The hips need to function properly to maximize athletic potential considering the role hip strength plays in sprint speed, explosiveness, and change of direction. I recently demonstrate a series of exercises to help improve hip mobility. The video associated with this post illustrates how incorporating a mini band into your routine can improve hip strength. Many of the exercises are performed in multiple planes of motion. This is important because many strength exercises are primarily performed in the sagital plane which can lead to deficiencies in the other two planes (frontal and transverse).
Archive for the ‘Injury Prevention’ Category
Hip Strength
Sunday, January 24th, 2010Hip Mobility
Sunday, January 17th, 2010There are powerful muscles in the hip that work to produce many athletic movements. The hips need to be strong and stable to transfer energy during sporting movements such as hitting, pitching, and kicking (soccer). However, the hips can not do their job effectively if they are locked up or restricted in their range of motion.
Hip mobility is extrememly important to help protect the lower back and knees. There is a limited amount of motion that takes place at the lower back, so the hips actually need to be the area where the greatest range of motion comes from in the core.
Shown below are a few simple stretches that will definitely help improve flexibility of the muscles of the hip and enhance mobility of the entire joint.
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Recovery Methods
Thursday, December 17th, 2009I have posted numerous blogs on how counterproductive low intensity/long duration cardio exercise is for athletes who compete at fast speeds and require explosive movements during competition. This does not mean I never recommend low to moderate exercise for athletes though. In fact, after an intense training session, hard competition, or tournament I encourage my athletes to speed up their recovery process. One of the most effective means to speed up recovery is taking an active approach. Active recovery includes easy to moderate cardio such as jogging, biking, using the elliptical machine, or swimming. Lower intensity exercise actually helps with lactate removal (by product of high intensity training), muscle soreness, and cools down the core temperature a slower rate. Most importantly, many researchers have shown that active recovery improves the next bout of performance more than taking a passive approach (no exercise or activity) to recovery.
Other forms of recovery are just as important and beneficial. Proactive recovery methods would also include stretching, massage, myofascial release (self-massage), hot or cold bath, and proper nutrition strategies. These methods also help with lactate removal, muscle soreness, and improving future performance.
Passive recovery (no exercise) is important and worth discussing. I am specifically speaking about quality and quantity of sleep. Athletes require more sleep than the average person who sits around all day and does not push their body to their limits. All other recovery strategies do not mean anything if an athlete is not getting enough quality sleep.
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Jump – Bound Matrix
Monday, November 2nd, 2009Athletes are always looking to develop their lower body explosiveness and power. Improve your lower body strength (Lunge Matrix). Convert strength into explosiveness with the Jump-Bound Matrix. Check it out:
This video takes you through jump and then bound progressions in multiple planes of motion. This series would benefit every athlete (it may not help a billards player – but every other athlete).
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More on Myofascial Release
Monday, September 28th, 2009After the previous post about Myofascial Release I had a couple general questions. So I have decided to do an additional post to clear a few things up.
Here is some more information about this topic:
- You do not have to buy and use a foam roller to perform myofascial release techniques. You can use a tennis ball, baseball, softball, or golf ball as a way to release the tissue. In fact these objects would be better suited for certian areas of the body such as the bottom of the feet or around the shoulder blade.
- Muscle adhesions and trigger points alter the length and function of the muscle. These altered movements patterns are what cause over-use injuries over time. It is extrememly important to take care of you muscle and fascia (connect tissue). A cheap and easy way is self myofascial release techniques.
- Once you have done the mysofascial release technique, it is then recommended to stretch the effected muscle. Desensitizing the trigger point and reducing/eliminating the adhesion will help restore the proper length and function to the muscle. This would be the appropriate time to stretch – Increase the functional flexibility of the muscle and surrounding tissue.
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Myofascial Release with a Foam Roller
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009The objective when using foam roller is to increase the quality of your myofascial tissue (muscle and connective tissue). The foam roller helps to aid in breaking up trigger points and muscle adhesions. Foam rolling also promotes blood flow to the area being worked on. In simple terms, it is a way to do self message. This is great for athletes to help prevent injuries who do repeated motions throughout the week. For example, baseball pitchers can throw a lot during a typical practice week. The muscles in a pitchers shoulders and upper back have to work to decelerate their arm. Over time these muscles will begin to shorten and even trigger points or muscle adhesions may arise. It would be beneficial for pitchers to foam roll their posterior shoulder and upper back muscles to help promote adequate muscle length and function. I recommend all pitchers lay their arm pit on the foam roller and follow the directions listed below at least a couple times a week.
How to perform self myofascial release with the foam roller:
You would start by identifying an area of muscle tension, tightness, or sensitivity. Then you would lay on the foam roller so that particular muscle group is pressed against the foam. The key is to find the area of sensitivity and hold that spot for 10-30 seconds. After holding it, then you can roll back and forth in that area. Once you release the tissue, then it would be recommended to perform range of motion exercises (stretches). Repeat this on a daily basis until the muscle tightness or sensitivity begins to subside.
Be sure to email with any specific questions regarding myofascial release techniques.
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Functional Movement
Wednesday, September 9th, 2009Here is an example of a great warm up/strength/mobility exercise. This series is performed in multiple planes of motion and uses the arms as a driver during each lunge. Any athlete should be able to perform this series without limited range of motion or pain. This is also a great body weight strength training exercise series for younger athletes.
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Information About Youth Baseball Pitchers
Friday, August 28th, 2009As an trainer who works with a large number of youth baseball players I know the story. Your son takes pitching lessons and now has amazing delivery on the mound. He is also apart of sports performance program to increase his relative strength and flexibility. Here’s the thing…it doesn’t matter your son still has to be on a strict pitch count. Because if he is not, he is increasing the risk of injury to his elbow or shoulder (scientifically proven!). Here are a few amazing stats from this article I’m recommending all parents and coaches should read. Here’s the article. Here’s the facts according to this article:
In a study by Andrews and Fleisig (1999) 476 youth pitchers between the ages of 9 and 14 were closely examined. “Over the course of the season, more than half of the pitchers experienced shoulder or elbow pain. For each increment of 25 pitches thrown after 50 pitches, the percentage of pitchers experiencing pain increased as fatigue set in. Those who threw curveballs were 52% more likely to feel shoulder pain. Those who threw sliders were 86% more likely to endure elbow pain.”
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Active Loading of The Eccentric Phase
Sunday, August 23rd, 2009Control the eccentric phase of your exercise (the lengthening phase). This will force you to keep constant tension on your muscles throughout the full range of motion. If you stick to these tips you will be doing twice work with each of these exercises, instead of allowing gravity to do all the work. Here are a few examples:
- Squats – pull yourself down into the squat. Do not allow yourself to merely collapse due to gravity. Instead, actively pull your hips/butt down to your squatting depth.
- Push ups – pull yourself down into the push up. Actively grip the ground with your hands and row pull yourself into the bottom of the push up. You should feel like you are doing a row – activate your upper back muscles.
- Shoulder press – pull the weight down into your body. Grip the weight tightly and use your lats to pull the weight down from the over head position.
To control the eccentric phase of a lift you need to maintain core stability. During the squat your core and torso should be stable and solid. During the push up or shoulder press your core and leg muscle should be active.
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NSCA new position statement on youth resistance training
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009The NSCA is the leading authority in the US on sports performance. They recently came out with a new position statement regarding youth resistance training. This paper includes more than 250 cited references on this topic. The paper made many interesting points, and also validated the benefits associated with youth resistance and sports performance training.
Here are few key points I took from this paper that apply directly to the training programs I implement.
Injuries
- “Current findings from prospective resistance training studies indicate a low risk of injury in children and adolescents who follow age-appropriate training guidelines.”
- “Research studies indicate that plyometric training can be safe and worthwhile method of conditioning.”
- Children perform these activities in the play ground every day – hop scotch - “There is no evidence to suggest that resistance training will negatively impact growth and maturation during childhood or adolescence”
- Most injuries are due to “improper lifting techniques, maximal lifts, or lack or qualified adult supervision.”
Effectiveness of Training
- “A compelling body of scientific evidence indicates that children and adolescents can significantly increase their strength-above and beyond growth and maturation- providing that the resistance training program is of sufficient intensity, volume, and duration.”
- “Children as young as 5 and 6 years have benefited from regular participation in a resistance training program.”
Reasons for Strength Gains
- “In children it appears that training-induced strength gains are more related to neural mechanisms than hypertrophic factors.”
- Youth training (strength, speed, and agility) will enhance coordination and movement patterns.
- I do not train youth athletes to make them bigger or significantly stronger – instead my goal is make them more coordinated at their sports movements.
Benefits of Strength Training
- Strength training has been shown to improve “motor performance skills (ie. long jump, vertical jump, sprint speed, and medicine ball toss)” after training with “machines, free weights, body weight strength exercises, and medicine ball.”
- More statements that justify and solidify the need for sports performance training - “Gains in motor performance skills” have improved when youth participate in plyometric training programs. In fact, “The effects of resistance training and plyometric training may actually be synergistic.”
- To maximize athletic development, the optimal training techniques should be applied. It’s important to improve relative strength (strength training) but also improve rate of force development (plyometrics).
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