make your own comeback

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Page 1 ... own. Other authors use terms like “self-ful- filling prophecy” or “the law of resonance.” In other words ... By consciously building your support team,.
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ENGLISH LESSON

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MAKE YOUR OWN COMEBACK Sylvas HOT SHOTS From the day we are born, most of us bounce into this world healthy. Then something starts going wrong. That “something” is us. We begin to habitually make poor health choices. We start to eat mass-produced junk food that ignites toxic reactions in our body. We work in a sitting position, at home slump on the couch, watch TV, play video games, drive a car even just around the corner and minimize our overall movement. But our bodies were and still are designed to move! We smoke, drink too much alcohol, take drugs or other poisons that irreparably damage the integrity of our cells. Not just the ones in legs and arms but also cells in our brain and organs. No wonder some of us feel how we feel. But there is good news: Every one of us can – if there is real want – do something about it! If you incorporate just a few of Martina Navratilova’s tips into your life, you will start feeling and looking better right away. If you incorporate all of them, there is no telling how much better you will feel and look and live! In this edition, I want to share some motivational insights from her book “Shape Your Self: My 6-Step Diet and Fitness Plan to Achieve the Best Shape of Your Life, 2006”. Martina’s former coach, Mike Estep, used to say: “Tennis is a lot like chess, but many women are playing without a couple of pieces. Some of them can’t hit an overhead, volley or drop shot.” Maybe you have been trying to get in shape, but until

You don’t have to be an athlete to develop an athlete’s mentality

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tennis-arena.cz 9-10/2015

SYLVA PLISCHKE Bývalá 27. hráčka světa a fedcupová reprezentantka Rakouska, čtvrtfinalistka French Open 1999; nyní žije v Innsbrucku

now you have not had all the pieces available to you. To shape yourself, you must have all the pieces on board. The following steps are those pieces, helping you to work in sync to tune up your body, mind and spirit: – Develop the mentality of an athlete: We all program ourselves via our thoughts. Stepping on court vs. a big name or no. 1 in the world might motivate you, allow you to play loose and at a high level. But are you 100% convinced you can win that match? Or is there still a bit of doubt, fear, and insecurity? Some parents plant already dreams in their kids, like Martina’s father did, who used to say to her: “Make believe you are at Wimbledon.” So in Martina’s mind’s eye she saw herself standing at Centre Court holding up her trophy. As she grew up, she began to dream on her own. Other authors use terms like “self-fulfilling prophecy” or “the law of resonance.” In other words “what you sow, that will grow”. The athlete’s mentality is formed in your mind and heart. It becomes a vivid part of you. It involves goal-setting, using logs or journals to monitor performance and see if patterns, good or bad, are emerging. What is important to see: You don’t have to be an athlete to develop an athlete’s mentality! – Build your support team: By consciously building your support team, you will have strength to keep going. Being around people you like and trust, and who like and trust you, gives you – at the emotional level – a certain feeling of fulfillment. Research shows clearly that people with support systems are more likely to make healthier choices, experience less depression and live longer. Your support system can keep watch over you and help you kick your bad habits. – Fuel your body and mind: Good nutrition is the foundation of performance in every area of an active, successful life. If your body releases toxins, it can start feeling more vibrant and alive. We have quantity of food, but we should aim for quality. Going organic, consuming fresh and regional products in smaller portions makes a big difference. Trying out a detox-day a week is fun. Banning meat is not necessary. Instead, choose organic meats and organic dairy products. They do not contain antibiotics and growth hormones.

Besides good nutrition, we all need to exercise regularly. Martina provides exercise suggestions with a lot of variation for people with short attention spans. They can be executed at home with just a few inexpensive pieces of equipment, focusing on strength and cardio, and they are designed to develop your energy system and rejuvenate your body. The basic principle of “form follows function” makes you train specifically, meaning functionally: either in order to improve your tennis game or any other sport, or train for a certain goal, like a better-shaped butt, a flatter belly or longer muscles. Create your own, regular exercise-plan. For me I have found Kieser Training (strength), tennis, hiking, cycling, swimming (Cardio) and Qigong as my perfect “Fitness to Function.” – Recharge and energize: Are you tired of being tired? To attain the shape of your life you must be open to change a habit, a pattern of behavior, an attitude, a way of living. And if you are open, do it GRADUALLY! Studies have shown that we all are generally resistant to change. It makes us feel uncomfortable; out of sync. Change frightens us. Most of us like routine. People can handle change better if it’s gradual and if they do not have blind spots when it comes to what needs changing. Many times, before a change, it is good to make a pause. Take time for a personal “Health and Fitness Inventory” that may alert you to factors in your life that are positively or negatively affecting your health. Similarly to a “Situational or SWOT Analysis” for companies, we too should dare to engage in retrospection and introspection and rearrange our priorities. Then the need for a change becomes clearer. Let’s close with a great example of how one can quit smoking: Start not to smoke in the car. Then move further. Start not to smoke in the car and in the kitchen. Then… Překlad najdete na www.tennis-arena.cz v sekci METODIKA/Sylvas Hot Shots

Slovníček

habitually - obvykle, zpravidla slump - válet se (v křesle, na gauči) irreparably – nenapravitelně integrity – zde: celistvost, úplnost to incorporate – včlenit, zahrnout to get in shape – dát / přivést se do formy vivid – živý, čilý support team – podporující tým to kick – nebo: to get rid off, zde: zbavit se out of sync – mimo synchronizaci, zde: mimo (životní) rovnováhu to frightens - vystrašit, polekat to rearrange - přeskupit