28 Jan
Blog

5 Exercises to Help Athletes (Possibly) Prevent Injury

As strength coaches, an athlete’s health should be the top priority. The role of a strength coach is to prepare athletes to play their sport and compete through strength and conditioning programs that are developed to elevate athleticism.

More importantly, a coach’s job is to help reduce injury both on and off the field. New York University Head Strength and Conditioning Coach and Assistant Athletic Trainer, Joe Mosher (M.Ed, ATC, CSCS, USAW) feels that:

“We have a duty to our athletes to provide them with a program that not only helps enhance their athleticism but also, and maybe more importantly, provides them with a higher level of injury resilience than they had before. I base everything on the idea that if my athletes are healthy and can compete, then they have at least some chance at winning, regardless of who we play. If they are injured and cannot compete then they have zero chance of winning. Even a one percent chance of winning is still better than a zero percent chance at winning.”

Woman on a lifting platform grabbing a barbell with both hands, prepared to do a snatch

No matter how much stronger, bigger, and faster your athletes are compared to the opposition, if they aren’t healthy, they don’t play. Add these five exercises to your programming to give your athletes the best chance at staving off injuries and staying in the game.

Disclaimer: The content on Breaking Muscle is meant to be informative in nature, but it shouldn’t take the place of advice and/or supervision from a medical professional. While many of our contributors and experts have respected certifications and degrees, and while some are certified medical professionals, the opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis and/or treatment of health problems.

Eccentric Hamstring Slide

  • What: Hamstring eccentric strength and posterior chain engagement.
  • Why: Whether you are an athlete, runner, or fitness fanatic, your hamstring health plays a pivotal role in performance. The hamstrings are a critical component of force development for jumping, running, pulling, Olympic weightlifting, and strength training. Additionally, the hamstrings work to decelerate and absorb muscular force throughout the landing phases of the running/gait cycle and help to stabilize the knees and hips during open chained activity. Without proper hamstring health in both the concentric and eccentric phases of muscle actions, you could be leaving your athletes and clients open to nagging injuries, such as muscle pulls and strains and loss of training development.
  • How: Perform this exercise either in the corrective or accessory segment of the workout. The key to doing these is to have controlled lengthening (eccentric) of the muscle, keeping tension and full range of motion (ROM) throughout the movement. Try adding these into your training regimen twice per week, for 2-4 sets of 10-20 controlled (2-3 second eccentric) reps.

90/90 Breathing

  • What: This diaphragmatic breathing technique from the Postural Restoration Institute is great for teaching athletes and clients correct breathing and bracing during lifts and in life. Poor breathing techniques can create stiffness and pain in the neck, shoulders, pectoral muscles, lumbar, and anterior hip. This stiffness, combined with intense exercise, can lead to serious injury if left unnoticed.
  • Why: The ability to brace and breathe through the diaphragm and abdominals is key to more stability and joint function in the hips, shoulders, and spine. By teaching athletes how to breathe under both non-stressful and stressful situations, they can improve performance and decrease the likelihood of injury during running, contact sports, overextended and rotational movements, and life.
  • How: Perform this breathing protocol in the warm-up routine prior to resistance training. This exercise is a great way to mentally prepare athletes and clients to become more in tune with their breathing. More importantly, it gives them the core stabilization they need to perform optimally and safely.

X-Band Walk

  • What: Glute activation, hip external rotation, and hip/knee/ankle stability.
  • Why: Glute development is critical for hip health, which is a key player in deadlifts, squats, Olympic weightlifting, jumping, landing, and running, as well as power production and injury prevention. Additionally, the glutes stabilize the hip and knee joints, which tend to be susceptible to injury without adequate stability.
  • How: Perform this movement either in the corrective or accessory segment of the workout. Depending on the band thickness and the position of the straps, the difficulty can be altered based on the athlete. The farther the bands are from the hip joint, the more resistance. Start with a few sets of 8-10 steps per leg, focusing on strong, controlled steps.

Marches and Skips

  • What: Running, jumping, sprinting mechanics and leg drive technique.
  • Why: The ability to create force is one thing, but most fitness enthusiasts and even some athletes fall short on the ability to apply maximal force using efficient movement mechanics. The result is decreased running speed, economy, wasting of energy, and an increased risk of potential injury. By understanding and engraining sound marches, skips, and running drills in warm-up sets and pre-competition drills, you can teach athletes to not only run faster, but also safer and more efficiently.
  • How: Perform these drills in warm-up sets and/or pre-competition drills. It is imperative to teach the athletes to not allow knee extension as the leg drives upwards, and to maintain proper alignment of the base leg under the torso. Additionally, be sure to have the athlete actively pull the heel to the glutes with the hamstring, and drive his or her foot directly under the center of mass.

Arm Bar

  • What: Scapular stabilization, rotator cuff stability, and shoulder awareness.
  • Why: Whether you are a throwing athlete (baseball, football, softball, volleyball, tennis), weightlifter (snatches and jerks), or avid fitness enthusiast, scapular and shoulder stabilization are critical for optimal force development and injury prevention. The ability to anchor the posterior shoulder will increase the amount of force than can be controlled, decelerated, and ultimately produced at the shoulder joint. Additionally, Mosher states: “(T)he arm bar is a great shoulder disassociation exercise. It teaches the body to move around a stable shoulder. It also trains the rotator cuff in its first actual role of centering the joint as it moves through a full ROM. Lastly, it allows the athlete to develop thoracic mobility at the same time as teaching the shoulder joint to pack tight but still move independently.”
  • How: Perform arm bars either in the corrective or accessory segment of the workout. The key to doing these is to have controlled stability of the shoulder as you turn your body. Make sure to keep the shoulder blades and abs tight, as you stay “stacked” through the upper/mid back. Try these out for 8-10 repetitions per arm, focusing on a brief pause at the top of each repetition.

The Proactive Approach

Take the time to address your athletes’ needs by including these fundamental exercises in their programming. This proactive approach will bulletproof your athletes from injury and keep them on the field and in the gym for years to come.

Learn more about injury prevention:

Programming for Injury Prevention: How to Keep Your Athletes Healthy

The post 5 Exercises to Help Athletes (Possibly) Prevent Injury appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

24 Jan
Blog

How to Properly Program recovery for Your Athletes

For several years I racked my brains at four different universities to find the ultimate training plan. Regardless of a specific sport, I looked for the most logical means of addressing all sportingly desirable goals:

How can all of this be tackled with limited training time, unmotivated athletes and limited resources?

Programming is more than sets and repetitions

Let's break these goals down into their basic requirements:

  • There must be a well-planned program that appeals to the desired qualities.
  • There must be an overload effect due to the applied voltage.
  • Time must be allowed for proper nutrition and healing to adjust to this overuse stress.
  • The plan must be progressive, increasing overload over time as the body adjusts to existing levels.

So far, so good. However, Recovery can throw a wrench into the job. If training isn't given as much attention as training itself, overtraining can rear its ugly head and leave you with athletes who have:

  • Difficulty progressing in training
  • Increased potential for injury
  • Increased risk of disease
  • Decreased performance in competition
  • Apathy towards training

in summary, a lack of adequate recovery or too much training volume destroys everything else you're trying to do.

Recovery factors to consider

Let's consider some other factors in programming to ensure proper recovery:

  • Educational components are typically scheduled within the five-day college-level work week.
  • The overload imposed must be severe enough to create stress on the system(s).
  • Energy is required to handle this overload and then recover from it. Many coaches forget this second part.
  • Athletes also have other daily commitments and are usually on their own when it comes to proper nutrition and rest (sleep) habits.

Adequate recovery from strenuous exercise does not necessarily equate to a 24-hour day or a 5-day work week. The larger the workload, the longer the recovery time required. Dig a deep hole and it will take longer to fill. Energy stores are depleted that need to be replenished; Muscle tissue becomes damaged that needs to be repaired.

When multiple adaptive responses are desired from a body (e.g., strength, endurance, speed) an even more logical planning of training loads is required. The athlete does not go into a closet at noon, pull out a new body and throw the tired one in the laundry basket. It is the same body that must cope with all the loads imposed that day until it is time to recover. There is some overlap here, as some training components address multiple qualities at once. For example, increased muscle strength can lead to improved running speed, all other factors being equal.

A man pours water from a water bottle over his headVK Studio/Shutterstock

Even the average Joe who sits at a desk all day needs to recover from a less than strenuous lifestyle to do this day in and day out. How much more so, your stubborn athletes?

And recovery isn't just day-to-day. How long do your athletes rest between sets? Between interval runs, flexibility exercises and speed exercises? What work-recovery ratios are required? Besides, what about two a day? Are you planning strength training and conditioning on the same day? Speed ​​work on a leg strength day? Which to address first?

Suppose your athletes have a full body fatigue after a Monday workout. What to do on Tuesday? Complete rest? But wait, there are only three days left to accommodate more strength training, endurance running, speed training, etc. Help!

Programming tips to ensure recovery

No panic. Keep in mind that rival State U's strength and conditioning coach is dealing with the same dilemma. We know that rest days are just as important as work days and that all components of training consume energy and create a need for recovery.

Take advantage of this overlapping of training components. Performing speed and agility exercises creates fatigue (a conditioning effect). Leg strengthening exercises in the weight room indirectly support running speed and help prevent injuries.

Don't be afraid to take what the calendar gives you. It's okay (and necessary) to occasionally schedule full rest days during the training week. You give your athletes a chance to attend to their academic commitments, and a day off can generate more enthusiasm when returning to training. Use the planned school holidays (i.e. spring and mid-term breaks) to get things moving. In the off-season, you can challenge your athletes with more volume, and the net positive effects carry over into the competition season when volume needs to be reduced in preparation for game day.

Example training plans for planned recovery

I recommend a maximum training segment duration of 8-10 weeks. Below are some sample 10-week off-season training plans. broken down by stress level and recovery time. I designed two traditional and three non-traditional schedules for five days a week and one non-traditional approach for seven days a week. Strength training (ST) is any exercise in the weight room. Conditioning (Cond.) would include any interval running, flexibility exercise, or speed exercise.

Traditional Five Day Plan #1

  • Number of strength training units: 40 (20 each upper and lower body)
  • Number of conditioning sessions: 25
  • Total number of practice sessions: 65
  • Total number of rest days: 25
  • Ratio of actual working days to total rest days: 45:25

Traditional Five Day Plan #2

  • Number of strength training sessions: 30
  • Number of conditioning sessions: 25
  • Total number of practice sessions: 55
  • Total number of rest days: 20
  • Ratio of actual working days to total rest days: 50:20

Non-Traditional Five-Day Plan #1

  • Number of strength training sessions: 20
  • Number of conditioning sessions: 20
  • Total number of practice sessions: 40
  • Total number of rest days: 30
  • Ratio of actual working days to total rest days: 40:30

Non-Traditional Five-Day Plan #2

  • Number of strength training units: 30 (15 each upper and lower body)
  • Number of conditioning sessions: 15
  • Total number of practice sessions: 45
  • Total number of rest days: 40
  • Ratio of actual working days to total rest days: 30:40

Non-Traditional Five-Day Plan #3

Non-Traditional Five-Day Plan #3

  • Number of strength training sessions: 15
  • Number of conditioning sessions: 15
  • Total number of practice sessions: 30
  • Total number of rest days: 40
  • Ratio of actual working days to total rest days: 30:40

Non-traditional seven-day plan

  • Number of strength training sessions: 18
  • Number of conditioning sessions: 17
  • Total number of practice sessions: 35
  • Total number of rest days: 35
  • Ratio of actual working days to total rest days: 35:35

Comparison and discussion of the training plan

plan comparison

If 10 sessions of quality strength and conditioning training result in good progress, Imagine the results possible with the number of exposures offered in the above non-traditional training formats, especially coupled with a greater number of rest days.

For example, the 15 upper body and 15 lower body strength sessions in the second non-traditional plan are ample opportunities to induce strength gains in a single off-season period. Also, 15 workouts are more than enough to increase cardiorespiratory fitness. Note that there are 40 full rest days scheduled here to facilitate recovery from the 30 days of actual training, making this a solid training plan.

The 7-day example uses 18 total-body strength training sessions and 17 conditioning sessions coupled with 35 full days of rest. Again, a more than adequate number of training loads with plenty of built-in recovery time to allow for optimal adaptation.

Compare these with the traditional examples. In the first 40 strength sessions and 25 conditioning loads, but only 25 full rest days in the 70-day plan. Overtraining may be more likely here. Similarly – and possibly quite worse than #1 – example #2 is characterized by 30 total body strength sessions, 25 conditioning sessions, but only 20 full rest days.

More is not always better when it comes to physical training. Properly planned overloads in the weight room and on the track must be logically spaced out over a training period, along with built-in recovery days. Train your athletes hard, but also train them smart.

Featured Image: VK Studio/Shutterstock

19 Nov
Blog

Why and How Tactical Athletes Need to Lift to Pass Selection

Boot camps are an attempt to replicate the requirements of military training. They are accessible to everyone. But what does it really take to join the British Army (or a country's military)? Does a boot camp meet the requirements placed on a potential recruit and does this training prepare a person for the military way of life?

The answer is no. It is missing a key element, not only in the boot camps, but also in a variety of training methods used by those pursuing military careers. But before we get to what it is, let's examine the level of fitness required to join the military.

The three elements of choice

Note: These three requirements are specific to the British Army. Therefore, find out about the specifics of the selection process for your military branch.

While running is an integral part of being accepted into the Army, it is by no means the only method of training that should be used. Potential recruits are subject to a strict introduction and selection process. There are three key elements to the initial fitness test:

  1. The static elevator. The static lift simulates the placement of equipment on the rear of a vehicle at a height of 1.45 m. A power bag is used to mimic equipment with a take-off weight of 15 kg. You can then work your way up to 40 kg in 5 kg increments when the test ends.
  2. The Jerry can carry. This test determines the strength of your upper arms and shoulders. It's also a grip test. You will need to take two canisters weighing 20kg each over a distance of 150 meters. With your arms by your side and a canister in each hand, you are expected to complete this course in under two minutes. You must maintain a pace of no less than 5.4 km / h and the distance in meters that the weights can carry while maintaining the minimum pace.
  3. The 2.4 km Best Effort Run. The terms vary widely depending on which branch of the army you want to join. Time markings range from 9:40 a.m. for units like the Paratrooper Regiment to 2:30 p.m. for Junior Entry.

Most people have no problem with the first two elements. Where it breaks is the 2.4 km best effort run. After standing completely naked in front of a stranger (which is strangely becoming the norm for military personnel over the years), the running element of selection is one of the most nerve-wracking processes during the two-day interview.

“The underlying reason we fail is that potential recruits just didn't make it. They were hit either mentally from the pressure or physically from exhaustion or injury. "

I've heard all sorts of excuses, from "I have a cold" to "I'm missing a sock" (seriously, it happened). But let's not gloss over this. The underlying reason for failure is that potential recruits just didn't make it. They were hit either mentally from the pressure or physically from exhaustion or injury.

The times required are not particularly demanding. They hardly represent any form of specificity for a combat environment. This test enables the army to establish a gender-fair standard that can be easily replicated. It also enables us, as sports coaches, to see who really wants it. After all, this is an interview.

british army, royal army, military training, tactical athlete

These first screenings will prepare you for your later career success.

Why you need to lift

If you are considering a career as a tactical athlete (and these men and women are, in fact, athletes themselves) then you need to lift weights. The modest stress fracture is the most common pathology in young men and women who are undergoing training. Stress fractures are small fractures on the tibia. They are painful and a potential career stopper.

“Although I applaud those who run 10k every day, test the 2.4k run weekly, and hammer their way at a local boot camp, they ruin their chances. These people are preparing to fail. "

Stress fractures are usually the result of inadequate preparation. Although most recruits ran before training, they are not used to the volume. They don't know how to properly approach their training and minimize the risk of injury while maximizing their physical performance.

Although I applaud those who run 10k every day, test the 2.4k run weekly, and hammer their way at a local boot camp, they ruin their chances. These people prepare to fail. I have had many such people break down and come to me for rehabilitation. You sit in front of me, scared and with watery eyes, wondering how it came about that you had a burning pain in your shin. Surely their hours of traversing the sidewalks that led to the selection and training of recruits didn't play a major role in their demise?

Running is a repetitive plyometric exercise. A load is added to this movement later in military training, so efficiency must be determined before becoming a recruit. In order to improve performance and reduce the risk of injury, we have to strain our musculoskeletal system.

How you have to lift

The movement I always use with my clients is the simple squat. This movement not only improves lower limb muscle strength, but also benefits our skeletal system. By loading the muscles of the lower extremities with what is known as the minimum essential load (one tenth of the force required to break a bone), we can stimulate new bone formation in the lower extremities. This benefit, combined with the accompanying hypertrophic benefits that lead to an increase in bone mineral density, could lower your risk of stress fractures and maximize your chance of completing your workout.1

"By putting what is known as the minimum essential load on the muscles of the lower limbs (one tenth of the force required to break a bone), we can stimulate new bone formation in the lower limbs."

The squat is also a direct correlate to the movement of running. One screening tool to safely assess plyometric ability is the ability to squat 1.5 times your body weight for 1 repetition and do 5 repetitions in 5 seconds at 60 percent of your body weight.1 These are the same markers I use when performing a patient rehabilitation after a tibia fatigue fracture.

Soldiers conduct early morning physical training (PT) in the Jordanian desert.

Exercise recipes

When preparing for the 2.4 km run, less is more. Combining the squat and its markings with a well-structured anaerobic exercise program will both improve your chances of becoming a soldier and reduce the risk of injury along the way.

Anaerobic exercise not only shortens your workouts, it also brings greater benefits, such as an increase in VO2max and increased resistance to fatigue.1 Also, you will look better naked because of the increase in muscle mass and fat loss.

Linear sprint work has been used successfully as an anaerobic method in rehabilitation. This enables us to push the soldier hard without repeated hitting the lower limbs and with sufficient rest.

This plan has produced proven results, also for the arduous selection cadre of the paratrooper regiment:

Squat:

  • 5 × 4 at 80% of the current 1RM.
  • Use a linear progression of 2.5-5 kg ​​weekly for safe adjustment.

Sprint work:

  • Do sprint work using a mix of modalities including track, rowing, and cycling.
  • Perform 200m x 12 with a total length of 2.4 km. This is directly related to the 1.5 miles test.
  • Use a 1: 1 rest ratio. For example, if you can do 200m in 40 seconds, rest 40 seconds before repeating.
  • The sprint sessions are flexible. You can shuffle the distance while keeping the same total. For example 400m x 6, again 1: 1 at rest.

The above workouts can be done three times a week, with a 1RM squat test and the 1.5 miles running test performed every 8 weeks.

I have achieved proven results with this plan, also for the arduous selection cadre of the paratrooper regiment.

Prepare for success

In conclusion, no matter what country you live in, it is very easy to pass the Army fitness tests. The possibilities I discussed to take your training to a higher level are used not only by tactical athletes, but also by large sports clubs around the world. You test these methods not only physically, but also mentally.

Remember, you are training to save your life and the lives of others around you in battle. Don't be the man or woman who compromises the patrol, or worse, who never makes it on patrol due to an avoidable injury.

Continue reading:

References:

1. Baechle, T. Earle, R. (2008). Basics of strength and stamina. 3rd ed. Champaign: Human Kinetics. Pp. 94-119.

Photo 1 by MoD / MOD via Wikimedia Commons.

Photo 2 by Photo: Lt Col John Skliros / MOD via Wikimedia Commons.

Photo 3 by Photo: Sgt Mike Fletcher / MOD via Wikimedia Commons.

Photo 4 courtesy of Shutterstock.

27 Aug
Blog

Why Athletes Hate the Jerk Lift

According to my followers, cleaning is easy; doing a snap is okay but they hate the jerk, just like me, but with preparation and training you can get great results.

Hello, this is Oleksiy Torokhtiy. You may recognize me by having been in weightlifting sports for over twenty years. Ten years of that time I was an active member of the national team of Ukraine.

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24 Aug
Blog

Why Athletes Hate the Jerk Lift

According to my followers, cleaning is easy; doing a snap is okay but they hate the jerk, just like me, but with preparation and training you can get great results.

Hello, this is Oleksiy Torokhtiy. You may recognize me by having been in weightlifting sports for over twenty years. Ten years of that time I was an active member of the national team of Ukraine.

Continue reading

21 Aug
Blog

The Lifting Game: Weightlifters Versus CrossFit Athletes

Two different types of athletes, but how different?

Seeing Seb Ostrowics at Weightlifting House on YouTube is one of my guilty pleasures. A bowl of frosted flakes, ice cold milk, and the hanging, sonorous thoughts of a weightlifting nerd are all enough to lower my cholesterol and keep me away from Real Housewives of Atlanta.

Continue reading

20 Aug
Blog

The Lifting Game: Weightlifters Versus CrossFit Athletes

Two different types of athletes, but how different?

Seeing Seb Ostrowics at Weightlifting House on YouTube is one of my guilty pleasures. A bowl of frosted flakes, ice cold milk, and the hanging, sonorous thoughts of a weightlifting nerd are all enough to lower my cholesterol and keep me away from Real Housewives of Atlanta.

Continue reading

20 Aug
Blog

Do Genetics Make for Better Strength and Power Athletes?

There are many genetic markers associated with elite level fitness and athletic traits.

Whether you are an athlete, be the king of your gym, or demonstrate natural abilities in certain types of physical fitness activities, it has been suggested that genetics play a role in performance.

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18 Aug
Blog

Do Genetics Make for Better Strength and Power Athletes?

There are many genetic markers associated with elite fitness and athletic traits.

Whether you are an athlete, be the king of your gym, or demonstrate natural ability in certain types of physical fitness activities, it has been suggested that genetics play a role in performance.

Continue reading

08 Jul
Blog

A Guide to Proper Footwear Selection for Athletes

When we destroy our natural walking and running pattern with popular, inappropriate shoes, we open the door to pain, injuries and other obstacles to movement.

Social proof is a powerful influencing factor. We are wired in such a way that whatever is common is normal and therefore cannot be that bad. Pop tarts for breakfast? Why not?

Stop being such a buzzkill, Shane.

But a quick review of history shows how often following herd norms can lead the masses to insane behaviors.

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