Krush Performance: Recent Episodes
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No other sport is seeing the same changes as baseball! Never have we witnessed a game change so drastically so quickly as baseball has over the last few seasons.
Right before our eyes, it seems, baseball has changed in ways that have altered the way we play the game, coach the game and even prepare players for the game.
The 2018 season saw:
- More Strikeouts than Hits. For the first time in the history of the game.
- In 2006 Hits led by 13,418.
- Fewer Balls in Play. 800 fewer than in 2017.
- 6000 fewer than 4 years ago and 11000 fewer than 10 years ago.
- 8000 Defensive Shifts. 30% more than in 2017. 500% more than in 2013.
- Fewer Home Runs.
- In 2017 there was an average of 1.26 HR/game.
- In 2018, 1.15 HR/game.
- Single season team homerun record. Yankees took the title with 267 Homeruns in 2018
- 20+ Homerun Club. For the third straight season, there were more than 100 players who hit 20 or more homeruns in a season.
- 2016 was the first time this happened in major league history.
- Injury Rates are up in minor league ball.
- MLB Injury rates were a reported 3% down in 2018. But still at a historically high level considering all we now know.
Why such drastic and conflicting changes?
For one, analytics and data are now driving the game.
Take the defensive shift as an example. We are seeing more shifts than ever before and it makes sense, the shift has all but guaranteed that a ground ball is an automatic out. At least until the hitters catch up and hone their skills enough to hit, at will, to the opposite side. The results of the shift, more strikeouts than hits, a change in batters launch angles and a swing for the fence. In fact, bat exit speeds in 2018 were 87.7 miles per hour, up from 86.7mph in 2017. And, while home run totals were down in 2018 the number of players hitting 20 or more in a season is up and the Yankees set the all-time record for team homeruns in a season. It’s crazy but if you can hit homeruns you have great value as a player.
Stolen bases have all but disappeared from the game. Rickey Henderson single-handedly stole 130 bases in 1982. In 2018 the Cleveland Indians have the TEAM record for stolen bases…130. Its simple math, pitchers are faster to home plate, catchers are faster throwing to second, base runners beware, if you have running speed, incredible quickness and can get good reads you have great value as a player.
The game is changing and I love it. I love the science, I love the technology and I love the challenge of getting a leg up on the competition.
So what is next for baseball?
Engineered Player Performance Run Faster. Hit hard to all fields. Cover more ground. See better, react better. Throw NOT as hard!! Stay healthy… the list goes on.
The good news, we can do all of this and it’s going to be fun.
It is my prediction that the game of baseball will remain in a state of flux bouncing and reacting to the play on the field. And, for the organization and team that can fine-tune their formula to stay just slightly or even partly in-front of the data-driven performance, there will be a GREAT advantage.
Could it be enough to stay on the top of the game and even contend for, or even capture a World Series? I would love to find out!
In the meantime, we will be watching the game of baseball with great interest.
Jeff
If you have any questions or comments or if you have a topic you would like us to investigate write to us on Facebook or leave a comment below!
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To ice or NOT to ice? That is the Question. The true benefits of icing injures, sore joints, bones, and muscles have been an ongoing debate for years. So it’s time we lay it all out to give you the definitive answer! We talk with Gary Reinl, author of “ICED – The Illusionary Treatment Option.”
The meltdown is on so join us as we get to the bottom of one of the most controversial topics in sports performance and injury management – Ice!
Get the Meltdown
Pass the show on to your teammates, friends, and family and make sure to check out my new book “The Performance Plan” on Amazon.
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E-Mail Jeff with your questions and comments for the show and don’t forget to visit KrushPerformance.com for live streaming, blogs, links, and so much more.
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October has been a huge month for us! Here is a quick recap with some key info you need to implement NOW! It has been a Jam Packed October on Krush Performance Radio as we work to spread the good word and keep you on the cutting edge of top performance. From kicking off the hockey season to new facts in the War on Sugar to talking about managing change – there are lessons to be learned and practical tips ripe for the picking!
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Fall Sport & the NHL We started the month Talking Fall Sport and asking the question; “Is the Fall the best time of year?” For me it really is my favorite time of year. The Con Man and I set up the NHL, teams, players & storylines to watch (hint, we are watching John Tavares and applauding Connor McDavid – the new face of the NHL?). We look back on a very interesting MLB season and I talk athlete development and my incredible sport performance & player development trip to New Zealand, where I watched the next generation of top Rugby players train. Here is what you can learn from the team culture of The All Blacks.
Sorry Halloween, We Have a War on Sugar to Fight The #KrushWARonSUGAR Rages on! We chatted with Krush Favorite Dr. Ann de Wees Allen, Chief of Biomedical Research with the Glycemic Research Institute, about our new understanding of how our bodies really work when it comes to the food we eat. We eat 110-170 pounds worth of sugar every year – and we are paying the price! Diabetes, Alzheimers, cancer, childhood obesity – a huge price tag for a sweet tooth.
We talk Burnable carbs, targeted nutrition and No, once again, a Calorie is NOT a calorie.
Making Coco: The Grant Fhur Story & Injury Management & Return to Play To get insights as to what makes a great performer tick is always important and once in a while, we get a glimpse into the life of a Top Performer, as we talk with Shane Fennessey, co-producer of “Making Coco: The Grant Fuhr Story.” Grant Fuhr was the first black superstar in hockey. He transformed the position of goaltender winning 403 regular season games, 5 Stanley Cups, and is in the Hockey Hall of Fame. It’s an incredible career on the ice, a fall from grace, and a return to the spotlight for redemption. We get a look at this incredible story and the making of the film.
Also, on the athlete performance side, some of the greatest minds in sport medicine are gathering in Edmonton, Alberta for the 5th annual David C. Reid / Glen Sather Sports Medicine Clinic Conference to discuss issues of the lower limb. We are joined by Enda King, physiotherapist and Head of Performance Rehabilitation at the Sports Surgery Clinic, Ireland. We talk with Enda about injury prevention, rehabilitation and making the right return to play decisions, at the right time.
The Wind of Change We look at the NBA Krush Style, to nail down which teams we are watching and why, which players we are following and the storylines in the league. There is plenty to learn from professional sport and there are some very intriguing things happening in the Association this year.
Dealing with change can be very difficult and I hope this episode helps out as many people as possible, it was an important conversation for me personally as I have been dealing with some major challenges and transitions myself. Also, everyone will have to deal with change and/or transition at some point in life. Some changes are planned like going to college, marriage, applying for a new job while others are forced or come as a surprise, such as an injury, the passing of family or friends, or getting let go from a job. We talked with Krush Favorite Jim Fannin, “America’s Zone Coach” to talk about strategies for dealing with change and transition.
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Back to school is a great time to practice these performance habits!
It’s that time of year again! Back to School – an exciting and busy time for the whole family. We say goodbye to the carefree summer and get ready to double down on studying, extra-curricular activities and sports. To make the adjustment easier and to ensure the students in you life are successful right off the bat. These tips are based on effective strategies that world-class athletes use to achieve top performance.
Back to School Tip: Limit Screen Time Screen time later in the day disturbs our sleep patterns, and the blue light that’s emitted by electronics is very stimulating. Children and adolescents who spend their evenings in front of a screen have poorer sleep than those who read or spend time being active or outdoors.
Back to School Tip: Get Enough Sleep Sleep helps our bodies regulate brain activity, memory, focus and physical recovery. Our bodies and brains experience a lot of wear and tear during the day – sleep helps repair the minor damage done, and is also associated with better memory and information recall. Ensure you are getting the healthy 8 hours of sleep (or more, for younger children) by going to bed early and optimizing your sleeping arrangements. This means no screens before bed, and keeping your bedroom cool and dark.
Back to School Tip: Mind Your Diet Diet is extremely important for good performance. Limit added sugars and make sure snacks and meals are balanced, with lots of lean protein and fruit and veg. Stay away from juices, punches or sports drinks – these have a lot of added sugars. Juices also lack the fiber that fresh fruits have, but are full of sugars. Eat complex carbs like whole wheat pasta and toast and brown rice.
Back to School Tip: Stay Hydrated Keep a water bottle handy and use it often – dehydration is bad for focus. Drinking enough is especially important when being physically active and on hot days.
Back to School Tip: Manage Stress Stress and anxiety get in the way of performance and can even contribute to injury. Find coping strategies that work for you – go for a walk, hang out with friends, cook a healthy meal, call a family member, curl up with your favourite book or podcast, or spend some quality time with your loved ones. Avoid managing stress with sugary foods or alcohol. Deadlines and workloads will pass but your healthy coping strategies are here to stay.
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Alarming new research Listen Here
Alarming new research is showing a significant increase in severe obesity among children age 2–5 years.
I always say if you want to solve a problem you need to clearly understand the problem and when it comes to the health issues associated with obesity and overweight we had better move quickly because we are losing ground bite by bite! In this episode, we talk with Dr. Asheley Skinner of Duke University about the new data from her research on the “Prevalence of Obesity and Severe Obesity in Children.”
We discuss some of the alarming trends Dr. Skinner and her team have uncovered and what we should be paying attention to if we hope to turn this epidemic around before its too late!
Also to kick off our 2018 War on Sugar campaign, I wanted to go back to one our conversation with Dr. Yoni Freedhoff as we discussed his book, “The Diet Fix: Why Diets Fail and How to Make Yours Work.” From sport to business to school, there is little else that has the potential to impact your performance or your health like your daily diet.
Whether you are eating to lose weight, improve performance, gain muscle, or simply feel better, there are tricks of the trade that can increase your odds of success and Dr. Freedhoff will out line his research, the book and a 10 day plan to get the best out of any diet.
Listen Here=>
Remember, if you have any questions, comments, smart remarks, or if you have a topic you would like us to investigate let us know, we may dedicate a segment or even an entire show to your topic. E-Mail Jeff now!
If you get a chance, share the Krush Performance Podcast with your fellow coaches, teammates, and family members.
Thanks for listening and LONG LIVE SPORT!
Jeff
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Understanding differentiation for professional sports. I’ve always said, “What got you here, won’t get you there.” What a lot of young athletes often miss in the excitement of getting drafted is that their baseline is no longer good enough. While they stood out among their peers, they are now moving into a place where every player is just as good. The key to mastering the jump is managing the transition as a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t try to do everything all at once. From development to management, there is a lot being involved in the process to becoming pro, and burnout looms on the horizon.
In addition, I tell my athletes over and over: differentiate. What is going to make you stand out from the other amazing players?
Is it your grit? Your speed? Your work ethic? Your sportsmanship? Find a niche and perfect it. What are you going to do that’s really going to separate yourself from the pack? Challenge yourself and your coaches and managers to come up with a good answer!
Get some insight on how to make yourself stand out from our “Going Pro“ podcast with John Stevenson & Manny Schmidt. Also check out the video below for the highlights!
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Take some time to plan. In my book “The Performance Plan” there is a quote from a talk I gave a few years ago…it goes like this:
“There is nothing more powerful than a clearly defined purpose in the hands of the willing and able.”
I said it then and I believe it now…more than ever.
If you get the right people- focused and dedicated to working towards a clearly defined goal – there’s not much that can’t be done.
But it takes planning. Like an athlete, team or organization looking to the future lay out their game plan and then attack, so must you, constantly making adjustments along the way.
Without that plan…it’s like shooting in the dark – things turn into a wicked game of chance and that’s one game that’s really tough to beat. So Don’t Play it.
In every one of our programs – organizational or individual, we take the time to plan – we look to the future– we decide where we’d like to be, how much time we have to get there, and then we work backwards laying out the steps that will take us to the promised land – or at least get us moving efficiently the right direction.
So before you take on your next challenge or goal set aside some time to plan. It provides direction, propose, accountability and a solid reference point from which you can make those meaningful adjustments as you move forward.
As Abraham Lincoln once said :
“If I had 6 hours to chop down a tree I’d spend the first 4 sharpening the axe.”
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Watch our video for things to consider when debating Cannabis legal age As Canada Day looms on our doorstep, Cannabis Legalization is not far behind, and it bring the question of cannabis legal age. We sat down with Rebecca Haines-Saah, Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, and co-lead for the O’Brien Institute for Public Health’s, Population Health and Prevention Interest Group to understand implications for youth who plan to use cannabis.
What is Cannabis Legalization? The government had intended for recreational marijuana use to be legalized by 1 July 2018. Bill C-45 would make Cannabis a legal substance, but place restrictions on where and when it can be smoked, how and where it must be sold, and who may buy it and where. The Federal government left a lot of the details up to the Canadian provinces, but some questions have sparked debate nation-wide.
Why Does the Cannabis Legal Age Matter? A lot of people already have access to illegal cannabis – especially youth! This is full of problems, since there is no regulation or control over the quality and purity of the product. Set the age too high, and you cut off the majority of your consumers. Set the age too low, and you risk a spike in cannabis use among youth (there is still a lot of conversation about the negative impact of cannabis on developing brains).
What Makes Sense for Cannabis Legal Age? We turned part of our conversation with Rebecca into a short video. Enjoy, and let us know what you think in the comments!
You can download the full podcast called “Drunk and Stoned” here – we talk about the impact of drugs and alcohol on sports and performance!
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Building effective teams inspired by sport programs. I recently did a presentation for a major construction company and I was surprised to get a number of questions asking, what does a sport performance guy have to say to a construction company? Well, there’s plenty to talk about… in fact, the strategies we use for improving performance in sport are virtually the same as the ones we use in the workplace to build effective teams.
You see, anywhere people are trying to perform and work towards a goal or outcome, there are performance factors you can influence to improve productivity, on the job performance and maybe most important of all, reduce the risk on injury!
Look, if you want your organization to be as successful as possible, you need to make sure you have the best performance environment for you and your people, so you can build and maintain effective teams.
And to do this you first you have to address the basic fundamentals of performance because without a solid base here you CANNOT operate at your potential!!
Regardless of the service, the business or intended outcome we attack workplace performance in exactly the same as we do sport performance.
Putting the Fundamentals in Place In each and every one of our programs the core fundamentals of effective team performance are:
- First, we consider, sleep, rest and recovery
- Second, we plan daily Nutrition and Hydration
- Then for our workplace models sport models we break down our athlete’s posture and joint range of motion. For workplace performance, we break down Exercise and Fitness trends and strategies.
- And finally we address the unique challenges of your work place…in our sport models we focus on athlete movement and sport-specific demands.
Regardless of your business, your service or your job, from the office building to the construction site, we know that properly addressing workplace performance can improve productivity, individual and team performance and most important of all, reduce the risk of injury.
Invite Jeff to speak at your next team retreat, General Assembly or team-building session! Email info@krushperformance.com for bookings information.
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It’s in every level of sport. Corruption in College Sports; it has, it is and it will be happening as long as big money and sport go hand in hand.
Corruption in sport is real and this is only the most recent incident that we now know about.
We have been very aware of this dark side of sport and it is happening in every sport and at almost every level.
My first real exposure to the true reality and depth of the sport corruption problem was when I was with the Toronto Blue Jays during an MLB security meeting at spring training. MLB security and the FBI brought in former Mob Boss Michael Franzese to talk to players and staff about the inner working of organized crime and professional sports.
Michael laid it all out, how they target players, set them up and then get control of their lives and ultimately their in game performance.
It’s Real and It’s Scary!
A few years back amid the corruption and match fixing scandals in professional soccer and the accusations of potential match fixing in other sports, I got fed up!!
So I set out to dig a little deeper to find out:
1) If it is true & if so, how much fixing is going on?
2) If it is true and it is happening, how far down does it really go or how far up – could it reach the top levels of professional sport?
3) If it is happening, who’s masterminding this whole thing and how in the hell are they making it happen!?
So I went back to the best source I could think of, the former Mafia Boss who masterminded brilliant scams from auto dealerships to union kickbacks and financial services and a multi-billion dollar gasoline tax scheme. He was earning millions in cash every week and a big part of his business in his prime were profitable scams in the sports and entertainment industries.
I tracked down former Mafia boss Michael Franzese to ask him how organized crime engaged in illegal sporting scams and what we got was a whole lot more.
Listen here to our conversation with Michael in his first appearance on Krush Performance:
Of course I could not stop there as we learned more about bribes, blackmail, match fixing and administrative corruption from the very top of FIFA to the IOC and Olympic organizing committee members and everywhere in between.
In true Krush Performance fashion, we took a good hard look at the explosive and controversial topic of match fixing in professional sport.
If you have not heard much about match fixing and the corruption around international sports, it’s also very real and it may just run deeper and higher than you might think.
We caught up with Declan Hill, author of “The Fix” and his new book “The Insider’s Guide to Match-Fixing in Football”. We discussed Declan’s dangerous and alarming investigation into the inner workings of a multi-billion dollar illegal gambling market that reaches well beyond the realms of soccer and all the way down to the lower levels of amateur sport.
Listen here at Radio Influence
We will continue to dig deeper into corruption in sport.
It is dangerous and threatens to destroy the very thing that makes sport so important in today’s society – Integrity!
Stay tuned as we look into the very latest Collegiate Basketball scandal.
If you have any Questions, Comments or Smart Remarks or a topic you would like us to investigate let us know, we may dedicate a segment or even an entire show to your topic.
Jeff
info@krushperformance.com
Twitter: @jeffkrush
Facebook: Krush Performance
Krush Podcast: iTunes/Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher
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