Explosivelyfit strength training builds powerful bodies!
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send an electronic copy of the article, along Table of Contents Accommodations to Training Preliminary note to all of you power athletes: Warm ups that consist of static stretching prior to the power and A dynamic warm up is the key to explosive displays of power. Dynamic warm ups prepare the body in a manner that is conducive to preventing injury. Functional movements that mimic the actual playing conditions of power output in the gym, on the field or the court are replicated in this type of warm up. Preparing the neuromuscular system for explosive action is the key to a successful and productive warm up. Static stretching relaxes the body and the joints by confusing the nervous system into a reduced state of readiness to produce power. A general dynamic warm up involves gross limb movements that place an emphasis on coordination of the limbs of the upper and lower body in conjunction with the torso. This is followed by a specific warm up that entails movements that are particular to the sport such as light bench presses, squats or dead lifts in power lifting. Dribbling the ball in soccer or basketball, shooting at the goal with lower intensity than in actual playing conditions helps to groove the patterns as it warms up the body for action. It can be safely said that the larger the useful range of motion, the more strength and power available due to the longer force time curve. This larger range of motion creates a greater capacity for the pre-stretch of the relevant muscles involved in the motion, Once this takes place more force and increased velocity are immediately available for use. (1) Dynamic warm up exercises (2) Examples are listed but not explained, as most are in common use throughout the sports world. Skip rope front and back swing Beneficial strength Exercises Squats with a barbell and with dumbbells-work only in the twenty to thirty degree range of flexion, keep the back neutral and practice the abdominal brace. Band training Balance and Proprioceptive training Resistance tubing oscillations (3) Exercise description Securely attach a length of tubing hip height in front of the athlete The trainee slightly flexes the knee(s) in the zero to thirty degree range For added challenge and difficulty, follow this progression: Stand on one leg Change the pull from front to side to rear Additional balance and Proprioceptive exercises: Single leg squats For added challenge and difficulty, follow this progression: Close your eyes Progressive exercise schedule Begin each session with a dynamic warm up incorporating at least four of the listed exercises. Do each one ten to fifteen times. Practice the balance and Proprioceptive training for as long as the form remains PERFECT. Once it falters; stop and move onto the strength movements previously mentioned. Work on your strength for eight to ten repetitions for two sets working up to four sets. Cool down with static stretches of your choice for your legs and upper body, with an emphasis on the hamstrings and quads. Hold each stretch for fifteen to twenty seconds as you breathe normally. Move only to a point of mild discomfort. The stretch should not hurt. (1) A comprehensive approach to shoulder training and injury resistance, O’Dell, D. M. MA, CSCS*D, explosivelyfit strength training
Determining eligibility for entry into the weight classes Each school district should consider placing a premium on the physical education Numerous studies have clearly shown that resistance training is appropriate for students as young as five and six years of age. In fact, studies conducted in the former Eastern Block countries demonstrated the effectiveness of such training beginning as early as six years of age.(Grosser, M., Starischka, S. and Zimmerman, E. 1983, Konditionstraining. Munchen:BVL Sportwissen; Sharkey, B. J. 1986. Coaches guide to sport physiology. Champaign Illinois, Human Kinetics Publishers) Resistance training of children at the age of six through eight may raise red flags for some readers and coaches but the training can begin by using body weight and doing flexibility exercises. These sessions can last for fifteen minutes up to three times a week at this early age. This is a great time to answer questions they may have concerning the equipment in the room. Raising the energy levels of fitness may be accomplished by utilizing simplified team games with the emphasis on PLAY and not competition. Such a method gets them involved without the specter of formal training methods. This activity may take place for up to four hours per week without untoward consequences to the student. Beginning a weight training class for youngsters aged seven through eight will help them to become accustomed to being in the room and will allow you to demonstrate the use of the light (not over ten pounds for most of them) dumbbells. This also the most sensitive time for them to learn these movements. The boys will be most susceptible to balance training from the ages of 10-11 and the girls from 9-10. Balance reaches its fully matured state around 12 and 14 years. Movement choices to complete the task has its greatest pace of development between 8 and 13. It is generally considered that the greatest time for this development to take place is between the ages of 9-12 for both boys and girls. These times are important for other physical learning processes as well. For example, the short relative window of ability to be able to correctly estimate differences in form, distances, timing and the amount of strength necessary to perform specific movements (known as Kinesthetic differentiation) begins at age 6 to 7 for both boys and girls. It opens again at ages 10-11 for both sexes, so why not take advantage of this in the weight room. Explosive strength training can begin as soon as 10-12 years old for the girls and 12-14 for the boys. I am NOT talking about ballistic training here, that is reserved for a fully matured body and not a ten year old. Some pre conditions must be in place before beginning a full-fledged weight training program. There are more examples that could be discussed here but the point is this: Young students can and should be allowed into the weight rooms of our schools. Why wait until the critical learning
Excessive training indicators manifest first in psychological form.It is a well known fact that overtraining leads to lower performance Researchers have studied this physical and mental phenomenon and A second team of research scientists used a measuring protocol that measured cortisol, Energetic Arousal and Tense Arousal (the activation deactivation check list) in their athletes. In both studies, psychological factors emerged as the first barometer of overtraining. Self reporting of affect relating to lower energy levels were reported along with increased tiredness as the training sessions continued. The research conducted using the Pleasure-displeasure affect and sleepiness-arousal scales discovered a decrease in these two markers were reduced by 14% and 16% respectively by the midpoint of their training cycle. In each case the athletes were reacting to the excessive physical and mental overloading of their training program as described in Hans Selye’s seminal work on stress and the human body (Stress Adaptation Syndrome 1951). The point remains that in each test the psychological factors of less sleep, greater irritation and more tension of interaction in their daily lives presented themselves before the physiological factors such as a plateau, decreased performance, or injury occurred. The astute coach will know the characteristics in the normal daily demeanor of their athlete and be aware of theses outward manifestations of overtraining. The psychological observations and self reporting aspects of these relatively easy to use tests provide a predictable and reliable source of training status information to the coaches.
Dehydration-the effects it has on anaerobic power Researchers have studied the effects of dehydration on anaerobic power output which was conducted in hot and humid environments. They compared individuals who were well hydrated (euhydrated) with dehydrated individuals performing the same exercises. The Wingate and treadmill were the exercise methods used to determine the effects on the body. ‘Dehydration was confirmed by a significant body mass loss…urine color increase…and urine specific gravity increase.’ (1) Motivation in each case was not a significant factor in the outcome of the testing. However fatigue was a big issue in the dehydrated group, by as much as seventy percent when compared to the euhydrated group of volunteers. Now the research begins to have meaning for those of us training hard in the weight room. Mean power output decreased as much as 7.17% in the upper body and 19.20% in the lower body in those who were dehydrated. Peak power showed an even greater margin of shift between the two groups with a 14.48% and an 18.36% negative change in the upper and lower body of those who were dehydrated. Those are big numbers. The study concludes that as little as a 2.9% body mass decrease due to dehydration ‘decreases the ability to generate upper and lower body anaerobic power.’ (2) The phenomenon of voluntary dehydration refers to the lag time in getting enough fluid in relation to becoming dehydrated. Make certain you or your athletes are drinking enough liquids to keep ahead of this curve. As many strength coaches are aware there is a need to remind the athlete to drink before, during and after practice to keep their body in the proper hydration balance. After a strenuous practice these individuals have to be brought back into the proper euhydration or the weight training session will suffer. These are significant differences that will impact your athlete’s ability to function at the peak of their abilities. These findings also serve as a warning that dehydration may predispose the trainee to an increased susceptibility to musculoskeletal injury.
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 22. Number 2, March 2008 Active dehydration impairs upper and lower body anaerobic muscular power. Jones, L. C., Cleary, M. A., Lopez, R. M., Zuri, R. E., Lopez, R. Ibid What is Protein and why do we need it? Protein is one of the three macronutrients required to be eaten in relatively large amounts each day (the other two are carbohydrates and fats). Protein is basically a whole lot of amino acids joined together. The digestive system breaks protein down in to amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of the body - most parts of the body require protein from the amino acids in order to function properly, and not just the muscles. Protein serves as a source of energy for the body and to make up various structural components of the body (such as muscle, bones, fingernails, hair and skin). Protein also has important functional roles in the body - the body uses the protein from foods to create the multitude of protein required in the body. Some of the actions of protein in the body are: to activate enzymes, move skeletal muscles, transportation of various important substance through cell membranes, activate communication of various hormones, provide blood clotting, as well as the regulation of fluid balance and pH. Protein makes up at least 50% of the human body (that is not made up of water). Essential and Non-Essential Amino Acids Protein contains various amino acids, which are required to maintain life. There are 20 amino acids that are found in protein. The amino acids come in three forms: Essential amino acids - these amino acids cannot be produced by the body (either at all or not enough to be effective) and must be consumed through the diet. There are 9 essential amino acids: * Histidine Non-essential amino acids - these amino acids are able to be synthesized from the essential amino acids (and also from glucose) so are not necessary to be consumed through the diet. There are 11 non-essential amino acids Conditionally essential amino acids - these amino acids are normally non-essential ones, but they become conditional essential in special circumstances (babies / infants cannot make their own taurine, phyenylketonuria makes the amino acid phenylalanine essential for the individual with this disease as they cannot synthesise it, plus there are other times when some non-essential amino acids may become essential). Sources of protein Animal sources of protein usually have higher levels of some essential amino acids than plant sources of amino acids - except for soy (a type of legume), which contains all the essential amino acids. Other legumes (such as dried beans, lentils, peas) and peanuts also have balanced levels of the essential amino acids and are considered a good source of protein, especially for vegetarians. Fruits, vegetables and grains do not contain a great deal of protein in comparison to meat sources of protein. Protein quality Protein quality is deemed to be either: * high quality protein, or Protein quality is determined to be high or low quality due to: * Digestibility (or bioavailability) - how easily a protein source is digested and absorbed in the gastrointestinal system is one factor Complete and incomplete protein Meat eaters generally eat enough high quality protein foods, while vegetarians (and especially vegans) need to combine specific foods together in order to get a meal that has high quality protein - while not impossible, it does take extra work and some vegetarians may not be aware of protein quality being a factor in how much protein they are absorbing. A food high in protein is considered to be a complete protein if it contains all the essential amino acids in high amounts. Foods high in protein, but which do not have adequate amounts of the essential amino acids are considered incomplete protein. Most meat / fish / eggs and other meat by-products are complete proteins, so most people will get adequate protein and essential amino acids they require, just from eating regular foods. Vegetarians, on the other hand, have a little more work to do in order to get all the protein and essential amino acids they require, as most legumes, beans, nuts, peas are incomplete proteins In order to get the right amount of protein recommended each day, we need to eat protein at every meal, or at least a combination of incomplete protein foods in order to get a complete protein. Protein for vegetarians Vegetarians need to ensure they get enough high quality protein in their diet from the food they consume. As soy is the only plant food that is a high quality protein, it may sometimes be difficult (but not impossible) for some strict vegetarians (vegans) to get adequate protein from their dietary intake. Lacto-ovo and lacto vegetarians (who consume either eggs and dairy or just dairy) have less difficulty in obtaining high quality protein because both milk and eggs in particular are very good high quality protein foods. Vegetarians (or those who want to adopt a vegetarian diet) would do well to seek the assistance of a dietician to ensure they are consuming adequate amounts of all nutrients and specifically of high quality protein (to ensure they are consuming enough essential amino acids). For more information about health and nutrition, visit www.vitalhealthzone.com Jaklina Trajcevska is the creator of http://www.vitalhealthzone.com, an informational web site which aims to educate people about nutrition and health. Jaklina Trajcevska is passionate about nutrition and health and has a BSc degree.
Plyometric Training by Daniel Pare What is that? Plyometric activity occurs when maximum strength is utilized in the shortest possible period of time. Many athletes add this form of training to their workouts in order to reach their top physical condition. By definition, Plyo is Greek meaning more and metrics to measure. The combination of these two words, plyometrics, describes activities that challenge the muscle to reach maximum force in the shortest possible time. This is achieved via the stretch shortening cycle that results from a powerfully executed prestretch movement also known as a countermovement into a concentric muscle action. Jumping and skipping are plyometric exercises and can be quite demanding, depending on their intensity This training is useful for improving sprints, long jumping, vertical jumping, and many other sporting activities that require explosive power. All athletes involved in sports requiring a quick change of direction while incorporating speed and strength benefit from plyometric exercises. Plyometric exercises often include boxes, hurdles and slide boards to name just a few. Remember first that when you are jumping vertically, you must be aware of both the jumping and the landing. If one experiences discomfort or awkwardness when squatting then jumping and landing properly will also prove challenging. A stronger jumper requires a lot of strength especially in the hip and knee areas. If this is something that you are interested in adding to your workouts, here are a few exercises that will enhance your jumping ability; full squats, power cleans and power snatches. All of these lifts require technical ability and must be approached with proper form. Plyometric training will also benefit several activities some of them involving throwing, pulling and pushing motions, some of which would exclude jumping exercises. Athletes and others will benefit from this kind of training. Remember that plyometric is not meant for conditioning, and one needs to be conditioned in order to benefit from it. Daniel Pare, N.C.C.P., C.S.O., C.S.P.S., C.S.T.S. Fatigue: Is it in the muscles, the mind, or the heart Dr. Timothy Noakes, MD. postulates that fatigue originates within the structural makeup of the heart itself and is thus controlled by a ‘Central Governor’. This model of fatigue “proposes the existence of a governor that monitors the state of oxygenation of the heart and perhaps other organs (such as the brain and diaphragm) as well.” (1) When the oxygenation levels to the heart approach a critical stage of what is deemed safe by the organism the motor cortex of the brain stops recruiting additional muscles to continue the activity at the present pace or intensity. Without new muscle fibers recruited into the activity, the body experiences fatigue. This sensation “is always sensed exclusively by the brain, even though it appears to be coming from(2) somewhere else. These signals of fatigue may manifest as muscular exhaustion or various degrees of discomfort in the musculature. Following the lack of additional muscle fiber recruitment, the work output of both the heart and muscles begins to drop off. This leads to a reduced demand for oxygen at the heart. With this reduced demand for oxygen the heart is automatically protected from damage which would occur if it were to be without enough oxygen to function correctly. Accordingly, “this model predicts that maximum exercise capacity is a process, coordinated subconsciously by the brain, limited by the maximum capacity of the coronary blood flow to supply oxygen to the heart, and regulated to prevent heart damage during maximal exercise.” (3) With that out of the way here is a new definition of fatigue: Recall that fatigue is traditionally defined as “the inability to sustain the desired or required force”(4). Some authorities hypothesize that fatigue is an emotion or sensation and not a direct physical phenomenon. These interpretations of fatigue seems to indicate that changes in the brain commands to the muscles signals the onset of the fatigue condition in our bodies. Added to this theory is the contribution from Noakes, T who believes that fatigue is the ‘manifestation of a change in pacing strategy’. Summary Protein Synthesis and Energy Use The energy supply for the synthesis of protein in the body fluctuates during, and after exercise. During exercise the supply of energy used for the synthesis of protein decreases, thus leaving the door open for increased protein degradation. Furthermore, the uptake of amino acids from the blood which normally would go into the muscles is also depressed at this time. This means that during heavy exercise the mass of proteins within the muscles are being catabolized (turned into waste products) faster than new proteins can be synthesized. The result is the protein availability in the muscle automatically decreases after a workout while the amount of catabolites (waste products) increases. After a workout, the amino acid uptake is higher than at normal resting states with the resultant Supercompensation and above normal saturation of protein in the muscle tissues. Reference: Building your squat strength by not squatting Static exercises have not been given a great deal of attention in the recent past. In reality they occupy a ‘significant place in the training’ of the (successful) weightlifter (1). This method of exercise enhances not only the muscles ability to produce strength but also increases the functional capacity of the cardiovascular system in both the junior and adult lifter. This is not to say that dynamic tension exercise has been placed on the shelf by this method but it does offer an extra training protocol from which coaches can draw upon to better prepare their athletes. Coaches have long recommended maximum effort static holds of up to six seconds for sets of three to five repetitions ‘while holding the breath’ (2).Keep in mind the fact that strength is gained at or near the specific angle at which the weight is statically held. These are performed ten to fifteen minutes per exercise day by holding the tensions for five to six seconds each position. Isometrics develop strength at the angle in which the muscles were tensed. Some literature states the angle varies by as little as 5° from the static held position. Thus the isometric transfer to full range of motion (ROM) is slight unless the full ROM is trained isometrically. Doing so will increase the chances of becoming stale in the exercise in only six to eight weeks time. Changing the position of the muscle angle every three to four weeks should prevent this stagnation from setting in. The transference of the strength garnered from a specific joint angle is anywhere from 10% all the way up to 50% to other angles. This transfer is greater during muscle lengthening isometrics than during muscle shortening isometrics. The outcome of these strong static holds is greater physical attributes in the individual which are manifested in their strength, speed and endurance outputs. Even static tension that is 50-75% maximum power that is held for five seconds has been found to be beneficial in the training regimens of younger lifters. True Isometrics are not meant for those athletes who are not past puberty. The most effective method of strength enhancement using isometrics is through the use of maximum muscle tension and prepubescent should not exceed 70% of one rep maximum. Prior to 1992 Soviet strength researchers conducted an interesting study on 76 of their junior lifters aged 13-20 years old. These lifters were separated into two groups: an experimental group and a control group according to age and skill levels. This experimental study lasted for one full year and during this time the experimental group squatted once a week while the control group continued to squat twice a week. The control group performed the normal squat, i.e. with weight on the back, sitting back on the heels with the shins in an upright position and going to 90-120 degrees flexion on each repetition. In other words these were deep contest legal squats (the kind everyone should be performing but generally aren’t). When performing the static tension holds the experimental groups were instructed to execute the exercise under the following three conditions:
In order to establish whether or not the static holds were useful pre-experiment tests were conducted on all participants to determine their one repetition maximum squats. Testing was also performed at the third, sixth, ninth and twelfth months. The results were quite revealing, especially at the end of three months and then again with the tests conducted at the sixth and twelfth months of training. The experimental group, squatting once a week and performing static holds on the second squat session, were able to increase their back squat by 17.5 kg ± 0.7 kg when compared to the control group doing squats twice a week. The control added 14.0 kg ± 0.8 kg. The most drastic improvements in the weight lifted, for both groups, occurred during the first three months of the training phase. And for the 13-14 and 15-16 year olds at the conclusion of the sixth and ninth months of the period under study, again for both groups of young lifters. Additional training adaptations took place in the length of time these weight loads were statically held by the experimental section. The initial times to fatigue were in the 28.5 seconds range. At the end of the study these times were up to 34.5 seconds. It was also noted that the younger lifters benefited the most from this type of training as they were able to hold the weight the longest when compared to their older counterparts of 15-16 years of age. It was firmly established that static tension holds are an additional valuable training tool to the normal eccentric/concentric lifting modalities. Try it and see for yourself, you have everything to gain and nothing to lose. (1) Weightlifting and Age (Scientific and pedagogical fundamentals of a multi year system of training junior weightlifters; Static Tension in the Training of Junior Weightlifters, Dvorkin, L.S. 1992 Sportivny Press, Livonia, Michigan, USA (2) Ibid Muscle mass-the holy grail of strength How do I get bigger? What can I do to get stronger? I have been asked these same two questions so many times over the years that my response has almost become a short elevator speech. If you don’t care to read any more then here is the short and sweet of not only gaining more mass but also to increasing your strength. Summary: steps to more mass:
Pretty simple huh? The trick is to manage the eating, exercise and resting to derive the greatest benefits from the three to actually grow bigger and get stronger. Eating a pile of food that is setting in front of you will certainly add the calories and weight but are you getting them in the right proportions and at the right times? An over reliance on supplements or high protein foods will not pack on the muscle as well as a well balanced natural food diet. But the supplements can help keep the calories high enough to continue to grow at a faster rate. These can be expensive though and there are better ways to eat than just out of a glass. The alternative to this conundrum of natural versus supplements is to intersperse the two throughout the six meals a day. Yes I did say six meals. Not every one will be 1500 calories though, in fact none of them will be. You’ll have to take your anticipated caloric needs for increased growth and repair and divide the total number by six to arrive at the amount needed for each meal or snack. Whoa I said snack. Yes snacks have a place in the dinner bucket of the healthy lifter. Calories do count, contrary to what some trainers may say. They can be a good, and that is a relative term for what ever you can stomach, in the way of several carbohydrate/protein bars a day with a large glass of milk to wash the taste away. Some of them are just plain foul tasting. Sometimes you do what you have to do. You have to eat big to get big. But you also have to lift big to get big. Spending time in the weightroom should be productive. If not then why be there in the first place? Multi joint exercises are the ticket day in and day out; they cannot be beat for effectiveness in building muscle. But they are hard to do with heavy weight you say, if you want to get strong you gotta do them. Squats, benches, rows, presses, and deadlifts are at the very foundation of the strength building program. It is a proven scientific fact that the larger the cross sectional area of a muscle the more force it is capable of producing. It is this force that moves the heavy weight. This is the reason for building mass in the first place. However just lifting heavy weights day after day will eventually wear you down and your progress will come to a grinding halt. That is if you don’t get hurt in the process. A systemized schedule based on proven results will provide direction and sanity to the program. That is where program schedule periodization enters the picture. Percentage based routines on a periodized schedule equates to success. Once the lifting is over it is time to consider restoration of the organism. Recovery takes on many forms. It can be simple rest, nutritional help or mechanical assistance via massage or electro modalities. Whatever means you may decide to select stay with them for short periods as your body will accommodate to the method just as it does to the repetitions and exercises over time. Once this happens growth begins to slow and then moves backward. The Mass Builder Manual gives you explicit information on how to train over the next three months and see tremendous results from your efforts. This manual has many pages strictly devoted to training schedules. These start out with the brand new lifter and continue on up to the person who has lifted a long time. Within these 133 pages you will find answers for your mass building strength training questions.
Is your grip width destroying your shoulders? Where you grip the bar may be the best predictor of how you will injure your shoulders. Research in England has determined that certain widths related to a person’s body size may increase your chance of becoming injured while performing the bench press. A closer look at the anatomical structure of the shoulder may help to explain why this is such a common occurrence. The shoulder, unlike the hip joint which is a true ball and socket joint, is a semi and shallow ball and socket joint. This means the skeletal bones directly involved in the bench press motion are not mechanically secure. Unlike the hip, the integrity of the shoulder primarily relies on the muscles, ligaments and tendons to keep it intact and not the joint structures. Incidentally, in some literature the shoulder is not even considered a true joint. I consider the shoulder as a joint and as such will continue to refer to it as one. One of the main primary structures within the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint. When bench pressing this part of the shoulder supports the weight and is subjected to the constant heavy loads of the active lifter. While benching wide with the upper arms at or near perpendicular to the upper torso the shoulders are placed into external rotation. According to the research ‘ninety degrees of abduction combined with end of range external rotation has been defined as the “at risk position” that may increase the risk of shoulder injuries.’ Now comes the ‘pay attention’ part of this article. These research findings have clearly shown that benching with a hand grip greater than or equal to ‘2’ bi-acromial widths-the distance between the acromion processes, i.e. shoulder width, is destructive to your shoulders. For the ease of conversation the bi-acromial width is basically measured at the ends of both of the collar bones. In fact a grip width greater than 1.5 bi-acromial width increases the torque on the shoulder by 1.5 times when compared to that of a narrow grip less than 1.5 bi-acromial width. For those of you who think that taking up a wide grip on the bar (100%-190% biacromial width) gives you additional pounds you are exactly right; it does. You may realize a slight gain of less than 5% total to your maximum with these extreme grip widths but over the long haul the cost to your shoulders may be prohibitive. At the outer ranges of width the recruitment and activation of your pectoralis major is nearly insignificant in comparison to the narrow and safer grip. When using the narrower grip positions your triceps brachii are more involved thus making this an ideal triceps building exercise while at the same time saving your elbows from potential damage. Summary: Constantly bench pressing with a wide grip on the bar is a prelude to an eventual shoulder injury. This is a classic case of risk versus benefit; is it worth your shoulder health to be able to bench a few more pounds? Beginning around the 4th decade our bodies begin a slow process of balance degeneration. We begin to walk less aggressively on unstable surfaces such as rock, ice and snow. (Some of this is due in part to a lack of muscle tone as we age). This deterioration is correctable, to some extent, with exercise and practice. Here is a quick test to see where you stand or do not stand as the case may be:
Were you as steady or did begin to fall over a tad? Practice these few exercises to help maintain some semblance of balance. All can be done at home just before you begin to lift those weights or ride your bike. Fatigue affects our balance. NOTE: be careful trying these and as always get your doctors blessing before beginning any new exercise regimen. A safe start is in your bare feet so the body gets good proprioceptive advice from the floor to your brain and CNS. Begin by practicing standing with one foot held up for 30-60 seconds Now after you are successful at this one stand near a solid stable surface and hold out your hand in case you begin to fall. Close your eyes and practice holding the above-described position. After you get this down work out on a less stable surface such as a pillow under your feet, or a narrow 1x4, or in a small circle you have placed upon your floor. The closer you place your feet together the more difficult balancing becomes. These exercises do not have to be perfect in their form. They only have to be just close enough to practice your abilities to maintain better balance.
Strength and sports preparation Most coaches now agree that the highly conditioned and mentally tough athlete will make the superior player. However saying it doesn’t make it so; actions must follow words otherwise it is only a declaration of intent. Actions begin with a plan that categorically states the place and the role strength training will play within the yearly sports relevant macro cycle. The last forty years has seen phenomenal advancements in strength training theory and practice. Our modern athletes are powerfully strong when compared to the ‘old timers’. That’s not a knock on their abilities but facts are facts and we have the records to show it –anabolic steroids not withstanding. Special strength training methods have been under the microscope by the practitioners for quite some time now and the distillation of these protocols have benefited all of us in the field. Admittedly there are some areas of discussion, well a lot but lets move onto the ones we can mostly agree upon. Multiple sets of multiple repetitions with weight above 85% 1RM builds strength? I don’t really believe anyone can dispute that. So how does this fit into the yearly training plan of the superior athlete? There is a connection between the perfecting of the desired motor abilities and the sport itself. Obviously the closer the two match, the better will be the result. Add strength and power into the equation and you have a winner.
Planning a training program requires the coach to select exercises that will further the goals of the athlete. There are numerous decisions that must be made in this process. Whether to use free weights, machines, static tension holds (isometrics), body weight exercises, or Isokinetic equipment. Generally speaking, strength training is planned around the classifications attached to the change in muscle length. For instance, the exercise may be one of constant length, isometric in nature, or it may be concentric with the muscle fiber shortening as the exercise progresses. The opposite of concentric action is the eccentric contraction where the muscle lengthens during the movement. The latter two descriptions refer to isotonic muscle actions where ‘iso’ means constant and ‘tonic’ which in this case means tension. Each of the methods relies on the biological fact that motor units exist and it this existence that ultimately determines whether or not force will be produced. Every motor unit is made up of a motoneuron in the spinal cord and the fibers of the muscles it controls. Coordinating these motor units into a cohesive power generating force transforms the athlete into a dominating player on the field or platform. Beginning athletes will derive the greatest advantages from a training program that is designed with the following points kept foremost in mind. Starting with the identification and training of the major muscle groups that are stressed throughout the athletic event and ending up with a highly technical and powerful competitor, these are the guidelines to success. In all training programs the muscles that contribute the most to the activity have to be identified and then specifically trained. This definitely involves strengthening muscles that if not strong will increase the chances of injury. Lower back and neck muscles are prime areas of concern for a football player and a wrestler and these should be targets of training. An athlete must compete with a fully developed structure that has been trained to meet the demands of the sport. In preparing for the sport it is in their best interest to train the largest muscles of the trunk, particularly the abdominal wall and the muscles that surround the spinal column (spine erectors). Identification of the primary sport movements and the contributing muscle groups will guide the coach in selecting exercises that are best suited to enhancing the power output that is then displayed on the field or platform. This increased strength permits acquisition of higher quality sport techniques that are then useful in competitive situations. The coach must demand that a full range of motion (ROM) for each exercise and sport movement be performed, other wise the exercise will not be as beneficial as it could be. Full ROM is a prerequisite for successful completion of the movement and is furthermore an injury preventive necessity. If the muscle is developed via shortened ROM movements the chances of incurring an injury increase dramatically. Imagine for a moment looking at your life from the perspective of being inside of a constantly changing transparent stretchy pliable or restrictive bubble. Call this the envelope of function. It contains all of our mental and physical capabilities and energy. What we do with the contents of this bubble determines how our life will play out in the future in those situations that we as human beings control. In every case we are in one of three positions within this ever changing envelope: regressing, stagnant or progressing. Being satisfied with the status quo leads directly to stagnation and stagnation brings with it decay and a smaller more restrictive envelope. If we are not constantly challenging our brain and physical abilities, this envelope of life will decrease and become more restrictive. This dimensional deterioration leaves us with less and less of our natural mental and physical abilities to work with. Consistently striving to learn more and to be in better physical condition keeps this envelope pliable and expanding increasingly larger. It is a natural tendency to maintain homeostasis in all aspects of our lives; but is this necessarily good? I think not. Let me explain further. Sitting around day after day watching TV or banging away at the keyboard of your computer does little to improve your physical fitness let alone your brain cells. Get up. Get moving. Lift weights, run, or play in a recreation league sport. Do anything to get your heart rate higher and your pulse up to where a conditioning effect is noticed. The principle of use it or lose applies here. If you fail to exercise, your body will become accustomed to this lack of a physical challenge until it will not be able to respond when you need it to in an emergency. The same holds true for the brain. You must engage the cells of the brain if you are to remain an intelligent person capable of holding your own in the ever demanding world. Read every day. Discuss current events with your friends or mate. Pay attention to the happenings going on around you and help make this a better place for us all to live in without destroying someone else in the process. What we do with the energy in this envelop of function determines how our life will play out in the future. Exercise your brain as well as your body every day. Don’t be stupid-there’s enough of that right now and don’t be a physical slob; there’s enough of that too. By making good choices this envelope continues to expand.
Energy bars are a great fuel resource for athletes because of the ease, convenience, and calorie distribution between the essential carbohydrates, fats and proteins that each one contains. But the price of these is outrageous. Making your own saves the cash and gives you control of the ingredients. Here are a couple of tried and true energy bar recipes by noted nutritionist Nanci S. Guest. 1. Energy Bar Recipe 2 dozen dried figs Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Instructions: mix figs, honey, Mix all other ingredients separately (except oat bran). Combine 2 mixtures, roll into 20 balls, coat with oat bran, and bake at 350 deg for 10-15 minutes Store finished product in the refrigerator Nutrition Facts per bar: 2. Energy Bar Recipe Nonstick vegetable spray Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick spray. Mix cereal, walnuts, dates, cherries in medium bowl. Combine peanut butter, honey and corn syrup in small saucepan and bring to boil. Stir constantly until mixture thickens slightly about 1 minute. Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixture in bowl, and stir until blended. Pour into baking pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool and cut into bars. Makes about 10 bars. Nutrition Facts per bar: 180 Calories | 4 gr. Protein | 8 gr. fat | Sports drinks It is vitally important that you replace lost salts and water when engaging in heavy sweat producing exercise. Anytime you participate in a strenuous activity for more than an hour you probably need to be drinking a salt-replacement sports drink in addition to water. The sugar and salt in these drinks help you absorb and retain the water to prevent dehydration. In addition they replenish the salt to prevent hyponatremia (low blood sodium), both of which conditions can send you to the hospital after a hard sweaty session. The goal is raise up the sugar concentration (glucose or sucrose are preferred) to around 7% and the salt to 1-2 grams per liter. Sugar content, above 8%, may actually slow down the water absorption. Recipe: 4 cups water Nanci S. Guest is a certified personal trainer; nutritionist, and is completing her Master of Science degree in nutrition this June. She owns; Power Play: Nutrition, Fitness, Performance in Vancouver, BC, and for the past 8 years she has been providing individuals, sports teams and the community with nutritional consulting; personal training services, as well as research services, seminars and article writing for local and national publications. Her specialization is sports nutrition, catering to a variety of athletes of all levels. Some of her elite athletic clientele include members of the Vancouver Canucks, the Vancouver Giants; the BC Lions, the Canadian National Freestyle Ski Team, Iron Man participants, athletic teams from BC high schools and universities, and a variety of other provincial and national team members. Nanci's website is www.powerplayweb.com and she can be reached by email at nanci@powerplayweb.com Have you ever noticed while doing side raises, with your thumb pointing down, that it sometimes hurts? Do you know why? It’s because in this position the humerus is rotated so the condyle at the upper part of the bone nearest the head is coming directly under the collar bone. Impingement takes place when this happens causing the soft tissues, the bursa sac and the rotator cuff muscles to become irritated in the process. Continued irritation leads to damaged shoulders or inflammation of the bursa called bursitis. Anything with the ending ‘itis’ attached to it is not good for your body. Think arthritis, bursitis, rheumitis, spondylitis … not nice sounding are they? The solution to the question and the prevention of the damage is to keep your thumbs pointed upward and avoid this potential damage in the first place. Strength exercises order of progression Strength exercises are most beneficial if performed at the beginning of the session. If performed at the end of the session the athlete is in a fatigued state with the attendant lowering of the central nervous system excitation. When the CNS is not at its peak due to fatigue, the conditioned reflexes are engrained less effectively. Strength thus builds up more slowly then if in a fresh state. There are times when strength training has to be placed elsewhere in the microcycle. Tudor Bompa, in 1994, stated that strength exercises performed after speed training became more effective to the build up of strength in the musculature. This is the exception to placing strength exercises before other training goals. Generally, after warming up the exercise order will be set up in descending order of intensity of effort. Kurz states the exercises are not grouped by body section but instead by their intensity. The more dynamic and fast acting exercises are also the most intensive. They should be selected first during the strength-training portion of the workout. Local effect exercises on selected isolated muscles and aerobic slow strength endurance exercises would then be performed in the microcycle for the period. Following the slow endurance activities would be the isometric strength exercises. There are a few exceptions but all dynamic exercises would precede the slow and static patterns of movement. Isometrics have an adverse effect on coordination. Less control of the neuromuscular mechanisms takes place during an isometric exercise. As is usually the case there are exceptions and there is one here too: “the occasional inclusion of isometric tension before speed-strength actions, which sometimes acts as a stimulating factor. (Siff and Verkhoshansky 1999) Combining strength and aerobics in one session comes with a price to strength. “Adding a relatively brief aerobic endurance exercise (a 3.2 k run at the end of a strength workout lowers strength gains by 10% compared to doing strength exercises only”. (Hortobagyi et. Al. 1991) Sports psychology and the strength athlete The sports psychologist assists by coupling together the mental skills present, the underlying predispositions to the outcome of the event and the current physical abilities that are ready to do the task at hand present in the athlete. Strength training has a positive influence on both the physical and psychological skills within the individual. Placing an emphasis on the psychological aspects of training in the periodized yearly plan for each goal set will ensure they are met in the most effective manner. Thus during training spending time on the goals by relaxing and visualization will help bring them to fruition. The five stages of a successful psychological input into the training cycle will be establishing the goals for the season and the overall year, practicing the relaxation techniques that have proven effective, concentrating on these goals throughout the year through imagery of and established ritualization prior to the event taking place. Once the athlete reaches the competitive portion of the season these five steps should already be completed and firmly established in the athletes mental and physical make up. During the competitive season these attributes will be easier to recall and put in place, thereby creating an atmosphere of quiet competence in ones self. The answer may be reflected in your pulse, but you have to already know what your normal pulse rate averages before this test will provide an indication of your training status. Take your pulse several mornings in a row to determine if you are approaching
a state of overtraining. Do this as soon as you awake and before moving
around for the day. Just lay there and get a food reading. Jot down the
time and results. After several days if you find that it is ten beats
greater than normal then its time to back off on your training intensity.
Otherwise you are headed for an injury. Periodization; the practical aspects of implementation The concept and application of varying ones training program has been around for quite some time now. However, the scientific evidence supporting this particular planning concept is lacking. In a recent book Stone, et al states ‘the evidence to date does indicate that integration of scientifically backed knowledge and practices into a comprehensive training process can yield superior results.’ Astute coaches will take periodization concepts and put them into practice will be the ones achieving high level results with their athletes. Those who don’t will witness their trainee suffer the consequences. Planning a periodized schedule that is customized for the individual lifter involves manipulation of the factors critical to the out come. Factors such as optimization of the training load, volume, intensity levels, work to rest ratios per the percentage of one rep max and exercise selection will produce extraordinary outcomes for the hard working lifter. Periodization is not a linear progression because the phases or the yearly cycle are not linear. Instead, a nonlinear progression is use in the plan. Oft times called undulating progressions or undulating nonlinear progressions the variables are adjusted according to the particular phase of the training period. Specifically speaking the primary goals of periodization are to eliminate or reduce the possibility of over training and to ‘peak’ the athlete at the correct time of an important contest or meet. Secondarily to this is the maintenance of the fitness levels of the athlete throughout the competitive season. Maintaining an athlete’s strength and power throughout a season means paying close attention to the differing levels of volume, intensity, and exercises used in the sessions. According to Stone, et al ‘a good coach can direct the adaptation process toward specific goals by varying the load (methods) or exercise selection of training (or both) across, as well as between, levels of variation (i.e., macro-, meso-, microcycles : daily and intratraining sessions). If the periodization principles are followed ‘the outcome will be a superior performance.’
Conditioning principles and suggestions
Other things to consider
Exercise session sequence
A basic program for a strength endurance athlete: Notice the sequence and the low repetitions of the exercises.
By Rickey Dale
Crain For years I prided myself as having good or great abdominal muscles, especially for a Powerlifter. First, you need a goal and then you need a plan. It is no different than if I wanted to bench press 300 pounds by the end of the year. I need to have a goal of a 6 pack and it can be accomplished with a plan. I'll show you a few of the better abdominal exercises I have used over the years. You ask, why do WE NEED abdominal training? As an athlete or Sunday afternoon quarterback it never hurts to be strong in that midsection. As previously stated it prevents injuries of all kinds and will always help you train heavier than you might otherwise be able to and in a safer way as well. The second seems to be the most obvious: to look good and the women (wives
and girlfriends) love them. I never saw a guy that didn’t like some
abdominal muscles showing; neither did his wife or girlfriend. Most people
who Powerlift, Olympic Lift, Bodybuild, or train for a specific sport
should be after an abdominal six pack and the core strength that comes
with it. Sports specific abdominal training is superior over nonspecific abdominal training, but we will not go into that at the moment. We will deal with abdominal work that should enhance your performance in all sports as well as the side benefit and looks of the midsection. Injury prevention is that other added value in doing consistent and heavy abdominal work. The exact role of the abdominal muscles and other trunk stabilizers has BEEN KNOWN AMONG POWERLIFTERS FOR 20-40 YEARS, but it has never seemed to fully sink in and be comprehended by most athletes, until recently. Having done thousands of reps a week, of different types of abdominal work since the early 60’s, both with and without weights, I have developed a lot of different types of exercises that do work. Even Bill Starr, in his 1976 classic book, The Strongest Shall Survive, wrote that the abdominal muscles "…can be strengthened in a wide variety of ways. Sit ups, crunches of all types, leg raises, and trunk rotation movements all involve the abdominal muscles to different degrees." Bill Pearl's 1986 classic Keys to the Inner Universe lists and graphically illustrates over 100 abdominal and trunk exercises! Despite all this information, there seems to be a gap in the knowledge (or usage and admittance of such) and the actual practice of them. Most individuals do only one or two different types of abdominal work. Be smart and pick a number of different kinds to strengthen the midsection from all angles and in all areas for maximum protection and power. And check out Pavel Tsatsouline’s books and video’s/dvd’s on ab and midsection strengthening exercises at http://www.dragondoor.com/index.html . The question I am always asked is “how many times a week should I do them?” Different goals require different answers. The frequency for a person interested in minute changes in looks and strength will do less than one who is really serious about strength gains, injury prevention, and looks. Weighted abdominal work, like any other type of weight training, will require some rest between sessions during the week; abdominal work with high reps can be done daily or even multiple times during the day, as muscle endurance training requires less recovery than strength training stomach work. If your primary concern is injury prevention and strength training I would do weighted and non-weighted abdominal work 3-4 times a week after your heavy workouts. On the other days you can throw in non-weighted high rep abdominal work. Let’s look at a few routines. Remember that abdominal workouts are as numerous as the grains of sand on the beach. The only limits are you and your imagination.
A good, basic, non-weighted abdominal routine involves 4 different exercises
done in a superset like fashion.
A good weighted abdominal workout to build some size and strength is
simply 5 sets of 10 reps; you can cycle down to 5 x 5 (for better strength
results). Hold a weight against your chest, feet locked, knees slightly
bent, do the situp, going not quite all the way up or all the way down.
I actually used to put the weight behind my head, but this is way too
difficult for most athletes and if done incorrectly can result in lower
back strain or injury.
Start with lying on a bench, with your feet hanging off the end and your hips just barely on the end of the bench. Hold onto the bench with your hands just behind your head grasping the sides of the bench. Do a full leg raise and pullover. Feet dropping to within a few inches of the floor and pulling/lifting up so they are perpendicular with the bench. Keep your knees straight, legs together, and toes pointed. Do 5 sets of 10-25 reps. These 3 basic abdominal workouts will cover all your bases in whatever
you wish to accomplish. A big ALSO……….diet is extremely important for the 6 pack look……..strength can be had without a bodybuilding type of diet but LOOKS of a 6 pack usually takes some dedication and consistency in keeping the calories under control. Big strong abdominal muscles will give you the support you need for powerlifting,
support to prevent injuries in sports, and a 6 pack for your ego. So go
ahead and SITUP! The origins of the Presidents
Physical Fitness Challenge Physical fitness is often in the news today, but it has long been a national
concern, and the government's response to it was shaped significantly
during the Kennedy administration. The issue of fitness suited Kennedy very well. It was an area that placed
his relative youth, elsewhere a subject for grumbling about inexperience,
in its best light. It dovetailed with a personal and familial reputation
for vitality. Best of all, it played into his political message regarding
preparedness; more than one commentator had already warned what would
happen to a nation of weak Cold Warriors. Kennedy took up fitness with
both hands, after the election publishing an article, "The Soft American,"
in Sports Illustrated. The article was an unprecedented announcement by
a President-elect of public policy in the mass media. In it, Kennedy established
four points as the basis of his program, including a "White House
Committee on Health and Fitness"; direct oversight by the Department
of Health, Education, and Welfare; an annual Youth Fitness Congress to
be attended by state governors; and the assertion that fitness—physical
fitness—was very much the business of the federal government. |