The iStadia Twitter Rollcall: Sport & Exercise Professionals Who Tweet
iStadia is a mine of knowledge and experience in a whole range of sport and exercise disciplines. Of course, many of us use multiple platforms to get our message out. Here are a selection of the sport and exercise professionals who are using both iStadia and Twitter.
sportshypgaz on twitter / Gary Baker, Sports Hypnotherapist on iStadia
Sports Psychology Consultant and Director of The Centre for Sports Hypnosis
liannepacker on twitter / Lianne Packer, Sport Psychologist on iStadia
Philosopher, intellect, ponderer, theorist and general all-round master procrastinator.
johnnyfontana on twitter / John Fontana, Fitness Trainer on iStadia
Fitness Professional, Fitness Writer, Entrepreneur...
L_I_W on twitter / Jonathan Monks, Event Manager on Stadia
Looking to build online network for leisure sector inc attractions, health and fitness, sport and the licensed trade
Sportstest on twitter / Garry Palmer, Physiologist/Sport Scientist on iStadia
Fitness testing, nutrition and coaching for runners cyclists & triathletes
Sports_Nut
on twitter / Matthew Renton, Sports Social Media Marketer on iStadiaI play, watch, referee & work in sport & always have an opinion! I work for a sport science publication called Peak Performance
keithirving
on twitter / Keith Irving, Specialist in Performance Psychology & Psychometrics and co-owner of iStadia Co Founder iStadia and expert in performance psychology and related psychometrics
mikegarth on twitter / Mike Garth, Sport Psychologist on iStadia
Helping racing drivers perform better - love it!
BenWilsonUK on twitter / Ben Wilson, Personal Trainer on iStadia
micoach / David Hinchliffe, Cricket Coach on iStadia
Cricket coaching and athletic development
tennisopen on twitter / Michael Peterson, Tennis Professional on iStadia
pindaregirl on twitter / Gina Block on iStadia
SPORT LEISURE COACHING THIS IS PINDARE-DYNAMI CELL PHONE DIRECTORY AND MORE
annetteht on twitter / Annette Huygens-Tholen, Sporting Mindset Coach on iStadia
Olympian, Athlete Transition Coach, NLP & Master Results Coach
brianmccormick on twitter / Brian McCormick, Basketball Coach on iStadia
Coach. Entrepreneur. Author. Filmmaker. Globe Trotter. Gypsy.
DrDickB / Richard Bailey, Consultant on iStadia
Writer. Researcher. Geek. Interested in sport, learning, philosophy, macs and almost everything else.
dmfreedom
/ David Fuller, Sports Marketing Specialist on iStadiaCEO of Pilote Media. Specialist in Sports Marketing, sponsorship, activation and the use of emerging technology to bring sports stakeholders together.
DanielPeterson / Dan Peterson, Sports are 80 Percent Mental on iStadia
By day, IT stuff; by night, writing about sports, brains and science @ my site & LiveScience.com
BadenBall_Tam / Tam Nguyen, Sales & Marketing Manager on iStadia
I have an unhealthy and potentially dangerous addiction to all Seattle Sports Team.
Why not add your ID as a comment, or by sending me a message and I will update the roll-call.
Let's all support each other as we try to get our message out there.
--
Rob Robson
Co-founder, iStadia.com
Follow me on Twitter@sportpsychrob
Post-workout cravings influenced by type of exercise we do
It's a frequent topic of conversation among exercisers - whether and what people can eat after working out. I've always considered the difference to be about the person: "I have to eat as soon as possible" or "I can't face food after exercise". Research, however, suggests that the type of exercise that we do influences our post-workout cravings.
I tend to be an eater after exercise, but then I tend to be an eater anyway (though I'm working on it).
But Dr David Stensel, a leading sport scientist from Loughborough University's School of Sport & Exercise Sciences, has found that exercise doesn't always stimulate appetite, because some types of physical actiivty, particularly running, suppress the hormone (gherlin hormone) that makes us feel hungry. His findings are published in his new book on the Influence of Resistance and Aerobic Exercise on Hunger.
This obviously has implications for weight loss, because certain types of exercise are more or less likely to encourage us to replace the calories that we burn during exercise.
"The body tends to respond to exercise so it can do it more efficiently in future. The lighter you are, the better for long-distance running, so your body will crave watery foods that lower your body temperature by rehydration while not piling on the pounds," he said.
"But if you are making your body lift weights, then you will crave carb- and protein-rich foods that will bulk up your muscles. Similarly, if you are regularly swimming in cold water, your body benefits if your brain guides you towards foods that will give you a layer of protective fat." 
As a swimmer, this makes sense (except when the pool's heating is on too high, but that's another story) to me. I run only occasionally, but first reach for a large glass of water when I do. I come home from swim practice or weight training desperate for food (like I said, I'm an eater).
Apparently these effects are a combination of psychological and physiological responses; and what's interesting is that the appetite that is suppressed by running is not compensated for later - so the effect on weight loss should be 'real' over time.
"So if you run for 90 minutes, you will burn around 1,300 calories but will not increase your food intake in the 24 hours after that exercise. In short, you burn all those calories but you don't get hungrier than you would have had you not exercised at all."
I'm not sure about not getting hungrier than if I hadn't exercised at all, but I guess that there will always be individual differences within results like this.
However, my take home for Fat Club (a group of old friends from swimming who are using a private group on facebook as a virtual support group which is working really well - something that an iStadia club could be used for) is to add some running into my exercise regime.
--
Rob Robson
Co-founder, iStadia.com
Get updates on Twitter@sportpsychrob
Sports Consulting Careers: What's the Best Route to Take?
Sports Consulting, whether sport psychology, marketing, sport science or any other form of consulting, is becoming a popular career choice but it can be hard to get into. This post explores one particular approach, in response to an interesting question from Mustafa Sarkar,:"do you think with the service of sport psychologists being so competitive nowadays and depending so heavily on their reputation, that it may be necessary for up and coming sport psychologists to initially start in academia so that everyone in the field is aware of them as an expert in a particular research area (mental toughness for example)?".
I'm going to share my opinion, but would welcome any other views - whether in agreement or not. I'm also not going to focus on psychology, because I think the response is relevant to consulting in any area of sports performance or business.
Quite categorically, my answer in "No". Indeed, it may be "No No No No"!
OK, let me qualify that.
I'm not suggesting that recognition as an expert won't help open doors. It might even open doors at the highest level, if you specialize in the right area. But what happens when you get in front of the client?
If you want to be a consultant, then what you need first and foremost are consulting skills. If you are an expert, but a crappy consultant, all you are to your clients is a crappy consultant with some great bits of paper.
If you are good, you will get more work. Don't expect people to queue at your door, but that's basically what it boils down to. If you are good, you have a story to tell, and you'll have clients that are willing to recommend you.
If you want to become an academic, go and do it. The grass is always greener, and some academics might not agree with me but as an academic you have the opportunity to pursue a narrow field of enquiry in great depth. You are reasonably well paid, you get a lot of freedom, a lot of time off, and opportunities to travel and learn.
But, if you want to be a real expert as an academic, you need to work hard to build that reputation, first through your PhD, then by doing a lot of research, getting your platform through the formal publishing and presenting route. It takes time. With the best of intentions, a career as a consultant will have to take a back seat, otherwise you might just find that you are a mediocre academic, in a mediocre institution doing mediocre consulting work on the side.
The other thing is that as an academic, your primary audience is other academics. As a consultant they are not your target market!
It is about focus.
Likewise, building up a reputation as a consultant will take time and effort. In many ways, it is easier though. You are in control. First of all, you can give yourself away to gain experience, but do this with care. You don't want to be in demand because you are free. You want to be in demand because you are good. If you do a good job and build good relationships, you will get repeat work. You can also ask clients to refer you to people in their network.
Second, you are in control of your output. You can publish opinion pieces and practical material (here and/or on your own blog/site) that will bring you closer to potential clients. You don't have to jump through the hoops of the editorial committee. Your audience is your judge. If you build up a following on the web, it is because what you write is interesting or helpful.
If you have enough knowledge and the right skills you can bridge the gap between the academic world, which is unfathomable to your client, and your client's needs. That's your expertise as a consultant. You need some depth, you need broad knowledge too, but you don't need to be the foremost expert in a specific area - you just need to be able to assess your clients needs and deliver a solution that meets them. What if you are an expert in mental toughness? What if that's not the client's problem. But you've been building up this expertise over years. They say that when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail!
It boils down to this. Set yourself a goal. Focus your activity around that goal. Only do the things that will contribute to that goal (holding down a job in a supermarket for a while might contribute if it means that you have a basic income from doing shifts that allows you to go out and start building experience). Forget the rest. Every time something comes up, think critically about the contribution that it will make. But don't get tunnel vision (I know that sounds contradictory - stay focused on the goal but do keep an open mind and review the appropriateness of your goal from time to time. Don't flog a dead horse).
I make this last point because I dreamt of being a sport psychologist. By the time I got out and did it, I had so many commitments that it wasn't realistic any more. I didn't have the time I needed to build my reputation without a regular income at the level that I'd come to need. I did it for long enough to stratch the itch, but I moved on.
--
Rob Robson
Co-founder, iStadia.com
Extreme Swimming
As a swimmer myself, I have great admiration for those strange beasts of open water swimming that choose to compete in the sea, lakes and rivers. Inspired by the news this week of Jennifer Figge, the 54 year old American that was reported to have become the first woman to swim the Atlantic Ocean (only to be rumbled for only actually swimming about 250 miles of it), I decided to look into some of the crazy but amazing people that I'd call 'Extreme Swimmers'.Jennifer Figge - Extremely Disappointing?
Let's start with the lady herself. She's crazy lady numero uno (and that's a technical term). Jennifer claimed to have swum between the Cape Verde Islands off Africa to Trinidad in an incredible 24 days. It turned out, however, that she only did 250 miles. Still, that's about one channel swim every 2.5 days, so still quite an achievement. So, despite my disappointment that the original story was false, I'm keeping her in.
If, like me you are wondering about shark encounters, Jennifer swam in a shark cage but didn't see any. I bet a few saw her, though :). Apparently she saw pilot whales, turtles and dolphins (at least that's what she told herself).
"I was never scared," she said. "Whatever floats your boat", says I.
Benoit Lecomte
10 years ago, when Benoit Lecomte became the first swimmer to cross the Atlantic, he most certainly did she a shark. Indeed, he was apparently tailed much of the way by a 10 footer (at a distance of 30 feet) but it never actually approached him. Perhaps if it did it would have asked what the hell he was up to?Anyway, Frenchman Benoit, started off in Massachusetts and ended in France, making his crossing an incredible 6000 km in 74 days, consuming 6-7000 calories per day.
"I'm did not so much swim," he said, "but I fought my way across,". Not content with swimming, it seems, he's now glossing his story and telling people that he fought off the shark.
(Eds: Hold on a minute. Is that a fin? I'm distinctly underimpressed now).
Lewis Pugh
Let's move away from the distance 'freaks' onto another type of endurance. In July 2007, Lewis Gordon Pugh swam for 18 minutes and 50 seconds at the Geographical North Pole - to raise awareness of climate change. After his swim in waters 0f -1.2 centigrade - no drysuit for this fella - he said, "The water was absolutely black. It was like jumping into a dark black hole. It was frightening. The pain was immediate and felt like my body was on fire. I was in excruciating pain from beginning to end and I nearly quit on a few occasions. It was without doubt the hardest swim of my life."
I guess you could say that he's an 'eco-nutter'.
Pedro H. Ordenes and Gary Emich
Founder and President of the Alcatraz100 club, Pedro (with Gary Emich) was the first swimmer to make the swim from the legendary island prison to the mainland at San Francisco. Inspired by Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers who escaped from Alcatraz by chipping through the wall and swimming away in the night (never to be seen again).
Although Alcatraz is 'only' a mile and a half from shore, the water is cold (not -1.2 c it has to be said), shark infested and subject to currents from the Golden Gate up up to 8 miles per hour (much faster than any human can swim). Every year there is a race, called the Alcatraz Sharkfest Swim (you get the message), and anyone who dreams of making the swim 100 times can join the club.
So, these guys achieve nutterdom by going back for more. And more.
Personally, I'm happy to stick to my 3k in the pool. Hats off to all of these extreme swimmers and the many, less extreme open water swimmers who nevertheless put up with tough conditions on a regular basis..
If you want to talk swimming, why not join the swimming club?
--
Rob Robson
Co-founder, iStadia.com
Get updates on Twitter@sportpsychrob
Scolari Sacking a Sign of the Times?
On one hand 'Big Phil' Scolari's sacking from Chelsea this week was a great surprise. Indeed, when the axe fell, it fell quickly and without much warning. Many commentators were surprised, even though Chelsea's recent results had been poor - or at least not good enough to satisfy owner Roman Abramovich's thirst for trophies.
Looking at it differently, however, Scolari's swift exit is merely a sign of the times that we are in, both in sport and in business. Both are about results. Both seem to be increasingly about short term results. Indeed, football and business are one and the same. Big football clubs, whether PLC or privately owned, just like any businesses, are at the whim of shareholders and other key stakeholders.It has long been recognised that balancing short and long term results is one of the toughest tasks of a business leader. There's no point in having a great strategy if you don't get good enough results to see it through. If there's no strategy, short term results are going to be hard to sustain. Likewise in football. You've got to earn the right to see through the strategy. You need the youth system, but you need to still be in the Premier League when the new talent starts coming through.
I was at a conference before Christmas, where the speaker was talking about business leadership increasingly being about getting through the next quarter. Abramovich might be seen as being twitchy or impatient, but that's roughly where Scolari was. Abramovich was unhappy, basically, with this quarter's results, and wasn't confident that the next quarter - basically to the end of the season - would be good enough. So, he's bringing someone in - most likely Gus Hiddink - that he believes can provide those short term results. If Hiddink earns the right to stay for the long-term, however, it remains to be seen whether he will choose to.
--
Rob Robson
Co-founder, iStadia.com
Get updates on Twitter@sportpsychrob
BongGate: The Michael Phelps Pot Smoking Controversy
After Michael Phelps was exposed by the News of the World this Sunday as a pot smoking fiend and all-round danger to society, the blogosphere has been positively throbbing with "BongGate" posts.
Indeed, after Richland County, S.C., Sheriff Leon Lotttold the New York Post that he would charge Phelps if he could prove that the 14 time gold medal winning swimmer had smoked pot on his 'turf', the ante was upped even further.I've been following this story on twitter, using tweetdeck, and in just over 5 hours i"ve had 740 notifications of 'tweets' on Phelps.
Some of them have been great. You may or may not know that Twitter, as a 'microblogging' tool allows you 140 characters. So you have to be quite creative to get a point, or joke, across.
Opinion seems to be on the side of "who cares" or "get over it". Here are some of my favourites:
@mzmullerz: ZOMG! michael phelps smoked *gasp* pot? well that explains the 10 gazillion calorie diet, doesn't it? righteous bong, dude.
@jettstein: obama and now michael phelps? proof of marijuana as a performance enhancer?
@jfraga I thought the best explanation for "Phelps' behavior" was that marijuana does not interfere with your ability to be awesome.
@davidmaclean: Michael Phelps story sets new record for News of the World website hits. But where is the smoke?
@JDTwitt: Maybe Phelps could be a spokesperson for 7-11 nachos now? Just a thought.
@artman2001: I just want to say that seeing Michael Phelps taking a hit from a marijuana bong is CLASSIC, man i am proud to be an american
Of course there are more 'conservative' views, but what's interesting is that Phelps is getting a lot of support for holding his hand up, being honest and saying sorry. It isn't exactly crime of the century, and the guy does work incredibly hard to be the athlete that he is. He needs to kick back now and again.
Some of his sponsors have come out as being pretty unconcerned - though that may change if he is charged, while he has been backed as a role model by the IOC.
It looks like this story will run for a while.
In the meantime, I leave you with this: What Phelps Should Have Said
--
Rob Robson
Co-founder, iStadia.com
Get updates on Twitter@sportpsychrob
Commenting etiquette - giving and receiving to add value
Commenting is an essential and central part of blogging and Web 2.0. It is, after all, what makes blogging different from 'normal' publishing.Commenting can add a great deal of value both to the original post, and to your own profile/blog, and people (and Google) can follow the link from your comment. the more activity there is around a blog post, the more traffic it will ultimately generate, as it will be seen by Google as a 'live' topic and by people as something of interest, a developing conversation.
Important, too, in a community like iStadia is that commenting helps to develop a relationship between blogger and commenter (and the roles can be reversed).
Reciprocity is also an important concept. If you you want to receive comments, give them first. To reward comments on your post, thank people, provide clarification and so on. If you do not want to receive comments (maybe more applicable to articles), you can switch them off for a post.
Here is a useful blog on the etiquette of commenting.
Happy posting. Now, let's see if anyone comments on this post :)
--
Rob Robson
Co-founder, iStadia.com
Get updates on Twitter and friendfeed
The Greatest Team Talk Ever?
I was reminded of this team talk this morning.It has some great themes....
Taking responsibility
Taking care of the little things
Fighting for every inch
Being prepared to risk everything for that inch
Team work & trust
Ok. So it isn't even from a real sports coach, or a real sports team. It's cheesy. It's Al Pacino, in Every Given Sunday - enjoy.
Alternatively, here's another team talk from a movie - Mike Bassett: England Manager. An altogether different approach to man management!
--
Rob Robson
Co-founder, iStadia.com
Get updates on Twitter and friendfeed
