Strength & Conditioning Newsletter

Transcription

1 Strength & Conditioning Newsletter Volume 1 Speed, Agility, and Quickness Scams In the past few years it has become a popular trend to use all sorts of devices in the strength and conditioning field. Some examples are Swiss balls, wobble boards, bands, foam rollers, ladders, and mini hurdles. All these devices can have a place in an athlete s program, but many of these products have been marketed as the ultimate device for improving speed, strength, and quickness with no basis whatsoever besides the person who is selling these products. One of the big scams today is the Speed, Agility, and Quickness programs that are being marketed by local performance centers all over the country. Athletes are being lured into paying high prices for these programs with the promise of making extra ordinary improvements by using speed ladders, mini hurdles, and other gadgets. First and for most, any PhD in psychomotor learning will confirm to you that Coordination is 90% established by the age of 12. So promising improvements larger than 10% is simply fraud. Using a speed ladder, mini hurdles etc. will not make an athlete quicker or more agile in their particular sport, what it will do is make the athlete quicker and more agile on the speed ladder. Getting better at a skill only means you are better at the skill you are doing. With this, the theory that working on a speed ladder and mini-hurdles will make an athlete quicker at their sport is totally false. If you want your athlete to have quicker feet with a ball or stick then they need to practice that skill to be better at it. If balance and coordination on a speed ladder makes an athlete better at the skill of their sport, then we can assume that a surfer would have the necessary skills to be a dominate basketball player due to the extreme amount of balance and coordination it takes to surf! I am sure that all coaches will agree that this is false. Speed ladders can be useful as a warm-up for athletes, but it is not the answer for your athlete s quickness, agility, and speed. To improve quickness, agility, and speed for a sport it is better to train with sport specific agility movements and by practicing the desired movements, as well a proper running program. Coaches and athletes must realize that at most an athlete will only make gains of approximately 10%, and there is no gimmick in the world that can replace genetics. A good athlete is born and with hard work and the proper training they have a chance to be great.

2 Volume II UMass Strength & Conditioning Newsletter In-Season Training The main purpose of an in-season training program is to maintain strength that the athlete has worked so hard for during the course of the off-season. The purpose of this newsletter is to explain the difference between an off-season and in-season strength and conditioning program. During the course of the in-season program it is more important for an athlete to stay as healthy as possible. Due to the intense training and competition during the season it would be counter productive for an athlete to spend too much time in the weight room. Excess time in the weight room with the demands of the season could lead to possible over training and injury. It does not benefit a team if an athlete is on the sidelines with an injury. The optimal amount of time that an athlete should spend in the weight room during an in-season program is 20 to 40 minutes. The focus should be on the multi-joint movements/olympic lifts (Power Clean, Squat, Bench Press). Little emphasis should be placed on the single joint movements and supplemental lifts (bicep curls, single leg squats). It is also important to understand that there is no need for so-called sports specific work (speed ladder, agilities, etc) as well as plyometrics during the in-season program. An athlete is already doing plenty of these types of movements on the field/court. By doing sport specific movement and plyometrics during an in-season program you are only repeating movements that are being done during practice and competition. It is more beneficial that the athlete uses the time to maintain their strength in the weight room, as well as for recovery from intense practice and competition. During an in-season program it is important that an athlete trains smart and gets optimum rest. During this time it is better to train smarter not necessarily harder.

3 UMass Strength & Conditioning Newsletter Volume III The strength and conditioning department will be putting out a monthly newsletter in conjunction with Charles Poloquin a world-renowned strength and conditioning coach to educate coaches and athletes on the newest trends that they may be hearing about in the strength and conditioning industry. The fitness industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, with new trends, gimmicks, and so called experts that appear almost on a daily basis. Our goal with this newsletter is to give the University of Massachusetts coaches researched based evidence on the proper way athletes should be trained and to eliminate the gimmicks that are so heavily marketed. Functional Training These days every time a fitness magazine or fitness equipment company sends out a catalog the bulk of what they are selling are devices for functional training. The contraptions that are being sold are Swiss balls; balancing boards, foam pads etc. They are marketing that by using these types of gadgets you will be training functionally to the sport you are playing. Mel Siff PhD and world-renowned strength and conditioning coach say, Unfortunately, far to many people have created a fitness cult out of misapplication or personal reinterpretation of the term functional training or rehabilitation. For an exercise to be truly functional to an individual sport the movement has to be specific to the sport it self. This means that if you want your athlete to be a better skater, hitter, pitcher then they need to practice those skills. This is the true meaning of functional training. Many fitness professionals and fitness companies try to sell that balancing on a ball/board is functional to sports but how can it be functional when playing sports does not include balancing on a ball or standing on a wobble board. The fact of the matter is, most sports are played on a surface that does not move and the individual or an external force is what changes the direction of the body not the stationary surface the sport is played on. World famous strength and conditioning coach Charles Poloquin says, So called functional training is circus training and only good for the circus. It is better for athletes to train in the weight room to get stronger with Olympic style lifting as well as Multi-joint movements with a properly designed program. If you want specific training for your athletes then they need to practice the desired skills required for the individual sport. Swiss balls, wobble boards, and other devices are good for the athletic training rooms and rehabilitation. Swiss balls can also be useful for abdominal exercises.

4 UMass Strength & Conditioning Newsletter Volume IV Aerobic Training for Athletes It is still popular in today s conditioning programs for coaches to tell their athletes to run distance to get in shape for their particular sport. Research has shown that this is an inaccurate and ineffective way to condition athletes considering the majority of sports are anaerobic as opposed to aerobic. In actuality performance is hindered by excessive amount of aerobic training. While it is true those sports such as soccer and basketball may run up to 5 miles during a game, it is actually anaerobic in intensity. During the course of a game a soccer and basketball player will use an average intensity of 80% of their heart rate. This implies that while these sports will cover a great distance, their energy demands use the anaerobic energy system as opposed to the aerobic system. Players in the most part run in very short sprints while recovering with slow jogging or walking. So if your athletes are training with distance they are not conditioning themselves for the demands of playing a game with intermediate, and full-speed sprints for the course of the game. Coach s and athletes need to understand that studies have shown that high levels of aerobic conditioning can hinder an athlete s performance in the following ways. 1. High levels of aerobic training have no bearing on an athlete s ability to perform in a high intensity, intermittent activities. The muscular strength and power to kick, shoot, and jump come from type IIB muscle fibers. These fibers are developed through strength training, not endurance training. 2. Research has shown the more aerobically fit an athlete is, the more their vertical jump will decrease (i.e., the vertical jump is inversely correlated with increase in VO2 max). 3. Strength training, when performed with proper anaerobic conditioning, will enhance performance in explosive activities such as shooting, jumping, and throwing.

5 By training athletes with distance not only will they not be getting in shape for the demands of their sport you will also be eating away at the muscle and strength they have work to obtain (how many distance runners have you seen that are very powerful). It is better to train your athletes with interval type training that will meet the high intensity demands of their respective sport. By training athletes anaerobically they will also be getting an aerobic workout. This is not true with aerobic training; if you are training aerobically there is no cross over.

6 UMass Strength & Conditioning Newsletter Volume V Sports Specific Training (Core Stability) The performance of resistance exercises on unstable equipment has increased in popularity, despite the lack of research supporting their effectiveness. The theory of performing exercises on an unstable surface is that it will help develop balance, proprioception, and core stability for sports performance. According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the American College of Sports Medicine there has been no study that has demonstrated improvements in balance, proprioception, and core stability by training on an unbalanced surface such as a (wobble board, stability ball, foam roller etc. In fact a person who trains on an unstable surface will be training less balance, proprioception, and core stability as opposed to a person who train on a stable surface. By performing exercises on an unstable surface for sports specificity as some strength and conditioning professionals may prescribe you may actually be hindering the athletes performance. Learning to balance on an unstable surface is a skill. For example, having a gymnast balance on a wobble board will not improve balance beam performance, because balancing is skill specific. Likewise, having a pitcher perform medicine-ball throws while standing on a foam roller will not improve proprioception when throwing from a mound, because proprioception is skill specific. Similarly having a football running back perform squat on a stability disk will not improve core stability when running through a defensive line, because core stability is skill specific. The optimal method to increase balance, core stability, and proprioception for any given sport is to practice the given skill itself on the same surface on which the skill is performed during competition. By practicing sport specific skills on unstable equipment even though the movement may look similar to the movement in competition, you will confuse the original neuro-muscular recruitment pattern, creating a negative transfer and resulting in decrease in performance. When performing resistance exercises in the weight room, free weight exercises performed on a stable surface while standing result in the highest degree of balance, proprioception and core stability transfer. These types of exercises (power clean, squat, push press etc) require the balance, proprioception and core stability that more closely mimics the demands of sports related skills.

7 Using unstable surfaces for core stabilization may be ineffective for 2 reasons. First there is difficulty in applying progressive overload. By using an unstable surface the amount of weight that can be used to over load the muscles is minimal which means there is no over load and less firing of the motor units. Progressive overload can only be achieved by increasing the weight on the unstable surface or by being more unstable which both increase the chance of injury. Performing free weight exercise such as the squat, dead lift, power clean, shoulder press and push press have been shown to load safely and more effectively the core musculature. When these free-weight exercises are performed while standing on a stable surface, many of the core muscles function as stabilizers, either isometrically or dynamically with small concentric or eccentric muscle actions. The increased core strength then can be applied to that practice of the sport skills to increase core stability and decrease the risk for injuries. In conclusion based on research, the optimal approach for enhancing sports performance is to perform free weight standing exercises on a stable surface. The increased strength can then be applied to practice of sports skills to enhance performance. Resistance exercises performed on unstable equipment have not been proven to be safe or effective in developing the type of balance, proprioception, and core stability for successful sports performance.

8 UMass Strength & Conditioning Newsletter VII Myths of Core Training In the strength and conditioning field a relatively new concept known as core training has become popular. The core refers to musculature in the abdomen and lower back, which serves to keep the spine erect and stable. Often times core training exercises use unstable surfaces, such as stability balls and wobble boards, which require more concentration on balance. A key supposition in core training is that strong abdominal muscles will protect the lower back; however, such as in life, many half-truths about strength training for athletes can slips through the cracks unquestioned and come to form an ideology. The extensive use of exercises for the core is an example of certain myths passing off as fact. There is no doubt that trunk stability is important for anyone who is attempting to overcome heavy loads. The more stable the trunk, the more efficient the transfer of force is from the ground to the load. Also, a stable trunk keeps the spine safely erect and helps prevent lower back injuries, such as strains and slipped discs. The misconception by those who tout core training is that strengthening the abdominal musculature will necessarily enhance static trunk stability. Although some abdominal muscles do assist in stabilizing the spine, it is the major back muscles (erector spinae) that are the most important in trunk stabilization. The role of the abdominal muscles in trunk stabilization is to prevent the abdomen from bulging during a heavy lift. Less bulge leads to less space in the abdomen. Less space in the abdomen leads to greater pressure within the abdominal/thoracic area, and this leads to a more rigid and stable trunk and spine. The abdominal muscles accomplish this during a heavy lift when the breath is held, which is known as the Valsalva maneuver. The body will naturally breath-hold momentarily when subjected to a sudden or heavy load and it needs to hold itself stable; however, the Valsalva maneuver is only performed momentarily, even by elite weightlifters, and then the abdomen relaxes and distends slightly. This illustrates the limited importance of the abdominals in trunk and spine stability. A basic principle of training that core training violates is the principle of Specificity. It is the deeper lying transverse abdominals that are most responsible for trunk stability during breath holding. Many common abdominal exercises, such as the crunch and sit-up, do not even exercise the transverse abdominals. Most other abdominal muscles flex the

9 trunk forward; therefore, free-breathing abdominal flexion exercises with will contribute very little to trunk stability. Another basic training principle that is overlooked is the principle of Progressive Overload. Progressive Overload states that to increase strength, the training load must gradually increase. It is nearly impossible to add or increase a load in many core training stabilization exercises due to the unstable surfaces these exercises are performed on. When additional weight cannot be added, one solution to make the exercise more challenging is to increase the volume (repetitions) of these exercises; however, additional volume will only improve abdominal endurance, not stabilizing strength. On the other hand, traditional training exercises, such as the back squat, power clean, and bench press, are more than adequate at improving abdominal stabilizers, which will help protect the spine from injury. Applying the principle of Progressive Overload in these exercises is safe and they will provide the appropriate training stimulus to the abdominal stabilizers. Since exercises such as these are the cornerstones of strength training programs anyhow, excessive time spent on core training exercise becomes redundant and minimally effective in the best-case scenario. Simply put, to protect the back one must strengthen the back. Strengthening the abdominal muscles as a means to protect the back and spine is most effectively accomplished through progressive overload of these muscles during traditional, multijoint strength training exercises. Core training can be useful as a supplement in training to add variation, but should not be relied on a primary means of developing trunk stability and spinal support.

10 UMass Strength & Conditioning Newsletter VIII Aerobic Warm-Up Before Lifting Weights There are two discrete types of warm-ups: general and specific. A general warm-up uses a wide variety of actions to prepare the body as a whole for exercise. A specific warm-up relies on the actual exercises of the training session performed easily with lighter loads to provide a highly specific warm-up and neuromuscular preparatory phase. An example of a specific warm-up during a lower body workout would be as followed: Squat 45%, 55%, 65%, 3x75% Your warm-up would be 45%, 55%, 65% preparing your body for your target sets at 75%. A general warm-up consisting of aerobic work would not prepare you to be able squat up to your 75% target sets in a safe and efficient manner. Furthermore aerobic work before strength training will lower necessary energy reserves and decrease the ability of the muscles to produce maximal effort while weight training, thus decreasing power, strength, speed or fine motor control. When warming up before weight training as in any other sporting event it is necessary that your warm-up be specific to the actions you are performing. An example would be when a baseball coach calls for a pitcher to enter a game, he warms up by pitching in the bull-pen before entering a game, he does not jump on a treadmill then enters a game ready to throw 90mph fastballs. When weight training it is far more beneficial to have a specific warm-up with the exercises you are going to be performing than to do a general warm-up. A general warmup will not prepare you for the work that will be required for a weight training session.

11 UMass Strength & Conditioning Newsletter IV Squats and Speed Development Strength and conditioning for sport performance is essentially a problem-solving activity. The physical demands of the sport performance are determined, and then a training protocol is implemented to meet the specific needs of the respective sport. A cornerstone of any effective strength-training program for sport is the squat exercise, as this one exercise is able to meet the specific demands common to all sports. Squats and the Enhancement of the Neuromuscular System The neuromuscular system controls all human movement. Sport performance can be broken down and described as a complex interaction of movements. It then becomes obvious that enhancement of neuromuscular performance is most critical to athletic performance. Proper training of the neuromuscular system is achieved by the execution of movements that are most specific to the sport performance. The squat exercise is arguably the most sport-specific, resistance training exercise. Athletic movements are not isolated; rather they involve a complex interaction of many movements. Whereas the leg extension or leg-curl isolates various leg muscles, squatting involves the synergistic and synchronized flexion and extension of all lower-body musculature. What resistance training exercise could involve a more relevant and specific movement pattern than the squat?! Furthermore, squatting recruits type II ( fast twitch ) motor units. Training type II motor unit trains the athlete to be fast, as these muscle fibers are most involved in explosive muscular performance. Increasing the strength of type II muscle fibers in particular is important to athletes of all sports. Squats and Leg Strength Newton s 2 nd Law of Motion: Force = Mass * Acceleration, or F = M * (velocity/t). Squat force can be increased on of two ways: increase M (by squatting heavier weight slower); or, increase A (band squats: lighter weight, but faster movement). Either way, break the equation down further and you will find that force and velocity are directly proportional. This law of physics applies to the training of speed (velocity) for athletes. Re-arrange the equation for speed (velocity): V = (F * t)/m. Mass (of the athlete, they are propelling their own body weight when they run) and time (of the duration of the movement) cannot be manipulated; therefore, it remains that an increase in STRENGTH (force) will lead to an increase in SPEED (velocity).

12 The squat exercise is one of the best ways to increase lower-body strength (i.e., ability to produce force), especially in the extensors. The principle of progressive overload can be easily and safely applied in squatting. A properly designed training protocol that includes squats will develop lower-body strength. How is the Increased Leg Strength then used to Increase Sprint Speed? Newton s 3 rd Law of Motion: For every action is an equal and opposite reaction. Stronger legs are able to apply more force into the ground. The ground will push back with equal force. A stronger athlete can push into the ground with more force (i.e., forceful leg extension trained by squats, see above!) which means more force will be pushed back up to propel the athlete in the direction they want to go. Car racing analogy: a simpler and less scientific example. The legs are the motor of the car. They bend and apply force into the ground to get the body moving. No matter what fuel, gadgets, or modifications you make/use, the car is not going to race fast with a small lawnmower engine! Put a bigger motor in the car, or increase leg strength, and you will go faster. Squats and Injury Prevention Lastly, squatting is an effective means of preventing lower body injury. Physiologically, the squat places a high stress of the musculo-skeletal system, forcing the body to adapt and grow to accommodate the stress. Tendons and ligaments become stronger and bone density improves as a result of training with the squat exercise. These are welcome responses for the athlete when considering the wear and tear they put their bodies through all year round. Conclusion The notion that squatting slows you down has been around for a long time. Despite the multitude of scientific research that has been published over the years refuting this claim, many athletes and coaches still hold to this predilection. Among exercise physiologists it is now well known that the stronger muscles contract faster; therefore, running ability can only be enhanced by the leg strength that is developed by the squat exercise. References: Baggett, K. Squats and Speed Development. Durck, C. (1986). Squat and power clean relationships to sprint training. NSCA Journal, 8(6): pp

13 UMass Strength & Conditioning Newsletter X Kettlebell Training (This article appeared in Perform Better) By Bob Otrando &Antionette Otrando CSCS There are good reasons why kettlebells have been referred to as a complete gym in your hand. Since kettlebells take up little space and require no gym, you can use them anytime and anyplace. Kettlebells have been around for years in Russia and made popular here by Pavel Tsatouline. Kettlebell training promotes strength and mobility through the use of ballistics. These are explosive exercises that increase force and power production. Keep in mind quality of movement is key, thus maintaining safety and efficiency of the exercise. Ballistic exercises with higher repetitions and short rest periods (2 min or less), tax the cardiovascular system resulting in a conditioning effect. This can be seen in increased fat loss and increased strength endurance. Aerobic activity alone will not accomplish as much. A twenty five minute workout with a pulse rate of beats per minute burns about 850 calories whereas a 40 minute long slow run will burn about 740 cal. An increased stroke volume (blood pumped per beat) is seen with kettlebell training. The increased stroke volume will lead to a more efficient heart rate. Kettlebell training uses multiple large muscle groups, thus making it a total body workout. Metabolic effects take place whereas endurance activities can have catabolic effects. Keep in mind the difference between using Olympic barbell lifts as opposed to kettlebell training. Since higher reps are utilized, no heavy kettlebells are needed as with Olympic barbell lifting. Typical kettlebell weights range in size from 8kg-32kg. The recovery is quick and the kettlebell training should not interfere with free weight strength training. One use, I found beneficial, is that of the swing for football lineman. The similar movement pattern of the swing and the stance of lineman provides the athlete with a functional exercise. A lineman can do a total of 200 repetitions and it would be similar to exploding out of his stance 200 times in a session. Since functional training has been the buzz word for several years now, we can see its use in Physical Therapy. Some physical therapist have utilized the kettlebell in spine protective protocols, meaning increase back extension strength, hamstring strength as well the ligamentous and tendonous structures, and helps increase hip/knee/ankle joint mobility. Since the handle requires a firm grip for control of the bell, the hand/wrist/forearm musculature is also strengthened. This is just one reason why firefighters are finding the advantages of kettlebell training. They are a population that has time and the facility restraints with regard to training so kettlebells provide the perfect alterative to training in the gym. This convenience is becoming popular with women as well, in particular moms who have little time to get to the gym

14 and need a quick workout when they can squeeze it into their schedule. Personally I have utilized kettlebell training and have dropped 13 pounds in 10 days with a 3-5 x 5 routine. The following are some examples of some workout routines: Many of the UMass athletes (baseball, softball, and basketball) have noticed the benefits of using the kettlebells. Not only have the athletes taken advantage of this type of training so has the coaches and staff members of the department. During this semester coaches from the basketball, football, baseball, and softball teams, as well as members from the training room have been training with the kettlebells. These are done with a set of 3 different bells (depending on ability). You do a set walk 5 yards then come back to pick up the next bell for the 2 nd set and so on. After you do the 3 rd bell you take a 1 min rest then move to the next exercise. For example, in workout 1, 5 reps of swing, clean and snatch (5 reps each arm) is one rotation one set. Then you take the rest period. You will go through 2-3 sets or rotations of the prescribed workout. Workout 1 3 x each arm of swing, clean, snatch Workout 2 2 x each arm of swing, clean, snatch Workout 3 recovery day 3 x Workout 4 swings 10 x then snatch 5 x Workout 5 swings 3 x 6 then snatch 10 x Workout 6 swings 3 x 8 then clean and pushpress 10 x Workout 7 swings 3 x 8 then 10 x 8 combo clean, squat, pushpress Workout 8 swings 3 x 8 then 5 x clean and pushpress x 2 Workout 9 swings 4 x 8 then snatch and push press x 2 Workout 10 9 rounds as follows for 2 min on and 1 one min rest. This totals 27 minutes. Then as you get in shape move to 3 min rounds with 1 min rest for a total of 36 min. Round 1 swings etc. descending and ascending till you reach end of round (2 min period) Round 2 cleans etc. Round 3 floor bench etc. Round 4 squat, sumo squat combo (do 5 of each then proceed to sets of 4) Round 5 clean and jerk etc. Round 6 rows etc. Round 7 seated press etc. Round 8 snatch etc. Round 9 sots press etc

15 UMass Strength & Conditioning Newsletter XI Plyometrics and the Value of Depth Jumps The original meaning of the word plyometric was intended to mean eccentric contraction. These exercises rely on forceful eccentric contractions and were used by Soviet coaches as a "shock" method to take speed-strength ability to a new level. In fact, these exercises were credited as being the secret weapon in the training of the great Soviet sprinter Valery Borzov who dominated the 100 meter dash. Plyometrics became popular in America in the 70s. Soviet sprinters were exhibiting remarkable sprint times so U.S. coaches decided to go to the Soviet Union to figure out what the Russians were doing. The Americans saw the Soviet athletes stepping off of high boxes, hitting the ground, and jumping back up in the air. Soon all types of leaping and bounding drills were thrown into the same group as the original plyometric exercises, and before long every coach in the world were using some kind of supposed plyometric activity. The main goal in shock method training is to maximize the benefits of the stretch shortening cycle or plyometric reflex. You need adequate strength in the musculoskeletal system before adhering to this kind of training. A great deal of force is produced in the joints when performing any type of jumping or falling and one should concentrate on quality training. To perform a depth jump you stand on a box, step off, hit the ground, and immediately jump up as high as possible at ground contact. You do not jump off, simply just step off. You should gain energy from the impact that you absorb, stabilize, and transfer to your muscles and tendons for a more explosive jump. The surface you choose to step off on to is also important. You want to use a surface such as grass or a gymnastics floor. Concrete or wood surfaces are not recommended because they do not absorb the impact upon landing. For distance you can use a mark on the ground to aim for, and for jumps use a suspended object to reach for.

16 A drop jump is just the landing portion of a depth jump. You simply step from a box and stick the landing. Although the 2 exercises both increase plyometric power and are very similar they do have a few differences. Nearly all sports movements rely to some degree on plyometric ability. Before you can put energy out you have to take energy in. After you take energy in from one direction you then have to put it out in the opposite direction. The drop jump trains more of the taking energy in aspect and the depth jump trains more of the putting energy out aspect. Because of this, drop jumps are more of a strength/force movement and depth jumps are more of a rate of force development and speed movement. So, for someone who's limiting factor is force absorption or strength, drop jumps are a huge benefit. This type of athlete won't be able to change direction quickly because they won't be able to stabilize the negative force to begin with. For someone who needs speed out of the transition, depth jumps are a better choice. In fact, when it comes to pure speed, a study revealed that the max speed in a sprint correlates best to how much force one can put out in the first.100 (1 tenth of a second) of a depth jump. One thing that must be made clear is that these training methods call for box heights of no more than 1 meter. When absorbing the force from this type of landing it is necessary to have a high level of strength. You probably won't get much benefit from any plyometric exercises until you have a base level of strength. You should build your eccentric strength before performing depth jumps by using Olympic lifts, back squats, and front squats. Clean pulls and kettlebell swings will help to teach you how to maintain proper alignment. However, it is okay to perform drop jumps from a height equal to your best vertical jump regardless of your strength levels. In fact drop jumps combined with general strength training are great tools to not only increase your eccentric strength and ability to deal with high forces, but also teach basic movement mechanics with force.