To celebrate Labor Day, we will be open on an abbreviated schedule. Please note the following changes to our schedule:
[This post is written by John Grace, CSCS - Athletic Development Coach at Athletic Lab]
“RICE” (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) has been a common theme among many practitioners, coaches, athletes, parents, etc., to start the rehabilitation process when an injury occurs. Your body has its own mechanisms to repair injuries. For the majority of the time, we should rely on our body to repair itself. Some governing bodies still use this mnemonic to treat injuries to this day. This acronym is not totally false, but it’s not entirely true, either.
Our body has two systems that are closely related to recovery: the circulatory system and the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is primarily responsible in healing the body. The lymphatic system constitutes a one-way transport system that operates in conjunction with the circulatory system. Its primary function is to transport excess interstitial fluid, from the interstitial space, back to the blood circulation, via the thoracic duct.(1) Think of this as a one way road to the city dump. One thing that aids in ridding waste through the lymphatic system is muscle contraction due to the compression of the muscles. A muscle contraction can be as little as walking or jogging. If the area is immobilized, it can be as simple as wiggling the fingers or toes. Muscle contractions act as a plunger which pulls the waste out of the muscle.
When we hear rest, we normally think of posting up on the couch, immobilizing the affected area. With some injuries such as broken bones, severe sprains, etc. we have to immobilize the area because it can’t be moved without excruciating pain. But, with other less severe injuries, we tend to rest them too long. This could potentially increase the amount of time it takes for the injury to heal. Muscle activation is the key to remove waste and deoxygenated blood which is causing inflammation. Without muscle activation or contraction, the lymphatic system is not as efficient in ridding the area of deoxiginated blood and waste. Rest doesn’t really make sense in this case. Don’t try to flex a broken bone, duh. But, do come up with a way to vacate the swelling from the inflammatory cycle.
Ice and cold water immersion has been highly refuted by most studies. Topical icing and even ice baths (which are used by many athletes on a professional level for recovery) actually shut off signals between muscles and nerves, which can prolong the recovery time. “When ice is applied to a body part for a prolonged period, nearby lymphatic vessels begin to dramatically increase their permeability (lymphatic vessels are ‘dead-end’ tubes which ordinarily help carry excess tissue fluids back into the cardiovascular system). As lymphatic permeability is enhanced, large amounts of fluid begin to pour from the lymphatics ‘in the wrong direction’ (into the injured area), increasing the amount of local swelling and pressure and potentially contributing to greater pain.” (2) Many people are under the assumption that more ice is better, but it actually has the opposite effect. Generally, people spend extended periods of time (~20-30 minutes) icing one area. Within this time frame it is possible that some negative effects, such as frostbite and nerve damage can occur. There is a time and place for ice, but it easily can be used in the wrong context.
Compression and elevation are still good things. To go along with the idea of the muscles forcing the waste into the lymphatic tubes due to contraction, compression can help do the same. Compress the area tightly (without cutting off circulation) with elastic bandages, clothing, etc. Compression should be applied very shortly after an injury has occurred. Elevation can be applied in this case as well. Elevation above the heart can help decrease buildup of waste and deoxiginated blood to the affected area.
“RICE” does not do our injuries justice any more. Remember to compress and stay as mobile as possible, while keeping the injured area safe from re-injury.
References:
K. N. Margaris and R. A. Black. Modelling the lymphatic system: challenges and opportunities. Journal of The Royal Society Interface. (2012). doi:10.1098. rsif.2011.0751. Published Online
Meeusen R, Lievens P. The use of Cryotherapy in Sports Injuries,’ Sports Medicine, (1986) 3.6. 398-414. Print.
[This post is written by John Grace, CSCS - Athletic Development Coach at Athletic Lab]
Repeat sprint ability (RSA) is a unique quality that very few athletes possess. RSA is running max-effort sprints, multiple times, with inadequate rest. RSA is predominately needed for court and field sports. Typically, these short sprints last from 4-10 seconds with a recovery time of 10-30 seconds (2). Just to give you an idea of how short of rest period this is: as a general training guideline purely for speed work, allow 1 minute rest per 10m sprinted. In 5 seconds an elite athlete has the ability to run 40-50 meters. Approximately four to five minutes would be an appropriate rest time for this sprint distance; 30 seconds is nowhere near what an athlete would need to fully recover from a maximal sprint effort.
It is important to include some training to improve single-sprint performance (e.g. ‘traditional’ sprint training and strength/power training); and some high-intensity (80-90% maximal oxygen consumption) interval training to best improve the ability to recover between sprints (1). Keep sprint days to roughly ≤300m total. With this guideline, there are many different ways you can set up RSA training days. For example:
Your aerobic and anaerobic systems both play a part in RSA. The best way to attack this is from both fronts. Learn how to run fast, and then run fast repeatedly. It is of little value to try to improve RSA when your reps aren’t quality (fast) reps. If you’re not running fast… you’re running slow, and there’s no use in running SLOW repeatedly.
References:
Bishop D, Girard O, Mendez-Villanueva A. “Repeated-sprint ability - Part II: Recommendations for Training”. Sports Medicine. (2011). 41.9. 741-56.
Morin, Jean-Benoît; Dupuy, Jérémy; Samozino, Pierre. “Performance and Fatigue During Repeated Sprints: What is the Appropriate Sprint Dose?” Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. (2011) 25.7. 1918-1924.
[This post is written by Drake Webster, CSCS - Athletic Development Coach at Athletic Lab]
Post activation potentiation (PAP) is the bodies potentiating response to a near maximal activity prior to a different movement. The effect is a higher rate of force output and this response can last from 2 to 12 minutes. Several mechanisms can cause this effect. The first reason is the amount of motor recruitment in fast twitch muscle fibers is greatly increased. The second reason is increased myosin light chain phosphorylation. This means that myosin has a higher rapid rate of binding to actin, which in turn means faster muscle contraction.
Now, if you are a speed-power athlete then you could see how PAP can help. Faster muscle contraction for a 100 meter dash could be the difference between winning and losing. A higher amount of fast twitch muscle recruitment could mean a new personal record for the clean and jerk. So what can you do to take advantage of this phenomenon?
There are multiple ways to achieve this, near maximal quarter squats prior to a power activity, resisted sprints before un-resisted sprints, or heavy dead lifts prior to Olympic lifting. The key is to make sure fatigue doesn’t cause the performance to be hindered. A recovery period should be implemented prior to the competition lasting longer than 2-3 minutes but shorter than 12 minutes.
PAP is also better used for athletes that are highly trained and can handle what is effectively a training stimulus prior to a competition. An untrained individual won’t elicit the same response and may be too fatigued from the potentiating exercise to compete at a high level. PAP may be a mouthful and also a new technique for many, but is very beneficial for speed-power athletes. When it comes to elite level performance, athletes are looking for every advantage they can have. Keep PAP in mind when trying to get every bit of potential out of your athletes.
Reference
Rixon, KP, HS Lamont , and MG Bemben. “Influence of type of muscle contraction, gender, and lifting experience on postactivation potentiation performance..” Journal of strength and conditioning research / National Strength & Conditioning Association. 21.2 (2007): 500-505. Print.
[This is a guest blog by one of our Athletic Interns, Jesse Wang, an Exercise Science student from the University of Oregon]
Power production is an essential skill for any explosive athlete. Increased power will improve sprinting, jumping, and tackling among other activities. Power is a combination of speed and strength. Strength is the ability to apply force and speed refers to the velocity of the movement. Research indicates that the power outputs (watts per kilogram of bodyweight) of Olympic weightlifting movements are significantly higher than powerlifting movements.
The Olympic lifts can be broken down into the first and second pull. The first pull starts off the ground to what is known as the power position. The power position is when the lifter is upright and tall, with the knees bent by 10-20 degrees. The second pull starts from the power position to when the lifter is fully extended at the ankle, knee and hip.
The snatch is the Olympic weightlifting movement where the lifter starts with a wider grip and catches the weight in an overhead squat. An 82.5kg weightlifter had a power output of 2173 watts in the first pull and had a power output 3634 watts in the second pull of the snatch (1).
The clean is the Olympic weightlifting movement where the lifter starts with their hands shoulder width apart, and receives the bar in a front squat position. The 82.5kg weightlifter had a power output of 2123 watts in the first pull and a power output of 3475 watts in the second pull of the clean (1).
In a separate study, the power output of a 100kg male was recorded. The recorded power output of the bench press was 300 watts. The power output of the back squat and deadlift were at 1100 watts. The power output of the bench press is only 8.3% of the snatch second pull and the power output of the squat and deadlift is only 30.3% of the snatch second pull (2).
Coaches may argue that the learning curve of the Olympic weightlifting movements is too high. The ability to teach the Olympic lifts varies from coach to coach [Editor’s Note: Every Athletic Lab coach is recognized by USA Weightlifting as a certified club coach]. According to the data, it looks like it is worth the time to teach the Olympic lifts for optimal power development.
Elite level Olympic weightlifters are capable of snatching over 300 pounds and can clean and jerk over 400 pounds. It is impossible to perform Olympic weightlifting movements at a slow speed. In the powerlifts such as the bench, squat, and deadlift it is not uncommon to see slower maximum lifts. When performed correctly, the Olympic lifts will translate into higher power outputs on the field.
References:
1) USA Weightlifting Club Coach Manual. USA Weightlifting. Colorado Springs, CO (2010). Print.
2) Garhammer, John. “Power Output of Olympic Weightlifters”. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 12.1 (1980). Print.
Our Fall training schedule goes into affect within the next week. The only appreciable changes to the schedule are for the Scholastic Sport Performance Classes. Please note the following changes:
[This post is written by Drake Webster, CSCS - Athletic Development Coach at Athletic Lab]
The title has an intentionally sarcastic tone. The reason is that many ‘experts’ claim to make athletes faster. These same ‘experts’ like to pull out fancy gimmicks and gadgets to train people for speed. The funny thing is that every athlete was born with the greatest piece of equipment to get faster, themselves.
The best way to get faster is to just like the title states, run faster. Many of the new techniques out today are sort of “gimmicks” to advertise to lure people in. Just have athletes sprint, sprint, and then sprint again. Sprint short. Sprint long. Sprint with resistance. Sprint up a hill. You get the point.
Athletes being coached on correct running mechanics will become faster and more efficient runners. Athletes being coached on proper work to rest ratios will increase speed, because the athletes are not fatigued and are focusing on speed development.
Other training can certainly contribute to faster times (strength training, plyometrics, etc.) but in the end if you want to run faster, run faster!
[This post is written by John Grace, CSCS - Athletic Development Coach at Athletic Lab]
Every athlete and fitness enthusiast will undoubtedly encounter a “sticking point” at some point in their career. The sticking point, or plateau, is when an athlete is stuck at a particular training or competition number or weight. For example, an athlete can’t get over a 150kg back squat or they can’t break the 10.0s barrier in the 100m dash. To the athlete, it will become seemingly impossible to ever reach a score or weight beyond the number they are currently achieving. This has the potential to create multiple problems: loss of form, loss of interest, decrease in motivation, unnecessary or premature reliance on anabolic substances, an endless search for plausible ergogenic aids, injury or even the end of one’s sporting career.
The following are some methods that Mel Siff, PhD lists in his book, Supertraining, that could be beneficial the next time you’re going for a max or near-max attempt:
These are just a few methods provided by Siff, PhD, that can be implemented the day of training and don’t require a lot of preparation. If you’re stuck on a certain rep max, try one of these next time you go for a personal best. It could be the difference between matching your personal best and creating an all-time personal best.
References:
Siff, Mel, PhD. (2003). Supertraining (6th Ed.). Denver. Supertraining Institute.
[This post is written by John Grace, CSCS - Athletic Development Coach at Athletic Lab]
For some reason when the Olympics roll around every four years, most people I talk to jokingly say that they can’t wait for the water polo match. Why? I’m not too sure why they use water polo, or handball for that matter, as the butt of their joke. Regardless of the sport, any time an athlete reaches an elite (Olympic) or professional status, it means they’ve done what an extreme majority of people in the world can’t do.
Water polo, along with other sports, such as handball and soccer, combines the unique ability to sprint fast repeatedly with very short rest intervals. What Hohmann and Frase found in their study “Analysis of Swimming Speed and Energy Metabolism in Competitive Water Polo Games” is that these athletes rarely sprint longer than 10 seconds (1). This fact alone, according to the NSCA, tells us that these athletes are mainly dealing with the phosphagen and fast glycolysis systems (2). With the former being your short bursts, high power output energy system.
Training for water polo is very much like soccer from a fitness standpoint because you need the ability to repeat sprints with very little rest. Although, needing a cannon of an arm you could only find on the top Major League Baseball pitching staffs is somewhat of a necessity. Using traditional methods for power development (Olympic lifting and squatting) are always of benefit, but a water polo player must also have a high power output in their upper body due to their throws. The throwing motion is very similar to that of a baseball pitcher, but the baseball pitcher will have the ability to create forces from the ground all the way up through the body, whereas water polo players have no ground support. This is the reason why water polo athletes need to rely significantly on upper body, core and rotational strength. With the swim training, much of the chest and shoulder will taxed and to prevent overuse injuries, much other upper body weight room training should consist of pulling i.e. rows or pull-ups.
These athletes swim over a mile a game (1) on the elite level, which is over 35 lengths on an Olympic-size pool, with a majority being max effort sprints. Pair that along with the kicking, hitting, and the ripping-your arm-out-of-your-socket blocking, I’d call it legitimate.
References:
Hohmann, A. and R. Frase. “Analysis of Swimming Speed and Energy Metabolism in Competitive Water Polo Games”. Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming: Swimming Science VI. (1992). 268-274. Print
Baechle, Thomas R. and Roger W Earle. National Strength and Conditioning Association. Essentials of Strength and Conditionging. 3rd ed. Champaign IL. Human Kinetics. 2008. 32. Table 2.3. Print.
[This post is written by John Grace, CSCS - Athletic Development Coach at Athletic Lab]
Consider two cars. On one end you have a 1988 Yugo, who’s engine runs well and can get you around at the 30mph speed limit all day without an issue, and on the other you have a 2012 Porsche Boxter, with a gem of an engine that has enough power to go from 0 to 60 in 5.5 seconds. You direct them both to drive 60mph down the highway. Both cars are able to keep up for a while at 60mph at the same pace. The Porsche Boxter is only at a fraction of its potential, but the Yugo is going 90-100% of its maximum speed. Eventually the Yugo starts shaking, becomes overheated, and has to pull off to the side of the road. The Porsche Boxter can go for hundreds more miles without skipping a beat and staying at a relatively easy pace. In essence, this is running economy.
This concept can be flipped and used to relate to speed/power development as a means to improve running economy. Running economy, defined as the steady-state VO2 for a given running velocity1, dictates the amount of oxygen one’s body would have to consume to stay running at a given pace. Running economy is most crucial for athletes, such as triathletes, long-distance runners, or even middle-distance track and field athletes.
Paavolainen, et al. studied this concept: speed and power training = improved running economy (5km running times in this case). With two training groups in the study, Group C and Group E consisted of 32% and 3% of training hours devoted to sport specific explosive-strength training2, respectively, with the rest of the training devoted to endurance and circuit training. With significantly more resistance training in Group C than in Group E, they proved, that the higher resistance trained group, group C, out-did group E in their final 5k times after a 9 week training program.
Speed and power development have a place in every sport, with some being more prevalent than others. Train outside the confines of your sport while keeping specificity in mind. It’s all how you manage your training and progress your athlete through these training cycles and phases that will give you the certain outcome you are looking for.
References:
1. Morgan DW, Martin PE, Krahenbuhl GS. “Factors affecting running economy”. Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.). 7.5 (1989): 310-330. Print
2. Paavolainen et al. “Explosive-strength training improves 5-km running time by improving running economy and muscle power”. Journal of Applied Physiology. 86.5 (1999): 1527-1533. Print
