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As a performance coach, I obviously believe in the importance of strength training for athletes. Getting stronger and more powerful is essential for any athlete who wants to reach their potential, and in today’s hyper competitive world reaching the top of your sport is getting harder and harder, meaning committing to development is even more crucial. But, as with most things, not all avenues of training are created equal.
While a great training program can be a massive boost for an athlete, a bad, or even mediocre, program can be a severe detriment, leading to injury and decreased performance. A great training program will reduce the risk of injury, while a bad training program itself could be the root cause of catastrophic injuries. And it happens all the time. We see it at high school and college programs, where there are endemics of specific injuries. At a high school near our facility, they have seen no fewer than 10 shoulder labrum tears in the last four seasons in their football program alone. At another high school nearby they have had the same issue, with a significant amount of shoulder injuries that is disproportionate to their population. I can think of another high school where the issue is knee injuries. While they work towards constant failure (AMRAP sets, or “as many reps as possible”) as a method of strengthening, they decrease the integrity of the knee due to fatigue under a high load at such a consistent basis that they see an outsized amount of knee injuries, primarily meniscus tears and MCL injuries. The issue of high rates of overuse, non-contact injuries due to poor strength programs has many causes. I think the one worth highlighting for now is that due to the recognized importance of strength training, so many high school teams are ensuring they offer a strength training program to their athletes, which on its surface is great. However, if they cannot ensure the quality of the program, or they do not have the knowledge or education to recognize a good program, they end up doing more harm than good. And so, when a sports coach makes a decision on a strength program, they determine the future of many of their athletes, for better or for worse. Hire a bad coach, and you will see injuries skyrocket and seasons go down the drain. Hire a good one, and you’ll see an uptick in performance and competitiveness. Unfortunately, most high school sports coaches are unqualified to determine the effectiveness of a strength program. This issue gets compounded when coaches want “ownership” of their teams in the off-season. What I mean is that many coaches, or athletic departments, want to make sure their entire team participates in their team program. This, from a team bonding and cohesiveness standpoint, makes a lot of sense. But, if you have a bad strength program, and you now pigeon-hole your team into using it, you have in reality doomed your team to injuries. Unfortunately, even in the private sector, there are many bad strength programs. If we think about what makes a client or team return to a trainer, it’s based on the relationship. They want a coach they enjoy spending time with, someone who brings enthusiasm, someone who motivates them, someone who cares about them. These skills are great to have, but also unrelated to knowledge and expertise about biomechanics, injury prevention, exercise physiology, programming and periodization, etc. Unfortunately, since the coaches and athletes generally lack knowledge in those areas as well, it’s difficult for them to evaluate what their strength coach is actually implementing. A great strength program is one of your most important assets. A bad strength program is your largest liability.
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The rotator cuff, for most throwing athletes, is the most publicly discussed muscle group when it comes to injury, injury prevention, and training. The rotator cuff, in simplest terms, is a group of four small muscles that control how the head of the arm rotates, lifts, and controls certain movements. What is important to recognize is that the rotator cuff serves a limited function in generating or stopping force - while it is integral in those processes, that is not due to its ability to handle a high volume of force, but more in its ability to direct or control existing force.
The reason that it is important to discuss that function is because in many injuries or mechanical issues, the focus that ends up on the rotator cuff and its health is misdirected. We’ll examine one example. The shoulder blade is part of the shoulder complex, and is attached to the ribcage with muscular tissue. That tissue, the muscles that stabilize the shoulder blade, are very strong, and in some respects serve as the foundation of the shoulder and how it moves or doesn’t move. If that tissue that stabilizes the shoulder blade moves too soon and does not do its job, then some other tissue will need to compensate and pick up the slack: enter the rotator cuff. One way an athlete will compensate is to pass that force into the rotator cuff, meaning the rotator cuff is working overtime. In some cases, this leads to rotator cuff strains or biceps tendinitis. In other cases, the rotator cuff also turns down the force, and kicks the issue further down the chain to the elbow. Staying with the rotator cuff, for the example: if the muscles that stabilize the shoulder blade (the big back muscles) don’t do their job, and therefore strain the rotator cuff muscles to the point of injury, what do most coaches, doctors, and physical therapists then recommend? Rotator cuff strengthening exercises. They’ll give you some bands, do some internal and external rotations, perhaps some instability training, and tell you to stop throwing for a while. And while this certainly isn’t a bad thing (strengthening the rotator cuff is highly recommended), it’s missing the root cause of the issue - the shoulder blade stabilizing muscles aren’t doing the job. And, when we recognize the limitations in volume of what the rotator cuff can actually handle, we can see that there is no amount of rotator cuff strengthening that will make up for losing the big back muscles that stabilize the shoulder. So, the point I’m making here is that it’s important to recognize the importance of the rotator cuff, but equally important to recognize its limitations. Injuries at the site of the rotator cuff do not originate in the rotator cuff, generally speaking, and if you have pain from heavy throwing volume, rotator cuff work alone will not solve the problem. They are four small muscles with a limited ability to handle creating high volumes of force. Think of them as air traffic controllers, not jet engines. If you want the plane to move faster, address the engines, not the air traffic controllers. Coach Drayson There are a few misconceptions on shoulder health that are crucial to address for anyone dealing with shoulder injuries or looking to maintain a healthy shoulder throughout throwing and overhead activities.
Strength training is very nuanced, particularly in the sport performance niche. Be careful when pulling information from generic resources or body building backgrounds. If you want a healthy shoulder, work compound lifts, meaning pulls and pushes, both horizontal and vertical, that incorporate more moving joints than just the shoulder. We often get lost in the typical cone drill and ladder drill patterns when we think of speed
Training. Parents and athletes need to be more informed about what young athletes need to focus on getting faster. There is more structure to speed than it seems, so we will discuss what the keys components are to get faster. As crazy as it might sound, speed training does not require complex movements or crazy drills. Doing sprint training is one of the best ways to train on your speed for improvement. With a professional, you can break down the posture with those stride lengths and patterns while you sprint. Your biomechanics is highly key to how well your speed improves. Someone might already look like they’re moving fast but might also miss out on their potential when they don’t have better form. Simple plyometrics and power-based training are the next most important pieces in speed training. The athlete should always focus on how well they can recruit the motor neurons and muscle fibers to develop power. Movements that focus on hip drive, and knee drive such as box jumps, broad jumps, hanging power cleans, and plyo hops are just a few of what can be done in speed training. Those movements would help the body be accustomed to the necessities of sprinting. Athletes must have strength in order to become faster. Strength is stability through full range of motion, mobility to get to full range of motion, and muscle mass for quick power production and to move load. Therefore, you must add strength training in the routine to attain speed improvement. When executed well, simple exercises such as lunges and splits are some of the best movements to have in your speed training because unilateral training focuses is like training on the fundamentals of how our body moves. In all, if someone wants to get faster, they must understand the biomechanics and all the components at hand to improve. Doing sprints without strength training is pointless nor when you leave out power development over running. -Coach Andy Louis This huge frenzy on the risks of youths doing strength training causes parents to stay close-minded about getting their kids stronger and healthy. The misinformation about strength training causing harm to youths that is circulating between non-professional is causing more harm to the youth population than expected. Introducing your kids to strength training is one of the best things you can do for them.
Strength training in youth will help maintain a healthy body composition early on. Today one in three youths is overweight or obese and that rate has been slowly increasing as more kids are becoming sedentary due to their environment. The number of kids that aren’t doing strength training regularly has increased by 2% over the past 5 years and according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, obesity increases the risk of other serious physical and mental health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, anxiety, and depression. Kids can use strength training as a form of stress release, a form of good distraction to attain a better body composition or as an introduction to higher responsibilities and forming good habits. In all, having your kids exercise will help improve their overall health, self-esteem, and confidence. When involved in a consistent strength training regimen, youths will have an increase in bone density, protecting the body from basic injuries when falling. Proper implementation of strength training in youths helps promote growth hormone release from the on-going stress of the exercises. If they participate in recreational sports, strength training provides an extra layer of protection with the built up strength from the growing muscles. It also increases their performance in their sport and body coordination by increasing neural muscular connectivity. Although we’re promoting strength training, we are not disregarding the risk factors such as volume, load, intensity, and most importantly form. When introducing youths to strength training, professionals and parents must always keep in mind that the kid won’t get hurt unless they are doing something their body is not capable of executing with proper form. The intensity of the exercise must match the maturity of the kid while understanding the biomechanical requirements. The volume should focus on non weight bearing exercises first to learn the biomechanics of the movement before either increasing the load or progressing to a more complex movement. Ultimately, strength training in youths has more benefits than risks and parents should be more inclined to have their kids participate in a professionally supervised and coached strength training program than focusing only on the rumors that tend to go around about strength training. Injuries can happen to anyone, professional or novice when the exercise is done incorrectly. -Coach Andy Louis Sleep and exercise are closely intertwined aspects of overall health and well-being. Everyone should know the importance of their relationship and how one can influence one another, such as sleep quality, and conversely, how sleep quality can affect exercise performance and recovery.
Regular exercise can help improve sleep quality by promoting the onset and duration of sleep. Physical activity increases the secretion of hormones such as melatonin, which regulates the sleep-wake cycle. The better the sleep quality and duration, the better the overall health and performance. An individual with low sleep quality will need more focus and creativity. They will have slow decision making which can jeopardize their performance in their sport, and will be highly fatigued from inadequate recovery. Adequate rest allows the body to recover and repair broken tissues from exercise and other stressors, replenish energy stores, and regulate hormones necessary for muscle growth and repair. It also plays a crucial role in cognitive function, including decision-making, reaction time, and focus, all of which are important for exercise performance. Yet that may only be the tip of the iceberg when discussing sleep quality and its relationship to exercise It has been proven that regular exercise can reduce symptoms of insomnia and improve overall sleep patterns as it regulates the circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is the internal biological clock that controls physical, mental, and behavioral changes in an organism over a 24-hour cycle. Circadian rhythms are influenced by exposure to light and darkness and are regulated by an area of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus. This internal clock influences hormone release, body temperature, and metabolism, and is closely tied to sleep patterns. To better Optimize sleep for exercise, one must set a consistent sleep schedule. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day helps regulate the body's internal clock and promotes better sleep quality. If you have trouble getting ready to sleep at night, engaging in relaxing activities before bedtime, such as reading, meditating, or taking a warm bath, can signal to the body that it's time to wind down and prepare for sleep. Avoiding exposure to screens like smartphones, and computers before bed can improve sleep quality by reducing arousal and promoting relaxation. By prioritizing both sleep and exercise as integral components of a healthy lifestyle, individuals can maximize the benefits of physical activity, improve overall well-being, and optimize exercise performance and recovery. -Coach Andy Louis The topic of static stretching before exercise or performance training is often debated in the fitness community. Thus, we get countless professionals advising their clients that they need more static stretching to attain better flexibility. Historically, static stretching was commonly performed as part of pre-exercise warm-up routines to increase flexibility and prevent injury. However, more recent research has suggested that static stretching immediately before exercise may not be as beneficial as once thought and could potentially decrease performance in certain activities, especially those that require explosive power or strength. We will discuss why static stretching before exercise or performance training can mislead you and what countermeasures we can take as an alternative.
It is proven that static stretching before speed, power, and strength training decreases performance in those given activities. A study from the journey of strength and conditioning research on stretch-induced strength loss showed a temporary decrease in performance metrics such as power, strength, and speed specifically with short-head muscle groups when stretched at a neutral or passive position. Short-head muscle groups are mainly composed of fast-twitch muscle fibers. Weakening these muscle fibers before any form of explosive or strength-related training will alter your performance at the exercise, making you feel slightly weaker or quickly fatigued. Although each body may have a different response to static stretching, the temporary relief it might bring does not solve the root cause of the issue. We tend to see athletes complaining about tightness in the lower back, hamstrings, or glute medius. Their concept and understanding of static stretching is that it would not only alleviate but also solve the problem. At SPU, we prioritize teaching our clients why we do what we do in a specific way. It is known that treating the root cause of a problem will bring more accurate long-term benefits than when treating the symptoms. In our biomechanical integrity analysis, athletes who fail their passive straight leg raise often complain about being tight or not flexible. From our perspective, we might already know what the root cause is of limiting their range of motion from the other components of the test and making that connection to a better conclusion. Athletes’ first thoughts are not going to be pelvic structure, hip flexor strength, internal hip rotation mobility, or neuromuscular anatomy. In short, we break down our findings from their assessment and we then address any issue or limitation with pre-hab short exercises as part of their warmup and other alternatives. When it comes to warming before performance training, we have all athletes foam roll all the major muscle groups. Foam rolling’s main purpose is to help increase blood flow throughout the muscles and release the potentially dehydrated myofascial connective tissue layer that sits on top of the muscles. The myofascial connective tissue can be another root cause of a range of motion limitations and feeling tightness. Typically, the muscle when taken outside of the body can be stretched relatively up to six times its regular length, therefore, the muscle length is not the issue. Our further alternative warmup strategies are incorporating dynamic movements and stretches. Dynamic stretching involves controlled movements through a full range of motion, which can help increase blood flow, muscle temperature, and joint mobility without the potential negative effects of static stretching. The increased flow in the joints and muscles puts your body in a better state to perform. While the necessity of static stretching before exercise is debated, its benefits as a post-exercise activity for improving flexibility and reducing muscle soreness are widely acknowledged. Incorporating static stretching into the cool-down routine following a workout can help maintain or improve flexibility over time. In summary, static stretching before exercise may not be necessary for everyone, especially for activities requiring explosive power or strength. Alternative warm-up strategies like dynamic stretching may be more appropriate in such cases. However, static stretching can still play a valuable role in improving flexibility and reducing muscle tightness when incorporated into a comprehensive fitness routine. -Coach Andy Louis What role do hormones play in physical training? What does it mean to train for hormonal responses? The release of hormones in the body when training plays a crucial role in various physiological processes. That includes muscle growth, fat metabolism/ energy, and overall health. Here are some aspects to focus on when training for a favorable hormonal response.
Individuals and athletes can incorporate resistance training into their program, preferably compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and rowing variations to have effective hormonal responses which will engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Hormones such as testosterone are then released during heavy compound lifts and result in enhanced muscle growth and strength development. IGF-1, a form of growth hormone, is released during heavy compound exercises and helps facilitate muscle repair and helps stimulate protein synthesis. Insulin is also increased during resistance training which also helps improve glucose uptake by muscles and enhanced nutrient delivery for muscle repair and growth. Increasing volume, exercise variation and intensity will result in the release of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine(T4) from the thyroid gland which regulates energy expenditure. They also play a role in protein synthesis and muscle function, indirectly influencing strength training adaptation. However, we have cortisol, which is often referred to as the stress hormone. Cortisol levels can become high from overtraining and not properly recovering. While acute increases in cortisol can be beneficial for energy mobilization during exercise, chronically elevated cortisol levels can have catabolic effects, breaking down muscle tissue and impairing recovery. Proper rest and recovery between workouts will help manage cortisol levels. In contrast to the elevated stress, Epinephrine and Norepinephrine are released in response to intense physical activity. They increase heart rate, blood pressure, and energy availability, preparing the body for exertion during strength training sessions. Estrogen and Progesterone (in females) play a role in muscle growth and metabolism. While estrogen levels are typically lower in men, both estrogen and progesterone can influence muscle repair and recovery in women after resistance training. By understanding how these hormones respond to physical training, individuals can tailor their workouts, and recovery strategies to optimize muscle growth, strength gains, and overall performance. It's important to note that individual responses may vary based on factors such as genetics, age, sex, and training status, therefore, always consult with a professional for a more tailored program -Coach Andy Louis The term toning is a word that has been circulating the fitness industry like a newest trend. The arguments associated with the concept of "toning" often stems from various factors, including misconceptions, unrealistic expectations, and societal pressures. To make sure the proper information is given to all of our athletes and followers, we will discuss these few factors that cause some professionals and others to find toning infuriating.
Firstly, the term “toning” can mislead you and give you a misconception of what it really means. The term "toning" is often used in fitness and wellness contexts to imply the development of lean muscles and a more defined physique, typically through targeted exercises and dietary changes. However, the concept of "toning" can fuel the myth that there are specific exercises or techniques that can miraculously "tone" certain body parts without significant changes in overall body composition. Myself as a professional in the industry would often get into a discussion or debate with family and friends regarding toning and losing weight around certain body parts. Like, there are no specific exercises to lose facial fat or neck fat. Such misleading concepts will steer many individuals into the wrong expectations and often will not get the results they hoped for. Secondly, the term “toning” can bring unrealistic expectations to individuals. Many individuals may become frustrated with the idea of "toning" because they have the wrong expectations about what it entails and what results they can achieve. Also, this is often the realization of their body composition, the hard truth, and effort that will come to attain the “tone” physique. In a way, we can blame the media for what standards they put for toned bodies which often create unrealistic standards that can be difficult, if not impossible, for many people to attain, leading to frustration and feelings of low self esteem. Lastly, we find the term “toning” infuriating because it tends to make individuals lose their focus on what is truly important when it comes to our overall well-being. Toning will lead you to focus on overall appearance over better health. The emphasis on "toning" can sometimes prioritize aesthetic goals which may not be the necessary outtake for all individuals. This can be frustrating for individuals who prioritize their physical and mental health over achieving a specific appearance. We are all built differently and all have different capabilities when discussing better health and fitness. This is why professionals in the industry must do a better job educating and advocating individuals on functional training and self-acceptance to better help them achieve their goals. Overall, the frustration with "toning" often stems from a combination of unrealistic expectations, societal pressures, and a lack of understanding our differences and being knowledgeable on functional training. It's essential for individuals to focus on holistic approaches to health and wellness that prioritize self-acceptance, realistic goals, and evidence-based practices. -Coach Andy Louis The body is meant to function as a unit, therefore it has developed a system in which it can functionally operate to either stabilize, endure, push, pull, or stretch when doing certain movements. When we break it all down, the body will always need to have both concentric and eccentric strength to properly function. Those who are lacking in either of them will have it show in their fundamental movement patterns. We tend to always have misconceptions when discussing concentric and eccentric based strength training. We also find a lot of individuals developing asymmetry in muscular strength which in turn distorts their physique and performance. So first, let's break down the terms "concentric" and "eccentric" to better understand their roles in strength training.
Concentric Muscle Contractions are when muscles shorten as it contracts against resistance. It is commonly referred to as flexing. For example, during a chin up, the concentric phase is when you lift your body weight off the ground to pull yourself up bringing the upper chest to the bar which would then primarily contract the lats, rhomboids, biceps etc… The eccentric muscle contraction phase would control movement on the way down to where you started, lengthening the muscles as they resists against your body weight. While both concentric and eccentric contractions are important for overall muscle strength, balance and development, eccentric strengthening often receives less attention despite its significant benefits. Here at SPU we have many reasons why we implement eccentric strength training in our athletes program. Firstly, eccentric strength training helps stimulate muscle growth and pure strength. The eccentric contractions can generate greater force compared to concentric contractions, leading to greater muscle damage and subsequently greater muscle growth and strength when properly recovered. During the hypertrophy phase for an athlete of the appropriate age, we tend to put some form of eccentric strength movements to help them gain some lean muscle mass in the off-season. Secondly, eccentric strength training helps with the root cause of injuries and treating symptoms. By putting the joints through certain stress, it helps improve the athletes’ joint stability, reducing the risk of injuries, particularly in activities involving deceleration or sudden changes in direction. Lastly, eccentric strength training can easily help with improving functional strength. Many everyday movements involve eccentric muscle actions, such as lowering oneself into a chair or descending stairs. Strengthening the muscles eccentrically can improve performance and efficiency in these activities. As we age, eccentric strength becomes much more valuable. With cases of post surgeries, eccentric strength training is often used in rehabilitation programs to ensure a safe recovery. In all, we can not neglect the importance of eccentric strength training because it helps with the basis of fundamental and functional movements more than just focusing on training concentric movements. -Coach Andy Louis |
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