SWOT - post 2

More on goal setting, and Brittney was kind enough to send in her SWOT for us to have a look at and go over in terms of helping us with goal setting. Reading hers made me have a second look at mine, and a fresh perspective on where I need to shore up my SWOT and where I need to dive in deeper.

I think that Brittney has done a great job of getting her SWOT together, she has put in some good Opportunities and Threats. We both need to add in weather to the threats, as in the heat of the Texas summer +100 degrees is common and that is pretty tough to get training in.

I also think that her weaknesses are well thought-out and clear, however.... like most women. I don't think that she gives enough credit to her strengths.

Decent strength and Decent technique is too vague. Brittney has done a few more years of Highland Games then I have, so I think that she can do some better self critiquing then this. In Fact, so can I.

That is the meat of it right there. Strength + technique (and some speed) are pretty much how you get the weights to fly in this sport. :)

So, homework assignment for me and Brittney is to get deeper into where we are strong, where we are weak, where we are fast, where we are slow, where we have good technique and where we have poor technique. We should do this for each event. Sound good B? You know where to reach me! :)

Then, we will be able to help ourselves focus our training on those weaknesses in the next set of goal setting... the SMART goals!

How to prep for the Zombie Apocalypse

Have you ever caught yourself saying this, “I am fit, I work out, why is this so hard? There is no way I could survive the zombie apocalypse in this condition!”  I found myself muttering this to myself and decided to ask older wiser lions what else I needed to work on to ensure my survival in the face of our inevitable invasion of brain munchers. Seems I missed a memo that all those gurus already knew about, making them worth the proverbial trip up the mountain of knowledge. Color me the humble acolyte when I learned what I was missing was GPP – General Physical Preparedness.

 

SWOT - Goal Setting 1

As we enter into 2012 and the season is starting – or has started depending on where you are in the world, we are going to have a little look at Self Analysis and Goal Setting and how it can help in the Highland Games season.

In this post we are going to look at the SWOT Analysis (Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats) evaluation tool, which is also used frequently in business and athletics/sports. We will cover S.M.A.R.T (Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Time Sensitive) in the next blog post as the second step to this goal setting extravaganza!

Falls Fest Highlander, my first "power" meet!

The adventures continue for your Traveling Texan! Three years ago I got into the swing of this highland games thing, and last year I rediscovered my love of lifting heavy things for silliness and fun. What better way to combine those two simple joys than to take part in a NAHA Highlander event? Conveniently enough there is one right around the corner from my neck of the woods, Falls Fest Highlander in Wichita Falls. (http://www.fallsfest.org/)

 

McPherson! MAC! Home away from home...

As I was loading up the car for the final September highland games run, a bit of nostalgia came along and lodged itself in my mind. McPherson two years ago was when and where highland games took a turn for me in a myriad of ways.  This games, this place, these people were what nudged me from being a thrower on games days to becoming a member of the community.  Accepting a new competitor as soon as they set foot on the field is a rare thing; this was the first “away game” for me, and they showed me exactly what the HG community is all about. For this alone I would gladly return to MAC every year, but let’s delve into all the other reasons why YOU should go!

Oklahoma Scottish festival

September’s familiar routine of loading up and driving out of state for a Highland Games continues with our next adventure, The Oklahoma Scottish Festival. Held along the Arkansas River with downtown Tulsa as a backdrop, the festival puts highland games on the center stage.

Iceland in Review

The First Iceland Highland Games, spanning the first weekend in June, were a great success. They were held in the western fjords of Patreksfjörður in conjunction with the annual Seaman’s Festival, which is a remembrance to all those lost to the sea. Pétur Guðmundsson was the Athletic Director for a fantastic long weekend of a mix of Highland Games and Strongman Events, as well as tours of the local areas. The competitors came from all over the world, representing Iceland, Belgium, Holland, Scotland, Germany, Canada, and the United States. 25 competitors from seven countries competed in three classes.