11 Ways of the Athletic Warrior

12/18/2024

Reviews are starting to trickle in for my new book which you can find on Amazon.

12/13/2024

Here’s what one of my readers said about the book:
While I first encountered sportswriter Rick Cipes through his “Bite-Sized Pickleball” podcast, this is actually the second of his books that I’ve read. Unlike my first read - How to Play Better Pickleball - this slim volume is broader in scope. As indicated by the title, Rick is addressing anyone in any sport with greater athletic aspirations. Throughout the book, he draws on his extensive background as a sportswriter and athlete to pepper in examples from various sports and famous athletes. My game is pickleball, however, and I very much enjoyed applying his insights to this game.

He’s divided the book up into, obviously, eleven chapters related to qualities that can help athletes improve their “inside” mental, emotional and even spiritual game. (Kudos to him for not going with the more traditional “Top 10” model.) Each chapter is titled “Right ______,” and he covers a wide-range of topics from the very Buddhist-sounding “Right Path” to “Right Practice” to “Right Athlete.” He’s using the word “right” to mean “best, recommended or most helpful” as opposed to a distinct polarity between right and wrong.

I’ve seen most of these topics covered in other places, but there are a few things that I think really make this little book unique. First, it’s very concise and pithy, but dense. At under 100 pages, it does not take long to read if you go straight through, but I took bite-size pieces and let them sit a bit before moving on. These are big, important topics that deserve reflection and time.

Second, Rick is a writer with incredible breadth. He throws in entertaining examples from everything from “Monty Python” to Siddhartha to quotes from Lebron James to make his points. These anecdotes and allusions really help the chapters come alive.

Finally, Rick has a very down-to-earth voice as a writer, and doesn’t hesitate to use some slang and the occasional expletive to make his point. I suspect he’s a very funny guy in person!

Overall, this is a fun, easy and insightful read and I highly recommend it.

12/10/2024

Always maintain your focus, there is no looking back on the track of life.

12/10/2024

How can you be a calmer cat when chaos surrounds you? You could start with my new book "11 Ways of the Athletic Warrior: A Guide to Peak Performance" available at Amazon.

12/08/2024

When you’re in the flow, there is no need to look behind you.

12/08/2024

Our 3rd podcast features flow and the NBA. Search for the Athletic Warrior on any apple podcast app, spotify, or at Amazon to listen for free.

11/16/2024

New podcast The Athletic Warrior: A Guide to Peak Performance is available on Apple, Spotify, and elsewhere. Give it a listen, and stay tuned for more cool tips on how to reach the ultimate zone.

11/14/2024

New podcast titled The Athletic Warrior: A Guide to Peak Performance is available now on your favorite podcast service, or on this link

11/04/2024

Here’s a little testimonial of my new book 11 Ways of the Athletic Warrior: A Guide to Peak Performance https://tinyurl.com/11waysbook

10/24/2024

Here is a closer look at the chapters in my new book "11 Ways of the Athletic Warrior: A Guide to Peak Performance" (available on Amazon)

Chapter 1: Right Path
Stay positive and patient, accept what you can't control, and learn to flow with everything that comes your way.

Chapter 2: Right Nobility
Carry yourself with integrity, acting selflessly and honoring the process, not just seeking glory or ego-driven wins.

Chapter 3: Right Technique
Commit to mastering the mechanics of your sport while always seeking to improve and refine your skills.

Chapter 4: Right Practice
Engage in purposeful practice with a beginner's mindset, striving for consistent repetition that leads to positive muscle memory.

Chapter 5: Right Dialogue
Be impeccable with your word and maintain an inner voice that builds up your confidence, not tears it down.

Chapter 6: Right Lesson
Embrace every challenge as a learning experience without letting your ego, or frustration, get in the way of the truth.

Chapter 7: Right Mind
Focus on the benefits of mindfulness to stay present, learning to keep the disruptive inner and outer noise to a minimum.

Chapter 8: Right Athlete
Prioritize self-care by balancing nutrition, rest, and training to maintain a mind-body capable of reaching its maximum potential.

Chapter 9: Right Art
Approach your sport as a form of creative self-expression, treating your athletic endeavors like an artist with their canvas.

Chapter 10: Right Community
Help build, and be a part of, a healthy support system dedicated to being the backbone of your sports organization.

Chapter 11: Right Warrior
Trust the passion you’ve put into your journey and step into the Athletic Warrior you were meant to be.

10/18/2024

Master your mindset, elevate your game—start your journey to peak performance today! Read the just released book 11 Ways of the Athletic Warrior available on Amazon

11 Ways of the Athletic Warrior: A Guide to Peak Performance

10/18/2024

Chapter 1 is called the "Right Path" and it is about how each one of us has to carve our own, individual path in our sport. I use the movie Excalibur as an example, and how the Knights of the Roundtable, in search of the grail (to save the land) never follow in another knight’s footsteps. They are all courageous enough to forge their own way. Of course, in the end, only one knight survived. And it wasn’t the one Patrick Stewart played!