TO THE COLLEGE CAMPS OR PARTICIPATE IN CLUB SPORTS BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE A STUDENT-ATHLETE GAINS?

REALITY: College coaches and/or pro scouts primarily attend to evaluate student-athletes already on their lists. Your high school coaches are knowledgeable are care about your future so take their recommendation when it comes to participating in these events.

Energy Systems

Wrestling is one of the most energy demanding sports in the world.Not only are large quantities of energy needed, but also the amount needed per unit of time is great. Sources estimate that wrestling requires 700-800 calories per hour for the body’s energy systems. The human body possesses 2 main energy systems, the Anaerobic (strength) , and Aerobic (endurance) that are used in wrestling.

Wrestling is primarily an anaerobic activity that places high demands on ATP-PC stores. The muscle cell can generate ATP in 2 basic ways. 1. Breakdown ingested foods (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) 2. The breakdown of stored glycogen from body stores is anaerobic. The Aerobic system is important to the wrestler for 3 reasons: 1. it will reduce recover time, 2. Permit a higher tolerance of lactate levels, and 3. Raise the anaerobic threshold.A wrestler with good aerobic conditioning will have a faster recovery rate. An aerobically conditioned wrestler can practice and compete at a higher absolute intensity due to a raised anaerobic threshold and tolerance to high lactate levels. Here is an example of a Pre-Season- Inseason Training…

This program is designed to maintain and increase your strength and endurance levels through the season. Try to follow the workouts as best as possible. When doing day 1 workout, try to workout on an off wrestling day to allow for a maximum intensity workout and proper recovery. When doing Day 2 pick a day 2-3 days from Day 1’s workout. This could be done before or after practice. Do not do these workouts the day of matches. Only perform Day 2 the day before a match, if that is when you have time. This will ensure proper recovery, burn more calories to aid in weight loss, and is time efficient. The workouts should take between 30-45 minutes, not including a 10-minute warm up. On day 1 the rest periods should be 1.5-2 minutes. On Day 2 the rest periods should be 30-45 seconds.

On both days use the Wave loading method. This means Start with 50-60% of your 1RM (1 repetition maximum) Increase 2.5-5% / week until the season starts, and then drop the percents 2.5-5%/ week. For the next 4 weeks.Continue to change the percentages every 2 weeks and change the exercise selection ever 2 weeks also. The best of luck in the upcoming season. Remember all the hard work you put in is for a reason. I’m sure your team worked harder than anyone around and it will pay dividends.

Day 1

• Active Dynamic Warm-up 15 minutes
• DB Squats 3×10
• Push-ups 3×20
• DB Step Ups 3×8
• Chin-Ups 2xmax (if you cant do them, arm hang 30 sec 2x)
• DB Lunge
• Dips 3xmax

Day 2

• Active Dynamic Warm-up 15 minutes
• Push-ups 5xmax
• Pull-Ups 2xmax (if you cant do them, arm hang 30 sec 2x)
• DB Bench Press 3×10
• DB 1 Arm Row 3×10
• DB Shoulder Press 3x 12DB Curls 3×12

The road to the major leagues looks even longer when you realize you are competing for one or two available roster spots with the country’s best ball players. The call to the majors can come at any time and, unfortunately, I slept through my first call up. I missed the manager’s phone call because I was taking advantage of an off day. What people don’t know about getting the call to the big leagues, although a magical moment in my life, is the complicated logistics of catching up with the major league team while living up to the obligations of your minor league life.

I was called up to the big leagues three times in 2008. When I finally returned White Sox manger Ozzie Guillen’s call that first time, I was given a couple of hours to get my things together and head to the airport. I knew it was just a temporary call up, as I was filling in for Cuban-born Alexei Ramirez, who was having visa issues getting into Canada. I knew I would be sent back down to Triple-A when the three-game series was over, and I was. I thought of it as a “mini vacation” to the bigs.

The second call-up came when I was on a six-day road trip. I was told to be at the airport in less than two hours, even though I had only six days worth of clothes in my suitcase. I had to rely on my teammates in Charlotte, the White Sox Triple-A affiliate, to pack up the rest of my things and home and ship them. But getting clothes on my back was only part of the problem. I had no home where I was going and needed to focus on baseball. When I arrived in Chicago, the team gave me nine days in a hotel and, after that, I was on my own. Luckily, my agent’s brother had a condo to rent. Other rookies who aren’t so fortunate often choose to stay in the hotel, even though it costs a lot, because they might be sent back down and get stuck with a long-term lease on an apartment they won’t use. Eventually, the team realtor can lend a hand, but the uncertainty of rookie life makes it difficult to “settle down.”

September call-ups, who are headed to fall league or winter baseball in Central America, always live in the team hotel unless they can find a couch at an aunt’s house, as one of my teammates did.

Obligations to Triple-A teammates are another complication you never expect when you dream about playing in the big leagues. My roommates in Charlotte were stuck with a man down on rent the second time I went to Chicago, so the team stepped in to cover my missing share until a Double-A player was brought up to take my place. But then he was ousted when I was sent back down, again. I moved back in and started paying my rent only to be called up less than two weeks later for the remainder of the season.

The biggest headache in all of the moving was not the packing or traveling back and forth, but the bank changes I had to make in order to get paid. I had to open and close bank accounts three times in order to get my pay check every 15 days. In the minors, my money was deposited into a bank that did not have a branch in Chicago and my Chicago bank didn’t have branches in Charlotte. It’s worth keeping a couple of bank accounts open just to have the convenience of easy access to cash.

Fortunately, I was warmly welcomed by my White Sox teammates. I had already played with some of these guys in Spring Training. I was also given some great advice from the veteran players. Rule one: “Don’t call too much attention to yourself in the locker room.” Rule two: “Ask questions about becoming a better player or how to learn a specific skill from a teammate.” The best way to sum up this advice is not to look too comfortable in your new locker room. Pranks are part of the rites of passage into the pros, but you can avoid some of them by looking earnest and busy.

I wasn’t comfortable when I suited up as a Teletubbie with six other rookies in an annual ceremony for rookies finishing the year with a major league team. Four days before the Yankees played their final game at Yankee Stadium, me and five other rookies, who were dressed as the Chiquita Banana lady, Raggedy Ann, a Can-Can girl, a 1970’s wrestler and a track star, put on parade in the stadium parking lot. Adding to the hilarity of, and the pride I felt at, the moment was my proud father who was in town with his friends to see his son live out every boy’s childhood fantasy. His son, dressed as Tinky Winky, the gigantic purple PBS character known for chasing rainbows around a magical world.

Following rookie rules, we were not allowed to take the team bus back to the hotel that night but had to cab it in the costumes. Rookie protocol applies in many situations. If, for example, there is only one team bus, all rookies must pay for cabs back to the hotel on road trips. When there are two buses, rookies are allowed to ride in bus #1 but NEVER bus #2. It follows the standard high school rule: JV does not ride with varsity. Despite living like I am on the JV team, paying for all of my cab rides, and dressing up as every toddler’s magical purple friend paves my way to a big league roster spot, then sign me up because I’m living the dream!