tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153639822024-03-07T11:15:52.019-08:00A Philosophy of Strength and HealthThis blog is devoted to physical health and performance for athletes. My primary interest is in athletic development, particularly the appropriate application of resistance training, weight training and weightlifting movements in athletes of all ages and levels of skill.Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.comBlogger650125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-83194459200628166892023-03-31T06:52:00.001-07:002023-03-31T07:03:07.978-07:00It's About Preparing People, not Preventing Injuries<p>ACL injuries do not happen in a void. People sustain injuries when their infrastructure is unable to manage a specific set of physical circumstances. To describe the mechanism of the injury without the context of the person and their level/type of sport, is to miss valuable insight.</p><p>In sport, we prepare the person, to the best of our understanding, to meet the physical demands of that sport. We do not just work to prevent one particular injury; we prepare athletes to navigate the total sport physical environment. By "we" I mean the coaching and support staff -- specifically the athletic development staff. </p><p>Athletic development (AD) coaches prepare athletes through the development of physical literacy and movement competencies via movement progressions. It is more than strength, power, agility; it is the acquisition of knowledge, skills, abilities and behaviors to manage themselves within the entire sporting environment. At the higher levels of sport, AD coaches coordinate with dietitians and sport psychologists to give athletes the most comprehensive toolbox possible to perform at the highest level of potential.</p><p>It has come to my attention that the concept of athletic development, often called by the more traditional name strength & conditioning (S&C), falls outside of the language and body of knowledge of the physical therapy (sports medicine) world. This is the silo effect: the creation of artificial boundaries of professional knowledge and expertise. </p><p>One group uses movement within a medical model; the other uses it in a performance model. In most athletic departments and sport organizations, these two groups struggle to integrate and build a united team behind the team. Separate spaces and equipment, language, modes of dress and identity reinforce the professional divide.</p><p>Physical therapists and other medical professionals (athletic trainers, sports med MDs) continually produce research trying to demonstrate the effectiveness of "X injury prevention program." This is a medicalization of the situation: apply a special intervention "X", created by our special knowledge of the body, to reduce the risk of "Y" injury. Injuries are a disease; here is your prophylactic.</p><p>Many of these studies conclude that "X" is better than nothing (or a control group that does next to nothing). In sport and fitness, it is generally understood that a range of interventions can bring about an improvement in fitness in untrained populations. Something done with even the slightest consistency can bring about improvement in fitness -- the ability to negotiate the physical environment of sport without injury for a short amount of time. With each peer-reviewed, published study or study review, the physical therapy world pats themselves on the back for another successful study on injury prevention. 20 min, three times a week and boom, you are inoculated.</p><p>But it is not about stopping any one type of injury or single negative consequence; it is about developing a positive state of being-- the necessary state of physical, emotional and cognitive being required to navigate the daily world of sport, through a process of education and a progression of physical experiences. </p><p>This is a preparedness approach, not a prevention approach. If the physical therapy profession wants to address injuries, we need to step out of the medical model of prevention and step into the performance model of preparedness.</p><p>Every injury is a case study N = 1 -- an opportunity to learn. To do better, we must not look at the injuries alone; we have to look at each athlete, that athlete's training history, their specific physical competencies or lack thereof, and the quality of that individual's infrastructure given their level / frequency of competition with regard to the sport. </p><p>The focus must turn to appropriate physical preparation to meet the demands of the developmental level of the athlete and their specific sporting situation. In addition to better investment in physical infrastructure, we must advocate for better parental and coach management of the athlete's sporting environment (frequency of competitions & number of competitions in relation to time devoted to development).</p><p>Medicalization and reduction of this work to "guidelines" and "prevention programs" removes the human context and leaves us with toothless generalizations buried in flowery academic language. It ignores the vast body of knowledge of other disciplines. </p><p>With specific regard to ACL injuries and the application of exercised-based rehabilitation, we do not need more research. We have the knowledge and methods of how to use movement to return to athletic normal, using athlete-centered, developmentally appropriate movement progressions. We base these progressions on developing physical literacy, building movement competencies and understanding the demands of sport. This work comes from Physical Education and Athletic Development -- fields that study the structured use and role of movement in normal human development & physical health.</p><p>Just as Atul Gawande looked to the field of aviation to implement checklists in surgery, physical therapists need to embrace knowledge and methods from physical education and athletic development to improve our understanding and use of exercise programming. Physical therapy, as a profession, has lost its way with regard to the mastery of therapeutic exercise. We are still arguing about OKC vs CKC exercises and are as distracted as ever by BFR, Blazepods and the use of stroboscopic glasses. In the meantime, gravity and the ground continue to win the ACL injury war. </p><p>As a profession, we need to identify, observe and report on experienced clinicians who are successfully implementing the tools and methods of athletic development into their ACLR / LE rehab programming. The knowledge is there. It needs to be collected, disseminated and included in professional training.</p><p>This is not a rejection of "evidence-based" information. It is an acknowledgement that meaningful methods and tools exist outside of RTCs and meta-analyses. Rehabilitation and return to sport are processes, not singular procedures that can be examined with traditional clinical trials. </p><p>There is no "one best sequence of exercises" for an ACLR. There is only the course of action that is appropriate for that athlete, playing that sport, at that level of competition, in that clinic with that available space and equipment; meeting the person where they are. This requires human judgement on a day-to-day basis and the management of real-world challenges of implementation. It requires an understanding of "athletic normal" movement, along with the spaces, language, tools and progressions that support the return to a state of athletic normal.</p><p>As physical therapists, we begin the process of doing better by turning the mirror on the competence of the clinician and asking ourselves if we are using the best available information and capable of implementing it in our environment. We need to step outside of the ivory tower and into the gym to watch expert coach-clinicians guide patients through an entire case of return to sport, day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month. This work looks much more like a physical education class or an athletic development coaching session than a doctor's office visit or a lab experiment.</p><p>We need to boldly and openly eliminate low-value (over-medicalized) work, distractions from the latest modality and sacred professional cows that take up valuable time and resources. We must create space and time to integrate knowledge of PE/AD principles into our professional understanding of exercise programming, and work to make it widely acknowledged and utilized. We must move from a mindset of prevention to a mindset of preparedness. We fail the people under our care when we fail to break out of our self-imposed professional silos.</p>Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-4914892138002547042022-11-29T07:30:00.000-08:002022-11-29T07:30:21.254-08:00Foundational Philosophy & Principles: Finding The Big Why & How<p>Young coaches and clinicians are overwhelmed with information and ideas. There is so much stuff to wade through these days. </p><p>(Here is a thought: instead of constantly crying out for "more" research, how about firmly eliminating and deleting the piles of myth and bad information out there that clutter the landscape? How about refining our processes of implementing the good knowledge that is already out there? Listen to the <i>The Knoweldge Project</i> podcast episode 42 with Atul Gawande -- love his thoughts on medical ignorance vs ineptitude, along with the problems of autonomy/assumptions of mastery afforded medical professionals after completing formal training and acquiring titles/letters.)</p><p>Part of maturing as a professional is building a solid bullshit filter and the confidence to say "No" to methods or tools that do not serve you well. This comes from making your own mistakes and learning from the mistakes and experiences of others. Shout out to all the mentors. </p><p>Eliminate the trivial and keep the vital, as Greg McKewon says in his book <i>Essentialism</i>. This takes effort and the realization that you will have to slay some sacred cows and admit you were taught some fake fundamentals. It is painful and distressing when you cross this bridge the first time. But do not fear; it gets easier to admit your own (and other's) imperfections.</p><p>By eliminating unnecessary things, you bring clarity to the process; you evolve from prescription. Now you can begin to build a systematic approach to solving the problems before you -- parallel vs serial processing. You graduate from the FOMO and throwing the proverbial kitchen sink at things. This is a real problem in the rehab setting. Please read Cal Newport's <i>Deep Work</i>.</p><p>To support your process, define your philosophy -- your relationship to your work -- and the principles that form the foundation of your approach. To the clinical types, this might seem fluffy and a waste of time. I disagree. It is imperative to find your "why" and "how" -- the big picture of you and your relationship to the work you do.</p><p>Here are the philosophy (big picture why & what) and principles (big picture how) that inform my process (zoomed in how & what):</p><p><u>Philosophy</u></p><p>1. Provide an environment and mindset that facilitates & supports the body's own healing process.</p><p>2. Help people develop a positive relationship with their body and movement.</p><p>3. Introduce and sequence movement experiences that develop a movement vocabulary & literacy to solve physical problems (navigate their environment) and build a toolbox for self-care.</p><p>4. Help people realize their physical potential</p><p><u>Principles</u></p><p>1. Athlete-Centered: Context that guides the journey -- treat the person, not that particular injury</p><p>2. Movement-Based: Level of action in the world -- behaviors drive development of new capacities -- from tissue tolerance & metabolic changes to athletic postures to sport-specific skills and decision-making</p><p>3. Transformational, not Transactional: It's about the relationship w/the person, not their measurements or data</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>It is key to understand that this stuff is always a work in progress -- and that is ok. Professional evolution requires constant self-reflection and personal audit. I hope to go into more detail behind each of these ideas over the next little while and spark some conversation. <br /><p><br /></p>Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-30441455276365014732022-07-12T09:03:00.000-07:002022-07-12T09:03:38.999-07:00Another New Distraction: Neurocog<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Knee rehab is rife with shallow work. Historically, we have been distracted by the idea of "neuromuscular control" -- people standing on unstable surfaces with a 30 deg knee flexion angle, being perturbed, in search of the holy grail of hamstring co-contraction.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1dGETnbnN4HfXoLtjKYAtYUJDtLzHdQhdYh6QvQiCuwnTTOA8Ksf0ceoE_5mQgnO5ev1O36CL2TDexgCP6V0WqtNvzIUqmwSoqznaHlR580LXI1xmCBCbOX332CKT_aXTTs9Pq5QKVPW8bc_-5evnpRWZpg1vBGmG1jxr6QOYgrSckETGj0/s399/Screen%20Shot%202022-03-02%20at%208.35.05%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1dGETnbnN4HfXoLtjKYAtYUJDtLzHdQhdYh6QvQiCuwnTTOA8Ksf0ceoE_5mQgnO5ev1O36CL2TDexgCP6V0WqtNvzIUqmwSoqznaHlR580LXI1xmCBCbOX332CKT_aXTTs9Pq5QKVPW8bc_-5evnpRWZpg1vBGmG1jxr6QOYgrSckETGj0/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-03-02%20at%208.35.05%20AM.png" width="252" /></a></div><p></p><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">And we forgot to ask people to bend and straighten their knee. To develop knee extensor strength -- THE KEY TO KNEE HEALTH. We have to use isokinetic devices to tell us what the knee extensor strength is because we have lost the skill and ability to program and observe movement that develops and is indicative of that strength & capacity.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Now, there is a new distraction: Neurocog!! We are going to enhance your RTP journey by distracting you with visual and auditory tasks while you bend and straighten your knee. We might even have those fancy lights!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">To me, it looks like we are going down a very similar path of not doing the work that needs to be done. We latch onto a term and task that sounds clinical and sciency -- it may even have relevance at some point in the process. But it will command our attention (and ego) too soon and distract us from the fundamental quality movement that must be done first to build strength and body awareness. Basic LE capacity to manage bodyweight on a single leg must come before the distraction of bells and whistles. Is anyone watching the movement quality while the bells and whistles are going?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Can you define the functional strength targets and capacities that should be consistently and repeatedly demonstrated before you layer on visual and auditory complexity?? Will you be distracted by shallow work that masquerades itself as clinically important activity?</span>Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-89192840430621173512022-06-28T07:55:00.003-07:002023-07-24T07:46:17.684-07:00Strength: Overcoming Tradition & Assumptions<p>The term "strength" comes with many images and stereotypes. The most common stereotype usually includes intimidating men who look like action figures, in spaces that look like iron jungles.</p><p>Strength is associated with mass gain, limb girth increases, muscle hypertrophy and maximal force production against an external load. With regard to lower body strength, we speak in terms of multiples of bodyweight (BW), with the ratio of 2x BW historically viewed as necessary and desirable. We have historically trained in terms of 1 RM. There has been a trend recently to adopt a VBT (velocity based training) approach, as we know 1 RM changes on a daily basis and technology now allows us to more finely tune things with velocity as the target within each set.</p><p>These things can be helpful as we initially learn to measure and document progress. But I think it is important to step back from this narrow outlook, because this view of strength does not serve all of us well, in either the rehab or performance world.</p><p>Much of how we "do" strength and measure it comes from the world (and world view) of elite men's collision sport (American football, rugby) and then barbell sport (weightlifting / powerlifting). In these arenas, we find numbers that represent maximal values --- speed, power, force. Facilities, equipment, methods have tended to revolve around pursuit of maximal in this very specific context. The movements that are used to measure these quantities represent an extremely narrow window of human movements. Big numbers from large humans, usually men, moving fast -- and sometimes incredibly slowly, usually on two legs.</p><p>Maximal lifts with a barbell are interesting but they aren't necessarily useful for all sports and all athletes. They are impressive in some sense, but the reality is that they are meaningless -- and sometimes very risky -- for a great many. The assumption that maximal strength as expressed by a maximal effort deadlift or back squat is meaningful -- and transfers to improved health and performance -- is just that: an assumption. </p><p>For those of you who know me, you know I have a very long and positive relationship with barbell training and weightlifting. I am not saying none of this is useful. I am not saying it is inherently dangerous; but no one can deny that the pursuit of maximal measures carries significant risk for an athlete -- acute and chronic. I am advocating for using these tools more mindfully and broadening our definitions and methods, to better support and prepare the people in our care. We must do better. And if you cannot do it (barbell work) well, please do not do it. </p><p>For many athletes, and a great majority of female athletes, the holy grail of performance is management of their own bodyweight in the context of non-collision sport, on a single leg. Within a variety of directions, shapes speeds and cognitive demands. On a variety of surfaces. </p><p>Strength, as it relates to musculoskeletal health and development, cannot be narrowly defined by maximal measures of force and the accumulation of (excess) lean body mass. It must take movement quality into consideration -- command, control and coordination -- as it relates to fundamental physical competencies, long-term development and sport demands. And at the very heart of it, it is about health and availability to thrive in sport training.</p><p>What might this kind of strength look like? Here is a video snapshot of SOME of the strength work of ONE athlete at the end of her career as an acrobatic skier. She had to absorb high forces on two legs -- not produce them. She did not have to run in training or competition, or have high aerobic or anaerobic capacity. She needed the right amount of body mass and strength to stay robust and manage the pounding of training. There was no benefit to excess mass; there were health consequences to not enough. We had to build enough of the right strength without adding to the physical pounding that took place during ski and water ramp training.</p><p>This is what this type of strength looked like; training age of 3 years, after rehabbing from a period of debilitating back pain.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O6Ctts0sMv8" width="320" youtube-src-id="O6Ctts0sMv8"></iframe></div><p>For younger athletes of mostly court and field sports, I would take a bit of a different approach. I would emphasize more single leg work and it would include a great deal of high quality lunges, step ups, more variations of SLS, skipping, bounding, leaping and hopping. I would include high quality barbell and hex bar work only as needed, with loading tied to bodyweight and effort, not any 1RM. I would have many other ways to load, specifically bags and vests. With the explicit understanding that robust management of bodyweight alone is the final goal.</p><p>How to know when enough is enough? Well, that depends. A good coach understands that and makes that judgement. And this is one of my professional goals in life: help coaches make better judgements about how much strength is necessary and needs to be done to get there.</p><p><br /></p>Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-73844133233187366902022-01-28T09:20:00.000-08:002022-01-28T09:20:06.682-08:00Warm Up: Repetition & Intention Matter<p><span style="font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQaVE_3-qQ1XpErXXnqLyqLTmCkZ65jN_IR31HNRV_kEeGe3P4M30r7vykZF1uSGsmfzN4o3YohGv1Et3PLPFODcnIKWH3TfyPfDKiv1Nl5sBfGabAhdq0RjwKISPJRAe6LQ-C1Vhyr9fV4dARqianpde0fpSYVGvLsZZUDnympNzy9mgRLaY=s1024" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQaVE_3-qQ1XpErXXnqLyqLTmCkZ65jN_IR31HNRV_kEeGe3P4M30r7vykZF1uSGsmfzN4o3YohGv1Et3PLPFODcnIKWH3TfyPfDKiv1Nl5sBfGabAhdq0RjwKISPJRAe6LQ-C1Vhyr9fV4dARqianpde0fpSYVGvLsZZUDnympNzy9mgRLaY=w240-h320" title="2015. Chloe Kim warms up for a commercial shoot at 11 pm at night." width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>2015. Chloe Kim warms up for a commercial video shoot at 11 pm. It is 20 deg F.</b></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">I talk explicitly with my athletes about warm up and the importance of taking it seriously. This is specific work that gives us information and it forms the foundation for that particular session. It is not just about raising body temperature or sweating. Nor is it a time for mindless busywork.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">There will be general things that work for an entire team; but there will also be things that are specific to the individual athlete. It is important to allow each athlete to have input into their warm up. Personal accountability here helps develop good overall habits and lays the foundations for a lifetime of using movement for self-care.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Intentional effort is important. This is the time where one learns to become "in tune" with the body and its potential physicality. The only way to do this is to work through a variety of movements, repeatedly, over time. These experiences allow you to choose those movements that work best for you and fine tune the order in which you do them. The most successful athletes tend to have an almost ritual-like approach to warm up. This is a process that takes time. But it is a worthwhile investment in daily readiness and physical longevity.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">In short, here is how I like to think about warm up movements:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) Daily long-term investment in physical health & robustness (micro-dosing)</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-5dcc43b3-7fff-cfae-2fab-e851e1b18631"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) Daily readiness for training or competition (physical preparedness)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3) Daily assessment of local soft tissue/muscle/joint issue (body awareness -- red, yellow or green light)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4) Mental on-ramp for main / more demanding focus – the time where we let go of distractions from the day (mental preparedness)</span></p><div><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 28pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-25584822491893976222022-01-24T11:19:00.001-08:002022-01-24T11:19:30.206-08:00Rewind: Foundational Leg Strength in Rehab<p>I am reviewing things for a new project and this blog post from April 2020 has some things I want to keep in mind. Thought I would share it again. Might prompt some good reflection for the physio crowd.</p><p>-----</p><p>Last week Donie Fox had a great article for HMMRMedia -- <a href="http://www.hmmrmedia.com/2020/04/using-foundational-leg-exercises-as-the-cornerstone-of-rehabilitation/" target="_blank">"Using Foundational Legs Exercises as the Cornerstone of Rehabilitation."</a> Check it out if you haven't already. Donie's article is important in my mind because it addresses a critical issue in the rehab world. There is a serious lack of appreciation for and mastery of the use of basic movements (squats, lunges, step ups) to build foundational lower extremity strength.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5gHcDHEqoFW2i9RqPi4nWuJXgrNHuYPgQ5mlqFwVcScJzt-ox7_PPcrcozKGZaKKTNgKmXIG_9F7r7X28J2eC2eSPKHslDdwWAqdq9cyjkACWf4SlbQ4Eh3B1za_Gdo5Mo1RsQ/s1600/Screenshot_20200116-224627.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5gHcDHEqoFW2i9RqPi4nWuJXgrNHuYPgQ5mlqFwVcScJzt-ox7_PPcrcozKGZaKKTNgKmXIG_9F7r7X28J2eC2eSPKHslDdwWAqdq9cyjkACWf4SlbQ4Eh3B1za_Gdo5Mo1RsQ/s320/Screenshot_20200116-224627.png" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjj7UF7wQTiur7WNWRX3TiIJM4WuXWaLW-B70ptDM_SfNyKG_Y_m6qclvIn0JdqdYhtH4eTYh0Z8dy5YKTnTGKB5ge1oVehutiXmzS8W_XZoLxSu7SELu7T3FXysWy35HUvBI0A/s1600/Screenshot_20200123-095552.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjj7UF7wQTiur7WNWRX3TiIJM4WuXWaLW-B70ptDM_SfNyKG_Y_m6qclvIn0JdqdYhtH4eTYh0Z8dy5YKTnTGKB5ge1oVehutiXmzS8W_XZoLxSu7SELu7T3FXysWy35HUvBI0A/s320/Screenshot_20200123-095552.png" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />Donie and I have decided to go into more depth on this topic in our next few podcasts. We will also hopefully touch on return to running programming criteria.<br /><br />Here are some barriers, in my opinion, to rehab professionals adopting a "foundational legs" approach. I'm not trying to be overly critical or a curmudgeon here. I am simply trying to share my observations after 20 years of working at all points on the rehab and performance spectrum.<br /><br />Ok, here goes.<br /><br />1. "Protection" mindset vs "performance" mindset. "Can't do vs can do" says Vern G. Medical model vs performance model as often discussed by Bill Knowles. This is important.<br /><br />2. The "protection" mindset is compounded by facility space configuration and professional dress standards that do not promote movement. There is no space to move and the physio is in dress shoes and dress pants. The shackles of the khaki pants. Potential sweat and stink aren't considered professional. All movement is on table, bike or maybe elliptical / treadmill. The environment is geared for manual work and stillness, or very controlled, machine-based movement. It is all very tidy and clinical.<br /><br />3. The "Cult of Stillness and Stability." It is easy to measure stillness (time). When you don't have any space in which to move, it becomes <i>the</i> thing to do. This stems from the whole "core stability" idea --- and for LE injuries, morphs into the an obsession with "balance and proprioception" tasks. You know, stand on one leg (on an unstable surface) while you and the physio toss a ball back and forth. Doesn't take up much space and seems like you are doing something productive. I've been there and done that. I know the challenge of moving past that -- and I am determined to help others do so.<br /><br />4. Special exercise toolbox / language to "activate" it all after we have mastered "stability." Ideas about lower extremity strength are not rooted in elements of physical literacy, with foundations of gait and progressive gait-related function (running, jumping). They are based in protocols for each diagnosis and more often than not, isolation of particular joints / muscles; and the movement prescription is simply a collection of exercises pulled from some software (used to be from cards and physical handouts) with standard sets and reps. Furthermore, these exercises are not connected to higher level "gym" based "strength" work. A wall sit is for your quads. Bridges are for your glutes. And so on. There is not a coherent relationship or synergy among the movements and the more complex, emergent property of "athletic leg function" is lost because it is reduced to isolated elements of balance, agility, strength, proprioception along with ill-informed ideas of "activation." Meanwhile, experts in the field argue about "quad index" and "quad/ham ratios" or the value of OKC vs CKC while a majority of practitioners cannot adequately teach, program or progress basic movement. It doesn't seem like we are addressing the root cause of the issue here.<br /><br />5. Which brings us to the mindset of "movement in and of itself is not enough." Gravity, amplitude, tempo, direction, management of ground reaction forces are not "special" enough. Dumbbells and medballs? Lunges, squats and basic step ups? Not special enough. There has to be some kind of special, and often very expensive, gadget: BFR, some type of tubing, Alter G, Shuttle Leg Press. I'm not saying these are <i>never </i>useful in early rehab. I am suggesting we, as a profession, struggle to let go of these things and appreciate the complexity and necessity of working with humans moving in gravity alone.<br /><br />6. And finally, the lack of understanding of sport demands and what the human body is physically capable of in sport. Many rehab professionals only see patients who have below-normal fitness and function in their training and early careers. They tend to work with and see early post-surgical rehab and rarely get to see the end-stages of a full RTS case. This is a problem because we quickly forget -- or may never ever realize -- what is possible and necessary. I'll never forget watching my boss back in 1998, 2x Olympian Derrick Crass, FLOAT up on to a 42" box -- like a cat -- at 40 years old and about 190 lbs. And easily squat over 350 lbs. And deadlift over 400 lbs. And still do a 9 ft + standing long jump. Being around that level of athleticism and being encouraged to explore my own athleticism was an important part of my acceptance of Vern's "can do vs can't do" approach in my own practice. I learned to put the "physical" back into physical therapy because I saw, felt and worked in an environment that allowed for physicality.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj127QAG9Pm93cFaJBbqJLqe-6P17Rg05AqUWDC3iMrjavpt3CWxrYYPoCn8iZi5tViXjk05l72KutTtVCZqrGC_HOT0P_73TNTa3DxzW-is7s08BchuQwKcDEqhESxJTqvfU-F1w/s1600/Screenshot_20200417-164509.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="752" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj127QAG9Pm93cFaJBbqJLqe-6P17Rg05AqUWDC3iMrjavpt3CWxrYYPoCn8iZi5tViXjk05l72KutTtVCZqrGC_HOT0P_73TNTa3DxzW-is7s08BchuQwKcDEqhESxJTqvfU-F1w/s320/Screenshot_20200417-164509.png" width="294" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-55038315004382831942021-02-01T06:19:00.000-08:002021-02-01T06:19:24.929-08:00Pearl for Practice: Overhead Work with the Barbell<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qGyBnFmRvyE" width="320" youtube-src-id="qGyBnFmRvyE"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>I don't ever remember being intimidated by overhead lifting. I was lucky to get expert instruction early in my career. But there are many sport and medical professionals who are unsure of the safety of lifting overhead. Some are adamantly against it.</p><p>Bilateral work with a bar, overhead and behind the head, is
advanced and demands full ROM. It doesn't require extra ROM, but it does
require normal, full ROM. <br /></p><p>Athletes and non-athletes who do not have normal, full
shoulder ROM clearly need to do more remedial, single-arm overhead
work. Everyone needs to earn the right to do advanced
movements. Many just need to take some time to find the motion they actually have; if you haven't put your hands over your head very often, you probably don't know what you are capable of doing.<br /></p><p>But let me be clear: I've worked with many people who never ever need to use a barbell. I did what was appropriate and necessary for their needs, not my ego or somebody else's idea of what "strength & conditioning" is. <br /></p><p>That said, there are many who are fully capable of and interested in light and moderate overhead barbell work. And when someone is rehabbing an elbow or shoulder, these movements can
be a great asset in the process of restoring athletic normal. I have successfully done this type of work with high school aged swimmers, hockey players, volleyball players, basketball players, alpine ski racers and aerials skiers. </p><p>For my aerials skiers, volleyball players and basketball athletes, push presses (in front, behind the neck and with a hex bar) were staples of training -- along with high incline bench and other overhead pressing work -- dumbbells probably making up 2/3 of the work. From an athletic development standpoint, I prefer to replace a flat bench press with a push press. It's more athletic and supports overall upper quarter health. This type of very light bar work is the foundation of advanced strength and power work with a barbell.<br /></p><p>It is essential to have a range of bars and plates. I have 5k g, 10 kg, 15 kg and 20 kg bars and then 2.5, 3.75 and 5 kg training plates, along with a number of change plates from 0.5 kg - 5 kg. For many people, an empty 45 lb / 20 kg bar will be too heavy. </p><p>A lack of light equipment in weight rooms makes this type of work inaccessible to many athletes; it also makes sport coaches and medical professionals fearful and biased against it. A lack of professionalism and maturity by the people in charge of this equipment tends to further complicate things.<br /></p><p>In the video above, I'm using a 15 kg and 2.5 kg plates for a total of 20 kg. This final clip is a 6' 10 high school basketball athlete using the same 15 kg bar. He is 6' 10 and 18 years old; I'm 5' 8" and 51 here. The focus here is on smooth movement, coordinated rotation about the wrist, elbow and shoulder and length overhead. This is not about absolute strength or power; it is about creating a more capable, informed mover and a more robust upper quarter.<br /></p><p>I encourage anyone working in athletic development and return to sport rehab to explore these movements. Add to your movement vocabulary and toolbox. You and your athletes might even find some of this work enjoyable. It can have a meditative quality to it when done with quiet intent -- and there just seems to be something viscerally rewarding about putting an object overhead with both hands. </p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p>Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-72646942876912575022021-01-19T12:52:00.001-08:002021-01-22T06:37:51.389-08:00Practitioner Reboot: The Outdated Concept of "Core" Work<p> "We did core today." </p><p>That phrase makes me furrow my brow and chuckle at the same time. I suppose it is a vestige of bodybuilding and assigning body parts to workouts. <br /></p>We can do better for our athletes if we evolve our mindset and programming to think beyond the isolated torso. And that black hole of training called "stability." <p>If you must give a session or a part of a session a name, I'd like to suggest an alternative framework. We'll stay on the "c" theme, but start from a foundation of movement, not stillness. To do this, I ask you to leave behind ideas of isolating and activating torso muscle groups. Embrace the terms connection, coordination and control.<br /></p><p>--- <br /></p><p>Most of life (and sport, for that matter) are not still. </p><p>In archery, biathlon, gymnastics or rowing, the stillness we observe is part of one or many transitions from one posture to another. The athlete demonstrates significant control and coordination for a relatively short time; moving through or repeating those transitions. <br /></p><p>In alpine ski racing and freestyle snow sports, athletes resist and manage massive compression and shearing forces forces. Same for weightlifting.</p><p>Baseball and golf call for explosive rotation from the ground up. Water polo changes things entirely. Volleyball calls for explosive striking in the air. <br /></p><p>Curling demands high skill and a deft touch while you and an object slide on an icy surface.</p><p>The human torso never acts in a vacuum. But this is what many athletes believe and experience during "core" work in the weight room. We effectively reduce coordination and skill to isolated strength endurance, defined by timed holds or by any number of reps. And equate value with burn or struggle, rather than the grace of a transition or the effective transfer of energy from an extremity to an implement. </p>Might it be more useful to design tasks that ask athletes to "find the sweet spot" and have the "that was effortless" sensation, rather that design those things that cause them to "feel the burn?" Don't we want to challenge them with tasks of connection vs tasks of stillness-- so they learn to value the role of the torso as supporting actor and not the star? Don't we want connection, coordination and control?<br /><p>---<br /></p><p>I spent several years in physical therapy school trying like hell to assess, grade and remediate poor lower abdominal strength. I chased torso stability in the pursuit of back health. </p><p><i>This never helped me help others move better.</i> </p><p>To perform well, people need experiences and skills that help them develop body awareness and solve movement problems. The key here being movement. Movement that asks them to connect, control and coordinate themselves in relation to their environment. <br /></p><p>Take a step back and look at your programming through a lens of "connections." Develop a toolbox of static to dynamic; but be wary of lingering on the static side of things. Think graceful sequencing vs rigid stillness; more "whole" than "part." Finally, consider your words and labels carefully. Labels matter. Words inspire confidence and the expression of physicality; or they inhibit it. Labels shackle exercise prescription and practice patterns, if we let them.<br /></p><p>Do better than be a "parts is parts" kinda coach. Happy Friday.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-H5WKuQ-an0" width="320" youtube-src-id="-H5WKuQ-an0"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /><b></b></p><p><br /></p>Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-13441314459395485762020-07-21T05:51:00.003-07:002020-07-21T06:38:16.076-07:00Resistance Training Practical: Using Pulls EffectivelyPulls -- high pulls and straight arm pulls -- are staples of the competitive weightlifter. Non-weightlifting athletes also use them to compliment things like medicine ball throws.<br />
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Over the years, I have moved away from barbell pulls, especially high pulls, for non-weightlifting athletes. This may seem like picking nits. However, my job is to bulletproof
athletes. I work hard to do it with the least additional joint wear and tear
possible, while keeping things simple.<br />
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First, I don't like the idea of promoting any type of arm pulling if we are going to do any power cleans or power snatches in the future. Arm pulling is the opposite of what we want with these movements. <br />
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Second, it is a skill to hold, accelerate, decelerate and lower a barbell when doing pulls. There is a significant anterior load and traction on the upper traps and long thoracic nerve that must be controlled, particularly when you lower the bar. (Thank you Joe Pryztula for reminding me of this!) Most weightlifters choose to do multiple rep sets from the block or the floor; this allows the athlete to fully reset the start position each rep. <br />
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High hang, bilateral dumbbell high pulls can also put a a significant anterior load and traction on the shoulders. Personally, I find holding, accelerating and decelerating two heavy dumbbells with a pronated grip, in front of my torso, to be clunky and cumbersome. It is hard to keep them close to the body. There is no hard stop or start; control is with the upper extremity. And I am not sure if ballistic internal rotation and abduction are productive for the glenohumeral joint. I do not wish to add to any multi-directional instability or
other shoulder issues. <br />
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If you want to emphasize arm shrug/pull action, using two dumbbells, do a more controlled high-hang, <b>DB Muscle Snatch</b> with the dumbbells at the side of the body; complete the movement with the implement overhead, let the scapula move through a full range.<i> </i>The neutral grip position will minimize anterior traction on the upper traps; athletes can lower the dumbbells under control (to the the shoulder and then back to the hang, cushion with the legs) and reset each rep.<br />
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My current go-to higher rep, ballistic pulling movements are straight arm jump shrugs with a hex bar and "Big DB Rows" a.k.a "Big Ass DB Rows." These pulls (really pushes) are rhythmic, connected, explosive movements from the ground up. I want the athletes to feel their legs move the implement. Feel the coordination of a lower body push with an upper body finish. <br />
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Both of these movements ask for a neutral grip; this minimizes anterior traction on the shoulder girdle. The legs do the majority of accelerating the implement and then they also do the majority of the deceleration, protecting the shoulder. There is no awkward stopping in the middle to the hang position.<br />
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The hex bar movement allows for larger loads and bilateral upper extremity coordination with the the legs. A straight arm shrug helps the athlete feel the legs doing the work to project implement --and the entire body -- vertically. This isn't about the arms. But many athletes will try to use the arms preferentially at first. You can easily teach "legs first" if you constrain the movement with the straight arm shrug and neutral grip. Hex bar straight arm jump shrugs are perfect for timed sets, complexes or circuits.<br />
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The Big DB Row starts from the ground and asks the athlete to coordinate the entire body -- start low, get tall. We use a single dumbbell at the side of the body, not in front of the body. The arm bend -- high elbow, neutral grip -- is for the most part, the body absorbing the momentum of the dumbbell safely, just after the shrug. You can even sprinkle in a little torso rotation to add some transverse plane and further absorb the dumbbell's momentum.<br />
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We do not exaggerate the arm bend or focus on that aspect; in reality, the athlete is jumping the dumbbell to about shoulder height. The focus is not on pulling the dumbbell high; it is making the body tall. This is a subtle but important distinction. This movement fits nicely into complexes and circuits.<br />
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I am also using some DB Nordic Swing variations to teach total body coordination with younger athletes. Look for that topic in a future post. In the meantime, I am happy to answer any questions about teaching, programming or using these particular movements. Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-81619498892781991572020-04-22T09:53:00.001-07:002020-04-22T09:53:11.702-07:00Foundational Legs: Reflections before an Upcoming PodcastLast week Donie Fox had a great article for HMMRMedia -- <a href="http://www.hmmrmedia.com/2020/04/using-foundational-leg-exercises-as-the-cornerstone-of-rehabilitation/" target="_blank">"Using Foundational Legs Exercises as the Cornerstone of Rehabilitation."</a> Check it out if you haven't already. Donie's article is important in my mind because it addresses a critical issue in the rehab world. There is a serious lack of appreciation for and mastery of the use of basic movements (squats, lunges, step ups) to build foundational lower extremity strength.<br />
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Donie and I have decided to go into more depth on this topic in our next few podcasts. We will also hopefully touch on return to running programming criteria.<br />
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Here are some barriers, in my opinion, to rehab professionals adopting a "foundational legs" approach. I'm not trying to be overly critical or a curmudgeon here. I am simply trying to share my observations after 20 years of working at all points on the rehab and performance spectrum. <br />
<br />
Ok, here goes.<br />
<br />
1. "Protection" mindset vs "performance" mindset. "Can't do vs can do" says Vern G. Medical model vs performance model as often discussed by Bill Knowles. This is important. <br />
<br />
2. The "protection" mindset is compounded by facility space configuration and professional dress standards that do not promote movement. There is no space to move and the physio is in dress shoes and dress pants. The shackles of the khaki pants. Potential sweat and stink aren't considered professional. All movement is on table, bike or maybe elliptical / treadmill. The environment is geared for manual work and stillness, or very controlled, machine-based movement. It is all very tidy and clinical. <br />
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3. The "Cult of Stillness and Stability." It is easy to measure stillness (time). When you don't have any space in which to move, it becomes <i>the</i> thing to do. This stems from the whole "core stability" idea --- and for LE injuries, morphs into the an obsession with "balance and proprioception" tasks. You know, stand on one leg (on an unstable surface) while you and the physio toss a ball back and forth. Doesn't take up much space and seems like you are doing something productive. I've been there and done that. I know the challenge of moving past that. So let's reflect on current practice traditions.<br />
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4. Special exercise toolbox / language to "activate" it all after we have mastered "stability." Ideas about lower extremity strength are not rooted in elements of physical literacy, with foundations of gait and progressive gait-related function (running, jumping). They are based in protocols for each diagnosis and more often than not, isolation of particular joints / muscles; and the movement prescription is simply a collection of exercises pulled from some software (used to be from cards and physical handouts) with standard sets and reps. Furthermore, these exercises are not connected to higher level "gym" based "strength" work. A wall sit is for your quads. Bridges are for your glutes. And so on. There is not a coherent relationship or synergy among the movements and the more complex, emergent property of "athletic leg function" is lost because it is reduced to isolated elements of balance, agility, strength, proprioception along with ill-informed ideas of "activation." Meanwhile, experts in the field argue about "quad index" and "quad/ham ratios" or the value of OKC vs CKC while a majority of practitioners cannot adequately teach, program or progress basic movement. It doesn't seem like we are addressing the root cause of the issue here. <br />
<br />
5. Which brings us to the mindset of "movement in and of itself is not enough." Gravity, amplitude, tempo, direction, management of ground reaction forces are not "special" enough. Dumbbells and medballs? Lunges, squats and basic step ups? Not special enough. There has to be some kind of special, and often very expensive, gadget: BFR, some type of tubing, Alter G, Shuttle Leg Press. I'm not saying these are <i>never </i>useful in early rehab. I am suggesting we, as a profession, struggle to let go of these things and appreciate the complexity and necessity of working with humans moving in gravity alone.<br />
<br />
6. And finally, the lack of understanding of sport demands and what the human body is physically capable of in sport. Many rehab professionals only see patients who have below-normal fitness and function in their training and early careers. They tend to work with and see early post-surgical rehab and rarely get to see the end-stages of a full RTS case. This is a problem because we quickly forget -- or may never ever realize -- what is possible and necessary. I'll never forget watching my boss back in 1998, 2x Olympian Derrick Crass, FLOAT up on to a 42" box -- like a cat -- at 40 years old and about 190 lbs. And easily squat over 350 lbs. And deadlift over 400 lbs. And still do a 9 ft + standing long jump. Being around that level of athleticism and being encouraged to explore my own athleticism was an important part of my acceptance of Vern's "can do vs can't do" approach in my own practice. I learned to put the "physical" back into physical therapy because I saw, felt and worked in an environment that allowed for physicality. <br />
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<br />Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-24506872089187543322020-04-16T09:13:00.001-07:002020-04-16T09:13:27.018-07:00Spectrum Squat Variations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In support of my <a href="http://www.hmmrmedia.com/2020/04/revisiting-spectrum-squats/" target="_blank">HMMRMedia article today</a>, I wanted to give people a look at some of the Spectrum Squat variations I have used -- and show athletes doing them in actual training sessions. The athletes featured are Morgan Northrop (US national team, aerials skiing, 5' 6" and 128 lbs), Eli Kimche (high school senior, golf, 6' 4") and Nolan Berry (high school senior at the time, basketball, 6' 10" and 220 lbs).</div>
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The video quality isn't super high, but this is the real deal, flaws and all. Morgan and Eli do a fantastic job of using their full range of motion. Eli is doing is first ever Spectrum Squats in these videos and is learning to rack the KBs. He only has KBs at home so we work with what we have during the COVID -19 times. Morgan is a pro at Spectrum Squats and has used them to their fullest throughout every training year.<br />
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The video of Nolan is for all of you working with tall, somewhat inflexible athletes. I worked with Nolan all four years of high school. He went from 6' 6' and 168 lbs to 6' 10" and 220 lbs during that time. He played the #3 position -- not a traditional big guy. Ran the court and passed very skillfully. No one would ever call him flexible but he was never limited by his lack of flexibility and we worked to get what we could and optimize his foundational leg strength so he could be as mobile and agile as possible.<br />
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Pre-practice, priming, very short set. < 15% BW.</div>
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Pre-season, hard, 5 of 5 full sets. End of week. 30% BW.</div>
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First time, with two KBs. Very challenging to upper body. < 22% BW.</div>
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1 arm KB, squat & press variation. Short. Possible pre-golf comp idea.</div>
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Pre-season basketball, regular. 35 kgs at 100 kg BW. </div>
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<br />Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-4997016190102748422020-04-15T09:30:00.002-07:002022-01-24T11:08:16.985-08:00Talking Legs & Strength<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Over the next few days,<a href="https://twitter.com/hmmrmedia" target="_blank"> Martin Bingisser</a> will be sharing a
video lesson and several articles related to programming for leg strength.
James Marshall wrote a great piece -- <a href="http://www.hmmrmedia.com/2020/04/training-the-legs-through-movement/" target="_blank">"Training the Legs Through
Movement"</a> -- that was featured last week. Donie Fox and I will have
follow up articles in the next few days that build on this idea. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">In preparation for the video lesson discussion, Martin sent out some questions.
I thought it would be good for me to write out my thoughts and take some time
to reflect. Here are my thoughts on two of the questions. I hope my reflections
spark your curiosity and direct you to the article by James and the follow up
articles that will appear later today and this week.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sorry for the wacky formatting. I have been trying to get it all neat and tidy, but Blogger has not cooperated with me today. So I'm playing with it all right now.</span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DsevceoD8UsE8yRVX5IwBzSYMflToDIv8HZS2pZ1IGB6lVvchaJYhxr7oYsggSLBlss32vOZPOBNzuERjmicYRKMAJVD4iJVdkbzEXEEpFx_hnbelZQUFo04NzZV-6DS0MGxeA/s1600/cooper.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="877" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DsevceoD8UsE8yRVX5IwBzSYMflToDIv8HZS2pZ1IGB6lVvchaJYhxr7oYsggSLBlss32vOZPOBNzuERjmicYRKMAJVD4iJVdkbzEXEEpFx_hnbelZQUFo04NzZV-6DS0MGxeA/s400/cooper.png" width="338" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alpine ski racer Cooper Iacobelli explores the Russian boxes.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">----</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span><b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">One point both James and Donie have made in their articles: there are
some workouts that are made for loading, and others that are made for
developing movement. Can we do both? Why? Why not?</span></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">You must learn to value and use both -- and that’s
where developing a system comes in. You must decide which works best, how and
why. Loaded and unloaded movements must compliment each other within a system.
And HOW you load matters. The sum of their parts must be ATHLETICISM -- which
is an </span>emergent property
and a much more complex quality than “strength.” The end goal isn’t simply a
bigger 1 RM back squat. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Movement,
in and of itself, is a valuable tool.</span><span style="color: black;"> See
gymnastics, martial arts and many of the events in track and field. Triple
jumpers!!! Movement builds body awareness, mobility, joint/tissue integrity,
coordination, neuromuscular control -- all of the elements of foundational
infrastructure. Like James says: Work = Force x Distance. For many,
accelerating the mass of the body is quite enough force to handle and then
moving it greater distances, is a valuable, productive task.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">Individually measured elements of “power” and
“strength” -- developed in isolation and trained with very specific methods
(power cleans) may not always carry over or support general movement, skill and
coordination. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">External load, in and of itself, may not be
valuable. It might be meaningless because the movement has been so dumbed-down.
It may even be detrimental or harmful. This is something many coaches struggle
to see. When load reduces movement
quality, or turns it into a stupid human trick, you must be prepared to reduce
the load or eliminate the exercise.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">Lightly-loaded (relative to bodyweight) movements
can often be very valuable -- pause front squats at bodyweight or 50% of
bodyweight, work set of 5 x 3; back squats at 80% of a "3 Rep sort of
heavy set" for 6 x 3 on 1 min clock. Finding value in not loading barbell movements that are traditionally
loaded very heavy is a hard sell. But I have made that transition
because I value the movements in and of themselves. And I live by the wisdom of
Kelvin Giles: “Deliver the foundations of mechanical efficiency, consistency
and resilience.” This is the content I’m here for. And yes, bro, we lift. </span>But
more importantly, we actually MOVE the loads we lift with purpose, speed and
grace.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">---- </span></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">How strong can you get without heavy loads? Which
begs the question, what is strong . . . so we can talk about strength in
traditional terms and then real strength.</span></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: black;"> </span></b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">Right.
It all depends on how you define strength. And most people define it VERY
narrowly, which is a shame. The blind pursuit of a 1 RM back squat and
2x-bodyweight back squat are the biggest obstacles to people using unloaded and
lightly-loaded movements. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">But you can get fit, healthy and capable without
heavy loads. You can even win gold medals without a care in the world about a 1
RM back squat or clean.</span><i> </i>Eric Heiden won five gold medals in Lake Placid, in
speed skating, without any big barbell training (personal communication with
him). I don’t think anyone would say he wasn’t a “strong” athlete.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">Gymnasts
and martial artists get very strong in particular ways without doing
“traditional strength” work. If strength is only defined as the ability to move
an absolute external load, one time, then that fails to consider many important
elements of human function. It is a very limited definition of intensity and
effort. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">Anyone who has done 5 full Leg Circuits or 5 full Spectrum Squats with
only 30% of bodyweight can tell you there is a very high level of intensity and
effort here. And when that type of effort is trained consistently, with good
density (density within a workout, within a week, within a year, over years)
you get a type of foundational work capacity and strength that is invaluable.
But if you try to assess or express it with traditional strength tests, these tests may not fully
capture that capacity. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">So we must work to find additional definitions and methods
to assess this type of “strength.” And broaden our definition to include other
types of effort and intensity. Then more professionals will embrace these
methods and see movement in and of itself as valuable -- and free themselves
from the cult of heavy.</span></span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDucPOJmYeBOvyJDU1QyBC0VY8U86QB0Ck2HfUGuwVEwUj5h4eUBPqeirYOhxd2AznEegDbyRkDtCfqqojzpzRf7QFthylj8G-a7FEjKulvzJcrPJCauTq6wyIUCCD8ayOZsGH6Q/s1600/Screenshot_20200313-123012.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="746" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDucPOJmYeBOvyJDU1QyBC0VY8U86QB0Ck2HfUGuwVEwUj5h4eUBPqeirYOhxd2AznEegDbyRkDtCfqqojzpzRf7QFthylj8G-a7FEjKulvzJcrPJCauTq6wyIUCCD8ayOZsGH6Q/s640/Screenshot_20200313-123012.png" width="356" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Professional Ironman triathlete Lauren Brandon works squat jumps in her 1/2 Leg Circuits.</td></tr>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style>Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-39192910348104862002020-03-29T18:40:00.001-07:002020-03-30T05:36:51.324-07:00Power: Teaching ConnectionThere are many ways to train power. At this point in my career, I think many athletes are better off training power without a barbell. I am not against it, but it demands a high level of skill, specific equipment and time to do it safely. Developing athletes are better off expressing this aspect of physicality via sprinting, jumping, bounding, throwing and putting. Exploit the acceleration, distance and time elements of the power equation. <br />
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Power = Work / Time<br />
Power = Force x Distance / Time<br />
Power = (Mass x Acceleration) x Distance / Time<br />
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Training for power doesn't always mean we have to train for <i>maximal</i> power, with heavy resistance as the key variable. And when we do need to train for maximal power, we should have the tissue and joint infrastructure ready to handle the demands of those tasks. We need the right foundational movement competencies so we are prepared. As James Marshall said in his <a href="http://www.hmmrmedia.com/2020/03/bodyweight-exercises-precision-variety-progression/" target="_blank">most recent HMMRMedia article</a>, we need a system and framework that purposefully provides the following elements:<br />
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1) Precision in the accuracy of movement.<br />
2) Variety of movement within a theme.<br />
3) Progression in terms of complexity, rather than sets/reps/time.<br />
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Ground-based power is the coordinated summation of segments. I start teaching this concept from day one with the Medball Squat and Press Series and progress the athlete through different movement experiences. Athletes need to move themselves and a variety of small objects before they try to move bigger objects like barbells.<br />
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I make extensive use of dumbbells early in the process via swings, muscle snatches and the squat & press. We use one or two dumbbells, vary our stance and start with a mellow tempo to make sure everyone <i>feels the connection from the legs into the dumbbell.</i> We strive for mechanical efficiency and repeated excellence. No energy leaks.<br />
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We can then progress things -- be more powerful -- by playing with speed and amplitude of movement. We learn movements from a taller position (high hang, hang) and work down to the floor. We learn to make a variety of shapes, from a coiled triple-flexion to a big and tall triple-extension. Begin with basic sagittal plane work and then expand the envelope with transverse and frontal plane variations as we master the basics.<br />
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These movements can serve as warm ups, recovery day movements or as terminal power work if that's all we need to accomplish our goals. The concepts learned with these dumbbell movements provide a good foundation for the barbell movements if you choose to advance to those. If you and your athletes have been trapped in power clean purgatory, I encourage you to try some of these dumbbell movements. They can be fast, fun and done by all ages. You might even put some of them together for a dumbbell circuit.<br />
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1 Arm DB Squat & Press</div>
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2-Arm DB Swing</div>
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1-Arm DB Muscle Snatch from floor</div>
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DB Muscle Snatch & Lunge Series</div>
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Freestylin' 2-Arm Clean & Press Thingy</div>
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2-Arm DB Nordic Squats</div>
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1-Arm Big Ass DB Row/High Pull</div>
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<br />Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-9422523747766099872020-03-26T06:12:00.001-07:002020-03-26T06:12:15.229-07:00Hypertrophy: I Got Over itHypertrophy.<br />
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Pursuit of mass looms large in performance -- for dudes. Gets to be obsessive sometimes in knee rehab. Girth is easy to measure. Feel the burn, see some results. But do those numbers reflect improvement in function?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Size matters. But is it the priority, especially at the start of the process?</td></tr>
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Now patients can do some pretty functional (and slick!) e-stim at home with their own Power Dot or Compex units. These things can be helpful. We don't have to waste precious time during an in-person session now.<br />
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Then there is BFR. I'll be brutally honest: I don't like it and I don't bother. I think it is a major distraction from the real work that needs to be done in rehab. Why are physios so drawn to gadgets? Why aren't we more concerned with management of gravity and ground reaction forces? Connect the brain to the leg to the ground and move. Focus on coordination and control throughout the full ROM before anything else. Girth before capacity and joint integrity seems foolish.<br />
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The hypertrophy will come when you have full function and command of the system. Give it some time. Support it with the best nutrition possible.<br />
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I've not personally taken a medically-oriented course on the topic, but I have tried the Kaatsu stuff. I found the shit-storm of numbness and burn to be disconcerting. How in the world could anyone really focus on moving well and connecting things?<br />
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A set of force plates and some software seems like a much better investment. Spend your time building neuromuscular foundations. Yes, we track girth, but it is a secondary variable, not a primary focus. Play the long game.<br />
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On the athletic development side of things, I learned to bypass the whole "hypertrophy" training block -- and the whole scheme of traditional yearly periodization -- with my tall high school volleyball and basketball guys. They were all lacking in mass. But it was clear to me that my priorities were to arm them with good habits and good movement while they played too many games, all year round. I didn't have time to waste and we didn't have any mirrors to distract us; but we did have a scale to track the general trajectory of weight gain. This was the time to build body awareness and lower extremity mobility so they were ready for the collegiate system. My job was to keep their knees and shoulders healthy; keep their hearts joyful and make sure they were still loving the game.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicSj23sLzOJPSofKHOxhOer8ozeAQSDVp1viE8_6uM39b9s7_2v31fctkpaazP8D41RW6yXTjrR73t63PbFiIl3rIe2ASCDid7IHR8GVlw0My33BaDCmIONNbdGHkpWyu3UncNpw/s1600/IMAG0249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1600" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicSj23sLzOJPSofKHOxhOer8ozeAQSDVp1viE8_6uM39b9s7_2v31fctkpaazP8D41RW6yXTjrR73t63PbFiIl3rIe2ASCDid7IHR8GVlw0My33BaDCmIONNbdGHkpWyu3UncNpw/s320/IMAG0249.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From L to R: 6' 6", 6' 10", 6' 9", 6' 7", 6' 2". High school juniors and seniors.</td></tr>
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I chose to support long-term health and physical literacy versus short term aesthetics -- periodize the long-term needs of the developing athlete, not the competition year. Taught them to eat and fuel better during this period of peak height velocity and peak sport madness. We cannot rush Mother Nature. We are much better off if we use our time with them to "build in" and not worry too much about the "build on." Most of these young men won't get to their full adult weights until their mid-twenties. So do what is necessary now and arm them with good habits and decision making. Yes, we can have fun and throw in some bodybuilding work now and then. But don't lose sight of what is most important.<br />
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If you can let go of hypertrophy, you will free yourself and your athletes up for the more important work. You will see that good programming and progression can support the development of both. Connect things first, don't isolate. Build in, then you can build on via a more authentic process of maturation. <br />
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<br />Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-31021769243237039392020-03-24T08:23:00.003-07:002022-01-19T10:11:20.415-08:00A Primer for Building Foundational Squats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Many people ask me about teaching athletes to squat. So I thought I'd put together a post showing some of my "go-to" teaching movement sequences and share a few helpful points. This post will not go into any depth about working with people who have significant mobility restrictions -- we'll save that for a future post. But this should give you some practical tools and cues to help you build your process and progression. A word of caution -- I use capital letters in this post. </div>
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And that's my first point: We all need a process. This is the process I've developed over the last 15 years or so. It's not perfect, but I've found it helpful -- for me. EVERYONE I work with uses this process. So everything I do within my system of programming builds from the elements in this process. New movements will have familiar elements of movements already learned. </div>
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Second point: You will probably need to use a few explicit instructions at the start. Stance width. Toe out. Help people find this right away. And then let them know that these things are important to dial in for any kind of squat. Then give them frequent and consistent opportunities to feel themselves squatting. After a bit, you can give them different squat puzzles to solve.</div>
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Third point: <b>Check for old myths lurking</b>. Many people, even very young athletes, have heard the following statements: 1) Don't let your knees go over your toes; 2) Sit back; 3) Keep your weight on your heels; 4) Look up; 5) Chest up and back arched. Get rid of these ideas quickly and you'll see big changes in movement. You thought someone had limited ankle dorsiflexion, but really they were just trying like hell to keep their weight on their heels and not let their knees move forward.</div>
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My cues: Move down, not back. Elevator legs. Knees first. Full foot. Look straight ahead or even slightly down. Stay tall, you don't need to arch. </div>
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We want to cultivate body awareness of spine vs hip flexion, but we do not have to go crazy with isolated hip hinging work. This is a topic for a whole separate post.</div>
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Remember that any load on the front or back of the shoulders will change the center of mass and likely affect mechanics. Sometimes you will need to preferentially use one or the other to build the awareness, comfort and confidence before someone progresses to the other. A medball can be a very effective external cue. "Get low and touch the ball to the ground, then get tall and reach the ball up to the sky." These simple instructions tend to -- but not always -- help people sort things out on their own.</div>
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I use the <b>Medball Squat & Press Series</b> to introduce the squat to everyone. Most people do it in every warm up session. Many elite athletes have used it on the road -- some at the top of the half pipe. It's a great recovery movement sequence: Squat & Press, Diagonal Ups, Rotations for a little active leg rest, Giant Circles and then faster Squat and Press to finish if there is the desire to move with some power.</div>
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I use Barbell Warm Up A to introduce all barbell squatting, basic barbell literacy and terminology. Let's get this clear: IF YOU ARE GOING TO ASK YOUNG PEOPLE TO SQUAT WITH A BAR, YOU NEED TO TEACH THEM HOW TO SQUAT WITH AN EMPTY BAR AND WARM UP WITH PROGRESSIVE LOADS BEFORE THEY DO THEIR HEAVIER WORK SETS. Every. Single. Session. And please, teach them how to load plates right and to know what weight their loaded bar is. Pounds and kilos. <br />
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If you are going to power clean, YOU MUST TEACH THEM TO SAFELY RACK THE BAR.<br />
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If you are going to clean, YOU MUST TEACH EVERYONE TO FRONT SQUAT WITH A PROPER RACK POSITION. This movement sequence helps anyone develop the wrist, shoulder and thoracic spine mobility to rack the bar properly.<br />
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<b>Barbell Warm Up A</b>: Muscle Clean, Front Squat, Press, Push Press Behind the Neck, Back Squat, Back Squat into Press. 3 or 5 reps each. Use 10 and 15 kg bars at first. Rest between exercises if you need to. If you do 5 reps of each movement, with a 20 kg bar, without rest, you will have built a nice bit of fitness. If you emphasize full grip on the bar from day 1, you will get the shoulder and spine mobility to fully grip and rack the bar properly. It will take time. If you release the barbell to the fingertips, you will not be asking the shoulders and spine to contribute their full share. If the athlete has a long history of bench press and short ROM lat pulldowns or pull ups, this may be a long and challenging journey. Pick your priorities.<br />
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PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE USE AN EMPTY BAR ONLY. This is mobility and body awareness movement sequence. No other load is EVER necessary. <br />
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<b>Barbell Warm Up B</b> is for those who want to learn and use snatch-related movements in their training. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO LEARN HOW TO SAFELY SECURE A BARBELL OVERHEAD BEFORE YOU ASK ANYONE TO DO A WEIGHTED OVERHEAD SQUAT WITH A BARBELL. You must also understand the impact of grip width on wrist/shoulder loading. Torso lean and shoulder/spine position will be profoundly affected by any lack of ankle dorsiflexion. These are not trivial issues. Squat stance with the OHS may need to be a little wider than for front squat or bodyweight squat.<br />
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<b>Barbell Warm Up B</b>: Muscle Snatch, OHS, Snatch Grip Press Behind the Neck, Back Squat, Snatch Grip Push Press Behind the Neck, Snatch Balance.<br />
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I'm happy to go into greater detail on any of these movement sequences. Let me know if you have questions.Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-65484170630207832032020-03-21T11:26:00.002-07:002020-03-21T11:26:39.860-07:00Weightroom Without Walls: The Art & Practice of Outdoor Work
<iframe src="https://anchor.fm/physioAHP/embed/episodes/The-weightroom-without-walls---outdoor-rehabilitation-and-athletic-development-eboknn/a-a1gh710" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
In this episode, Donie Fox and I discuss the skill of being able to appropriately progress training and rehab in the outdoors. With our current situation regarding Coronavirus we are now without our facilities and indoor training equipment for the foreseeable future. How do we ensure our quality of care does not suffer? We pay particular attention to staying true to your philosophy and not just taking the easy option of making people tired for the sake of it. We discuss careful planning and implementation of training using fields, hills and stairs. We mention means of progression and regression, and we try to paint a picture of how we run these sessions with our athletes and those we work with.<br />
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In order to make this an audio and visual learning experience we have shared some of these progressions and ideas in a Google photos folder for you <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/4UqvXhymZLB3wsPR8" target="_blank">here</a> - check each video description for more info. <br />
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And you can find our show notes for this episode <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13Wo1pHvV7iCG3EmK7eQelBsccbK8C2wS" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://anchor.fm/physioAHP/episodes/The-weightroom-without-walls---outdoor-rehabilitation-and-athletic-development-eboknn/a-a1gh710" target="_blank">Link</a> to the Anchor site and player to play in your browser.Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-52067724119236491322020-03-19T12:02:00.001-07:002020-03-19T12:02:09.495-07:00Rethinking Load & Intensity: Valuing Bodyweight Work and EffortObstacles bring opportunity.<br />
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For many athletes and athletic development coaches, this is the first time they have not had access to a facility and traditional weight training equipment. Can we really do effective work with non-traditional/submaximal implements and bodyweight movements? <br />
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ABSOLUTELY.<br />
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This is our opportunity to see the power of simplicity. The power of consistency, intention and effort. Done well. Applied over time.<br />
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This is a great opportunity to reflect upon our ideas about intensity and load -- and the traditional definitions (%1 RM) we use to drive programming and periodization. The development of equipment to easily measure barbell velocity has prompted many coaches to seriously think about how they use a barbell. Many now see value in lighter absolute loads on the bar.<br />
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Can we get more coaches to value movements that don't use a bar? Maybe now we can. <i><b>Because they are being forced to use bare-minimum loads.</b></i> Maybe more coaches will actually try and do the bodyweight and other non-traditional work they've always seen as inferior to the "real" strength work.<br />
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We must learn to value and apply work that doesn't have a traditional method of quantification. Rise above the cult of heavy. Find value in the development of graceful, coordinated expression of physicality.<br />
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We have rigid definitions of "load" and "intensity" for training, relying on numbers to quantify everything. These numbers drive periodization and yearly training plans. They fit nicely into elaborate Excel spreadsheets.<br />
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Bodyweight and non-traditional resistance training implements force us to think outside the %1RM box. They ask us to understand "load" and "intensity" differently. They ask us to see "quality" and <i>coach</i> quality over "load." They ask us to value loads that are traditionally seen as too light to really do anything productive with regard to the development of useful strength. Research in strength, as it relates to performance, tends to emphasize the value and pursuit of maximal strength.<br />
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Now is the time to open our minds. If we only value maximal strength and practicing for the test of maximal strength (1RM), then we miss out on many other aspects of strength and it's role in developing <i>athleticism</i> -- that quality not easily captured in a spreadsheet.<br />
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Can we see the value in approaching the 1 rep/sec bodyweight squat -- even though you don't have anything actually giving you a number to record?<br />
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Can we train our eyes to see what productive / quality movement is?<br />
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Can we feel the value of multi-planar movements in our hips and spine? <br />
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Can we see the value in using timed sets? 1:1 and 2:1 work to rest ratios in the development of relative strength?<br />
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Can we rethink ideas on <i>effort</i>? And the value of consistency of effort? <br />
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I like this discussion of effort from <span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 19.1667px; left: 280.312px; top: 239.558px; transform: scaleX(0.999782);">James P. Fisher, James Steele, Dave Smith, Paulo Gentil in their article </span><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: serif; left: 280.312px; top: 239.558px; transform: scaleX(0.999782);"><span style="font-family: serif; left: 131.626px; top: 159.338px; transform: scaleX(1.07698);">"Periodization for optimizing strength and hypertrophy; </span><span style="font-family: serif; left: 347.058px; top: 193.656px; transform: scaleX(1.07635);">the forgotten variables" </span></span></span></i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: serif; left: 280.312px; top: 239.558px; transform: scaleX(0.999782);"><span style="font-family: serif; left: 347.058px; top: 193.656px; transform: scaleX(1.07635);">from the <u>Journal of Trainology</u>. Who knew there was such a thing? Anyway, these guys ask us to think differently. Link to the <a href="http://trainology.org/PDF/v7-1%2003%20p10-15%20Fisher%20et%20al.pdf" target="_blank">full article</a> here:</span></span></span><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: serif; left: 280.312px; top: 239.558px; transform: scaleX(0.999782);"><span style="font-family: serif; left: 347.058px; top: 193.656px; transform: scaleX(1.07635);"></span></span></span></i><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 94.4882px; top: 152.348px; transform: scaleX(1.00045);">A key aim of periodization is to manage or reduce the risk of </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3173px; top: 172.345px; transform: scaleX(1.0268);">overtraining through modification of variables over time</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 9.5px; left: 471.759px; top: 172.766px;">2</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 476.751px; top: 172.348px; transform: scaleX(1);">. </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3155px; top: 192.345px; transform: scaleX(1.02221);">However, whilst fatigue and recovery are usually discussed, it </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3155px; top: 212.343px; transform: scaleX(1.03731);">is interesting that effort is not referred to. For example, </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3155px; top: 232.34px; transform: scaleX(1.02326);">Williams, et al.</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 9.5px; left: 178.675px; top: 232.766px;">3</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 183.434px; top: 232.348px; transform: scaleX(1.02387);"> repeatedly discussed </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 325.317px; top: 232.348px; transform: scaleX(1.02126);">training intensity</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 435.374px; top: 232.348px; transform: scaleX(1.05217);"> in ref</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3118px; top: 252.345px; transform: scaleX(1.01518);">erence to the load (% 1-repetition maximum; RM) being used. </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3118px; top: 272.343px; transform: scaleX(1.00857);">It has been suggested that intensity might best be thought of as </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3118px; top: 292.34px; transform: scaleX(1.00283);">the </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 105.693px; top: 292.34px; transform: scaleX(0.990714);">effort</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 140.241px; top: 292.34px; transform: scaleX(0.946492);"> applied, rather than the </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 304.654px; top: 292.34px; transform: scaleX(1.03879);">load</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 332.964px; top: 292.34px; transform: scaleX(0.949529);"> used</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 9.5px; left: 368.046px; top: 292.766px;">9</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 372.82px; top: 292.348px; transform: scaleX(0.938107);"> and further that </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3152px; top: 312.345px; transform: scaleX(1.01131);">intensity actually refers to a measure </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 319.625px; top: 312.345px; transform: scaleX(0.936789);">of</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 331.975px; top: 312.345px; transform: scaleX(1.01473);"> something and as such </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3152px; top: 332.343px; transform: scaleX(0.948687);">requires clarity (e.g., intensity </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 279.324px; top: 332.343px; transform: scaleX(0.936789);">of</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 291.674px; top: 332.343px; transform: scaleX(0.923201);"> effort) when used, or should </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3152px; top: 352.34px; transform: scaleX(1.01223);">be dropped from the lexicon when discussing RT</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 9.5px; left: 395.051px; top: 352.766px; transform: scaleX(1.002);">10</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 404.57px; top: 352.348px; transform: scaleX(1.02427);">. The use of </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3188px; top: 372.345px; transform: scaleX(0.935579);">the term intensity in reference to load is a relatively common </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3188px; top: 392.343px; transform: scaleX(1.02707);">error in RT publications, however as Leo Tolstoy stated; </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3188px; top: 412.34px;">“</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 87.3488px; top: 412.34px; transform: scaleX(1.00653);">Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3188px; top: 432.338px; transform: scaleX(0.936919);">in it</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 107.536px; top: 432.338px; transform: scaleX(1.00334);">”.</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 9.5px; left: 118.525px; top: 432.766px; transform: scaleX(0.963818);">11</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 127.708px; top: 432.348px; transform: scaleX(0.953726);"> The maximal number of repetitions performed at the </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3185px; top: 452.345px; transform: scaleX(1.00921);">same relative load (% 1RM) shows considerable heterogeneity </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3185px; top: 472.343px; transform: scaleX(0.983619);">across the population, as well as variation between exercis</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3185px; top: 492.34px; transform: scaleX(0.999854);">es.</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 9.5px; left: 97.4627px; top: 492.766px; transform: scaleX(1.002);">12-14</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 119.674px; top: 492.348px; transform: scaleX(0.938859);"> Therefore, the effort required by an individual to com</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.312px; top: 512.345px; transform: scaleX(0.95633);">plete a set number of repetitions at a particular relative load </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.312px; top: 532.343px; transform: scaleX(1.00857);">can differ between and even within individuals. As such, it has </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.312px; top: 552.34px; transform: scaleX(1.00732);">been argued that, not only should the term </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 353.421px; top: 552.34px; transform: scaleX(0.986282);">intensity</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 407.223px; top: 552.34px; transform: scaleX(1.00981);"> be avoided </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.312px; top: 572.338px; transform: scaleX(1.02708);">and instead load or effort simply used,</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 9.5px; left: 329.843px; top: 572.766px; transform: scaleX(1.002);">10</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 339.362px; top: 572.348px; transform: scaleX(1.03896);"> but that effort should </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3127px; top: 592.345px; transform: scaleX(0.94718);">be considered with respect to proximity to momentary failure </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3127px; top: 612.343px; transform: scaleX(1.00753);">and controlled by appropriate definition and applications of set </span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 80.3127px; top: 632.34px; transform: scaleX(0.999878);">endpoints</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 9.5px; left: 141.886px; top: 632.766px; transform: scaleX(1.002);">15</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 15.8333px; left: 151.405px; top: 632.348px; transform: scaleX(1.00328);">. </span></blockquote>
I hope this unanticipated time outside of traditional weight rooms gives coaches the opportunity to think about the why and how of "strength" and the time to explore the world of bodyweight and non-traditional resistance training implements. These are powerful tools that are effective at every level of athletic development. They are the foundations of basic physical health and infrastructure. As coaches, we must become comfortable dosing and using movements that are not easily defined by programming software or some % of a 1RM.<br />
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This is the art of building strength "in" vs "on." This is the art of coaching and human performance.<br />
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Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-47287481221012350102020-03-18T05:53:00.000-07:002020-03-18T05:53:23.005-07:00Recharge and RestartI am dusting off my old blog. Time to get my act together and use this tool in a productive manner again. My friend Patrick McHugh has <a href="https://raiderathletics.blogspot.com/2020/03/staying-fit-in-pandemic-post-1.html" target="_blank">inspired me</a> this week.<br />
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Most people would tell me to use the blog feature of my business website, but truth be told, the blog feature of the SquareSpace sites stinks. Especially when it comes to integrating video into posts.<br />
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Or I'm just an old curmudgeon.<br />
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Like everyone else, I'm working through this trying time, mostly from home. Thankfully, I'm not in any official quarantine and I have the luxury of my business space as a secondary retreat from home. So I am compelled to use my knowledge, that space and this space to help others stay sane and healthy while we work through our collective challenge.<br />
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Let's start with one of my favorite little movement sequences: Powerball Series #1 and #2. There are two sequences, with five movements in each sequence. #1 is geared toward single plane work: sagittal, frontal and transverse. #2 has more combined plane work. The idea here is simple: move your arms in all directions and above your head. I created these sequences to address basic shoulder / spine infrastructure in my high school volleyball athletes and support my own upper quarter health. I used to not have much empathy for victims of whiplash until I was hit from behind at an intersection. That adjusted my attitude quickly.<br />
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Five movements, five reps R and L. Very much inspired by the "5 in 5" physical education modules put together by my GAIN colleagues Greg Thompson, Steve Myrland and Kelvin Giles. And the whole idea of just moving, versus doing some sterile external rotation or Codman's exercises is from by blogging buddy Joe Pryztula. His blog, <a href="http://joestrainingroom.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Joe's Training Room</a> was epic.<br />
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This is the original video I made, probably ten years ago. <br />
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k9k_7yYU5bY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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When I redo these videos, I'll change and emphasize a few things.<br />
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1. I'll move a bit more slowly. No reason to go fast. Feel it. Be purposeful.<br />
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2. Think about reaching tall. Get long. Straighten those elbows.<br />
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3. I'll just use my arms. There is no specific need to have anything in your hands. These 2 lb PowerBalls are perfect and enough. 2.5 lb or 1 / 1.5 kg change plates also work well. Please do not try to use 5 or 10 lb dumbbells. Just don't.<br />
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I used these movements with EVERYONE --- from desk jockeys to Olympians. One Olympian told me I fixed her cranky shoulders. Sweet! You can do these movements in any space, at any time of day or night.<br />
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<u>PowerBall Series #1</u><br />
Shoulder Flexion x 5<br />
Shoulder Abduction x 5<br />
W into V x 5<br />
Backstroke x 5 R/L<br />
Alternating Still Punches x 5 R/L<br />
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<u>PowerBall Series #2</u><br />
Diagonal 1 x 5 R/L (square stance)<br />
Figure 8's x R/L<br />
Horizontal Abduction x 3 (palms down, palms neutral, palms up)<br />
Alternating Step Punches x 5 R/L<br />
Diagonal 1 x 5 R/L (stride/lunge stance) <br />
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The cool thing about these movements? I am sneaking in a bunch of subtle shoulder external rotation, above and below 90 degrees of shoulder abduction. Throw off the shackles of sterile, traditional physical therapy shoulder exercises. Use movement to remind your body that it is capable of great things. Put stuff over your head. Hair toss, check your nails, alternating still punches. Come on, dust your shoulders off, keep it moving.<br />
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I'll add some other ideas in the near future -- compliment this work with tubing and ground-based stuff. I want to write more. Happy to answer questions if you have them. <br />
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<br />Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-50356032228602994592018-06-11T05:10:00.000-07:002018-06-11T05:10:05.037-07:00More Women in Coaching: Some Thoughts on How to Get There<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV3XZ49qL6CQ-qHFSdm52uM3B2EWWhg9n3IsR8ZGmDrNW1EkqUGNbm_DK-cBfm304ZusomCRDwTwwkUYU2tUk8ITnEgqgalLDkIbLLQsgOcNhMZPDEzGlhsxaHt1gY1WBKoNtelg/s1600/20140320_125849-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1148" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV3XZ49qL6CQ-qHFSdm52uM3B2EWWhg9n3IsR8ZGmDrNW1EkqUGNbm_DK-cBfm304ZusomCRDwTwwkUYU2tUk8ITnEgqgalLDkIbLLQsgOcNhMZPDEzGlhsxaHt1gY1WBKoNtelg/s400/20140320_125849-1.jpg" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with Andrea Hudy after a Kansas men's basketball practice during the 2014 NCAA Tournament in St. Louis. Andrea is the only female strength coach of a Division I men's basketball program and Assistant Athletic Director for Sport Performance at Kansas.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Some recent events have prompted me to think seriously about things we can do to positively impact the number of women in coaching -- sport coaching and performance coaching. First and foremost was my own departure from US Ski & Snowboard, where I was one of <i>two</i> women on the athletic development staff, one of only <i>four</i> total female coaches in the entire organization and one of a very few women to work in high performance in the US at the NGB level.<br />
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What was I thinking by leaving? I was thinking lots of things.<br />
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I knew there was a high probability my position would be filled by a male coach (it has been-- and I'm super supportive of this young man's ability to have a tremendously positive impact with all of the snowboard athletes), but in the long run, I felt I would be more free to speak, act and positively influence the entire profession working independently.<br />
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Don't get me wrong. I had and still have some angst about leaving and not being there for the female athletes, not being able to directly mentor the one current female intern, not being there to support and collaborate with Tschana Schiller (the other excellent female athletic development coach) and not being a leader of and mentor to the young men in the High Performance department. And I can say young, because at 49, I very much <i>was </i>the "elder stateswoman" on staff, second in age only to the venerable Bill Sands. <br />
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I decided to give up some very important daily opportunities to influence and lead in order to reach for some larger, nationally oriented goals, while also re-charging my emotional and physical batteries. Life is a balance of choices. <br />
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Here are some very honest observations, opinions and thoughts from a female coach.<br />
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1. <b>Organizations like US Ski & Snowboard, the NSCA and CSCCA, all need to very purposefully and intently identify, mentor and support female coaches.</b><br />
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We need NGBs and coach certification organizations to proactively identify and support women in coaching and in sport leadership. To find the best of the best and help them stay in the game. To identify female athletes at the higher levels who might have an interest in staying in the sport and then nuture that interest into professional coaching mastery.<br />
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Not task forces.<br />
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Not women's breakfasts or luncheons at the national conferences.<br />
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Not just one "women's specific conference" every other year. <br />
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Do more. Make tangible efforts to identify, teach, support and hire.<br />
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<i>Talent ID followed by purposeful support. </i><br />
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Those of us who have broken through to the higher levels of coaching have done so because we have had men in positions of influence actively support and help us move into a position to earn an opportunity. Women can only have those doors open if they have the opportunity to network with people of influence. If you really want women in the mix, this cannot be left up to chance. There has to be intentional effort, by both men and women in positions of influence, to get more women in the world of sport and performance.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCs0YTYpVeS_gnIWZjJyFWCrTUMmtXPMwxrwizgpVg1QJOp-6zUFRHP7FUHdSGpsT87FJUhrSK7tis9x3XqTyJ3W0BfG10w4GDDYKELK_Jl9YpAGYt0usN0Sx7ZET3R-LwxTTcWw/s1600/20130615_110844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCs0YTYpVeS_gnIWZjJyFWCrTUMmtXPMwxrwizgpVg1QJOp-6zUFRHP7FUHdSGpsT87FJUhrSK7tis9x3XqTyJ3W0BfG10w4GDDYKELK_Jl9YpAGYt0usN0Sx7ZET3R-LwxTTcWw/s400/20130615_110844.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The one and only Kelvin Giles. He's opened doors for me and other women in high performance.</td></tr>
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Coaching education and national level coach development systems have to intentionally look for women who have a chance to thrive as higher level coaches and then support them. Coaching education departments can and should be more than just a revenue stream for these organizations. You are the people who know the sport at the grassroots levels and who can identify and recruit those individuals who have what it takes to be successful. Coaching education departments need to help put women in the pipeline and then help of support them up through the ranks.<br />
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Sport and performance coaching are very much fraternities. Male oversight of and leadership are the norm. This will not change without intentional effort to put capable women in visible positions, for all to see their skill and competence. Only then will old attitudes and biases really start to fade. <br />
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2. <b>Smaller professional networks have to feature, invite and support female coaches to speak and attend. </b><br />
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I have had the great fortune of being a part of Vern Gambetta's GAIN Network since 2009. Vern invited me to attend in 2009 and then asked me to first speak in 2010. It has been one of the most important developments in my career as a coach, as it has given me the opportunity to learn from, network with and become a person of influence in the world of athletic development and sport performance. I cannot thank Vern enough for his support.<br />
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I believe I am one of only five women to have been included as faculty/speakers at GAIN in its eleven-year history. For several years, I was the only female speaker and one of a small group (< 10) of female attendees. This year, I'm bringing one young female coach and hope to see more women in attendance. I am glad to see a new female speaker, Grace Golden, PhD, in the line up.<br />
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I was also the only female speaker at the USOC High Performance Strength & Conditioning Symposium, last May in Colorado Springs. This was a tremendous honor and opportunity offered to me by symposium organizer Tim Pelot. I believe there were about six other women in the audience of about 120 professionals.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8EtmeGLKNzYFuXMH6vKtSNYmSOqXYILle9GZK2SYagQJd278dukUYKQHuyDw6A8ViK7G8fptSNViPmLVQaTPbqly8yrcOb1yDgmDYSkRDOW-9ipuwNLjUQKVKVNi95L-NlUThQ/s1600/IMG_20180517_065947_666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="1080" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8EtmeGLKNzYFuXMH6vKtSNYmSOqXYILle9GZK2SYagQJd278dukUYKQHuyDw6A8ViK7G8fptSNViPmLVQaTPbqly8yrcOb1yDgmDYSkRDOW-9ipuwNLjUQKVKVNi95L-NlUThQ/s320/IMG_20180517_065947_666.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Speaker photo from the 2017 USOC High Performance Strength & Conditioning Symposium. One of the very best and most impactful professional experiences I've ever had.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Tim has announced a 2019 edition of this event, and I'm very excited to see that Dawn Scott, Fitness Coach for U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, and Teena Murray, Director of Sports Performance at the University of Louisville, are on the list of speakers.<br />
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One of my personal and professional goals is to invite and bring as many talented young female coaches to these two events as possible. He doesn't know it yet, but I am going to bug Tim about the acceptance process for the 2019 event and see if we can't target a few more high-performing, young female coaches to apply. I know the event is geared toward more "experienced high performance professionals." However, there just aren't a ton of women with many years of experience in high performance organizations, so let us go out and identify those who have potential to be future leaders in the profession, mentor them and open the pathways for them to earn that experience.<br />
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People like Vern and Tim have the ability and opportunity to open doors for others, just as they opened it for me. Now my mission is to help get more women involved in high quality learning and networking events like these and support that process. A secondary aspect of this mission includes being active on sport performance podcasts, helping other female coaches get a shot at an interview. I want to thank Martin Bingisser and Nick Garcia of the HMMR Media Podcast for including me in their line up twice over the last year. Podcasts can give female coaches a voice, an opportunity to contribute to and be respected by the wider professional coaching community. Women need a voice and visibility in the professional ranks if we are to be accepted as peers and leaders.<br />
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3. <b>Big sport organizations have to do some serious self-reflection and review of hiring processes and culture. There is a great deal of work to be done here, in spite of all of the accolades for female athletes in this country, particularly in the Olympic sports.</b><br />
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As I told a group of young coaches last week, I never really noticed I was a "female coach" until I was a part of a national sport organization. I noticed women primarily in "gendered roles" in the organization: administrative support / team managers, sports medicine (physical therapists), marketing, membership and fundraising. Sport coaching staffs, high performance leadership and the executive offices were overwhelmingly male, even for women's teams and for specific female athletes.<br />
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This is not a criticism, but an observation of what exists. To be fair, US Ski & Snowboard has hired women for two of the executive positions (CFO and Director of Human Resources) and I am happy to see that. But the current reality is that women still overwhelmingly occupy the lowest-paying, support staff positions. They are still very much absent from leadership, coaching and athletic administration positions.<br />
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You cannot become what you cannot see. <br />
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But I'm not sure the men in charge really ever notice there is a discrepancy, because they are never in the minority and it's completely "normal" in sport for men to be in charge and for men to be coaching women. And when it comes to hiring coaches and high performance staff, the people in charge of that process tend to be men. And what do we know about hiring? People tend to hire people who are in their network and who are like themselves.<br />
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You cannot change what you cannot see. <br />
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Many organizations, be they NGBs or NCAA institutions, are working on making their processes more professional. This is good. We have to move past the days where head coach, assistant coach and performance coach positions are hired behind the closed doors of "the old boys' network" and not open to others outside of personal networks. I applaud US Ski & Snowboard for hiring Nichole Mason as the new snowboard slopestyle and big air rookie team coach. She has definitely proven herself with the development of 2018 Olympian Chris Corning and new rookie team member Jake Canter.<br />
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Male coaches and administrators must be open to the idea of women working alongside them on a daily basis. I would thing this especially important when traveling nationally and internationally with young female athletes. All athletes, especially female athletes, deserve the opportunity to
work with good female coaches. Organizations that have mostly male
coaching staffs and administrators should take the time to carefully and genuinely listen to the needs and concerns of their female
athletes. You might be surprised as to what you hear. <br />
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If diversity and inclusion are truly goals for an organization, open, professional hiring practices are essential. Language, conduct and fair treatment matter if organizations want to retain female staff. Genuine support for women and understanding of the subtle and not-so-subtle issues faced by women in coaching must be recognized. If organizations are struggling to figure out exactly why there aren't more women in their coaching ranks, maybe its time to hire someone to evaluate the hiring practices and illuminate overall culture. This individual can also act as an advocate for pay equality, a fair system of promotion and an equitable allocation of resources to female and male teams. That someone needs to report to the board of directors, not be beholden to anyone in paid leadership. It will require brutal honesty and a genuine willingness to evolve as an organization.<br />
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So those are some of my thoughts. I'm interested in constructive conversation and in hearing from others working on this issue. We all have to be more proactive and reflective --- individuals and organizations --- if we want to level the playing field in coaching. <br />
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<br />Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-72540861572686711772018-05-11T08:16:00.001-07:002018-05-11T08:16:31.209-07:00Thoughts on The Art of Programming<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I think the art of programming --- the selection, order, dosing and progression of movements --- is becoming a lost art. It seems to be more of a "plug and play" kind of activity rather than a craft.<br />
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A good program, and the process of implementing that program, will be much more than the sum of its exercises. <br />
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The use of software makes it easy to copy and paste. Software makes every workout look basically the same. We pick from the list put the "power" exercises here, the "strength" exercises here and the "plyo" exercises here.<br />
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Is this activity inherently different than writing --shaping--- a workout on a blank piece of paper or even white board? Are the relationships of the movements within a workout and among the various other days of the workout plan easily comprehended?<br />
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The use of phones and tablets to display exercises means they are more likely to be displayed one at a time, possibly losing context of how they are connected to other exercises. It's hard to zoom out and see the big picture of the structure of an entire session.<br />
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If there are videos next to the exercise name, athletes are not forced to remember the movement, to comprehend the text and process it's relationship to the movement. There is no need to remember and learn --- to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviors associated with learning to train.<br />
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We want athletes to learn and embrace the process, not just to do the stuff. Just as we want coaches and clinicians to learn the process.<br />
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In physical therapy, the art of programming is barely even taught. It is my observation that exercise prescription is no longer a valued skill for the therapist. It's more about evaluations, procedures and maybe manual therapy treatments. Delegate exercises to the extenders. <br />
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One of the recent student therapists at US Ski & Snowboard told me his therapeutic exercise class in school was <i>online and the students were expected to complete it independently. </i>His only formal experience with programming exercise was during his clinical experiences.<br /><i></i><br />
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Terrifying.<br />
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I thought the whole point of being a physical therapist was to be an expert in human movement and to use movement to improve function. Isn't dosing exercise the very heart of physical therapy? Or has that changed now that all new therapists are doctors of physical therapy?<br />
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A few years ago I attended a continuing education course taught by two prominent orthopedic PTs. I was psyched to spend two days focusing on the athletic knee and shoulder. How did the best in the field program for their patients? I never really found out.<br />
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They spent the majority of the course describing, discussing and reviewing the various surgical procedures and gave a cursory overview of the actual therapy afterward.<br />
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Well, you know, we do focus on range of motion, then we do the strength work and then by week x we are back to plyos or throwing. There was no in-depth discussion of exercise selection and progression --- with a particularly glaring lack of focus on building basic strength.<br />
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Cue Mark Rippetoe.<br />
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I was devastated. Livid. The therapists were more interested in talking surgical procedures than they were about the details of the rehabilitation. No deep dive or reflection on programming and progressions. No concern about the how and why of what of the movements they prescribed.<br />
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I think it is a noble calling to use movement to create health and performance. <br />
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We must do better, as coaches and as clinicians. Our athletes and patients deserve it. We must value the process of exercise selection, instruction and progression. We must value the process and act of programming. <br />
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<br />Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-48310023902916478682018-05-09T10:00:00.001-07:002018-05-09T10:00:47.431-07:00Thoughts on the RDL: Risky Business or Essential Exercise?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzymjZyZawXlmUrjJmqsxaimHInE4Wax8d0nIX0PrTxVXwW4HY0yDbzrSQE7U68AO25E35gsCRrdcXRSjv_Au_RrZwTrx_QIkPGoZ8FCaTV_PIQvYEgJPjsrmmzBFMsQX7xLhNg/s1600/IMG_20180508_161406273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzymjZyZawXlmUrjJmqsxaimHInE4Wax8d0nIX0PrTxVXwW4HY0yDbzrSQE7U68AO25E35gsCRrdcXRSjv_Au_RrZwTrx_QIkPGoZ8FCaTV_PIQvYEgJPjsrmmzBFMsQX7xLhNg/s320/IMG_20180508_161406273.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
I've been ruminating on this subject for the last four years. My goal with this post is to spark some thoughtful discussion on the use of the RDL in performance and rehab programming.<br />
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Some background. Prior to coming to US Ski & Snowboard in May of 2014, I'd been working in private practice for 10 years, primarily with high school basketball, volleyball and swimming athletes. In my world, the RDL was a highly advanced movement, reserved as an accessory training movement to prepare the body to efficiently move the bar from below the knee to the power position at mid-thigh in cleans and snatches.<br />
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Because we did full range of motion squats (bodyweight, front, back), full range of motion hexbar deadlifts, step ups and lunges in varying directions, amplitudes and speeds, skips and all kinds of other movements, I did not see any reason for this group of athletes to do RDLs, Good Mornings or any other resisted isolated hip-hinging movement. Hamstring work wasn't isolated, it was always integrated into a coordinated hip/knee/ankle movement.<br />
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For those who don't know the background of the RDL exercise, it came into existence when Nicu Vlad, a Romanian weightlifter, was observed doing the movement in the US. Different from the traditional "Stiff Leg Deadlift" it was given the term Romanian Deadlift. So, the RDL was never specifically intended to be an isolating eccentric hamstring strengthening exercise; it was an accessory movement for a very high-level weightlifting athlete -- still the heaviest athlete to ever do a double-bodyweight snatch in competition, if I'm not mistaken.<br />
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Since the late 2000s and onward, RDLs have become a staple in all of athletic preparation, in the name of hamstring-specific strengthening. This practice pattern has coincided with the use of the term "posterior chain" and specific emphasis on teaching the "hip-hinge" -- the ability to discriminate between hip and lumbar spine flexion/extension. This skill is an important part of body awareness for good lifting mechanics and maintaining good back health.<br />
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It is my observation that with regard to programming and terminology, there is now an emphasis on exercises and language to train the "posterior chain" vs a previous (maybe 2000 and before) emphasis on exercise to work "triple extension." Maybe I'm getting old and being an iron geek, but this shift in terminology and programming philosophy intrigues me. I do have an undergraduate degree in history & philosophy of science.<br />
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We are in a time where strength coaches, physical therapists and athletic trainers tend to emphasize all things hip extension, almost, in my observation, at the expense of knee extension altogether. Combined hip/knee/ankle coordinated movement has taken a back seat. Glutes and hams are the focus. Quad / knee extensor strength is almost summarily dismissed as unimportant or even being detrimental to function, despite everything we know about knee extensor inhibition in post-surgical and painful knees and our struggles to get good knee extensor strength back during rehab.<br />
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(Can you really ever have too much knee extensor strength? Is that really a thing?)<br />
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Single leg RDLs and hard-style RKC kettlebell swings now permeate rehab programming. Athletes of all sports and abilities are given heavy RDLs and no one blinks an eye. It's all about the "posterior chain" and the consensus is that we must isolate the hamstring to strengthen it and this movement is a superior method to do so.<br />
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Fast-forward to Summer 2014 and I enter the world of ski and snowboard. Heavy RDLs are common in programming. I am told they are an important part of ACL injury prevention. Back irritation or injury from doing RDLs in training does not seem to raise any significant red flags.<br />
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I get it, but do we really get it? We are locking the knee in a position of minimal flexion and working a two-joint muscle group only at the proximal end, in the sagittal plane. But aren't most ACL tears in ski and snowboard due to some type of torsion/rotation/flexion mechanism? Or during deep, backseat landings combined with catching an edge?<br />
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Are we really doing anything to help stop something that happens so fast and violently that no human, regardless of how strong s/he is, can physically stop the injury? If so, wouldn't working more combined hip/knee flexion/extension at varying speeds such as deep lunges with reaching or big step ups with some rotation be more specific to these injury mechanisms?<br />
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And a second important question: Is the risk of back injury/irritation during the RDL itself worth the perceived reward of isolated hamstring muscle strength? Is it worth it if athletes routinely report low back pain after doing this one exercise and it keeps them from consistently training in the weight room or puts them into rehab? Is it worth it if athletes are so sore from the eccentric work with this exercise that they cannot do their other leg work with full intensity and purpose?<br />
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Are we really getting the most bang for our buck?<br />
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<i>It is my opinion that injuries in the weight room should be extremely rare. If athletes routinely complain of low back pain/soreness after any exercise, then I need to reflect on what I am programming and why. </i><br />
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Is is appropriate for an athlete to do heavy RDLs? With weight they cannot clean, squat or regularly deadlift with ease? If you take the stance that and RDL is an accessory lift to support performance of cleans and snatches from the floor, I don't think it is. As a weightlifter, the RDL has a very specific context within set of movements.<br />
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If an athlete doesn't clean or snatch from the floor or low hang/blocks on a regular basis, are heavy RDLs a necessary part of comprehensive lower extremity preparation?<br />
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Does this movement, as a stand-alone, isolated muscle exercise, do what we really think it is doing? Or is it just cool-looking busy work? Does back or hamstring soreness equal productive / protective work? <br />
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When I observe athletes doing RDLs with weights they cannot clean, snatch, squat or deadlift with full range of motion, I am concerned. Especially when athlete cannot even lower the weight with control on the final rep; they drop the bar. In my mind, this is a red flag and the athlete has not earned the right to use that weight. If you cannot lower the bar with good form and control, you have no business picking it up in the first place.<br />
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<b>(</b><i>Side note: The presence of platforms and bumper plates doesn't mean you / your athletes should drop the bar on every lift. If your athletes do, you might rethink how you are teaching and progressing them. Every opportunity to lower the bar to floor well is a rep of solid coordinated torso/lower extremity eccentric strength. If we value eccentric work so much, why are so many athletes dropping the barbell on every kind of rep/lift imaginable?<b>)</b></i><br />
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In my mind, the risk of back irritation is not worth the reward with RDLs. And I'm not sure we really know how functional the hamstring strength is, with regard to truly supporting performance or reducing risk of injury.<br />
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We just know they make your hamstrings as sore as shit. And most young people think it's pretty cool to put more than one plate on the bar and pick it up and drop it for 4 sets of 5. Low back pain may just be part of deal.<br />
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I think we can do better.<br />
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No amount of low back pain, or the high risk of back irritation, should be a normal part of regular training. And yes, I've squatted and deadlifted heavy, as have many of my athletes.<br />
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Is it wrong to think full range of motion squats, hexbar deadlifts, step ups and lunges don't work the hamstrings in a fully functional and supportive manner? <br />
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Do we really know the value of heavy double-leg RDLs or single-leg RDLs for that matter, in rehab or performance? Are there appropriate alternatives that do the job as well or even better?<br />
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Have there been any comparisons of programming in non-weightlifting athletes with these exercises vs programs without these exercises? Or is it currently just accepted as the thing to do because people are focused on that thing called the posterior chain vs the coordinated strength of the entire lower extremity?<br />
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I caused my rehabbing and snowboard team athletes a bit of confusion and concern over the last four years, as their programming had no isolated hamstring work. I had to convince them to trust me they weren't missing out. No RDLs (single or double leg), no glute-ham apparatus exercises, no Nordics, very little to no bridging. We learned to squat and hexbar deadlift with full range. Pause squats, speed squats, partial squats. Hexbar jump shrugs. Push presses, power jerks. Lunge and reach in all shapes, sizes, speeds and directions. Step ups and alternating single leg box jumps. Bounds, hops, jumps. Leg circuits, Spectrum Squats, Tabata-style interval squats.<br />
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Their leg work was comprehensive and extensive, but simple. It was challenging. We did it consistently. It supported their successful return to World Cup level and even Olympic competition in the ski and snowboard world. <br />
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So with these particular athletes, I have real-world examples of non-sprinting/running athletes competing at a high level without isolated hamstring work. Not proof of anything, but maybe a cause for reflection on current practices in rehab and performance. <br />
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I'm genuinely interested in other professional opinions on and real-world use of heavy RDLs. Does anyone else see the risk greater than the reward? Were my athletes missing out by not doing RDLs and other hamstring-specific work? Are light RDLs effective and less risky?<br />
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What does the research out there say with regard to the use of heavy RDLs in running and non-running athletes? <br />
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With RTS for ACL and other knee injuries, is the RDL really creating protective hamstring strength and stability about the knee? Is is an essential exercise for hamstring graft patients or can we get the same or better benefits from other exercises that emphasize full range of motion, coordinated hip/knee/ankle flexion and extension?<br />
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And so this is one of the things that has been swirling in my head the last four years. I look forward to hearing everyone's thoughts. <br />
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<br />Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-13551272916230886872017-09-29T10:12:00.002-07:002017-09-29T10:12:46.696-07:00Thoughts on the Value of Coaching Young Athletes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of our former interns stopped by last week. She's deferred admission to a graduate program in S&C for a year to work in the private sector.<br />
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She's the head of performance training for a small, private rehab/performance facility. The owner has given her full reign to revamp the youth training program. As some side work, she's taken on a few adult personal training clients at another commercial gym.<br />
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This is an experience all young strength coaches should have--the opportunity to work with adolescent athletes, and apply/progress basic bodyweight movements with them. I'll argue there's also excellent value in doing the same with general population adults.<br />
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She's seeing results. Decreased joint pain in her adult clients and youth athletes. Increased confidence and function. She's learning how to build proper movement progressions and seeing the power of these movements applied over time.<br />
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Young strength coaches working in the collegiate or other type of "elite" athlete setting are unlikely to have the opportunity to implement or observe the long-term implementation of bodyweight movements. Many times, regardless of the athlete's actual training age, there is great pressure for the strength coach to go straight to the barbell and other advanced, equipment-dominant movements. After all, these are adult-sized (or larger!) athletes who have been labeled "elite" or maybe even "best in the world." How could any of these athletes possibly have the physical literacy and movement competency of a 12 year-old? You mean we need to start with bodyweight work?<br />
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Yes. We need to start with the basics. But there is pressure, from many sources, to do things that not yet appropriate.<br />
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There is the expensive software beckoning for the elaborate periodization scheme.<br />
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There is the multi-million dollar facility with the fancy equipment. <br />
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There are sport coach and strength coach expectations of what weight room work looks like.<br />
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There are the never-ending training/competition schedules and training time limitations.<br />
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So instead of building the physical literacy and movement competencies, a novice strength coach feels pressured to squat heavy, clean heavy and implement "mental toughness" tasks that are simply busy work. Last time I checked, vomiting isn't on anyone's list of movement competencies.<br />
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If coaches skip the foundations, at any level, they are building a house of cards and doing everyone a disservice. Coaches need time to develop skill sets and a "coaching eye." Athletes need time to develop movements. Progressions are key to developing higher level athletic skills.<br />
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It's a difficult challenge. There are pressures to do what is nice versus what is truly necessary and appropriate. To overcome these pressures, the strength coach has to have confidence in his or her principles of preparation and have developed the ability to use movement in a systematic manner, not just throw technology or the latest exercises at athletes. S/he has to have earned the trust of the sport coach and the athletes. Everyone involved needs to understand that basic doesn't mean easy. Or monotonous. Consistency and proper progression are key to sound athlete preparation. Ritual and consistency are part of the elite athlete tool box.<br />
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We must find ways for strength coaches to become "athletic development coaches" ---to spend time working with the young, developing athletes prior to working with college level or other highly-skilled athletes. Without equipment. Without pressure. Without crazy schedules. They need to see the power of doing simple things well, over time. They need to develop an extensive toolbox of movement progressions and feel confident applying them.<br />
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Many in the profession look down upon the private sector coaches. But outside of a school or academy setting, where else can a novice coach learn the art and skill of developing athletes? Does the current crop of internship opportunities provide a good learning environment and support this type of coach education?<br />
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I guess I have more questions than answers right now. But it is my observation that a strength coach needs experience coaching athletes of all ages if s/he wants to be a well-rounded athletic development coach.<br />
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<br />Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-85996480658206167582015-12-21T05:13:00.000-08:002015-12-21T05:13:23.907-08:00A Test Post with a Few Thoughts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_QRt0lDDsWK3__nbQcgIrl2RLdWWUHYBrwWMLIPxlB5MBrfH0vqTrUEqrn9MOSCe8SY__vS9Ru2ZZp8GHXadBe44roehkBF8wu_vBsxDVyq0vxQj5WLYzOE4l42Z0761mDDVbg/s1600/20151217_091157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_QRt0lDDsWK3__nbQcgIrl2RLdWWUHYBrwWMLIPxlB5MBrfH0vqTrUEqrn9MOSCe8SY__vS9Ru2ZZp8GHXadBe44roehkBF8wu_vBsxDVyq0vxQj5WLYzOE4l42Z0761mDDVbg/s320/20151217_091157.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Just a test post to try out the new Google Photos and a link to a good article. This is a picture of the conference building at the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center. I had the great fortune of visiting this beautiful place last week and meeting many bright and thoughtful strength & conditioning professionals.<br />
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I'd like to share <a href="http://psychsciencenotes.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/the-ecological-approach-to-sporting.html" target="_blank">a fantastic blog post by Andrew Wilson</a> and a <a href="https://medium.com/my-fastest-mile/an-aussie-a-scotsman-and-a-kiwi-walk-into-a-hangout-1a4f12f35d9c#.10dhcxxkh" target="_blank">link to a great Google Hangout</a> featuring Andrew Wilson, Al Smith and Mark Upton. If you are reading or are contemplating reading the new Frans Bosch book, you'll probably find the topic of dynamic systems and a more ecological approach to motor control / learning.Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-91491268321120662812015-01-25T09:34:00.000-08:002015-01-25T09:34:49.295-08:00Weightlifting Shoes: Do your athletes need them?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Current 6' 9" Pepperdine starting MB Mitch Penning front squats 100 kg in high school.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
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I get asked this question all the time. There are two major things to consider:<br />
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1. Does the athlete have ankle mobility issues with basic squatting?<br />
2. Are you going to train the full snatch and clean, or lift from the ground on a consistent basis?<br />
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If you answer "yes" to either of these questions, you should encourage your athlete to use weightlifting shoes during training sessions, with all barbell movements.<br />
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Weightlifters wear these funky, clunky high heeled shoes for two reasons. First, firm soles give the athlete a firm connection to the platform so there is no loss of force when driving the feet into the ground on lift off, recovery from the bottom or the dip and drive of the jerk. Second, heeled soles give the athlete additional ankle dorsiflexion, which allows for optimal vertical torso positioning on lift off and recovery.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9SyzcCqBjwcMxYGVSXB4eRiZUzelDf-wLMF4p3U_a8fXPk6e5a78zUq_4WM7YoIR2UoGb3zVkGCIuI3uGYFRCidj_PehHN4m3iE-0Ni3RXTpUXszsX71R9FQ0KBIOHCbK1l71PA/s1600/Ext3B.bmp.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9SyzcCqBjwcMxYGVSXB4eRiZUzelDf-wLMF4p3U_a8fXPk6e5a78zUq_4WM7YoIR2UoGb3zVkGCIuI3uGYFRCidj_PehHN4m3iE-0Ni3RXTpUXszsX71R9FQ0KBIOHCbK1l71PA/s1600/Ext3B.bmp.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melanie Roach (53 kg) prepares to stand with 110 kg clean.</td></tr>
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The effective heel height ranges from .75 inches to 1 inch. Shins forward mean torso vertical. The knees are able to be out over the toes and the athlete can keep the barbell within the base of support over the feet. The athlete's foot is flat against the platform in positions where the shin must move forward. Leverage is maintained.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIYtF61iC-2KAUqfVswkBzSIR_9D0F5gvywNYf5jQgFyGq224rKig8Kmrr-QE58NrqPsED0epFztFwt2VUkVwjTUnrHFBD2FaeitQ9rqaJmwDepJbcEY1y6MjGPwMwdc63DRlHQ/s1600/dip+nat.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIYtF61iC-2KAUqfVswkBzSIR_9D0F5gvywNYf5jQgFyGq224rKig8Kmrr-QE58NrqPsED0epFztFwt2VUkVwjTUnrHFBD2FaeitQ9rqaJmwDepJbcEY1y6MjGPwMwdc63DRlHQ/s1600/dip+nat.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Natalie Burgener (63 kg) stays vertical as she dips with 115 kg.</td></tr>
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<b>For a great history lesson on the evolution and necessity of the weightlifting shoe in competition, read <a href="http://www.dynamic-eleiko.com/sportivny/library/farticles015.html" target="_blank">this classic</a> by Bud Charniga.</b><br />
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Weightlifting shoes are not crutches or band-aids. They are part of a weightlifter's equipment and uniform. And they can assist young and old non-weightlifting athletes by putting these athletes in better positions when learning to squat or do the full versions of the lifts. They can assist an athlete in learning the importance of ankle mobility when squatting without weightlifting shoes.<br />
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I cannot tell you how many times I have had to physically put someone in weightlifting shoes before he or she really believes this and feels the difference. It only takes a few reps before the light bulb comes on. The athlete feels the connection to the platform and senses the better upright position. I had a small stash of shoes at my facility for this purpose and at the USSA Center of Excellence, we keep shoes in the gym so athletes can try them.<br />
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If you are a coach who coaches the barbell lifts, you should own a pair of shoes and you should have a good understanding of how these shoes impact mechanics, mobility and leverage in common lifting positions. They are now much easier to find and cost ranges from $70 to $200. VS Athletics and Wei Rui shoes are budget friendly. Adidas has some lower cost shoes now. You can get classic wooden heel shoes in custom colors from Risto Sports. One pair should last a non-weightlifter many, many years.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJG7Sen-yP_U89FysCvG_AlmWtzAKGzPLRxhda8JK_dckQU7mT5U2DgAzsyI7LDGMdLC68D3w7F4W_7uJ-0F8hVuniEhpf7bzNNpBrd9qBIqeF_EXtzciGXfPmjqoH5WTP5Sw5tA/s1600/Photo+Jan+21,+2+58+32+PM.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJG7Sen-yP_U89FysCvG_AlmWtzAKGzPLRxhda8JK_dckQU7mT5U2DgAzsyI7LDGMdLC68D3w7F4W_7uJ-0F8hVuniEhpf7bzNNpBrd9qBIqeF_EXtzciGXfPmjqoH5WTP5Sw5tA/s1600/Photo+Jan+21,+2+58+32+PM.jpeg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ryan Sexton recovers from a clean in his VS Athletics shoes.</td></tr>
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It takes two minutes for an athlete to change shoes during a workout and put them on the shelf or in their locker. I do not consider this an inconvenience or a waste of time. It offers an opportunity to get a drink and discuss the previous sets and upcoming exercises.<br />
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Have I used them with all of my athletes? The answer is no. Good court shoes and good ankle mobility will work for younger athletes training the basic squats and push press. If the athlete needs and wants to move on, I strongly recommend they invest in a pair of shoes. If you are only doing bodyweight circuits and dumbbell complexes with teams, then no, these athletes don't need weightlifting shoes.<br />
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If an athlete is very tall and inflexible, I have used weightlifting shoes to help develop better movement patterns and mobility. Not a crutch, but a tool to provide feedback and guidance.<br />
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The best analogy I can give for using weightlifting shoes is using cycling shoes. You can ride a bike for enjoyment with or without cycling shoes. But if you invest in a pair of shoes and learn how to clip in, you will feel the difference it makes in your comfort, power and efficiency. I don't have to be a professional cyclist to benefit from using and investing in pure cycling footwear--or shorts for that matter. But it will make my riding and training much more enjoyable and probably more effective.<br />
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If I swim, I wear goggles. If I cross country ski, I wear cross country ski boots and skis. I use tools and equipment from many sports to facilitate my own training and the preparation of my athletes. I teach them the how and why for now and then they can also use this information and equipment to enjoy lifting, biking or whatever after they retire from competition.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqN6lGnbM1d-9f8WStL4hVKVhL2WhY9-Togqc1P5-AGbkHGwniBfQbS3mp9EV5K0EWxlDUonD6NiXdrwtdIuIZGOtdLR2Wg3SDuns-2HtLBOErUl6eLpWuVb3H0sx2Vw1xA3CKzA/s1600/squat+mobility-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqN6lGnbM1d-9f8WStL4hVKVhL2WhY9-Togqc1P5-AGbkHGwniBfQbS3mp9EV5K0EWxlDUonD6NiXdrwtdIuIZGOtdLR2Wg3SDuns-2HtLBOErUl6eLpWuVb3H0sx2Vw1xA3CKzA/s1600/squat+mobility-1.jpg" height="252" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ryan Sexton demonstrates parallel shin / torso that good ankle dorsiflexion allows. </td></tr>
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I'm by no means a zealot for the classical lifts. I understand the importance of good range of motion and mechanics without using weightlifting shoes. All of my athletes will tell you they learn to skip, squat, lunge, step up and move without them. But when we are on the platform or in a squat rack with a barbell, they will tell you they prefer to use weightlifting shoes if they are available. And I'm willing to take the time to allow them to use them and feel the benefits.<br />
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Many may disagree with me and that's fine. There is more than one path to any given destination. But if you are teaching the full barbell movements and you are squatting your athletes heavy, you'd better have a clear understanding of your athlete's mobility, the safety of the positions they are in and the loads you are putting them under.<br />
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<br />Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15363982.post-76798447618104251002015-01-04T14:11:00.002-08:002015-01-04T14:11:58.668-08:00Consistency<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/NH-TQJJGL7o" width="420"></iframe><br />
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This is video I shot back in 2007 when I paid a visit to the wonderful state of Washington to spend a few days with Melanie Roach and her coach John Thrush. Mel was working very hard to come back from back surgery and make the 2008 Olympic team. I went out to take some video for John for a more in depth look at her technique and to document improvement.<br />
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As you will see in the graphs at the end of this video, Mel had made some great strides in her snatch technique and was no longer losing velocity on the barbell like she was prior to surgery. I was able to show her this using video and velocity measures captured via Dartfish. Eventually, Melanie went on to make the 2008 US Olympic team and place 6th in Beijing, snatching a lifetime best of 83 kg and going 3/3 in the snatch. She also set a new American record in the total with a 193 kg total, which included a 110 kg Clean & Jerk. This record still stands, as does her American record of 113 kg in the Clean & Jerk which was set in 1998.<br />
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To date, Melanie is the last female to clean and jerk double bodyweight and over in competition. She recently came out of retirement to compete at the 2014 American Open where she placed 1st in the 53 kg weight class, just 3 days shy of her 40th birthday, going 6/6 (67,70,73 90, 94, 97) and posting a 170 kg total. The video of her 97 kg clean &jerk can be found <a href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=768964903158336&fref=nf" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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Note the consistency and focus on every lift in this video. There is a quiet purpose to every repetition. This is what it takes to be one of the best the US has ever had.Tracy Foberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336639159424141641noreply@blogger.com0