The August holidays are quietly upon us and promising lots for those who live for their sport...consider the last post of the schools and club rugby season, 180 days of continuous international cricket that has stunned the world and scorched the record books. October showcases India hosting the Commonwealth Games and closely followed by the Asian Games in China this November.

Greetings citizens of my country, our paradise...how proud you must all be , seeing the class and skill of our cricketers wear India down ...on an SSC pitch that will make its own mark as a batting dream. The purists will be falling over with sheer delight, trying to assess the incredible stats and mind altering possibilities...skipper Sangar and Mahela reigning supreme, Tharanga and Samaraweera completing the magical two days .

The focus is naturally on how amazing the achievement...but now let me qualify the purpose of my test match yards....for players in all sport , the work rate and delivery is subjective and completely dependent on the level of fitness, mental strength and high performance. This factor and all others that give the player huge input is based entirely on recovery...how good and efficient it is, and how much you have worked towards getting it max...highest levels of fitness are graded on the speed of recovery.
Recovery gives the mind and body time to return to a state of well-being, the muscle ability to restock the reserves and be performance ready for the next burst..critical in sport, and the biggest secret, if you lack the rest and recovery time.

Tendulkar clearly defined his needs when asked what you plan tonight..."I will get in the ice bath, have a good rub down, eat well as needed, and sleep even better....words of practical wisdom from the master, and perfect Intel for all young and old, engaged in sport.

DO NOT PRESUME YOUR BODY CAN REPAIR ITSELF, ON THE RUN UNDER PRESSURE.......make this your No.1 rule.

I see school kids training relentlessly..sometimes 3 sessions a day , 7days a week...with zero time to rest up and gain from the inputs...this is sheer lunacy , and should be advised against. Coaches and parents need to be informed and be aware of the dangers , the pressure on the system and the inability to show progress...wise up and measure the training ..the key, is to get it right at all stages. Seek to change the hours of casual training, with a schedule of focus format, that defines the plan and gives the kid targets to aim for......get this in place and you will see visible gains and a vibrant athlete , hungry to work and hungrier to prove - give the endorphin its dues, and condemn regrets to have no meaning.

We are by nature a little suspicious, so it is imperative that information, and the correct information, is easily available for the teams and individuals actively involved in sport..it is very dangerous to expect kids to automatically understand the complex nature of performance by natural selection. Coaches, trainers and parents are guilty of not knowing themselves......but this is not a crime, it just needs them to take the time to find out, in the shortest possible time what the fundamentals are, and how soon you can correct the training and coaching plan .

The best players in the world, the world champions are by nature the highest informed and most knowledgeable ...only because they have perfected the art of high performance and got the balance between hard work, desire, determination, discipline, nutrition, endurance , mental strength, and the absolute joy of loving what you do...perfectly in balance.

Check with skipper Sangar, Tendulkar, Murali, Tiger Woods, Lewis Hamilton, Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, or Spain after winning the World Cup......the answer my friends will not only amaze you with its simplicity, but also show the magical nature of proper recovery for the highest performance in the world......... or... at the school sports meet next Saturday.

KNOWLEDGE IS KEY, FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF..it’s the only way. Cheers.