Lessons Learned—Cycling from London to Paris

Back in 2012, my buddy and I were planning a holiday somewhere around the UK. We both were, and still are, somewhat health and fitness junkies. Thus, we didn't want to have a holiday where all we do is eat and sightsee. We wanted to travel and enjoy the sights, but we also wanted to stay in shape and not slack while we enjoyed our surroundings. He then came up with the idea of cycling around a big lake in Europe. Unfortunately, that didn't pan out as it was way over our planned budget. He then thought of cycling from London to Paris since he had friends in London to accommodate us, so we didn't have to shell out much cash. That was the plan and we went with it. Also to stay within budget, we bought cheap, really cheap, second-hand bikes for our cycling trip. Not a good idea, but we didn't know any better at that time. Before heading to London, I went to Manchester, where my friend was located, and bunked in for a few nights. To prepare for the super low budget trip, we decided to stock up on protein bars, peanut butter, bread, and some oats to eat at stops along our cycling route as we didn't want to spend too much on meals at restaurants. Plus, we didn't really know where or when we would be able to have food to eat, so stocking up seemed like the smartest decision. After a few days in London, it was time to take off on this epic journey of ours. With our food stocked up, our bikes ready, and backpacks packed, we started cycling. Throughout the journey, there were  plenty takeaways and experiences to learn from that carry over to many aspects of life as we made our way to Paris.

Our (crappy) bikes and backpacks.

Know your strengths and weaknesses
It's one of the most famous interview questions a recruiter will ask. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Before going into any situation, take a moment to reflect on yourself, your team, or your coworkers. Have a better understanding of how you work and what you're good at in order to be more efficient and productive. A good basketball team knows how to make most out of their strengths and minimize the effects of their weaknesses, just as a great player knows how to use his or her strengths to get a upper hand on the defender and work hard to be better at their weaknesses. A good workout buddy would know their buddy's tendencies, hence providing extra motivation on exercises that he or she isn't great at. A good business would analyze their own strengths and weaknesses – one half of their SWOT analysis – in order to maximize sales.
As for us, we reflected on ourselves after one day of cycling. We found that I was better at reading maps while he was good at spotting landmarks and signs. We then designated ourselves to different roles where I would be the one reading the map while he looked out for landmarks and signs that helped us figure out where we were. Given our roles, we then knew what we needed to do to ensure the trip went as smoothly as possible. Going back to basketball as an example, when a team figures out what they are good at and what they aren't, it then becomes easier for the team to know who should be setting picks, coming off screens, handling the ball. The team will know who needs help on defense, the players best suited to run pick and roll, and the best option for a great shot on offense. Just by knowing their strengths and weaknesses, the team is able to make the jump from a good team to a great one.

Be well prepared.
Being well prepared helps you to expect and anticipate outcomes. Have a speech for that public speaking class? You better practice your speech at least 10 times. Planning to run a marathon? Better start running 5 miles a day. Want to place first in that basketball tournament? Make sure you have practice sessions with your team to set up your offensive and defensive strategies. You see, being prepared gives you confidence to go through whatever it is you're doing because you've been through simulations of the situation over and over again that it reduces the difficulty of the task. As for us, we should have started cycling a mile or so a day to build our conditioning and allow our legs to get used to the ebbs and flows of cycling. Unfortunately, we relied on our weightlifting and basketball background to carry us through the trip. It was no surprise that I was cramping up within an hour of our departure from London. We went from zero training to 300km in 4 days. Sure we made it, but it was 12 hours of hell a day to reach our destination.

Simply beautiful.

Ask for directions (and use them).
Despite having our handy guide map and Google Maps with us, we still had a tough time navigating our way around such unfamiliar grounds. We found ourselves constantly making short stops to make sure we were heading in the right direction. Nevertheless, we were doing well for most of the trip except for one particular incident in Dieppe, France. We had just crossed the English Channel via ferry, arriving at the harbor in France just before sunrise. The scenery was beautiful. The ride started uphill but it was a long, joyous descent right after.

Ping riding with the sunrise.

The wonderful scenery and lovely weather along with the downhill ride made it an incredible start to our journey in France – until we found ourselves lost. We checked our map and were certain that we were on the right track. Only problem was that we kept going in circles revisiting the same places over and over. So we did what anyone who's lost would do, we asked around for directions. Most of the people we asked didn't really know where we were going and some of them didn't speak English well enough to guide us to the right location. We did however come across a garbage collector who knew the area well. He didn't speak a word of English but he pointed out toward the direction we needed to go – on the opposite side of the bridge from where we were. Here's where we should have used the directions given by the waste collector – but no, we were stubborn and continued to round the area till we found our way out. Albert Einstein once said, "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." According to Einstein, what we did back then is definition of insanity. It was only until we found a large signboard with the map of the area showing us where we were and the locations around it that we finally figured out we were indeed on the opposite side of where we should be. Moral of the story: always ask for directions and guidance when you are unsure of anything. Ask a personal trainer how to perform the deadlift correctly. Ask your coach what he or she wants your role to be on the team. Ask a friend or family member for help if you've dug yourself in a hole. But more importantly, take those advices and directions and use them. It's one thing to ask for advice, but it's another to actually follow it. Just because it doesn't align with the knowledge you have, it does not mean that it's wrong or bad advice. Do some research and act accordingly without dismissing them – or you'll end up like us – repeating the same mistakes and cycling around in circles for over two hours.

Celebrate the small victories.
Throughout our cycling trip, we learned to celebrate our achievements. It doesn't have to be a huge celebration with fireworks and presents. It's acknowledging the fact that you were able to accomplish something that you weren't able to before. High-five a buddy who just achieved a personal record. Go out for a nice celebration dinner with the whole team after winning the championship. What's that? You've managed to wake up before your alarm went off? You deserve a high five. 

Celebrating even the smallest of victories is a constant reminder that progress is made. It contributes to your overall happiness and allows you to feel confident in your abilities. For us, we made sure to enjoy every downhill cruise we had on the trip because almost every hill we cycled up on was at least 30 degrees high – burning our quads with every rotation of the pedal. Thus, admiring the scenery with the wind blowing in our faces while smelling freshly baked bread in the air was our way of celebrating every victory over an uphill climb. To top that up, once we've reached our target destination for the day, we made sure we ate to our hearts content, from authentic French dining to devouring double cheeseburgers with no regard for human life. 

Not a single bit of guilt was felt.

Every bite we savored, be it authentic French food or McDonald's burgers, gave us something to look forward to the next evening. Every downhill cruise we enjoyed enabled us to push pass the next uphill climb, because we knew that there was going to be another descent ahead to thrill us. Every celebration provided us with that small amount of happiness to carry us through the exhausting, frustrating journey. So the next time you achieve something, the least you can do is give yourself a fist pump, because any kind of victory deserves even the tiniest of celebrations.

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Why The Spurs Winning The 2014 Championship Mattered

With the 2014-2015 NBA season starting today, I am excited to once again be able to watch the best players in the world compete for the most prestigious prize in basketball, The Larry O'Brien Trophy. This season looks to be a great one as the competition is tight with no one team having a guaranteed Finals appearance. Although, some might argue the Cavs but I would disagree as they are still inexperienced and will face tough competition against the Bulls. Not only that, the Knicks would be tough to beat if they are able to adapt to the triangle offense. Also, don't forget about the Heat, Pacers, and Wizards looking to surprise some teams. Over on the Western Conference, it's anybody's game to win. It's a battle royale over on the West Coast with teams like the Timberwolves, Blazers, Nuggets, Jazz and Kings all contending to make the Playoffs, while teams such as the Warriors, Clippers, Rockets, Mavs, Grizzlies, Suns, and Thunder, are aiming to overthrow last year's top seed – and eventual champions – The San Antonio Spurs. With all the buzz being about how the Cavs are favorites to win it all now with LeBron's return, the Spurs are once again brushed off as legitimate title contenders. It was said probably 3 or 4 years ago that the Spurs are too old to win another championship. What happened? They were one rebound away from winning in 2013, and won the 2014 title in spectacular fashion. Their victory against the Heat this past June to me was one of the best things that happened to the game of basketball in recent memory – and here's why: it showed the world that teamwork triumphs over individual greatness, that a team should be developed and built through thick and thin, and that defense is still a priority in winning championships.

Built Not Bought
The San Antonio Spurs' organization is truly one to be commended for their ability to draft and attain good players who are willing to play certain roles, pass the basketball, and motivate one another to higher levels. The Spurs were fortunate to draft Tim Duncan at number 1 in 1997 and was able to build the team around him since then, obtaining valuable pieces in Manu Ginobili (57th in 1999) and Tony Parker (28th in 2001). This was the core that won championships in 2005, 2007, and 2014 (99' and 03' featured David Robinson). Never did they sign two or three more top 5 draft pick players to win. They were able to develop Parker and Ginobili into all-stars, and would bring in key pieces to help complete the puzzle.

 

D + O = W
For those of you who don't know basketball math, that's defense plus offense equals wins. And that was the formula the Spurs used to beat the Heat in 4-1 in last season's Finals. Yes, their offense was great (more on that later), but it was their defense that stopped the Heat from three-peating. Defense was a priority for the Spurs. After every timeout and team huddle, they would put their fist together and shout, "defense!" Whether they were down 20, up by 5, tied, before games or after practice, "defense" was their mantra after every huddle. The Spurs were given a lot of credit for their teamwork and ball movement but I believe that it was as much defense as it was offense that gave them the upper hand in that Finals series. 

A True Team
Teams are everywhere. In your workplace, in schools, and in clubs, there are teams being formed. In the NBA, there are 30 teams competing to be the best. However, never have I seen a true team as the one I saw winning the 2014 NBA championship. The Spurs to me, are the definition of a true team in every sense of the word. You can have super-teams and all the superstars in the world, but it takes more than a couple of great players to make a team. You have to have each other's back, trust one another, and believe in a common goal. I believe the Spurs were all that and more. Led by their head coach Greg Popovich and the big 3, the Spurs were able to bring out the most in every player they had on the roster. Danny Green emerged as a 3-point specialist during the 2013 finals. Sharpshooting Patty Mills came up big of the bench hitting critical shots for the Spurs. Their third year player – Kawhi Leonard, was named Finals MVP. EVERYONE on the team scored in game 4 of the Finals. The team was selfless. They bought into Coach Pop's system and philosophy. They stood by one another through tough times. They suffered a devastating loss in game 6 of the 2013 Finals as they were up 5 with 28 seconds left in the game. The trophy was literally making it way out of the tunnel and into the court, but it was not to be. Nevertheless, they still believed in one another. They still believed in Popovich's wisdom. They regained their focused the following year and became Champions once again after 7 years. 

I urge every young aspiring basketball player to rewatch every game of the 2014 NBA Finals and focus on the Spurs. Focus on how they play. Focus on their defense. Focus on their ball movement. Focus on their unselfishness. Focus on their demeanor and how they bring each other up and never down. The teamwork they showed is something that I hope will catch on with the generations to come. Too often do we see the media glorifying individuals. Replaying the dunks, crossover and assists of ONE player. Basketball is a team sport – and what the Spurs put on display in the 2014 Finals was the epitome of team basketball. While the Heat were busy looking for their superstar, the Spurs were looking for each other. I'm glad they won because it was the first time I had seen people actually buzzing over team basketball. People were excited about ball movement. People were tweeting about how everyone touched the ball in that possession. People were, once again, amazed by the beautiful game. 

I leave you all with two videos showing of the Spurs demonstrating how great, and beautiful, the game of basketball can be.

 

 

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Intramural Game 1 Update

How's it going everyone? Just finished my first game and I promised an post-game analysis, so here it is! First off, here are some game info from the top my head. 

30 minute game with 15 minute halves. 

Final score: 39-38 (W)

My stats: 9 points, 1 assist, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1steal, 1 turnover. 3/3 FG, 0/0 3P FG, 1/5 FT. 

Overall, I felt that I played an above average game, considering that we were playing as a team for the first time and that the referees were amateurs. I had three 3-point plays (and oneeeee!!! Feels good to be able to do those again) but only managed to convert 1 out of the 3 free throws – which to me is disappointing, because had I made my foul shots, the game would not have been that close. Also, I would have liked to shot at least one 3 pointer but the defense was playing me tight which allowed me to penetrate into the paint. 

Moving on to my team's performance as a whole, we weren't able to secure rebounds and had to many one on one attempts at scoring. Had we box out more effectively, not allow offensive rebounds, move the ball more on offense, and have more off-ball movement, the game would have been easily won.

Here's some basketball IQ for those of you still learning the game: boxing out and securing rebounds is key to winning games. Not only do you control the flow of the game with rebounds, you also disallow your opponent to have second chances at scoring. The lower their attempts at scoring, the lower points they're going to score. Next, moving the ball and having off-ball moving allows your offense to flow. If not, it becomes stagnant at a spot and the defense can easily read and defend you because they know where the attack is coming from. With ball and off-ball movement, you are now forcing the defense to work and move as well. Not only will they be tired, it will also cause confusion and lapses on their part, creating open shots for yourself. 

Okay, back to the game. We were up by 8 at one point, but we lost our focus and allowed the opponent to come back. Luckily, we managed to hold them off to win by one. Nevertheless, it goes to show how the game can be easily turned with a team going on a scoring run. Thus, it is important not to relax when you think you have a comfortable lead. At higher levels, even a 20 point lead can disappear in a flash. On the flip side, never give up on the game just cause you're down by 10 plus points. Having that mental attitude of never giving up is important because if you don't believe you can make a comeback, who will? Also, winning a game after being down by 15+ points is one of the most satisfying feelings in the world. Trust me. 

I guess that's all for today's game. Next game is on Thursday and I will be doing another post-game analysis on that as well. See ya next time! 

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5 Things Only Those Who Never Skip Leg Days Can Relate To

I first started lifting weights when I was 18. My parents bought a house in Setia Alam near the Canopy Club at Setia Eco Park (the house was finished only recently and my parents moved in last December – I have yet set foot in there). With the house being close to the Canopy Club – where the weight room is located – I would tag along with my parents as they'd drive there to check on the house, meet up with the contractor and what not. In the mean time, I would workout. At first, it was only a once a week routine, in which I would do a full body workout. However, over time, I started heading there by myself during the weekdays, which was when I started doing split day workouts. Whether I was doing a full body workout or a split day routine, one thing remained the same – I would work on my legs at least once a week. Going through a week without a leg workout would have me feeling weak, and I take pride in knowing that I do my best in never skipping them. Week after week, workout after workout, there's a sense of accomplishment in every completed session of lifting – and I know I'm not alone on this. Just as how I'm not alone in facing these issues that only those who never miss leg days can relate to:

1. We walk slower than our non-leg day buddies and get laughed at/ridiculed for it. 

"Why are you the slowest? What's the point of all those muscles if you're moving this slow?" "Aren't you an athlete? You should be moving 10x faster than us!" Whichever way you put it, we get a lot of heat for being slow walkers. For those non-leg day people, here's the reason why we walk slow: our legs are sore ALL the time. Chances are that when you see us in person, our legs are tired and recovering from the squats and leg presses. You see, after having completed a leg day, we take a few days to rest. At this point in time, our legs are at its worst. They're so sore and stiff that even the simple task of standing up after watching a movie will have us grimacing in pain. Then once the soreness is gone (or not sometimes), we're back at it again punishing our quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. It's a never ending cycle that we leg day goers have to live with – unless of course if we're injured (which means we would still be walking slower than you, or not walking at all). That is why when we walk, we want to put in the least amount of energy possible into it. 

2. Stairs are our worst enemy. 
 This pretty much sums up our feelings about staircases:

3. Our jeans are loose at the waist, but tight around the thighs. 
That's right, for us leg day goers, it's tough to pick out a pair of jeans that fits perfectly. Often times we have to squeeze our thighs through our jeans thanks to our bulging quads and hamstrings. And if we try to get one that is comfortable at the thighs, it's almost always too loose at the waist without having to wear a belt. We can't have it both ways, but we'll take either one of it over having those unsightly chicken legs. 

Jeans specifically.

4. Picking up an object from the floor is a hassle. 

We all been there, having dropped something in front of us, or worse, someone else drops something that lands within our radius. Do I squat? Do I do a semi-straight-legged deadlift? Which would hurt less? Do I just wait for that someone to pick it up and risk being labeled unhelpful? By the time we're done thinking, someone would have picked it up. Thank you kind person. 

Nuff' said.

5. We often question the reasons as to why we would punish ourselves. 

Leg day is grueling. It's the most feared day of all. There's a reason why people skip leg days. We wince at the sound of leg day with thoughts of agony and pain that will come from the upcoming sets of squats, leg presses, and calve raises. Nevertheless, we go through with it. We feel the burn that comes with every rep. We exert ourselves to the point of exhaustion at the end of every set. We push on week after week of extreme physical and mental torture. There will be times when we question ourselves. During breaks in between sets, we ask with heavy breaths, "why am I even doing this?" And then we push through another set, barely managing to stand up on the last squat, thinking, "is this torture even necessary?" No matter what the question is, at the end of the day, we all know the answer to our questions — "Because it's worth it." 

Not today, not ever.

P.S. Intramural basketball games are starting next week! Excited to see how I can elevate my game and work with my teammates. I'll be doing some analysis after my games. Stay tuned! 

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Fundamentals of Shooting

Being able to shoot the basketball is one of the most important aspects of the game. I believe that if a player is a good shooter, he or she is able to fit in any team and have a longer career. Yes, outstanding athleticism can get you a spot on a team in high school, but if all you can do is run and jump, you won't be able to make it far as a basketball player because at some point in your life, those things will start to diminish and you will be left with nothing. On the other hand, a great shooter can have a long lasting career even if that's all he can do. An excellent shooter is able to space the floor on offense, creating more opportunities for drives and lay ups. Without even touching the basketball, excellent shooters immediately have a positive impact on a team's offense. Being a great shooter allows you to have an easier drive to the basket because of the defense will aggressively close out on you to stop you from shooting, giving you the upper hand at blowing by your defender. On the other hand, a great athlete and rim attacker without a good shooting stroke will find themselves having a hard time driving to the rim, simply because the defense will sag down and dare them to shoot it. 

In my introductory post, I mentioned about teaching two kids the proper way of shooting a basketball and that I now realize what I thought them then wasn't exactly right. This is because over the past year, I've discovered a YouTube channel dedicated to teaching viewers how to shoot a basketball. At first I was skeptical—it went against everything I knew about a fundamental jumpshot. The channel preaches three techniques on shooting that are the opposite of what most coaches would teach. They are the turn, the dip, and the sweep and sway. 

The Turn

When I heard them saying a player's feet should not be squared to the rim and should be turned towards the side, I frowned and questioned their techniques. Surely it can't be right—everyone knows that all ten toes should be pointing to the rim. That's how the ball goes straight isn't it? Wrong. Through countless videos, they showed how great shooters, like Steve Kerr, Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, Ray Allen, Steve Nash, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and the list goes on, actually have their feet turned when shooting. For right handers, their feet foot point around 10-11 o'clock. As for lefties, 1-2 o'clock. This blew my mind. Have I been shooting with the wrong technique all this time? Turns out I wasn't. The next day, I went to shoot some baskets and I tried to focus on seeing where my feet were pointing every time I catched the ball and "squared up". Lo and behold, as much as I've been practicing to have ten toes pointed to the rim on the catch, I found myself turning on EVERY catch. The reason for the turn is because shooting is done with one hand. Therefore, only the shooting shoulder and hip should be pointing towards the rim, not both shoulders squared at the hoop. With a player's feet turned, it automatically aligns the shooting hip and shoulder towards the rim and it creates a straight line from hip to shoulder to elbow to shooting finger when a player shoots the ball. All this gives the player more consistency and a straighter shot. Take a look at the feet of the players below and where they point at. Next time you watch an NBA game, watch where the feet of great shooters point to.

Spot the difference.

Notice how all of them have their feet turned toward the side, with their shooting hip and shoulder aligned to the rim. With all the best shooters in the world shooting this way, why are we then teaching young kids to square their shoulders and have ten toes toward the rim? The picture below shows someone shooting the way many coaches still teach. 

 

Awkward...

What do you see in that picture? I see a stiff, rigid, and awkward position for a shot. Having the shoulders squared to the rim creates tension on the player's shoulders, which will restrict the shooting motion of a player's shot. Not what you want if you're looking to make more shots than you miss.

The Dip

"Don't bring the ball down!" That's what my coach used tell me when I shot the ball. I tried hard to eliminate it from my shooting form because with bringing the ball down, called dipping, would supposedly make my shot slower. Have you ever tried shooting the ball without a dip? It's awkward, tense and it will throw your shot off. I believe rhythm is important in shooting and not dipping the ball breaks the rhythm of the shot. With the dip, you have a motion that helps transition the ball from your hip to your above your head effortlessly during a catch. Catching and bringing the ball up above your head immediately is not only difficult, it makes your body tense up. Consequently, the shot ends up not having the fluidity that it should have and becomes choppy. But wait! Won't dipping the ball slow down your shot!?!? It won't. A slow dip makes your shot slow, not the dip itself. Watch the gifs below and notice the dip on their shots. Also, notice how Ray Allen has a huge dip on his shot and yet, he has one of the fastest release in the history of the game. 

Ray Allen. Poetry in motion.

JJ Redick.

Stephen Curry. Small dip here, but still noticeable.

Kevin Durant. Again, dips the ball before shooting.

Another reason for players to dip the ball is physics or more specifically, inertia. Inertia is the concept that a body in motion tends to stay in motion while a body at rest tends to stay at rest. According to Wikipedia, "inertia is the resistance of any physical object to any change in its state of motion, including changes to its speed and direction. It is the tendency of objects to keep moving in a straight line at constant velocity." That last sentence is a big reason why the dip should be used when shooting. With dipping, the ball is able to travel from somewhere near a player's hip, to above the head, and finally to the rim with little to no external forces acting on it. On the other hand, using the awkward shot technique, the ball moves from chest height to above the head, comes to a stop, and then proceeds to move again when the player shoots it. The starting and stopping motion of the ball causes inconsistency in a player's shot whereas the dip helps the shot to be in one motion, thus having  greater consistency to move in a straight line.

The Sweep and Sway
The final component of the big 3 of shooting is the sweep and sway. In the past, I would jump forward when I shoot the ball, which was frowned upon by my coach. He then told me to jump straight up and down when I shoot. Of course, I would try jumping straight up and land at the same position I started when shooting. It felt weird, rigid and stiff. That's because shooting straight up and down creates tension in the shoulders when shooting, similar to when a player has his or her shoulders squared to the rim. Soon after trying, I decided not to continue with jumping up and down. Now, what exactly is this technique and more importantly, how is it done? Is it simply jumping forward when you shoot? Not exactly. You do want to jump forward, but you do not want to bring your shoulders along with the jump. Basically, the sweep is the motion your legs is performing when you jump forward. The sway is the motion your shoulders perform. That is, they sway back while your feet sweep forward. Done correctly, it should look like a broom sweeping the floor with the handle as your shoulders and the bristles as your legs.

Kyle Korver using the sweep and sway.

A broom sweeping.

I believe this technique helps a player to generate more energy for a further shot, typically a three-pointer. The three-point line is now 23 feet and 9 inches away from the rim. I believe it is physically impossible to shoot at a high percentage while jumping straight up and down. The sweep and sway not only helps generate power for the shot, but I also believe it is something the body naturally does. So instead of fighting what your body wants to do, allow it. Also, the sweep and sway allows the shot to have a higher arc instead of a flat one. This is because your body in now at angle which makes shooting with a high arc easier and effortless.

Putting It Together.
Forget squaring your feet. Forget not bringing the ball down. Forget jumping straight up and down. Doing all of those things will only create a tensed, choppy, and awkward shot. How do you expect kids to shoot better when they are learning the wrong concepts that actually make shooting even harder than it should be? Just to clarify, I am not trying to put down my coach or yours. I have the utmost respect for my coach and appreciate everything that he has taught me. However, this is something that should not be overlooked as it can hinder an individual's ability to be a better basketball player. Therefore, turn your feet to align your shooting shoulder, hip, and elbow to the ring. Dip the ball to have a fluid and rhythmic shot. Sweep and sway to have a higher arc and a further shot. No doubt, there are more to shooting than just these three techniques, such as the release, follow through, hand position, what to look at, and so on. Nonetheless, I strongly believe that with these three components alone, you can and will be a better, more consistent shooter. Try them out, let me know if it helps. Disagree with the techniques? I'd be more than happy to start a discussion. If have any questions on the techniques, or about shooting in general, don't hesitate to ask. Lastly, share this post to those who you think would benefit from it!

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Workout Mindset

Most people would know that working out is important. An intense workout lasting 30-40 minutes alone can reap loads of benefits, from increased metabolism to increased alertness, muscle growth and fat loss. In addition, I'm writing this post right after my workout because of the raised level of blood flow through my body and my brain, consequently improving my thoughts and ideas on topics to discuss with all of you—which brings me to my topic for today: one's mindset or mentality while working out.

In a perfect world, every workout we go through would be intense, focused, and energized. Unfortunately, they are days where we go through the motions. You know, moving weights from point A to point B without actually "feeling" it. It's tough to have fully focused workouts every time we're in the gym or on the court. That said, developing a habit of having these mindsets can help minimize the days where we feel like nothing productive came from working out. 

Mindset #1—Focus on the task. 

I believe this is the most important mentality to have when one is working out. Whether you're squatting (best exercise ever!) in the gym or shooting the basketball on the court, it is crucial to focus on the task at hand. For instance, if you're squatting, you'd want to bring your attention to recruiting the muscles involved in the squatting movement. Focus on keep a neutral spine, push through the heels to recruit hamstrings and glutes, and make sure you get your thighs at least parallel to the ground. If you're shooting by yourself, focus on your shooting mechanics. Often times a person would get caught up with the number of makes and misses which distracts them from the real task at hand, shooting the basketball with proper form and mechanics. Remember, it's not about shooting 200 shots, it's about shooting one shot perfectly, 200 times. Of course, there will be times when your mind wanders off or perhaps something distracted you while you were in the middle of an exercise. However, if you keep reminding yourself to focus and keep a habit of focusing on a single task, it will eventually become instinctual and you will improve at whatever it is you're doing.
 

Mindset #2—Challenge yourself. 

Whether you're about to start your WOD (workout of the day for those unfamiliar with the term) or about to start basketball practice with your team, it's important to go into these situations with the mindset of getting better. You have to want to go into your workout wanting a new PR, wanting to improve your shooting, and wanting to be better than you were the last time. Increase the weights by 5 lbs, get in one more rep, make 50 more baskets. Whatever it is, always try to one up yourself from the previous workout—it's the game of whatever I can do, I can do better. I have seen many players arrive to basketball practice just to get a sweat, have fun, and play around. That's fine if you're trying to be average or have more bench time. But in order to elevate yourself to higher levels, you have to come into practice with the mindset of improving. Don't just go through the drills cause the coach said so. Instead, push yourself outside your comfort zone—because that's where the magic happens! Even if the drill is as simple as stationary crossover dribbles, always challenge yourself. Cross it faster. Pound the ball harder. Close your eyes! If you are comfortable with any drill, then find ways to get uncomfortable. Don't forget, every workout or practice is an opportunity for you to grow and improve. Also remember, it's you against yourself. How much better or worse the player next to you is—does not matter. The number the guy or girl beside you lifts over his or her head—does not matter. As long as you keep challenging yourself every workout, you're the one standing tall when it's over—even if you didn't managed that new PR. 

Mindset #3—Deflate your ego. 

Don't let your ego get in the way of your goals. Yes, it is important to challenge yourself and keep adding to your total, but always know what your limits are and when you should take a step back. If you're starting to simply move barbells from A to B and not feel the tension in your muscles, it's time to lower the weight. If your squats start to stop just above parallel, reduce the weight. Don't let ego decide how heavy you should lift because more often than not, ego gets it wrong. 

"When ego is lost, limit is lost. You become infinite, kind, and beautiful." ―Yogi Bhajan.

There you have it. My top 3 mindsets to bring into every workout. I try to have them not only for workouts or practices, but also for whatever life brings at me because if you think about it, these three mindsets are universal—they are applicable for anything the universe throws at you. Try them out and tell me what you think. If you have other kinds of mindsets with you when you workout, do let me know what they are in the comments! 

Till next time,

Moo

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The Who, What, and Why?

For those who don't know me, my name is Moo Voon Hoe and I recently turned 22. I was born and raised in Subang Jaya, Malaysia and I'm currently living in the Indiana, PA. I recently completed my Bachelor's Degree in Psychology this past May. The title of this blog, Eat - Lift - Ball, is literally the top three things that changed my life for the better and they are what my life revolves around. As some of you may know, I was a fat kid who got hooked on basketball. With basketball, I had a medium of exercise that I never had before apart from thumb exercises on the Playstation controller. I then thought of ways to improve my game. In came weightlifting and eating well. It has been 6 years since I started basketball and with that comes 6 years of researching, testing, and developing workouts, exercises, and diets.

With all that I know from research and experience, comes the reason I am writing this blog - to educate, teach, and share my knowledge on the topics I know best: healthy eating, weightlifting, and the game of basketball. I may not be an expert on any of these things. I'm not a personal trainer, nor am I a certified basketball coach. What I am, is someone who went from seating on my rear end to busting it every workout. What I'll be writing on this blog will be from my own experiences with hopes that there are people out there who can benefit from them. 

As I've mentioned earlier, this blog is to educate people on what I know best. Why? Simply because I enjoy teaching. A few years back while putting up some shots after playing pick up basketball at my local park, there were two kids who joined me. From the way they were shooting, I could tell that they had no idea what they were doing. They were missing shots left and right while mine were going in most of the time. I then told them, "you guys aren't shooting the right way," and proceeded to teach them them proper way of shooting a basketball (which I now realize isn't really right - more on this in another post). After a few tweaks and adjustments to their shots, they finally managed to put the ball into the basket. The smiles on their faces when they made the shots was joyous. Contagious even. They then thanked me with a grateful, "thank you kor kor (big brother)." Their smiles and thanks in turn, made me learn something about myself. It showed me how much I enjoyed sharing my knowledge to others. With that, it also showed me that you can still learn something when you teach. Therefore, with sharing what I know to you guys, I know I am able to learn just as much, if not more.

Thus, I'll be writing about various topics revolving around the three subjects this blog is named after. If there's a specific topic you'd like me share what I know and think of it, feel free to leave a comment or send me a tweet/Facebook message.

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