One thing’s certain: Sonja Moses’ training programme is just as much about mental strength as physical strength. Not only do these exercises demand high levels of focus and concentration, they also require dedication and commitment.

From press-ups to planks to wall squats these exercises will help you improve your overall physical strength.

Keep an eye out for more training tips that Sonja passes on to the Selects.

We can all train like athletes and get our own exercise schedules. Take a look at the Nike Training Club video, and  you will get your own exercises specific to you from Nike.

Nike Training Club - Move You on NikeWomen.com

Pick a programme and challenge your friends, make your training fun and innovative with the Nike Training Club.

Sporting Opportunities invites you to join us on a very unique ride in the Hartebeesfontein Conservancy which forms part of their Open Day. All three distances take you through lush green farm lands within the Conservancy which is at the foot of the Magaliesburg mountains and along the Magalies River. A ride not to be missed.

Date: 2 May
Venue: Mokoya Lodge, Haartebeesfontein Conservancy, NW Province
For more info contact: Robyn on 072 462 1978 or robyn@sportingopportunities.com

Is it the lack of training and preparation, is it the lack of encouragement from the sidelines, or is it all just in our minds? We all feel our legs burning or our lungs slowly giving in, we all feel tired uphill and out of breath as we finish an exercise programme for the day, but what can we do to train our minds to be stronger? How can we build up our inner mental cheerleaders to get us across the finish line, to finish a competition or a match?

We train physically to achieve something, whether it is gold on a podium, lose 5 kg’s or to be a part of a solid, unbeatable team. We do it for ourselves, we need to finish that race, score that goal, stretch further, climb higher, run faster, but how do we align our bodies with our minds?

Jim Donovan author of ‘Handbook to a Happier Life’, believes that through using various affirmations we can achieve mind strength - training our minds to think the way are bodies do.

He also believes that we must develop one or two affirmations that express our desire or goal. They must be in present tense and positive, like I am, I have, I will, I can, and so on.  The more you repeat these affirmations to yourself, whether in diary entries, thought or saying them out loud, the more your mind will begin to naturally think these things and make you stronger and fitter.

So, I will win my race, I can get higher, I am the best and I have the ability to beat my record, will start to become a reality. So start thinking and training your mind so that you become a well-rounded, positive athlete with a strong body and mind.

But for now, I can, I have and I will continue to be the person/athlete/friend who brings you updates right here Keep in touch for more!

So there I was, all kitted out and ready to hit the road. While most people were still sleeping and slowly getting out of bed I was breathing in the cool air of the morning and enjoying the silence all around me.

As much as I wanted to just take off and start my run, I had to hold back and do some warm-up exercises. It turns out that this is one of the most important parts of the run (and it happens before the run even starts).

Benefits of a decent warm-up:

• Helps to prevent injuries
• Dilate your blood vessels, which in turn ensures that your muscles are well supplied with oxygen
• Raises your muscles’ temperature, aiding in flexibility
• And if you slowly raise your heart rate, it will minimise the stress on your heart when you do start your run

All in all, the benefits seem to be on the side of a good warm-up session.

Interestingly, a warm up doesn’t merely involve stretching. It turns out that I must not stretch cold muscles, but rather do 5 - 10 minutes of either aerobics exercises, brisk walking, slow jog or cycling on a stationary bike to warm up my muscles.

So off I go doing my warm-up session, I hope I have enough energy after this to still do my actual run.

These are a great series of exercises to get you warmed up and ready to tackle any exercise:

Go back to the basics with Nike Running by running supernatural at the Bear Butte Running Camp, featuring Nike Free 5.0. This is one of the funniest videos I have ever seen in a long time.

In terms of the Nike+ Challenge, the men did outwit, outlast and outplay the women. This is not the end. The challenge might have ended but the rivalry is still alive and kicking. Go to Nike+ to see the final standings.

Here is a bit of inspiration to get you through 2009. And remember, make every day a strong day.

Health:

• Drink plenty of water.
• Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
• Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
• Live with the 3 E’s - Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
• Make time for prayer.
• Play more games.
• Read more books than you did in 2008.
• Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
• Sleep for 7 hours.
• Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:

• Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
• Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
• Don’t over do. Keep your limits.
• Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
• Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
• Dream more while you are awake.
• Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
• Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
• Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.
• Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
• No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
• Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
• Smile and laugh more.
• You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society:

• Call your family often.
• Each day give something good to others.
• Forgive everyone for everything.
• Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
• Try to make at least three people smile each day.
• What other people think of you is none of your business.
• Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:

• Do the right thing!
• Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
• GOD heals everything.
• However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
• No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
• The best is yet to come.
• When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
• Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

Sonja Moses, Nike Master Trainer, has divided her Hard Corps training programme into two main areas of focus: speed and strength. For Speed, she’s developed a series of highly targeted exercises designed to help the Selects improve their quickness.

In this episode, the Selects learn the proper technique they’ll need to maximise every rep and set, and improve their speed results. Fast. These exercises are great and will help you keep your training fresh and exciting.

Keep an eye out for more training tips that Sonja passes on to the Hard Corps.

Not because the general population classifies it as being “unhealthy”, but rather because a recent run-in with an army of dental people left me unable to chew for a bit - wisdom should not be measured by the extra teeth gained. I must admit I did panic a bit, because ‘2000-and-mine’ was supposed to involve a concerted effort to do the whole 5 portions of fruit and veg a day business. But apparently in the rock-paper-scissors championship battle, issues involving wisdom teeth outweigh chewy, crunchy fruit and veg.

Image courtesy from Fertile Foods

In the time since, I’ve become the bestest friends with a blender. I’ve worked out just about any possible combination of smoothies/milkshakes you could have. And you know something? It’s really so much easier to get your 5 portions of fruit in if it’s all whizzed up. I am not a nutritionist or a dietician of any sort, but I do know that I often do not have the time to remember to eat all these things, but pop it into a blender and whizz with some yoghurt and milk for a few seconds and you’ve got a really healthy, variety laden quick meal on the go.

So far, my favourite has been a bit of mango, a squizz of orange juice, some granadilla, a dollop of yogurt and about a glass of milk all zapped into a creamy froth. The only fruit I’m wary of is banana, because that seems to overpower the taste of just about any other fruit added in. (Generally they’re not one of my favourite fruits so I might just be biased.) Handfuls of bran cereal or muesli also make for interesting texture additions to your smoothies, as do sprinklings of certain flavourings like ground cinnamon or cardamom powder, the fruits are sweet enough and don’t require extra sugar - bonus.

Breakfast, as the adage goes, is the most important meal of the day. These smoothies provide the convenience of getting a good, healthy breakfast in a gulp before you head out to face the day and keeping you going while you strengthen up in your fitness programme. So maybe my current condition was a blessing in disguise?!