Happy Holidays Strong Beach! I hope you all have enjoyed the holidays thus far. Time with loved ones is so refreshing this time of year. I went down south to Nashville, Tennessee to my brother’s lovely home where I spent time with my family. The snow started falling at about midnight early Christmas morning, right on queue for a white Christmas! I hadn’t seen one of those in quite some time! Well I’m glad to be back in the Beach—back to business! Let’s answer a few questions.
On a side note, thank you for your questions. Without them, there would be no column. If you don’t have any questions, Ask Doc Dossman becomes irrelevant. Keep them coming! Send them in! I have no problem if you have more than one question at a time or if you send me one every week—I can’t have too many questions stored up! Stay tuned for my next video blog regarding Practical New Year’s Resolutions.
Hello Doc,
I’m writing you to solicit your personal opinion on a matter. I’m not really looking for a doctor’s perspective. I just would like to see where you, as a man, stand on an issue. I will understand if you choose not to respond. Let’s just say that my son is so discouraged when he hears about cheaters in sports, he considers not competing anymore. He says, “What’s the use?” If the playing field isn’t level, why bother competing?
I have my opinion but you know how it is. He doesn’t think I know anything, since I myself am an athlete. He even thinks that I push him because I may be somehow living vicariously through him. I swear to you that it isn’t that Doc! I just don’t want my son to grow up thinking that everything is supposed to be fair in the world. If he chooses to lay down whenever things are not fair, he will never excel. What do you think?
Concerned Dad
Hey Dad,
Personal opinion, eh? I have to say that my personal as well as my professional opinion agrees with you sir! Competitive sports teach us so much about life. If we use sport to prepare us for real world situations, then maybe it should never be 100% fair? Maybe that is why some of the best women’s basketball players grew up playing ball with boys twice their size and strength. Maybe it is why some of the best track athletes don’t really get to flourish and show their true potential until they leave the “age group” scene. When they get to high school, they are now able to compete with runners that are older, bigger, and stronger. Age groupings limited them to competing with those of the same age!
In sports, we try to make things as fair as possible, but you can’t always know when someone has the advantage. You can’t control all the variables. You can only control what you do. You can only control how hard YOU train. You control how many times you take a free throw or jump shot, how many balls you throw outside of school practice, how much time you spend doing soccer drills or how many hours you spend working on your stamina. That is all under your control.
I’m reading a book now called The Fighter’s Mind. Dan Gable, the greatest American wrestler of all time, was interviewed early on in the book. He was asked about going against the Russians in the Olympics in 1972. At that time, the Russians had a reputation for allegedly using steroids on a wide scale. I’d like you to consider what he said as my new personal opinion. Share this with your son:
“If I was going to wrestle in the finals of the Olympics against a Russian, which I did, and if I knew he had been trained specifically to beat me, which he had- but then if I knew the guy was on steroids, this would HELP me. Whereas some might think ‘oh, he’s cheating’ or ‘he’s got an unfair advantage’, for me you didn’t pay the price. You’re not as committed as I am. I’ll tear him apart.”
I hope this helps!
Hi Doc,
I have heard so much about you over the years. I knew that if I ever got injured, I would have you take care of me. Well, I did get injured; I completely tore my ACL. Obviously, I went to a surgeon. Everything went well. I was hoping to come to your office for my rehab, but he (my surgeon) strongly recommended that I stay with his physical therapists so that he could keep a close eye on my progress. My coaches and parents agreed.
So here I am. I am done with my rehab. I have been released to play (basketball) and I haven’t really had any problems with my knee. Practices are going well and I am building up my wind again, but I just can’t seem to trust it. I feel like I’m still injured or like it’s going to go out on me on the court. Isn’t this a brand new knee? Why can’t I shake this feeling? Will this ever go away? Is it all in my head? I feel crazy. Tell me something good Doc!
Tracy H.
Hey buddy,
I am glad to hear that you have been released for activity! One thing you can know is when a surgeon releases you for activity; you can usually trust that you are ready. Your knee is his artwork. Your knee has his name on it. They are usually on the cautious side when releasing you. I know that this is not what will magically cure you from your fears but I just needed you to know that first!
In actuality, what it is going to take to conquer your fears is for your knee to be put to the test. Sure I can tell you that your knee is Tonka Tuff ready to go, but your body and your subconscious mind is saying, “Show me son!” Do you know what it will take to put your knee to the test? It is going to take you taking a big hit. It will take you tumbling to the ground in dramatic fashion. It will take a pause and gasp from the crowd. Then it will take you taking inventory and seeing that you are just fine! You will get up and realize that you can take a hit and get back up! Once you get knocked on your butt a few times, you will be fine. I promise! Get in the game!
Hey Doc!
I am a cross-country coach and I have a small bone to pick with you. It’s been brought to my attention by a few of my kids, that Doc Dossman has an issue with team Carb Load dinners. I didn’t know who you were or anything about you, so I decided to Google your name. I now see that you are a pretty reputable gentleman. I can respect and appreciate that we all have our own opinions. I was just hoping you could tell me what it is that you take issue with?
Elias G.
Elias!
I think the signals may have gotten crossed up. I would like to refer you to my video blog on carb loading. You can view it from my page within the sports section here on the site. As I said in the video, let me be very clear, I am in no way bashing carb load nights. They indeed have their effective purpose within the scope of things. The point that I was making was the fact that carb loading is for endurance athletes.
High school cross-country is NOT an endurance sport. Carb load dinners, as a nutritional tactic for the high school cross-country runner is likely to be a waste of time if your only goal and intent is glycogen supercompensation for benefit during a 3 mile run. You are barking up the wrong tree. This is not my personal opinion.
In my personal opinion, carb load dinners are great! They have their place! They encourage team camaraderie. They keep the kids off the streets the night before a race. High carbohydrate feedings also encourage an early bedtime. You won’t have to worry about your kids staying up all night texting and Facebooking. I say keep it going my friend! I have absolutely no issue with it!
I was simply correcting a common misconception as to the purpose of the carb load dinner night in high school sports. Thanks for your question. I’m certain that I may have unintentionally ruffled a few feathers with that one! I bet cross-country coaches were cringing all over the country! I mean no harm. I only want to educate and share information! I hope we are clear now.
Well that was pretty fun! I love this stuff! Of course I always wish I had more information. My perception of things is limited to the information you give me, so be careful when taking my recommendations over your own physician who actually examines you regularly. The more information you give me, the more I can help. It helps me to give you the best recommendations when you provide information like age, sex, date of injury, past injuries, and things of that nature. Well that is all we have time for today folks! Until next week, stay STRONG BEACH!!!
To visit Doc’s website, click here, and buy his book, What I’ve Learned From Your Kids. Email questions to Doc ataskdoc@docdossman.com.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment