Elite Athlete Training Systems
Saturday, December 29, 2007
What are tips for staying motivated late in the season?
Gatorade Sports Science Institute
To stay motivated, you need to set goals. Goals keep you on target or help you refocus late in the season. Setting goals involves the process of self-evaluation, and requires more than outcome goals. Outcome goals, such as a win or specific time, are the end products of your efforts. Process goals are more controllable, regulating the steps you need to accomplish to reach favorable outcomes. These preferred goals should be stated positively, specific to your abilities, and set for practices as well as competition.
-- Linda Petlichkoff, Ph.D., Professor, Boise State University
To stay motivated, you need to set goals. Goals keep you on target or help you refocus late in the season. Setting goals involves the process of self-evaluation, and requires more than outcome goals. Outcome goals, such as a win or specific time, are the end products of your efforts. Process goals are more controllable, regulating the steps you need to accomplish to reach favorable outcomes. These preferred goals should be stated positively, specific to your abilities, and set for practices as well as competition.
-- Linda Petlichkoff, Ph.D., Professor, Boise State University
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Hot Tips for Nutrition, Training, and Immune Function
David C. Nieman, Dr.P.H.
Appalachian State University
Prolonged and intensive exertion causes numerous changes in immunity in multiple body compartments. These exercise-induced immune changes occur at the same time the human body is experiencing physiologic and oxidative stress, inflammation, and suppressed function against foreign pathogens. Risk of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is 2-6 times higher in endurance athletes compared to controls during the 1-2 week period following competitive race events. URTI risk may be compounded when the endurance athlete goes through repeated cycles of unusually heavy exertion, has been exposed to novel pathogens, and experienced other stressors to the immune system including lack of sleep, severe mental stress, malnutrition, or weight loss.
Although endurance athletes are at increased infection risk during heavy training or competitive cycles, they must exercise intensively to contend successfully. Can athletes use nutrient supplements to counter exercise-induced inflammation and immune alterations? Supplements studied thus far include zinc, dietary fat, plant sterols, antioxidants (e.g., vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, N-acetylcysteine, and butylated hydroxyanisole), glutamine, and carbohydrate. Antioxidants and glutamine have received much attention, but the data thus far do not support their role in negating immune changes after heavy exertion. Most of the focus on nutritional countermeasures has been on carbohydrate.
Research during the 1980s and early 1990s established that a reduction in blood glucose levels was linked to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activation, an increased release of adrenocorticotrophic hormone and cortisol, increased plasma growth hormone, decreased insulin, and a variable effect on blood epinephrine levels. Given the link between stress hormones and immune responses to prolonged and intensive exercise, carbohydrate compared to placebo ingestion should maintain plasma glucose concentrations, attenuate increases in stress hormones, and thereby diminish changes in immunity. Carbohydrate supplementation may also alter immunity following exercise by increasing the availability of energy substrate to immune cells. Glucose is the major energy substrate for immune cells.
Several studies with runners and cyclists have shown that carbohydrate beverage ingestion plays a role in attenuating changes in immunity when the athlete experiences physiologic stress and depletion of carbohydrate stores in response to high-intensity (~75-80% VO2max) exercise bouts lasting longer than two hours. In particular, carbohydrate ingestion (about one liter per hour of Gatorade) compared to a placebo has been linked to significantly lower blood cortisol and epinephrine levels, a reduced change in blood immune cell counts, lower pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and diminished gene expression for IL-6 and IL-8 (two important cytokines) in the muscle. These data demonstrate that the endurance athlete ingesting carbohydrate during the race event experiences a much lower perturbation in hormonal and immune measures compared to the athlete avoiding carbohydrate. Overall, the hormonal and immune responses to carbohydrate compared to placebo ingestion indicate that physiologic stress is diminished.
Appalachian State University
Prolonged and intensive exertion causes numerous changes in immunity in multiple body compartments. These exercise-induced immune changes occur at the same time the human body is experiencing physiologic and oxidative stress, inflammation, and suppressed function against foreign pathogens. Risk of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is 2-6 times higher in endurance athletes compared to controls during the 1-2 week period following competitive race events. URTI risk may be compounded when the endurance athlete goes through repeated cycles of unusually heavy exertion, has been exposed to novel pathogens, and experienced other stressors to the immune system including lack of sleep, severe mental stress, malnutrition, or weight loss.
Although endurance athletes are at increased infection risk during heavy training or competitive cycles, they must exercise intensively to contend successfully. Can athletes use nutrient supplements to counter exercise-induced inflammation and immune alterations? Supplements studied thus far include zinc, dietary fat, plant sterols, antioxidants (e.g., vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, N-acetylcysteine, and butylated hydroxyanisole), glutamine, and carbohydrate. Antioxidants and glutamine have received much attention, but the data thus far do not support their role in negating immune changes after heavy exertion. Most of the focus on nutritional countermeasures has been on carbohydrate.
Research during the 1980s and early 1990s established that a reduction in blood glucose levels was linked to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activation, an increased release of adrenocorticotrophic hormone and cortisol, increased plasma growth hormone, decreased insulin, and a variable effect on blood epinephrine levels. Given the link between stress hormones and immune responses to prolonged and intensive exercise, carbohydrate compared to placebo ingestion should maintain plasma glucose concentrations, attenuate increases in stress hormones, and thereby diminish changes in immunity. Carbohydrate supplementation may also alter immunity following exercise by increasing the availability of energy substrate to immune cells. Glucose is the major energy substrate for immune cells.
Several studies with runners and cyclists have shown that carbohydrate beverage ingestion plays a role in attenuating changes in immunity when the athlete experiences physiologic stress and depletion of carbohydrate stores in response to high-intensity (~75-80% VO2max) exercise bouts lasting longer than two hours. In particular, carbohydrate ingestion (about one liter per hour of Gatorade) compared to a placebo has been linked to significantly lower blood cortisol and epinephrine levels, a reduced change in blood immune cell counts, lower pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and diminished gene expression for IL-6 and IL-8 (two important cytokines) in the muscle. These data demonstrate that the endurance athlete ingesting carbohydrate during the race event experiences a much lower perturbation in hormonal and immune measures compared to the athlete avoiding carbohydrate. Overall, the hormonal and immune responses to carbohydrate compared to placebo ingestion indicate that physiologic stress is diminished.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
WHAT ENERGY SYSTEMS ARE MOST IMPORTANT IN YOUR SPORT?
-Sports Science Exchange Roundtable 49
· The Phosphagen System
On the one extreme would be the so-called "phosphagen" system that supplies energy for brief, high-power events like the sprints, jumps, vaults, and throws in track and field; batting, base-running, and fielding in baseball; power lifting and Olympic weight lifting; and much of the blocking and tackling done by interior linemen in American football. Each of these activities lasts only a few seconds, and the energy is provided mostly by the breakdown of phosphocreatine stored in the muscle. Oxygen is not required during the exertion, so the energy is said to be supplied "anaerobically."
If you are using mostly the phosphagen system in your sport, spend most of your strength and conditioning time on brief, near-maximal exertions. In other words, train as you compete. It would be largely a waste of time and probably detrimental to their performance for sprinters and interior linemen to train by running repeat miles and lifting light weights for 50 repetitions. Rather, most of the conditioning time should be devoted to repeated maximal-intensity sprints, e.g., 10-100 yards with sufficient recovery time between sprints to allow high-quality repetitions, and heavy lifts, e.g., 3-5 sets of 1-6 repetitions with the maximal load that can be lifted correctly for each repetition and at least 3 minutes separating each set.
· The Aerobic or Oxygen System
At the other end of the energy-system continuum is the aerobic (oxygen) system that provides most of the energy for activities that last longer than a couple of minutes and for recovery between repeats of brief, high-intensity activities. Other than sprints at the beginning and end of the race, distance runners and swimmers and road cyclists rely almost entirely on aerobic metabolism. Under most circumstances, athletes in these endurance sports are not required to produce high-power outputs, so excessive time spent in the weight room that may add unwanted muscle mass would be counterproductive. If yours is an aerobic sport, you should be building up your cardiovascular system and the aerobic capacity of your muscles with longer-duration activities that require less than maximal intensities of exertion. In the weight room, your focus should be on lifting relatively lightweight, i.e., those you can lift correctly for 3-5 sets of 15-30 repetitions with about 90 seconds of rest between sets.
· Anaerobic Glycogen Breakdown: The "In-Between" System
For activities that last longer than about 10 seconds but less than 2 minutes, the majority of the energy is supplied by the anaerobic breakdown of glycogen (a carbohydrate) stored in the muscles. (This is sometimes called the "lactic acid" system.) Events like a 400-m run in track, a 50-m swim, a series of fast-breaks in basketball, or a series of sprints down the field in soccer or football would require energy from this system. Strength and conditioning activities would be intermediate between those recommended for the phosphagen system and those for the aerobic system.
· Mixed Energy Systems
For most player positions in most sports, soccer, basketball, wrestling, lacrosse, rugby, tennis, ice hockey, field hockey, and rollerblading athletes must rely on both anaerobic and aerobic metabolism to produce their energy. This means that the optimal training for most sports should include a combination of brief, high-intensity activities along with more-prolonged, lesser-intensity exertions. If you believe that the majority of your movements rely on anaerobic metabolism, you should emphasize more of the high-intensity activities in your program, but if most of your efforts are of an endurance nature, you should focus more on endurance training.
What Sport Skills Can You Improve During Your Strength and Conditioning Workouts? Determine the most important skills in your sport especially those you must improve to raise the level of your performance and then modify your strength and conditioning program to emphasize those skills. For example, soccer players can work on both their aerobic conditioning and their ball dribbling skills simultaneously by dribbling a soccer ball as they do their running practice. Alternating performance of this conditioning activity with a partner who is simultaneously trying to intercept the ball on the soccer field could be especially useful training. As another example, tennis players can build their endurance while simultaneously improving their skills by working with a partner who intermittently hits lobs and drop shots, requiring sprinting back and forth from net to baseline.
In the weight room, it makes sense to design your strength exercises so that they reflect the general movement patterns used in your sport. It’s not necessary (or even possible) to truly mimic sports skills in the weight room, but what is important is to develop increased strength in the muscle groups used in the activity. For example, part of a baseball pitcher’s strength-training program should be designed to strengthen the pectoral and anterior/posterior deltoid muscles in both shoulders, not just in the throwing arm.
· The Phosphagen System
On the one extreme would be the so-called "phosphagen" system that supplies energy for brief, high-power events like the sprints, jumps, vaults, and throws in track and field; batting, base-running, and fielding in baseball; power lifting and Olympic weight lifting; and much of the blocking and tackling done by interior linemen in American football. Each of these activities lasts only a few seconds, and the energy is provided mostly by the breakdown of phosphocreatine stored in the muscle. Oxygen is not required during the exertion, so the energy is said to be supplied "anaerobically."
If you are using mostly the phosphagen system in your sport, spend most of your strength and conditioning time on brief, near-maximal exertions. In other words, train as you compete. It would be largely a waste of time and probably detrimental to their performance for sprinters and interior linemen to train by running repeat miles and lifting light weights for 50 repetitions. Rather, most of the conditioning time should be devoted to repeated maximal-intensity sprints, e.g., 10-100 yards with sufficient recovery time between sprints to allow high-quality repetitions, and heavy lifts, e.g., 3-5 sets of 1-6 repetitions with the maximal load that can be lifted correctly for each repetition and at least 3 minutes separating each set.
· The Aerobic or Oxygen System
At the other end of the energy-system continuum is the aerobic (oxygen) system that provides most of the energy for activities that last longer than a couple of minutes and for recovery between repeats of brief, high-intensity activities. Other than sprints at the beginning and end of the race, distance runners and swimmers and road cyclists rely almost entirely on aerobic metabolism. Under most circumstances, athletes in these endurance sports are not required to produce high-power outputs, so excessive time spent in the weight room that may add unwanted muscle mass would be counterproductive. If yours is an aerobic sport, you should be building up your cardiovascular system and the aerobic capacity of your muscles with longer-duration activities that require less than maximal intensities of exertion. In the weight room, your focus should be on lifting relatively lightweight, i.e., those you can lift correctly for 3-5 sets of 15-30 repetitions with about 90 seconds of rest between sets.
· Anaerobic Glycogen Breakdown: The "In-Between" System
For activities that last longer than about 10 seconds but less than 2 minutes, the majority of the energy is supplied by the anaerobic breakdown of glycogen (a carbohydrate) stored in the muscles. (This is sometimes called the "lactic acid" system.) Events like a 400-m run in track, a 50-m swim, a series of fast-breaks in basketball, or a series of sprints down the field in soccer or football would require energy from this system. Strength and conditioning activities would be intermediate between those recommended for the phosphagen system and those for the aerobic system.
· Mixed Energy Systems
For most player positions in most sports, soccer, basketball, wrestling, lacrosse, rugby, tennis, ice hockey, field hockey, and rollerblading athletes must rely on both anaerobic and aerobic metabolism to produce their energy. This means that the optimal training for most sports should include a combination of brief, high-intensity activities along with more-prolonged, lesser-intensity exertions. If you believe that the majority of your movements rely on anaerobic metabolism, you should emphasize more of the high-intensity activities in your program, but if most of your efforts are of an endurance nature, you should focus more on endurance training.
What Sport Skills Can You Improve During Your Strength and Conditioning Workouts? Determine the most important skills in your sport especially those you must improve to raise the level of your performance and then modify your strength and conditioning program to emphasize those skills. For example, soccer players can work on both their aerobic conditioning and their ball dribbling skills simultaneously by dribbling a soccer ball as they do their running practice. Alternating performance of this conditioning activity with a partner who is simultaneously trying to intercept the ball on the soccer field could be especially useful training. As another example, tennis players can build their endurance while simultaneously improving their skills by working with a partner who intermittently hits lobs and drop shots, requiring sprinting back and forth from net to baseline.
In the weight room, it makes sense to design your strength exercises so that they reflect the general movement patterns used in your sport. It’s not necessary (or even possible) to truly mimic sports skills in the weight room, but what is important is to develop increased strength in the muscle groups used in the activity. For example, part of a baseball pitcher’s strength-training program should be designed to strengthen the pectoral and anterior/posterior deltoid muscles in both shoulders, not just in the throwing arm.
Friday, December 14, 2007
DEVELOPING LOWER BODY POWER
Depth Jumps are a great way to develop lower body power and sprinting explosiveness.
-thefastest40.com
-thefastest40.com
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
6 TIPS FOR BETTER SPORTS NUTRITION
By: Dawn Weatherwax
Sports Nutrition can improve performance up to 15%! What you eat and drink, in specific quantities, at appropriate times will make a difference in your personal performance. To get this detailed with your nutrition requires help from a Dietitian who specializes in Sports Nutrition. The tips provided below can assist you in making changes now! Even the smallest change makes a difference!
1. EAT REGULARLY: An athlete must eat every 2-4 hours to have consistent energy, build muscle mass and lose body fat.
2. GET ENOUGH PROTEIN: Many female athletes do not eat enough protein. Protein’s main function is to build, maintain, and repair tissues. Female athletes need at least 14-21 grams of protein every 2-4 hours whereas males need 21-31g every 2-4 hours to achieve full recovery from trainings, to repair any damage done to the muscle during practices, and to complete all the other functions that protein is desperately needed for health and performance.
3. EAT AT LEAST 9 SERVINGS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES A DAY.
This is not a joke! Athletes need the vitamins and minerals from these food groups for optimal performance. The nutrients such as Vit A, C, & E, help prevent damage from occurring to our body. Also without them we have less energy, we are more susceptible to colds, flu, and illnesses, and we can recover slower from training to training.
4. EAT ENOUGH! The mistake that many female athletes make is not eating enough food. We have found that many female athletes eat the same caloric values as non-athletes. This can cause you to hold on to body fat, lose muscle mass, have lower energy levels, sleep more or less than usual, longer wound healing, and more susceptible to illnesses. Please make sure you are eating no less than 1800-2200kcals a day if you are a female athlete and 3000-3500kcal a day if you are a male athlete. Please understand that you should see a Dietitian who specializes in Sports Nutrition to get your exact calorie needs.
5. EAT VARIETY: You need to eat a variety from each food group. Milk/Dairy, Meat, Fruits, Vegetables, Grains and Healthy Fats are the groups to select from. This ensures you are getting the numerous nutrients your body needs to function optimally.
6. LIMIT CANDY, FRIED FOODS, SWEETS, FAST FOOD, PROCESSED FOODS AND FOODS WITH LITTLE NUTRIENT VALUE! It is very important to limit these food items. You should consume no more than 5 servings of these types of foods a week! The average athlete consumes 5 a day! Please understand when you do this you are hurting your body and how it functions. Your body needs nutrients from the food groups listed in tip number 5. When you eat a large amount of foods that have no nutritional value your body can not maximize recovery, energy, speed, agility, power, quickness, immune system etc……This hinders you more than you realize.
Special Thanks to Sports Nutrition 2Go
6659 Liberty Court
Liberty Township, OH 45044
(513) 779-6444
www.sn2g.com
Sports Nutrition can improve performance up to 15%! What you eat and drink, in specific quantities, at appropriate times will make a difference in your personal performance. To get this detailed with your nutrition requires help from a Dietitian who specializes in Sports Nutrition. The tips provided below can assist you in making changes now! Even the smallest change makes a difference!
1. EAT REGULARLY: An athlete must eat every 2-4 hours to have consistent energy, build muscle mass and lose body fat.
2. GET ENOUGH PROTEIN: Many female athletes do not eat enough protein. Protein’s main function is to build, maintain, and repair tissues. Female athletes need at least 14-21 grams of protein every 2-4 hours whereas males need 21-31g every 2-4 hours to achieve full recovery from trainings, to repair any damage done to the muscle during practices, and to complete all the other functions that protein is desperately needed for health and performance.
3. EAT AT LEAST 9 SERVINGS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES A DAY.
This is not a joke! Athletes need the vitamins and minerals from these food groups for optimal performance. The nutrients such as Vit A, C, & E, help prevent damage from occurring to our body. Also without them we have less energy, we are more susceptible to colds, flu, and illnesses, and we can recover slower from training to training.
4. EAT ENOUGH! The mistake that many female athletes make is not eating enough food. We have found that many female athletes eat the same caloric values as non-athletes. This can cause you to hold on to body fat, lose muscle mass, have lower energy levels, sleep more or less than usual, longer wound healing, and more susceptible to illnesses. Please make sure you are eating no less than 1800-2200kcals a day if you are a female athlete and 3000-3500kcal a day if you are a male athlete. Please understand that you should see a Dietitian who specializes in Sports Nutrition to get your exact calorie needs.
5. EAT VARIETY: You need to eat a variety from each food group. Milk/Dairy, Meat, Fruits, Vegetables, Grains and Healthy Fats are the groups to select from. This ensures you are getting the numerous nutrients your body needs to function optimally.
6. LIMIT CANDY, FRIED FOODS, SWEETS, FAST FOOD, PROCESSED FOODS AND FOODS WITH LITTLE NUTRIENT VALUE! It is very important to limit these food items. You should consume no more than 5 servings of these types of foods a week! The average athlete consumes 5 a day! Please understand when you do this you are hurting your body and how it functions. Your body needs nutrients from the food groups listed in tip number 5. When you eat a large amount of foods that have no nutritional value your body can not maximize recovery, energy, speed, agility, power, quickness, immune system etc……This hinders you more than you realize.
Special Thanks to Sports Nutrition 2Go
6659 Liberty Court
Liberty Township, OH 45044
(513) 779-6444
www.sn2g.com
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
THE 40 - IT'S ALL IN THE START
THE BUNCHED START
By Roger White, CSCS
There are two common start techniques associated with the 40. One is the bunched start where the front foot is right on the starting line. In some combines, this technique is not allowed (such as the NFL Indy Combine). In most cases, this technique is allowed and is the technique I teach all my athletes.
I prefer this technique for a simple reason. With the front foot on the line and proper hip and leg angles (see pics above and below), athletes gain about 4-6 inches from the first step. In an event where hundredths of a second can mean scholarships and millions of dollars, these 4-6 inches come in handy.
To optimize this starting technique, leg angles must be aligned properly. Most track coaches will coach their sprinters to have “high” hips in the blocks, and often this advice is transferred to the start mechanics of the 40. High hips with the bunched start will lead to disaster. Hips must be low to optimize shin and leg angles coming out of the start.
Typically the hips should be shoulder height, no higher. Also, the weight should be loaded on the front foot so the heel is up. In the “up” position, it should feel as if you are going to “fall on your face.”
This technique takes practice, mostly from a comfort issue. Every athlete who has learned it feels more comfortable this way, and in some cases, in their first session with me, have taken off as much as a tenth in the first 10 yards.
Roger White is Owner of Sport X Training. For more information, visit www.SportXTraining.com.
By Roger White, CSCS
There are two common start techniques associated with the 40. One is the bunched start where the front foot is right on the starting line. In some combines, this technique is not allowed (such as the NFL Indy Combine). In most cases, this technique is allowed and is the technique I teach all my athletes.
I prefer this technique for a simple reason. With the front foot on the line and proper hip and leg angles (see pics above and below), athletes gain about 4-6 inches from the first step. In an event where hundredths of a second can mean scholarships and millions of dollars, these 4-6 inches come in handy.
To optimize this starting technique, leg angles must be aligned properly. Most track coaches will coach their sprinters to have “high” hips in the blocks, and often this advice is transferred to the start mechanics of the 40. High hips with the bunched start will lead to disaster. Hips must be low to optimize shin and leg angles coming out of the start.
Typically the hips should be shoulder height, no higher. Also, the weight should be loaded on the front foot so the heel is up. In the “up” position, it should feel as if you are going to “fall on your face.”
This technique takes practice, mostly from a comfort issue. Every athlete who has learned it feels more comfortable this way, and in some cases, in their first session with me, have taken off as much as a tenth in the first 10 yards.
Roger White is Owner of Sport X Training. For more information, visit www.SportXTraining.com.
Monday, December 10, 2007
21 KEYS TO BETTER SPEED BY VERN GAMBETTA
The key to improving speed is a systematic and progressive approach to speed development. Systematic refers to a structured approach, never losing sight of the specific objective: A FASTER ATHLETE. My system of speed development, evolved over 33years of coaching, is called the 3S System® - Sport Specific Speed.
In my system, speed is broken into its component parts-Straight Ahead Speed and Lateral Speed and Agility. Each of these broad components is developed sequentially through detailed progressions. The system is also progressive. Each step in the progression must be mastered before attempting the next step.
Over the years I have developed a number of practical tips that will make your speed development program more effective.
1. Always prepare for each speed training session with a thorough, active warm-up.
2. Eliminate distance running! It reduces explosiveness that compromises speed. If conditioning is a concern, condition specifically for your sport. There are many ways to get in shape for explosive sports without doing slow, aerobic work which diminishes explosiveness.
3. When do you focus on speed development? It should be at a time when your body is in a non-fatigued state. Therefore, plan your speed development emphasis at the start of the workout, following an easy workday or a day of complete rest.
4. For the very young, speed development work should be playful and game like. No formal drill work is required before the ages of 9-10. Everything should be quick, short bursts with rapid changes of direction. Tag games and short relays are very effective.
5. Maximal strength and acceleration ability are closely related. Spend time developing maximal strength through traditional means like squatting and utilizing derivatives of Olympic lifting movements.
6. Hip mobility is a key aspect of improving stride length and the ability to move laterally. This is best achieved through dynamic activities like hurdle walks.
7. Always stress correct mechanics. Relate the mechanics to the specific movements of your sport. Emphasize correct mechanics without making the athlete robotic. All for individual expression of each athlete.
8. Beware of a drill for the sake of having a drill! Each drill should be related to the “total action”. No drill is an end unto itself. A drill should always lead somewhere. Know why you are using a specific drill and where it fits into your entire training program.
9. Maximum speed is highly dependent on the optimum combination of stride length and stride frequency. Do not get caught up on developing one to the exclusion of the other.
10. Optimum Speed is the goal. Speed that you can use and control in the game. Never lose sight of the “moment of truth”. When you least expect it and are most fatigued, speed will be the deciding factor.
11. Speed is a motor task. You can learn to run faster through correct mechanics and situational awareness. Correct arm action is very important in sprinting. In acceleration, arm action helps with force application. In maximal speed, the arm plays more of a role in balance.
12. Starting is extending ankle/knee/hip. This triple extension is highly related to work done in the weight room.
13. Stopping is bending ankle/knee/hip.
14. Reaction can be improved by working on the primary stimulus: auditory, visual or kinesthetic depending on the sport or the situation.
15. Assistance training (overspeed) methods develop specific strength to improve stride frequency as well as stride length.
16. Resistance training develops specific strength and improves acceleration.
17. Remember the 10% rule. Never add more than 10% of bodyweight to a sled. A corollary to this rule is that you should never slow the movement down for a particular distance more than 10% slower than the athlete’s best time. Greater than 10% in resistance or time will change the dynamics of the movement and speed development will be negative.
18. Speed work demands a high level of motivation and concentration.
19. 6-8 reps is the optimum number for speed development work.
20. Vary speed training methods and intensity to avoid building a speed barrier.
21. In your session, develop speed before speed endurance (microcycle and macrocycle).
In a strength development program designed to improve speed, address postural needs first and foremost (The Core). Strength to stabilize the trunk is essential. It provides a strong pillar through which the limbs may transfer forces essential to improving sprint mechanics.
-Vern Gambetta, www.thefastest40.com
In my system, speed is broken into its component parts-Straight Ahead Speed and Lateral Speed and Agility. Each of these broad components is developed sequentially through detailed progressions. The system is also progressive. Each step in the progression must be mastered before attempting the next step.
Over the years I have developed a number of practical tips that will make your speed development program more effective.
1. Always prepare for each speed training session with a thorough, active warm-up.
2. Eliminate distance running! It reduces explosiveness that compromises speed. If conditioning is a concern, condition specifically for your sport. There are many ways to get in shape for explosive sports without doing slow, aerobic work which diminishes explosiveness.
3. When do you focus on speed development? It should be at a time when your body is in a non-fatigued state. Therefore, plan your speed development emphasis at the start of the workout, following an easy workday or a day of complete rest.
4. For the very young, speed development work should be playful and game like. No formal drill work is required before the ages of 9-10. Everything should be quick, short bursts with rapid changes of direction. Tag games and short relays are very effective.
5. Maximal strength and acceleration ability are closely related. Spend time developing maximal strength through traditional means like squatting and utilizing derivatives of Olympic lifting movements.
6. Hip mobility is a key aspect of improving stride length and the ability to move laterally. This is best achieved through dynamic activities like hurdle walks.
7. Always stress correct mechanics. Relate the mechanics to the specific movements of your sport. Emphasize correct mechanics without making the athlete robotic. All for individual expression of each athlete.
8. Beware of a drill for the sake of having a drill! Each drill should be related to the “total action”. No drill is an end unto itself. A drill should always lead somewhere. Know why you are using a specific drill and where it fits into your entire training program.
9. Maximum speed is highly dependent on the optimum combination of stride length and stride frequency. Do not get caught up on developing one to the exclusion of the other.
10. Optimum Speed is the goal. Speed that you can use and control in the game. Never lose sight of the “moment of truth”. When you least expect it and are most fatigued, speed will be the deciding factor.
11. Speed is a motor task. You can learn to run faster through correct mechanics and situational awareness. Correct arm action is very important in sprinting. In acceleration, arm action helps with force application. In maximal speed, the arm plays more of a role in balance.
12. Starting is extending ankle/knee/hip. This triple extension is highly related to work done in the weight room.
13. Stopping is bending ankle/knee/hip.
14. Reaction can be improved by working on the primary stimulus: auditory, visual or kinesthetic depending on the sport or the situation.
15. Assistance training (overspeed) methods develop specific strength to improve stride frequency as well as stride length.
16. Resistance training develops specific strength and improves acceleration.
17. Remember the 10% rule. Never add more than 10% of bodyweight to a sled. A corollary to this rule is that you should never slow the movement down for a particular distance more than 10% slower than the athlete’s best time. Greater than 10% in resistance or time will change the dynamics of the movement and speed development will be negative.
18. Speed work demands a high level of motivation and concentration.
19. 6-8 reps is the optimum number for speed development work.
20. Vary speed training methods and intensity to avoid building a speed barrier.
21. In your session, develop speed before speed endurance (microcycle and macrocycle).
In a strength development program designed to improve speed, address postural needs first and foremost (The Core). Strength to stabilize the trunk is essential. It provides a strong pillar through which the limbs may transfer forces essential to improving sprint mechanics.
-Vern Gambetta, www.thefastest40.com
Saturday, December 8, 2007
DYNAMIC FLEXIBILITY
The age of static flexibility (stand in place stretching) before training or practice is slowly coming to an end. The days of dynamic flexibility (stretching while moving, bringing warm blood to muscles) is being ushered in with scientific research to back it. Here are some sample exercises for hip dynamic flexibility from the www.thefastest40.com
Friday, December 7, 2007
PRINCIPLE #13 - REST & RECOVERY
Strength and conditioning is undisputed as being important to any athletic program, but a common misconception is that gains in strength are made during the workout. On the contrary, muscle fibers and energy stores are broken down and depleted during workouts. It is only during rest days and sleep where athletes restore energy and rebuild muscle in response to progressive demands. Therefore, our training will allow for at least 48 hours of rest between training days, while educating our athletes on what and when to eat on those valuable days of recovery.
PRINCIPLE #12 - SPORTS NUTRITION
Sports nutrition may be the most overlooked, yet most important part of an athlete’s daily living. The conjunction of any well structured strength and conditioning program along with sound nutritional habits is the ultimate key to any athlete wanting to achieve his/her physical goals.
PRINCIPLE #10 - ADDRESS ALL NEEDS OF ATHLETES
Strength and Conditioning is a very general term, in reality what must be done in an off-season to prepare an athlete physically and mentally can be broken down into many specific areas. Ask any coach what they look for in a polished athlete and you may get a number of the following adjectives and nouns: fast, agile, powerful, muscular, strong, balanced, explosive, disciplined, tough, hard-working, smart, durable, and leadership. If these are all the areas that coaches feel are important to success as an athlete, then the strength and conditioning department must address and attack all of these areas.
PRINCIPLE #9 - BALANCED TRAINING
In terms of the human body, what does it mean to have balance as far as strength? Balance between different groups of musculature means that agonist/antagonist groups receive equal volume and intensity. If they are not trained in conjunction, overtime the development of strength imbalances along with the eventuality of injury is inevitable.
PRINCIPLE #8 - GROUND BASE EXERCISES
In every athletic competition, the success of the athlete is almost always determined by how fast and how much overall force he/she can exert on the ground. Thus, we will train our athletes in a manner that has this concept in mind by having them train in ways that make them exert maximum force on the ground. Ground base exercise will activate the largest groups of musculature with the largest loads. In the end, this is how gains in strength and power will be achieved most efficiently.
PRINCIPLE #7 - DEVELOP CORE STRENGTH
The core, otherwise known as the “powerhouse” is the center of all-ground base and extremity movements in the human body. It stands to reason that if the core is weak, then all extremity and ground base movements will not perform at optimum levels of performance. The core, consisting of a multitude of muscles, coordinates these muscles to work in all planes of motion: sagittal, frontal, and transverse. The core acts as a shock absorber and is the foundation of kinesthetic movement in the human body, without it, no movement can occur.
PRINCIPLE #6 - AVOIDING THE “STRENGTH PLATEAU”
As the physiological adaptations occur in the body through regular training, the body will eventually plateau if intensity isn’t increased. We accomplish this through progressive overload using a variety of modalities with changes to: workout volume, rep tempo, exercise selection/sequence, and rest between sets. These many options make it relatively easy to continually confuse the athlete’s body and ensure that the program is progressive.
PRINCIPLE #5 - RISK TO BENEFIT RATIO
Every exercise performed has a risk and benefit ratio associated with it. Every exercise in our program has gone through careful scrutiny to weigh out this important ratio. Simply put, if the potential gain from an exercise doesn’t significantly outweigh the risk for injury, the exercise will not be a part of our program.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)