cutting edge high intensity strength & conditioning
ROD
Saturday, 02Jul11
Chris’s Holiday Killer
This is a timed routine of
With a 1 minute recovery in between rounds of:
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This is Funny… Check it out.
ROD
Friday, 10Jun11
Friggin Friday
1. KB Row & catch / DB thrusters
2. Walkouts / Mt. climbers
3. Air squats / Squat holds
4. Split squat jumps / Gate swings
5. KB presses / KB High pulls
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1. Eat every 3-3.5hrs
2. Each meal should contain a lean protein, a fibrous carb (preferably green veggies) and a healthy fat. The lean Protein and veggies should be the largest sized portions on the plate.
3. Meal size: If you’re not hungry in 3hrs after eating, your meal was too large. If you’re starving in 1.5hrs after eating, your meal wasn’t large enough.
(Just like auto-regulating your training, you should auto-regulate your nutrition)
4. Emphasize low fructose fruits.
5. Consume starches relative to your activity level. Eat more starchy carbs on high activity days and less to no starches on low to no training (rest) days.
6. Never consume a fruit or starch by itself, always eat these with a protein.
The glycemic index of fruits and starches only elevates insulin production, which limits fat burning, when the food is consumed by itself. Hence the above recommendation.
7. Drink lots of water…shoot for at least 1 gallon per day.
8. Always drink a Pre workout shake and a Post-workout shake.
9. Consume little to No processed products, Alcohol, Sweets, Diary products and/or Breads.
10. Plan ONE meal per week to eat off plan (splurge meal)
Simple is ALWAYS Better!
Not sure why most nutrition books need to take up 100?s (even thousands) of pages simply to tell you the same things that I just did in 10 quick bullet points.
ROD
Wednesday, 18May11
Wacky Wednesday
Here’s the workout: 20 second intervals for 3 minutes non-stop at each triplet.
We will repeat each triplet 2 times with one minute rest between them.
Triplet 1: 3 rounds non stop of 20 second intervals
Rest on minute!
Triplet 2:
Rest one minute!
Triplet 3
Rest 1 minute!
Repeat everything again.
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Where it comes from: Green tea is tea made with only the leaves of a special plant native to Asia, the Camellia sinensis. Black tea is made from the same plant but the two teas are different because of the way they are processed. Green teas are the least processed and the method preserves more of the nutrients compared to the methods of other teas.
Green tea has been used for thousands of years; it originated in China and took over most cultures in Asia. In the recent decades, it’s also gotten extremely popular in the West because of its major health benefits.
What it’ll do for you: “Green tea is considered to be an antioxidant and has been suggested to play an important role in cardiovascular disease, cancer and other diseases,” explains Sarah Currie, RD and personal trainer for New York City-based Physical Equilibrium LLC. Here, a look at two key benefits that you may care most about:
There are many countries where green tea consumption is high, and obesity and cancer rates are low (compared to the U.S.) but those benefits can’t be solely attributed to green tea.
Suggested intake: As with most herbs and supplements there are no exact recommended dosages. One cup of tea contains about 50 milligrams of caffeine and 80 to 100 milligrams of polyphenol content, depending on the strength of the tea and the size of cup. In capsules, green tea extract can range from 10 to 750 milligrams per pill.
So, pills vs brew? Most studies that have shown promising results on green tea’s antioxidant activity have been done in beverage form. “Drinking tea is the best way to go since it also a offers hydration,” Currie says. “Not to mention the soothing, calming and relaxing aspects of drinking a cup of warm tea.”
Associated risks/scrutiny: “As with all herbs and supplements, one should exercise caution,” Currie says. Green tea is caffeinated and too much caffeine has been shown to affect sleep, raise heart rate and increase anxiety in some people. Too much caffeine can also cause gastrointestinal distress.
Concentrated green tea extracts have been reported to cause liver problems. It’s important to talk to your doctor before you start taking supplements—especially if you’re already on regular medication, as there could be contraindications.
ROD
Friday, 13May11
Good Luck everyone!!!
Couplet Friday
20 seconds work/20 seconds work/20 seconds rest x 8 rounds
Do 20 seconds of work at each movement in each couplet, take 20 seconds rest then continue.
Complete 8 rounds of each couplet rest 1 minute and move on … until you are fork tender.
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Too busy to go to bed? Having trouble getting quality sleep once you do? Your health may be at risk
You may literally have to add it to your to-do list, but scheduling a good night’s sleep could be one of the smartest health priorities you set. It’s not just daytime drowsiness you risk when shortchanging yourself on your seven to eight hours. Possible health consequences of getting too little or poor sleep can involve the cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, and nervous systems. In addition to letting life get in the way of good sleep, between 50 and 70 million Americans suffer from a chronic sleep disorder—insomnia or sleep apnea, say—that affects daily functioning and impinges on health. Consider the research:
1) Less may mean more. For people who sleep under seven hours a night, the fewer zzzz’s they get, the more obese they tend to be, according to a 2006 Institute of Medicine report. This may relate to the discovery that insufficient sleep appears to tip hunger hormones out of whack. Leptin, which suppresses appetite, is lowered; ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, gets a boost.
2) You’re more apt to make bad food choices. A study published this week in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that people with obstructive sleep apnea or other severely disordered breathing while asleep ate a diet higher in cholesterol, protein, total fat, and total saturated fat. Women were especially affected.
3) Diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance, its precursor, may become more likely. A 2005 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that people getting five or fewer hours of sleep each night were 2.5 times more likely to be diabetic, while those with six hours or fewer were 1.7 times more likely.
4) The ticker is put at risk. A 2003 study found that heart attacks were 45 percent more likely in women who slept for five or fewer hours per night than in those who got more.
5) Blood pressure may increase. Obstructive sleep apnea, for example, has been associated with chronically elevated daytime blood pressure, and the more severe the disorder, the more significant the hypertension, suggests the 2006 IOM report. Obesity plays a role in both disorders, so losing weight can ease associated health risks.
6) Auto accidents rise. As stated in a 2007 report in the New England Journal of Medicine, nearly 20 percent of serious car crash injuries involve a sleepy driver—and that’s independent of alcohol use.
7) Balance is off. Older folks who have trouble getting to sleep, who wake up at night, or are drowsy during the day could be 2 to 4.5 times more likely to sustain a fall, found a 2007 study in the Journal of Gerontology.
You may be more prone to depression. Adults who chronically operate on fumes report more mental distress, depression, and alcohol use. Adolescents suffer, too: One survey of high school students found similarly high rates of these issues. Middle schoolers, too, report more symptoms of depression and lower self-esteem.
9) Kids may suffer more behavior problems. Research from an April issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine found that children who are plagued by insomnia, short duration of sleeping, or disordered breathing with obesity, for example, are more likely to have behavioral issues like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
10) Death’s doorstep may be nearer. Those who get five hours or less per night have approximately 15 percent greater risk of dying—regardless of the cause—according to three large population-based studies published in the journals Sleep and the Archives of General Psychiatry.
ROD
Friday, 29Apr11
Good Morning Friday!!
6 rounds of 20 seconds work/10 seconds rest of the following movements. Finish 6 rounds of one, take and minute rest and move on to the next.
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Officer Kelly, a member of the department’s auto-larceny unit, was working a red-light enforcement detail when he stopped a motorcycle with stolen license plates. As Officer Kelly approached the motorcycle, the operator fled on the motorcycle. Officer Kelly pursued the suspect when he lost control of his unmarked cruiser, a 1999 Chevy Lumina, and collided into the utility pole. The motorcycle driver fled the scene, but was arrested after police received a tip as to his identity.
The suspect was convicted of attempted assault second-degree, reckless endangerment, possession of stolen property, leaving the scene of an accident, and driving with a suspended license. He was sentenced to only six years in prison.
Officer Kelly was posthomously awarded the agency’s Medal of Honor
Officer Kelly had been with the New York City Police Department for nine years, and is survived by his wife, Patricia M. Kelly, a police officer herself at the time, and two young sons, Christopher and Sean.
In memory of Police Officer John Kelly, the High Rock Challenge is an adventure run in the Greenbelt Trail System of Staten Island that is roughly ten kilometers in length. Teams consisting of two members must run together at all times and compete in five mystery events which are located throughout the course. Mystery events are designed to challenge and encourage teamwork as well as mental and physical strength. There will be food, beverages and entertainment at the finish. Previous year’s challenges brought competitors face to face with a 50 pound sandbag, an 8 foot wall, a word scramble test, a low crawl net and a suspended wire bridge over a murky pond.
A large number of our Nxt Level community will be participants in the High Rock Challenge. We are proud that our gym has the most participants than any other facility on the Island. We want to extend our best wishes to them and may the best couple win.
ROD
Monday, 18Apr11
Dueling Circuits
We’ll do 4 rounds of 30 seconds work/20 seconds rest non stop at circuit A, rest for 2 minutes, and then move on to circuit B and do the same.
Circuit A: Do 30/20 x 4 rounds non-stop.
Rest 2 minutes.
Circuit B: 30/20 x 4 rounds non-stop
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I get this question all the time.
Do Women Get Too Muscular From Heavy Lifting?
Check out this girl. Her name is Marilou Prévost Dozois. She lifts heavy, and she’s dead sexy! Her lifts are 74k = 162lbs & 76k = 167lbs.
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Oh, This is a good one. Check this machine out. This product will not shape your butt like it purports to do, but the spokeswoman in the video is absolutely smokin’!
Check out at 3:15 where the figure girl says that the unit works the muscles the same as squats, lunges, stiff leg deadlifts, plies, butt blaster, and hamstring curls. Oh really?
I like the claim: “100% of the subjects said that it works in some way.” Haha! Of course they didn’t measure hypertrophy.
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This is a great read, Enjoy and learn from it.
April 7, 2010 by David Fitzgerald
A recent discussion amongst colleagues on the merits of different types of stretching and the clinical applications in which to apply these methods is the topic of today’s discussion. The fundamental debate revolves around the merits of active versus passive stretching. As with all these things there are vigorous advocates in each camp with conflicting research which is selectively quoted depending on the perspective.
In the Sports Science arena several studies have indicated in distance runners that routine stretches make little difference to the injury incidence profile and indeed some studies have suggested that athletic performance may be temporarily compromised in the short-term after athletes perform sustained passive stretching. Theoretical arguments here relate to loosing elasticity and resistance within contractile tissues – the equivalent of overstretching a spring and therefore reducing the energy efficiency during muscle contraction and loading.
Of course the corollary to this is that excessively tight musculo-tendinous structures are more resistant to deformation, require more muscle force to generate elongation and are therefore subject to higher demands upon the system.
So the balance to be struck here is some way of trying to determine what the “optimal” force within the system is to provide efficient biomechanical capacity. Alternatively, active stretching- sometimes called dynamic / ballistic stretching involves more rapid ballistic kind of movements on the basis that it simulates normal muscle function and simultaneously involves the neural system to maintain and coordinate muscle activity.
However because the movement patterns tend to be more general (global) this increases the potential for compensation in other areas of the movement chain which raises the challenge of how do we ensure that we achieve movement in the target area?
This concept was addressed initially by Shirley Sahrmann in the U.S. with her concept of “relative flexibility” being particularly relevant to this discussion. In summary her definition of relative flexibility is the process of establishing the proportion of movement which occurs throughout the kinetic chain for a functional movement pattern. Using this type of operational definition involves integrating aspects of localised muscle control superimposed upon systemic global control in conjunction with the capacity to lengthen and elongate tissues the target area. This is a particularly useful type of approach because it acts as a unifying strategy to integrate targeted stabilising muscle activity, flexibility in tight areas and sequencing combinations of activities to challenge the system for the specific functional movement under examination. Using this type of strategy we can develop a functional screening profile which can be very helpful clinically. Types of Stretching
Just as there are different types of flexibility, there are also different types of stretching. Stretches are either dynamic (meaning they involve motion) or static (meaning they involve no motion). Dynamic stretches affect dynamic flexibility and static stretches affect static flexibility (and dynamic flexibility to some degree).
The different types of stretching are:
Ballistic stretching uses the momentum of a moving body or a limb in an attempt to force it beyond its normal range of motion. This is stretching, or “warming up”, by bouncing into (or out of) a stretched position, using the stretched muscles as a spring which pulls you out of the stretched position. (e.g. bouncing down repeatedly to touch your toes.) This type of stretching is not considered useful and can lead to injury. It does not allow your muscles to adjust to, and relax in, the stretched position. It may instead cause them to tighten up by repeatedly activating the stretch reflex (see section
Dynamic stretching, according to Kurz, “involves moving parts of your body and gradually increasing reach, speed of movement, or both.” Do not confuse dynamic stretching with ballistic stretching! Dynamic stretching consists of controlled leg and arm swings that take you (gently!) to the limits of your range of motion. Ballistic stretches involve trying to force a part of the body beyond its range of motion. In dynamic stretches, there are no bounces or “jerky” movements. An example of dynamic stretching would be slow, controlled leg swings, arm swings, or torso twists.
Dynamic stretching improves dynamic flexibility and is quite useful as part of your warm-up for an active or aerobic workout (such as a dance or martial-arts class). According to Kurz, dynamic stretching exercises should be performed in sets of 8-12 repetitions:
Perform your exercises (leg raises, arm swings) in sets of eight to twelve repetitions. If after a few sets you feel tired — stop. Tired muscles are less elastic, which causes a decrease in the amplitude of your movements. Do only the number of repetitions that you can do without decreasing your range of motion. More repetitions will only set the nervous regulation of the muscles’ length at the level of these less than best repetitions and may cause you to lose some of your flexibility. What you repeat more times or with a greater effort will leave a deeper trace in your [kinesthetic] memory! After reaching the maximal range of motion in a joint in any direction of movement, you should not do many more repetitions of this movement in a given workout. Even if you can maintain a maximal range of motion over many repetitions, you will set an unnecessarily solid memory of the range of these movements. You will then have to overcome these memories in order to make further progress.
Active stretching is also referred to as static-active stretching. An active stretch is one where you assume a position and then hold it there with no assistance other than using the strength of your agonist muscles. For example, bringing your leg up high and then holding it there without anything (other than your leg muscles themselves) to keep the leg in that extended position. The tension of the agonists in an active stretch helps to relax the muscles being stretched (the antagonists) by reciprocal inhibition.
Active stretching increases active flexibility and strengthens the agonistic muscles. Active stretches are usually quite difficult to hold and maintain for more than 10 seconds and rarely need to be held any longer than 15 seconds.
Many of the movements (or stretches) found in various forms of yoga are active stretches.
Passive stretching is also referred to as relaxed stretching, and as static-passive stretching. A passive stretch is one where you assume a position and hold it with some other part of your body, or with the assistance of a partner or some other apparatus. For example, bringing your leg up high and then holding it there with your hand. The splits is an example of a passive stretch (in this case the floor is the “apparatus” that you use to maintain your extended position).
Slow, relaxed stretching is useful in relieving spasms in muscles that are healing after an injury. Obviously, you should check with your doctor first to see if it is okay to attempt to stretch the injured muscles .
Relaxed stretching is also very good for “cooling down” after a workout and helps reduce post-workout muscle fatigue, and soreness..
Many people use the term “passive stretching” and “static stretching” interchangeably. However, there are a number of people who make a distinction between the two. According to M. Alter:
Static stretching involves holding a position. That is, you stretch to the farthest point and hold the stretch .
Passive stretching is a technique in which you are relaxed and make no contribution to the range of motion. Instead, an external force is created by an outside agent, either manually or mechanically.
Notice that the definition of passive stretching given in the previous section encompasses both of the above definitions. Throughout this document, when the term static stretching or passive stretching is used, its intended meaning is the definition of passive stretching as described in the previous section. You should be aware of these alternative meanings, however, when looking at other references on stretching.
Isometric stretching is a type of static stretching (meaning it does not use motion) which involves the resistance of muscle groups through isometric contractions (tensing) of the stretched muscles The use of isometric stretching is one of the fastest ways to develop increased static-passive flexibility and is much more effective than either passive stretching or active stretching alone. Isometric stretches also help to develop strength in the “tensed” muscles (which helps to develop static-active flexibility), and seems to decrease the amount of pain usually associated with stretching.
The most common ways to provide the needed resistance for an isometric stretch are to apply resistance manually to one’s own limbs, to have a partner apply the resistance, or to use an apparatus such as a wall (or the floor) to provide resistance.
An example of manual resistance would be holding onto the ball of your foot to keep it from flexing while you are using the muscles of your calf to try and straighten your instep so that the toes are pointed.
An example of using a partner to provide resistance would be having a partner hold your leg up high (and keep it there) while you attempt to force your leg back down to the ground.
An example of using the wall to provide resistance would be the well known “push-the-wall” calf-stretch where you are actively attempting to move the wall (even though you know you can’t).
Isometric stretching is not recommended for children and adolescents whose bones are still growing. These people are usually already flexible enough that the strong stretches produced by the isometric contraction have a much higher risk of damaging tendons and connective tissue. Kurz strongly recommends preceding any isometric stretch of a muscle with dynamic strength training for the muscle to be stretched. A full session of isometric stretching makes a lot of demands on the muscles being stretched and should not be performed more than once per day for a given group of muscles (ideally, no more than once every 36 hours).
The proper way to perform an isometric stretch is as follows:
Some people seem to recommend holding the isometric contraction for longer than 15 seconds, but according to SynerStretch (the videotape), research has shown that this is not necessary. So you might as well make your stretching routine less time consuming.
Recall from our previous discussion that there is no such thing as a partially contracted muscle fiber: when a muscle is contracted, some of the fibers contract and some remain at rest (more fibers are recruited as the load on the muscle increases). Similarly, when a muscle is stretched, some of the fibers are elongated and some remain at rest During an isometric contraction, some of the resting fibers are being pulled upon from both ends by the muscles that are contracting. The result is that some of those resting fibers stretch!
Normally, the handful of fibers that stretch during an isometric contraction are not very significant. The true effectiveness of the isometric contraction occurs when a muscle that is already in a stretched position is subjected to an isometric contraction. In this case, some of the muscle fibers are already stretched before the contraction, and, if held long enough, the initial passive stretch overcomes the stretch reflex and triggers the lengthening reaction inhibiting the stretched fibers from contracting. At this point, according to SynerStretch:
When you isometrically contracted, some of the resting fibers would contract, many of the resting fibers would stretch, and many of the already stretched fibers, which are being prevented from contracting by the inverse myotatic reflex [the lengthening reaction], would stretch even more. When the isometric contraction was relaxed and the contracting fibers returned to their resting length, the stretched fibers would retain their ability to stretch beyond their normal limit. … the whole muscle would be able to stretch beyond its initial maximum, and you would have increased flexibility …
The reason that the stretched fibers develop and retain the ability to stretch beyond their normal limit during an isometric stretch has to do with the muscle spindles: The signal which tells the muscle to contract voluntarily, also tells the muscle spindle’s (intrafusal) muscle fibers to shorten, increasing sensitivity of the stretch reflex. This mechanism normally maintains the sensitivity of the muscle spindle as the muscle shortens during contraction. This allows the muscle spindles to habituate (become accustomed) to an even further-lengthened position.
PNF stretching is currently the fastest and most effective way known to increase static-passive flexibility. PNF is an acronym for proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. It is not really a type of stretching but is a technique of combining passive stretching and isometric stretching in order to achieve maximum static flexibility. Actually, the term PNF stretching is itself a misnomer. PNF was initially developed as a method of rehabilitating stroke victims. PNF refers to any of several post-isometric relaxation stretching techniques in which a muscle group is passively stretched, then contracts isometrically against resistance while in the stretched position, and then is passively stretched again through the resulting increased range of motion. PNF stretching usually employs the use of a partner to provide resistance against the isometric contraction and then later to passively take the joint through its increased range of motion. It may be performed, however, without a partner, although it is usually more effective with a partner’s assistance.
Most PNF stretching techniques employ isometric agonist contraction/relaxation where the stretched muscles are contracted isometrically and then relaxed. Some PNF techniques also employ isometric antagonist contraction where the antagonists of the stretched muscles are contracted. In all cases, it is important to note that the stretched muscle should be rested (and relaxed) for at least 20 seconds before performing another PNF technique. The most common PNF stretching techniques are:
the hold-relax
This technique is also called the contract-relax. After assuming an initial passive stretch, the muscle being stretched is isometrically contracted for 7-15 seconds, after which the muscle is briefly relaxed for 2-3 seconds, and then immediately subjected to a passive stretch which stretches the muscle even further than the initial passive stretch. This final passive stretch is held for 10-15 seconds. The muscle is then relaxed for 20 seconds before performing another PNF technique.
the hold-relax-contract
This technique is also called the contract-relax-contract, and the contract-relax-antagonist-contract (or CRAC). It involves performing two isometric contractions: first of the agonists, then, of the antagonists. The first part is similar to the hold-relax where, after assuming an initial passive stretch, the stretched muscle is isometrically contracted for 7-15 seconds. Then the muscle is relaxed while its antagonist immediately performs an isometric contraction that is held for 7-15 seconds. The muscles are then relaxed for 20 seconds before performing another PNF technique.
the hold-relax-swing
This technique (and a similar technique called the hold-relax-bounce) actually involves the use of dynamic or ballistic stretches in conjunction with static and isometric stretches. It is very risky, and is successfully used only by the most advanced of athletes and dancers that have managed to achieve a high level of control over their muscle stretch reflex It is similar to the hold-relax technique except that a dynamic or ballistic stretch is employed in place of the final passive stretch.
Notice that in the hold-relax-contract, there is no final passive stretch. It is replaced by the antagonist-contraction which, via reciprocal inhibition, serves to relax and further stretch the muscle that was subjected to the initial passive stretch. Because there is no final passive stretch, this PNF technique is considered one of the safest PNF techniques to perform (it is less likely to result in torn muscle tissue). Some people like to make the technique even more intense by adding the final passive stretch after the second isometric contraction. Although this can result in greater flexibility gains, it also increases the likelihood of injury.
Even more risky are dynamic and ballistic PNF stretching techniques like the hold-relax-swing, and the hold-relax-bounce. If you are not a professional athlete or dancer, you probably have no business attempting either of these techniques (the likelihood of injury is just too great). Even professionals should not attempt these techniques without the guidance of a professional coach or training advisor. These two techniques have the greatest potential for rapid flexibility gains, but only when performed by people who have a sufficiently high level of control of the stretch reflex in the muscles that are being stretched.
Like isometric stretching PNF stretching is also not recommended for children and people whose bones are still growing (for the same reasons. Also like isometric stretching, PNF stretching helps strengthen the muscles that are contracted and therefore is good for increasing active flexibility as well as passive flexibility. Furthermore, as with isometric stretching, PNF stretching is very strenuous and should be performed for a given muscle group no more than once per day (ideally, no more than once per 36 hour period).
The initial recommended procedure for PNF stretching is to perform the desired PNF technique 3-5 times for a given muscle group (resting 20 seconds between each repetition). However, HFLTA cites a 1987 study whose results suggest that performing 3-5 repetitions of a PNF technique for a given muscle group is not necessarily any more effective than performing the technique only once. As a result, in order to decrease the amount of time taken up by your stretching routine (without decreasing its effectiveness), HFLTA recommends performing only one PNF technique per muscle group stretched in a given stretching session.
The isometric contraction of the stretched muscle accomplishes several things:
PNF stretching techniques take advantage of the sudden “vulnerability” of the muscle and its increased range of motion by using the period of time immediately following the isometric contraction to train the stretch receptors to get used to this new, increased, range of muscle length. This is what the final passive (or in some cases, dynamic) stretch accomplishes.
Enjoy the clinical challenge
David
ROD
Wednesday, 13Apr11
Eltingville Express
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ROD
Friday, 08Apr11
Timed Pyrimad
Movements
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Why Young Females Tear ACL’s.. If you watch sports particulary girls sports whether it’s your adolecent teen daughter or all the way up to the professional level you’ve probaly seen your fair share of knee injuries especially the ACL. Before I get into just exactly what the ACL is and common problems umongst young female athletes it must be noted that 70% of all ACL injuries are NON-CONTACT!!
This is simply where the athlete is chasing down a soccer ball, moving laterally to reach for that softball up the middle, or landing from a jump to block that volley ball spike and then the next thing you know POP and they’re down in pain. What’s ironic is that they’re performing something that they’ve done from a skill or technique point hundreds if not thousands of times, but just this one time there happened to be and injury which could have been avoided. Take a look at the athlete below particulary her left knee.
Left ACL Tear
This is a tough caption to look at but it hopefully helps to drive home the point that female athletes are 5-6 times more suseptible to tear their ACL than there male counter part. To put it into perspective next time when you’re at your daughters practice one out of every 9 college females will tear their ACL every year. This is not good especially if it happens to be your daughter. FYI, the athlete pictured was a first round pick of the WNBA and unfortunatley this ended her promising young career.
Let’s take a look at why this happens and some different ways we can go and make this common injury more avoidable in female athletes.
COMMON RISK FACTORS IN ACL TEARS
Anatomical :
- Femoral notch size (lateral condylopatellar sulcus)
- Q-angle. This is where the athlete is “knock kneed” Also known as valgus alignment.
Biomechanical :
- Females land in a more upright position compared to males.
- Females utilize their quadriceps in landing instead of the hamstrings to help absorb the forces of landing.
- Females CNS delay in recruiting muscles to stabilize the knee particulary the poseterior chian muscles compared to that of the guys.
Hormonal :
- This is ongoing debate and research as to the role that the sex specific hormones play in the role of ACL injuries one which I’m not capable of fully debating.
- Females tend to have more “laxity” in there joints compared to the guys.
Environmental :
- Type of shoe being worn
- Sport(s)
- Field & Weather conditions
- Year round play
These are just a few of the things that can contribute to a person injuring their knee. Research is ongoing in this area.
How Do We Then Help Prevent These?
Remember our little stats from above that 1 out 9 collegiate players will tear there ACL? That is approximatley 220,000 ACL injuries every year just in females alone under the age of 21.
What Should A Prevention Program Include?
- A break from your sport or sports. Yes, I’m saying time off. Eveyone needs a break and not just from the physical stand point but mentally to recharge as well. The reasons being is that although young and energetic your body will eventually break down especially if you’re playing weekday games, weekend tournaments, practices, social life, etc. When do you have time to train, rest, nourish, and recover? I recomend a minimum of 4 weeks with 6-8 being optimal.
Trust me on this one. Nothing is more frustrating as a coach when a parent comes to me and says, ” I want you to make my kid faster or stronger” oh I hear this all the time and only they have so much going on outside of the gym in regards to practices, games, tournaments, school, etc that they are not able to go to the gym and improve their movement mechanics, movement and stability issues, develop there GPP, improve there strength, and the list goes on and on and on.
- There are many programs out there and I’m not going to debate on what’s what but I suggest given the fact that most young athletes are so busy that you focus on a total body strengthening program. This program should include but is not limited to exercises and activities to address any deficits in strength or flexibility that the athlete may have.
- Neuromuscular training. This is a very important aspect of ACL injury prevention. Too many times as coaches and athletes we focus on acceleration but not enough energy is spend developing proper “decelerating’ mechanics which involves huge amounts of stress on the body. Female athletes (all athletes) need to learn how to land in a way that does not set them up for knee ligament injury. Take a look at this picture below and you’ll see exactly what I mean.
Bad Alignment
In this picture, you see an untrained athlete performing a box jump. This alone can show you how a female “all star” at her sport is in serious trouble and it’s only a matter of time before her lack of strength and stability catch up to her technical skill set.
Now take a look at the following picture of the same athelte who particiapted in a properly outlined strength program for 6 weeks. Notice the amount of depth achieved in the landing, the alignment of the knees, nice neutral posture, “athletic postion” parents and coaches are always saying to get in. Don’t you think that this athlete is more efficient and much safer? Of course you do.
Good Alignment
Here is what is very important, It’s very important to continue to build or at a minimum maintain a level of strength and stability all year round as old habits do creap back up on us especially in a chaotic environment of an athlettes schedule.
by:
FITT Warehouse Training Systems
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Exercise is the exertion of the body to achieve a physical purpose. Physical movements, no matter how structured, will require a period of rest to permit the body to be restored to a state where it can exercise once more. The observance of the fundamental rules concerning the perpetual process of exercise and recovery is essential to sport success; tired athletes can not train or compete at their highest possible level if they have not permitted themselves recovery.
All exercise, whether viewed as the workout on a particular day, or as part of a larger program or training system, has a built in recovery factor. Aerobic sports are those where the duration of the activity is relatively long, but not indefinite. Recovery from the aerobic exercise begins the moment that the activity ceases. Anaerobic sports are built on short intervals that naturally presume a rest or recovery space between them.
The length of the recovery period in relation to the active exercise period is a function of both the duration of the exercise as well as the intensity level at which the body performs the exercise. Assuming a constant level of fitness, the recovery period to follow a 10-mi (16 km) walk would be expected to be shorter than that following a 10-mile run at the maximum pace that the athlete can sustain.
Exercise recovery has four specific divisions, each of which has its own recovery principles. The divisions are: musculoskeletal recovery from the stresses and forces of training and competition; recovery of the large-scale systems that power the body during exercise, particularly the cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory systems; restoration of the energy stores depleted by exercise, especially carbohydrates and minerals; and psychological recovery often necessitated when competitive and training stresses place a mental burden on the athlete over a period of time.
Sore muscles and joints are the easiest aspect of any athlete to identify as being in need of a recovery period after training sessions or competition. One of the great challenges of athletic participation is a true understanding of the difference in the signals sounded by the body between the pain of an injury, physiological damage requiring decisive treatment and rehabilitation including probable enforced rest, and discomfort caused by exercise, which can be borne or otherwise tolerated as the athlete continues to perform at the highest level possible. The further an athlete advances in a particular discipline, the more often this decision will arise.
Muscle recovery is achieved by the athlete in a number of ways. Rest is the easiest solution to overtaxed muscles; therapy such as massage and various stretching programs suited to the muscle group in question; cool down stretches ease the body to recovery after vigorous workouts by taking the muscles gently through a full range of motion and help prevent cramping and stiffness. In the period following a hard workout or competition, cross-training exercises will serve to keep the body working, thus maintaining over all fitness, while not unduly stressing the muscles that were most stressed by the activity. Examples of effective cross training as a recovery tool are swimming or cycling after an event such as a run, or as a respite from a vigorous contact sport such as rugby.
Recovery of the cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory systems is achieved through a reduction in the intensity of activity through the recovery period. The heart, the organ central to the function of both systems, rarely will benefit from a recovery program that eliminates any stress on it above the sedentary level. It is the body’s fluid level, primarily water, that is critical to the recovery of the cardiovascular system, as the reduction of body fluid that occurs through the heat generated by exercise will correspondingly reduce the volume of fluid in the blood plasma, which lessens the ability of the blood vessels to transport oxygen, fuel in the form of glucose and other nutrients throughout the body. When an athlete has lost from 2% to 3% of their body weight in fluids, the recovery of the cardiovascular system to an optimal fluid level can take several hours; the recovery of depleted minerals (such as sodium) to assist in the operation of the cardiovascular system may be a longer process, depending upon how much mineral was depleted. Fluid level recovery is one part of the bodily equation, the restoration of the energy available for exercise is the other.
The restoration of depleted energy stores will commence the moment that carbohydrates are consumed after the activity, either through energy drinks or by way of food. A return to the athlete’s usual level of carbohydrates is a process that depends on the carbohydrates present in the foods consumed, and the level of physical activity in the rest period that may draw on these energy stores.
The recovery of the muscles, body systems, and energy stores of an athlete after exercise can each be estimated with reasonable precision, given the known and predictable qualities of the components involved. Psychological recovery from exercise is a true variable. Every athlete reacts in a different way to similar stresses. After prolonged and difficult periods of training, or key competitions, many athletes build short rest breaks into their program to maintain mental freshness in their approach to the sport. In some instances, the spirit of the maxim “a change is as good as a rest” is employed, when the athlete continues to train at a significant level, but in an alternate sport.
ROD
Tuesday, 05Apr11
Due to circumstances beyond our control, Friday morning classes,10 & 11am, will be cancelled.
Tabata Tuesday
4 rounds of 30 seconds work/20 seconds rest non stop at circuit A, rest for 2 minutes, and then move on to circuit B and do the same.
Circuit A: 30/20 x 4 rounds non-stop.
Rest 2 minutes.
Circuit B: 30/20 x 4 rounds non-stop
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Nxt Level trained Athletes do it again on the field
MEDFORD, N.J. – The New York Panthers Black won 2 of 3 games at the USSSA Spring Dazzle, including a 12-0 decision over the Ocean Sharks and a 4-3 victory over the Chill. They also dropped a 4-3 decision to the South Jersey Wildcats.
Nina Russo (seven hits, three doubles), Shannon Damon (five hits, two doubles) and Christina Rubin (game-winning hit in the bottom of the sixth vs. Chill) supplied the offense while Melissa Miloscia notched the victory against the Chill.
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HOWELL, N.J. – Jessica Giardiello and Lindsay Palmieri (HR) had four hits each as the SI Saints defeated the Lacey Storm 6-5 and the Diamond Divas 12-5 in Howell Heat 10-and-under play. Kristen Blanchard picked up the win in the opener.
Again, our athletes keep dominating their opponents on the field. We are so proud of all their wins.
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So let’s get started!
What you need to get:
1) 6″ foam roller (either the 1′ long or 3′ long version)
2) Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” CD
3) A leopard-skin thong
4) Two quarts of baby oil to lube yourself up
Note: If you thought I was really serious on numbers two through four, you need to get your mind out of the gutter and find a new favorite website!
Techniques
These techniques are actually very simple to learn. Basically, you just use your body weight to sandwich the roller between the soft tissue to be released and the floor. Roll at a slow pace and actually stop and bear down on the most tender spots (“hot spots”). Once the pain in these spots diminishes, roll the other areas.
In order to increase the pressure on the soft tissue, simply apply more of your body weight to the roller. The simplest way to do this is by either moving from working both legs at once to one leg, or by “stacking” one of your legs on top of the other to increase the tension.
As you get more comfortable with SMR, you’ll really want to be bearing down on the roller with most (if not all) of your body weight. As with almost anything in the training world, there’s considerable room for experimentation, so you’ll definitely want to play around with the roller to see what works best for you. Be careful to avoid bony prominences, though. (Insert your own joke here.)
One other technique I’ve found to be beneficial is to work from the proximal (nearest the center of the body) to the distal (away from the center of the body) attachment of the muscle. For instance, instead of working your quadriceps from top to bottom all in one shot, shorten your stroke a little bit. Work the top half first, and after it has loosened up, move on to the bottom half.
This is an important strategy because as you get closer to the distal muscle-tendon junction, there’s a concomitant increase in tension. By working the top half first, you decrease the ensuing tension at the bottom, essentially taking care of the problem in advance.
Note: Those NLP members with circulatory problems and chronic pain diseases (e.g. fibromyalgia) should NOT use foam rollers.
SMR (self-myofascia release) is a type of corrective exercise and relaxation technique that begins to be more popular in these past few years. As a corrective exercise, the SMR can be used as a tool to correct postural problems, as a relaxation technique, people use the SMR to re-condition the body, or even pain or tightness release, but I found out that alot of misconception occur in the ways the technique applies. This article will give you the correct and most effective ways to use SMR for all kind of its use.
The muscles in the body work as a complicated combination of push, pull, and hold activities to make a balance structure. These balance conditions make it possible for every single part of the body position and move the way that they should. Problems occur when the balance get disturb by one or several muscles which force to work wrongly, because they have to maintain the body to adjust its position in awkward posture. This condition cause a unbalance condition of the body’s postural called the muscular imbalance.
When tightness happen in the muscle, one can perform stretch technique to release the tension by perform some kind of lengthening activities on the specific muscle. Doing the stretch will give some release to the muscle fibers, but not the fascia, that is the reason why some muscle will get back to repetitive tightness even if you do stretch to it regularly. To get more long term release for the muscle, you need to give it a complete relaxation which are both the stretches and the SMR.
In general what the SMR does is to release the unwanted knots that can be stubbornly stay at the outer layer of the muscle called the fascia by putting extra pressure to the area and its surroundings to make the brain thinks that the area needs to be relax or partially shut down for some amount of time.
To apply the SMR technique, you need to use some equipments like a foam roller, rubber ball, rubber noodle, etc., depend on the area that you want to give relaxation to. In general a foam roller should be enough. These stuffs can be found at the gyms or fitness equipment providers, even they are available online to get.
There are several ways to do the SMR technique, depend on the objective of what you are doing the exercise for. If you use the SMR technique for re-conditioning the whole body parts, you need to do it after warms up in the beginning of workouts. To do so, after a proper warm up, get the foam roller and an exercise mats, and find some place open. Start from the lowest body part which are the calves, by putting them on top of the roller, and start rolling slowly up until it reach almost the lower part of the back of your knee. Roll it down and up two or three times until you feel a slight release on the area. After the calves, continue to the other body parts such as the hamstrings, front thighs, buttocks, back, and chest.
To get rid of the discomfort at problem areas, you can do the same thing with the conditioning technique, only this time the pressures need to be done more slowly and carefully. When you roll in a problem area you will get a pain/hard pressure feeling in the knot, try to adjust to the stage which you can bare, and stay at that exact point for approximately 30 seconds, then move to other area in the same muscle. Do the same thing to the same area for three or four times as you will feel that the pain will reduce each time. When you are done with one body part, you can continue to other body parts.
This SMR technique is not meant to cure any medical condition, It is only meant for release muscle discomfort and cramps although a lot of annoying problems sometimes can be caused by a simple manner. If the problem persist, it is wise for you to check to the doctor or professional opinion to get a proper advise.
Demonstrations and Descriptions
Hamstrings: (muscles of the back of the legs) You’ll want to try these with the feet turned in, out, and pointing straight ahead to completely work the entire hamstring complex. Balance on your hands with your hamstrings resting on the roller, then roll from the base of the glutes to the knee. To increase loading, you can stack one leg on top of the other.
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Hip Flexors: (muscles of the upper thigh) Balance on your forearms with the top of one thigh on the roller. Roll from the upper thigh into the hip. Try this with the femur both internally and externally rotated. To do so, just shift the position of the contralateral pelvis. (In the photo, Mike would want to lift his right hip to externally rotate the left femur).
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Tensor Fascia Latae and Iliotibial Band: (muscles of the side of the thighs and upper hip) These are a little tricky, so we’ve included pictures from two different angles. Without a doubt, this one will be the most painful for most of you.
In the starting position, you’ll be lying on your side with the roller positioned just below your pelvis. From here, you’ll want to roll all the way down the lateral aspect of your thigh until you reach the knee. Stack the opposite leg on top to increase loading.
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Adductors: (muscles of the inside of the legs) Balance on your forearms with the top of one of your inner thighs resting on the roller. From this position, roll all the way down to the adductor tubercle (just above the medial aspect of the knee) to get the distal attachments. You’ll even get a little vastus medialis work in while you’re there. Watch out for your twig and berries on this one, though!
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Quadriceps: (muscles of the front thigh) This one is quite similar to the hip flexor version; you’re just rolling further down on the thigh. You can perform this roll with either one or two legs on the roller.
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Gluteus Medius and Piriformis: (side of the butt and deep inside) Lie on your side with the “meaty” part of your lateral glutes (just posterior to the head of the femur) resting on the roller. Balance on one elbow with the same side leg on the ground and roll that lateral aspect of your glutes from top to bottom.
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Gluteus Maximus: (your ass) Set up like you’re going to roll your hamstrings, but sit on the roller instead. Roll your rump. Enough said.
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Calves: (back of the lower leg) This, too, is similar in positioning to the hamstrings roll; you’re just rolling knee to ankle. Try this with the toes up (dorsiflexion) and down (plantarflexion). Stack one leg on top of the other to increase loading.
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Tibialis Anterior: (muscle in the shin) This is just like the quad roll, but you’re working on your shins instead.
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Peroneals: (muscles on the outside shin) This one is similar to the TFL/ITB roll; we’re just working on the lower leg now. Roll along the lateral aspect of the lower leg from the knee to the ankle.
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Thoracolumbar Fascia: (lower back area) With your arms folded across your chest, lie supine with the roller positioned under your midback. Elevate the glutes and roll from the base of the scapulae to the top of the pelvis. You’ll want to emphasize one side at a time with a slight lean to one side.
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Thoracic Extensors, Middle and Lower Trapezius, Rhomboids: (upper back) With your arms behind your head (not pulling on the neck), lie supine with roller positioned in the middle of your back; your glutes should be on the ground. Roll upward, reversing direction when you reach the level of the armpits. This is an excellent intervention for correcting kyphosis.
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Latissimus Dorsi and Teres Major: (under your arm along almost to the waist) Lie on your side with the same side arm overhead. The roller should be positioned at the attachment of the lat on the scapula in the starting position. You’ll want to roll toward the attachment on the humerus (roll toward the armpit).
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Triceps: (back of the arm) Start with your body in the same position as you would for the latissimus dorsi. Now, however, you’ll want to place the roller at the top of your triceps (near your armpit) and your noggin on top of your arm to increase the tension (and no, you don’t have to be that geeky kid from Jerry Maguire to know the human head weighs 8 pounds!)
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Pectoralis Major and Anterior Deltoid: (muscles of the chest and front shoulders) Lie prone with the roller positioned at an angle slightly to one side of the sternum; the arm on this side should be abducted to about 135° (halfway between completely overhead and where it would be at the completion of a lateral raise). Roll toward the humeral head (toward the armpit).
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Wrap-Up
Hopefully, this article has been proof enough that SMR on the foam roller is an excellent adjunct to your training, diet, supplementation, and restoration efforts. And, even if it isn’t, we’re only talking about ten bucks here, people! For crying out loud, just look under the couch cushions for change and you’re halfway there!
Where do you buy one? Try www.performbetter.com:
Come early before class ask Coach Donald to teach you how to roll properly & give it a shot. Your body will thank you for years to come!
ROD
Monday, 28Mar11
Monday’s Metabolic Masher
5 Rounds of 40 seconds work/20 seconds rest
1 minute rest between rounds
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So the spewing continued throughout the week (including my 30th last Tuesday). And the aching and on a couple of days a fever so all in all it was a very shit week, particularly for training. I’m like a guy when I get sick (which means, ironically, that I turn into a whiny little girl).
The lack of eating (in addition to the spewing) resulted in a 3kg weightloss over the week. If you have a bit too much time on your hands and have consequently read all of my ramblings on here, you’ll know that I was debating whether or not to enter the Worlds in the under 60kg weight category this year. Last week has certainly pushed my decision in the direction of going for it because a week of not eating is about as close to hell as it gets for me and I don’t want all of that suffering to have been in vain.
I did, however, feel obliged to get some training in because (much to my regret) my last blog was a great big public denouncement of using excuses to get out of training. I have amazing timing.
I also felt obliged to do a minumum of 4 sessions, because I had said I need to train consistently 4-5 times a week in my initial to do list. So I squeezed my minimum 4 sessions out (and every one of them hurt like a bitch).
Tuesday 22nd March
My 30th birthday and I was generally in a foul mood. Aside from being sick someone had gone out of their way to annoy me and, being the birthday girl and therefore the centre of the frigging universe, I was particularly pissed off about this.
In the morning I did 6 mins 20kg snatches 14rpm still trying to work on my leg extension timing. It was sort of better but still overall pretty ordinary.
Later in the day I did 6 mins 20kg jerks 14rpm. I was so angry about everything that I was slamming my heels down as hard as I could (which turns out to be pretty hard, dickhead downstairs certainly would have known about it) and was fixating really quickly. That is until I got to about the 4 min mark and lost the plot because I’d barely eaten anything all day and everything went to shit.
Friday 25th March
The first day during the week where I’d managed to keep solid food down so, remembering my own advice (this isn’t something I’d ordinarily do, but again the public nature of my own advice left me with little option), I decided to just do a snatch set with the 16kg to work on technique. 6 mins, 16rpm. This set sucked balls, I had no energy.
Saturday 26th March
The Saturday morning training session. Couldn’t face 20kg jerks but pyschologically knew I needed to pick up the 20kg so did 20kg long cycle, 8 mins 10rpm. Felt ok. Later in the day did 16kg snatches 6 mins 16rpm.
Sunday 27th March
Still feeling shit, holding down food but eating was still making me nauseous. Couldn’t face any of the usual stuff again so did 2x12kg jerks 5 mins 8rpm and 16kg snatches 6 mins 16rpm.
Both sets I was trying to breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth, I usually do all my breathing through my mouth (my sinuses always seem to be a bit blocked) but this isn’t really optimal so I figured now while I’m lifting light is the time to start correcting it. Makes my nose burn like mad but overall seems to help me regulate my breathing better.
So, there you have it: I managed to drag my sorry arse through another week of training. Here’s hoping this week goes a bit better.
