Make that Game Winning Shot that at the Buzzer!

Q: What do LeBron James, Jaromir Jagr, and Tom Brady have in common?

A: They all have the most game-winning shots or drives in their respective leagues. Lebron James has the most Game-tying or go-ahead field goals with under 10 seconds left in the postseason. Jaromir Jagr has 135 game-winning goals, and Tom Brady holds a record 13 game-winning drives in his career.

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Considering that they played the entire game, they must be physically exhausted when they score the game-winner. Add the mental pressure of knowing that if that player doesn’t make that goal, then it becomes their fault and let down the whole team.

It is impressive to think that these high-level athletes repeatedly prevailed over physical fatigue and psychological stress to make those winning scores.

Life Imitates Sports

Anyone can be tasked to make that game-winning score in our seemingly mundane lives. The challenge can happen in a situation when immediate, decisive action is needed that demands a response beyond our comfort zone.

A burst of speed, a show of strength and flexibility may be required someday to save someone. It will also need mental toughness and focus on finishing what looks like an impossible task.

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Can I Train to Make that Game Winner?

High-intensity exercises require the heart rate to go up to 80 to 90% of maximum. At that intensity, the lactate build-up commonly called “lactic acid burn” in the muscles can be felt. That pain can discourage anyone from continuing. Passing thru that stage requires not only physical endurance but mental toughness. The same qualities needed to make that winning goal.

Even though the muscles may hurt with more intense training, the pain is temporary, but the benefits are more significant and last longer.

There is More to Lactate than Pain

The pain felt during the lactic acid burn is a signal that the body is switching from aerobic to anaerobic. Adaptability to anaerobic training gives the muscles the ability to work at low oxygen levels and increases athletic performance.
The lactic acid is also used as fuel for exercising muscles.
Lactate has anabolic effects and stimulates the differentiation of muscle stem cells. The new stem cells add more mitochondria or fuel generators to the muscle cells for better exercise capacity.
Lactate produced in the muscles are shuttled to the brain for fuel.
Lactate activates the brain by increasing the supply of norepinephrine.
Lactate is also crucial for long-term memory and induces neuroplasticity.
High-intensity also reverses the age-related deconditioning of the heart and thus prevents heart failure.

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Back to the Record Holders

Elite-level athletes may have the genes, but they still have to train hard to be champions. Jaromir Jagr is known for shooting 6-pound medicine ball against the wall and wears 45 -pound vest and ankle weights all day and even on the ice. Even at 44 years old.

LeBron James lifts weights 3 times a week, yoga 30 minutes every day and bodyweight and plyometric exercises 5 – 6 times per week.

Tom Brady developed the TB12 program that uses elastic bands to be ready for Superbowl, even at 42 years of age.

Don’t Be Just a Fan, Be the Athlete!

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References:

Minas Nalbandian, Masaki Takeda. Lactate as a Signaling Molecule That Regulates Exercise-Induced Adaptations. Biology (Basel) 2016 Dec; 5(4): 38. Published online 2016 Oct 8. doi: 10.3390/biology5040038.
Cairns SP. Lactic acid and exercise performance: culprit or friend? Sports Med. 2006;36(4):279-91.
Levine et al. Reversing the Cardiac Effects of Sedentary Aging in Middle Age—A Randomized Controlled Trial. Implications For Heart Failure Prevention. Circulation. 2018;137:1549–1560

Photo Credits:

Basketball Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
NFL Goal post Photo by Thomas Serer on Unsplash
Ice Hockey Photo by Andy Hall on Unsplash