AM8 International

A topic that is often filled with misinterpretation to misinformation it is so incredibly critical to be mindful of these mishaps to missteps to ensure players to athletes are educated and afforded education that points towards optimal performance practices. For the otherwise healthy player/athlete there is in fact no need to add supplements to their nutrition intake. Specifically for those inside the developmental years, all dietary requirements can and should be consumed through regular nutrition with vitamins and minerals from their direct food sources — fruits and vegetables. It is important to remember here that this is generalised advice for the healthy individual opposed to a child and/or adolescent that may be required to take a form of medication to help with an underlying condition. There is big difference.

Supplements should not replace general nutrition, it is that simple.

Irrespective if you follow a specific diet by choice, it remains pertinent to make sure you’re getting ‘enough’ from the primary food groups to equip you with the energy you need to perform at your best. If we’re narrowing in on optimal performance practices, it starts with natural fuel intake — not supplementary, to begin. Players to athletes need to learn to build their baseline and the respective energy sources — protein, fats to carbohydrates and to complement these with the respective vitamins and minerals directly from their food source.

And whilst their is a role for supplements in sport, there is no need for them in athlete development — until that athlete has exhausted their direct nutritional intake and only then if and/or when they’re coming up short, are supplements an alternative. But, and this is a huge BUT — only if as they are not the answer. For the player/athlete who is at their peak and undertaking a rigorous training load, be mindful of these mishaps and let your nutrition guide you whilst also being open to supplements when that time comes (not before) to ensure your education around nutrition and your energy sources work directly for you — not against.

For a nutrition resource, we have you covered — The Secrets to Optimal Wellbeing was designed for exactly this, as an educational tool to help guide coaches, parents and players/athletes. As a generalised guide opposed to athlete nutrition model, it will help you understand your baseline level as a starting point to build upon and get more creative!

To learn more about our data, predictive analytics and how to optimise your own performance, head on over to AM8 International. To learn more about AM8 International check out our selection of Books and/or options to join Dr B’s Pack to gain exclusive access to the best in the world. Not quite ready? Head on over to Beyond Top 10 Tennis for free access to 100+ episodes directly from Dr Berge of what it really takes to win multiple Grand Slams to securing that Top 10 tennis ranking with new episodes each week. More? Catch up on our Tips over on TikTok, Twitter, Threads or Instagram for quick snippets to apply in your game, today. 

Over the past few years the term mindfulness has gained traction upon traction and has been relatively well received in contrast to purely ‘meditation’ as an after-thought of its earlier connotations to misperceptions around the vague use of the phrase in of itself. Irrespective of these preconceived ideals, a new wave of after-thought has arrived and shed a more welcoming and encompassing nudge on mindfulness and meditation when the practices themselves are essentially transferrable and synonymous with one other — dependent on the ‘type’ an individual wishes to ‘practice’.

Moving away from this language has been incredible helpful to better associate mindfulness in a more inclusive light for all. Unfortunately, due to the misperceptions around mediation and that it is only ‘practiced’ by a certain stereotype, whilst inaccurate, that doesn’t remove the stigma of what is once was readily thought to encompass. Nevertheless, the good news is that mindfulness has been around for quite some time and in the sporting context has been actively practiced for at least the last two plus decades — back when I was playing it was implemented, however, it was more so or less termed ‘visualisation’ to mental conditioning and mental toughness. All of these phrases are essentially terms that bounce off the other and encompass a mindful practice and it incredibly important to illustrate how language can have such a power influence.

By flipping the language from mediation to mindful — or mental toughness for ‘better outcomes’ is that much more empowering opposed to using the term ‘mediation’ in and of itself without considering its common misconceptions. To reframe these misunderstandings we need to change the conversations of the varying ‘dialects’ in some way, shape or form, that encompass these practices.

This week’s episode looks at mindfulness and how it has been adopted in the sporting context and how it ‘should’ feature consistency in a player’s and/or athlete’s training/practice and be readily adopted in their games/events. This addition to a player’s and/or athlete’s training is not only incredibly beneficial for their performances, but so much more is the take away for life itself.

To learn more about our data, predictive analytics and how to optimise your own performance, head on over to AM8 International. To learn more about AM8 International check out our selection of Books and/or options to join Dr B’s Pack to gain exclusive access to the best in the world. Not quite ready? Head on over to Beyond Top 10 Tennis for free access to 100+ episodes directly from Dr Berge of what it really takes to win multiple Grand Slams to securing that Top 10 tennis ranking with new episodes each week. More? Catch up on our Tips over on TikTok, Twitter, Threads or Instagram for quick snippets to apply in your game, today.