Dan Peterson
The 10,000 Hour Misunderstanding — Focus on Quality Not Quantity in Practice
This is the second of a three-part special book excerpt from The Playmaker’s Advantage. Part 1 can be found here. By Daniel Petersonand Leonard Zaichkowsky, Ph.D. Visit any sideline of parents on gameday and ask them to explain the “10,000-hour rule.” There is a good chance that you’ll not only get a definition but also an update on…
In Search of the Playmaker’s Advantage
This is the first of a three-part book excerpt from The Playmaker’s Advantage, available wherever books are sold. By Daniel Peterson and Leonard Zaichkowsky, Ph.D. How hard could it be? I was an adult, a dad no less, with a reasonable understanding of the game despite never having played soccer. They were a pack of…
Tracking The Next Generation of World Cup Soccer Players
In June, when the world’s best men’s soccer teams kickoff World Cup 2018, we will be painfully reminded that Team USA will not be among them for the first time in over 30 years. After their shock elimination defeat to Trinidad and Tobago back in October, the US Men’s National Team, along with all of…
Do Girls Deal with More Overuse Injuries Than Boys?
While the age of specialization in youth sports has created more skilled athletes entering high school, it also has caused a rash of overuse injuries. Training the same movements continuously puts a strain on a subset of muscles, tendons and ligaments without the opportunity to rest and recover. Cross-training in other sports would alleviate some…
Can a Blood Test Diagnose a Concussion?
It’s official: Concussions can be tricky to diagnose during a game.There are obvious cases where players show classic symptoms of disorientation, dizziness and loss of memory.But there are also borderline incidents where players respond well to quick examination, even when they’ve suffered serious head injuries. Fortunately, there are some possible solutions to this problem. Two…
The Search for the Vanishing Fat Cells
Let’s say that three months from now you check off your New Year’s resolution of losing 20 pounds through better eating and more exercise.As you enjoy your celebratory DQ Blizzard, you start to wonder, “Where exactly did those 20 pounds of goo go?” Did it disappear into sweat?Was it converted into muscle?Did it disappear into…
For Long-Term Health Benefits, The Tortoise Beats The Hare
For many runners, the ultimate bucket list goal is to finish a marathon at some point in their lives.If running is good for overall health, then more running must be the fountain of youth. At least that’s the logical assumption.But research from the University of Copenhagen found that there is a point of diminishing returns…
Why You Might Not Want to Text and Treadmill
Sometimes multitasking should just be avoided. We all know that texting and driving is dangerous, and even talking on a phone while driving can be distracting. But what about texting or talking on your phone while exercising? If you’re running along a busy street, that could be a problem with traffic whizzing by. Or out…
Why is Weight Management Harder Today Than it Was 30 Years Ago?
The well-known formula for how to lose weight seems like simple math: calories in minus calories out. Yet anyone who has struggled with weight loss knows that there must be something missing. Despite reducing food intake and picking up the duration and intensity of workouts, it sometimes seems like a losing battle. Sure enough, researchers…
Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Hydration?
When it comes to staying hydrated on the field, one of the recommendations often repeated is to “drink before you’re thirsty.” While staying hydrated is important, a group of medical experts have recently issued a consensus statement about the dangers of overhydration, which can lead to a condition called exercise-associated hyponatremia (EAH). Normally, our kidneys…
The Simple Benefits of Spending Time Outdoors
Go climb a tree! No, seriously, it’s good for young brains to climb trees, jump on rocks, balance on a log and many other outdoor activities. Known as proprioceptive tasks, when kids do movements that force them to be aware of their body’s position in space, it forces their brain to multitask and rely on…
Top Soccer Clubs Learn To Predict And Prevent Injuries
By Dan Peterson, TeamSnap’s sports science writer. Each week in the world’s top soccer leagues, injuries take an expensive toll. Millions of dollars of talent left on the substitutes bench or back in the training room, risking their team’s place in the standings. In the past, injuries were an accepted part of the game, but…
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