Ankles - Critical Exercises We Take for Granted

Ankles - Critical Exercises We Take for Granted

Are We Injuring Our Athletes

http://www.nsca-lift.org/AllNews.asp#news1399

Our athletes have entrusted their careers and love of sport in the hands of the performance/strength coach that manages their training program.  My question is, are we doing more long term damage to our athletes bodies by training under heavy loads and maximum velocity all the time. OVERREACHING:
o·ver·reach (vr-rch)

1. To reach or extend over or beyond.
2. To miss by reaching too far or attempting too much: overreach a goal
3. To defeat (oneself) by going too far or by doing or trying to gain too much.
4. To get the better of, especially by deceitful cleverness; outwit. 
 
I fear we have trained our athletes and casued repetitive microstrain by constant heavy loads with out proper alignment or control.  Over my 10 year career I have seen a shift to add more physical therapy to the training program and I beleive the shift is well deserved.  Performance Therapy maybe the future of this profession and training may involved a higher percentage of low intensity exercise with a low percentage of high intensity exercise.  According to the NSCA report this would be the opposite of the current training trends.

Nutrition Advice

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/day-1

Dr. John M. Berardi, PhD, CSCS has some great basic advice for a healthy eating plan!  Good stuff here.

Strength and Speed Training

Interesting methods for developing strength for improved speed. This goes along the lines of keeping training very simple. I believe that many track coaches are keeping strength training very basic.  
http://www.dragondoor.com/cgi-bin/articles.pl?rm=mode3&articleid=269

Good Better Best

If you want to get in the ballpark, buy a ticket.If you want to get into the game, make a commitment.If you want to win, make it a passion.

Movement Efficiently for Improved Energy Sustainability

If you are looking to enhance your endurance capability then one may want to analyze how efficiently they move.  Performance specialist are very aware of the need of training to be based on multiplanar movement application but do we understand then importance of energy conservation.  For the most part we add aerobic or anaerobic training as an attempt to fill the energy tank but the more effective way maybe to use less of what is in the energy tank by utilizing efficient movement patterns.  Nutritionist have discovered the importance of conservation of muscle tissue in the new pre-workout supplements fortified with BCAAs.  This concept is dedicated to reducing the breakdown of muscle tissue for quicker recovery and enhance performance. For example, with starting and sprinting mechanics I teach athletes to pre load their ankles by foot placement and shin ankles.  At first glimpse we think we this is essential for teaching the athlete how to move quicker and get better times.  However, think of the phenomenon of the stretch reflex which utilizes stored injury vs. mechanical energy.  Stored injury is reflexive and does not cost nearly as muscle energy as mechanical energy does. If we can load the ankle by dorsi flexion, proper foot placement and shin alignment then the achilles tendon will respond within the parameters of the stretch reflex phenomenon thus reducing the energy cost of locomotion.  Many athletes are producing fatigue themselves with a lack proper movement mechanics.

Combination Movements

The IYCA was the first organization that defined combination or hybrid strength training.  This style is a series of exercises performed in sequence.  Physics defines work as force x distance.  Combination movements train the distance component of the equation.  Combination exercise strings reduce the absolute load placed upon the athlete which can allow greater number of movements to be performed.  The concept is very useful for developing athlete and enhancing work capacity.

I believe these type of movements are great for athletes that require high levels of work capacity.  Wrestlers, basketball, soccer, football and hockey are good examples of athletes that should do combination lift training.

Some examples of combination movements:
Deadlift-Clean-Row
RDL-Snatch-Upright Row
Front Lunge-Press
Squat-Good Morning-Press
DB RDL-Row-Curl Press
DB Step Up-Single Leg RDL-Row