Athletic Lab

[This is a guest blog by one of our Athletic Interns, Matthew Jessee, an Exercise Science student from Appalachian State University]

Why is speed so important? Speed is a vital aspect to virtually all sports beyond track and field. When faced with equally talented and skilled opposition it becomes the faster person who breaks away for the touchdown, or gets to the loose ball first. This is why we train athletes to become faster. There are various methods used to enhance sprint speed such as assisted sprinting, resisted sprinting, strength training, and plyometrics.

You want to make sure your athlete is running correctly because proper sprint mechanics will make them more efficient at producing forces in the proper direction. This will ensure that their energy is being utilized to its fullest potential with minimal loss.
Assisted sprints are generally aimed at forcing the athlete to move faster in order to increase frequency. The theory behind this is that the athlete will have to take faster steps to keep up, and over time the nervous system will adapt to this new pattern. Some examples of assisted sprinting would include assisted towing, high speed treadmill sprinting, and downhill sprinting. The main goal of resisted sprinting is to indirectly increase stride length through training the muscles involved in hip extension. This would allow the athlete to efficiently push off with more force during each foot contact, in turn creating a longer flight phase and stride length. Some examples of this training would include resisted sprinting, and uphill running. Some things to consider if implementing assisted or resisted training are make sure your athlete is maintaining proper mechanics, and will the skills learned transfer well to the playing surface?

Strength/ power training is the next method. This is your work done in the weight room.  The goal is to train your athlete to take advantage of all the adaptations that take place in your body following resistance training, as well as become stronger. You want to make sure your program will be transferrable to the sprinting (biceps curls won’t make you faster).This is known as the principle of specificity. The muscles most important to running are those involved in hip flexion/ extension, knee flexion/ extension, and ankle flexion/ extension with the musculature of the hip being most important.  So exercises which reflect these mechanics are best, such as squats or their derivatives. Although squats don’t mirror the velocity of sprinting they can still be beneficial mainly for starting/acceleration. The best way to mirror the velocity of full speed sprinting is to incorporate explosive exercises such as the Olympic lifts. The Olympic lifts are highly dependent upon the same muscles that are used for sprinting.
Lastly plyometrics should be incorporated as well. Plyometrics are beneficial because they train the body’s stretch shortening cycle or SSC. The SSC is useful because it is a reflex which helps to produce greater muscle contractions (force) than a normal voluntary contraction alone. Sprinting is highly dependent upon the SSC, therefore training it can be highly beneficial. Like resistance training plyometrics should be specific in nature. You want them to look mechanically similar to running.

When training an athlete it is best to use a variety of methods for the most improvement. On any given day, those who come in to the Athletic Lab with the goal of improving their speed and performance can be seen using these methods to be at the top of their respective sports.

[This is a guest blog by one of our Athletic Interns, Stephanie Shaw, an Exercise Science student from ECU]

Results. This is what athletes expect from a training protocol. Sure, there are temporary benefits from training such as stress relief and enjoyment, but ultimately athletes and coaches want results.

The best way to determine if an athlete is progressing is by testing them. Seems simple right? Well, there are a few things to take into consideration before testing an athlete. First, it is important to determine what needs to be tested. Some sports may have different biomechanical and physiological requirements than others. For example, a long distance runner does not need to necessarily be tested on their agility, while with a football player or soccer player this would be extremely important to incorporate. In an article from the, “Strength and Conditioning Journal”, they found that acceleration and max speed is very important to add to a testing battery for soccer players because it relates to the game. A soccer player sprints about every 90 seconds in a game, which in a 90 minute game this would be extremely important.

After determining what needs to be assessed it is then important to determine what test works best. There are many different tests out that can assess the same thing. To test strength, you can do the bench press or back squat. To test aerobic capacity, there is the 2-mile run for time, the beep test, the Yo-Yo Intermittent recovery test, and many more. To determine what test works best you have to again look at the sport and skill level of the athlete. You would not want someone who has never performed a back squat to do a 1RM back squat to test their strength. It would be better suited for them to do a squat jump test instead. The same goes for upper body. If there is an athlete who has never bench pressed before, you would not want them do a 1RM bench press to determine strength. Instead, a two minute pushup test would be recommended. Going back to the article from the “Strength and Conditioning Journal”, they found that for soccer players, the best way to assess speed is to have the athletes perform the 30 meter sprint test. This works best for soccer because 96% of sprints are 30 meters or less. It would then be unnecessary to have them perform a 40 meter test. This is why, here at Athletic Lab, the 30 meter sprint test is the number one method used to test max speed.

Once you have decided what needs to be tested and what test to use, it is then important to determine when the testing should be implemented. Testing should not fall within 2 days before or after competition due to fatigue affecting the match or the testing results. Lastly, make sure testing is assessed the same way each time. For example, when using the 1RM back squat there is a depth requirement. If for the first test you do not make sure they go at least parallel, but then the next time you test them more strictly then this could skew the accuracy of the results. It is important to make sure each test is implemented the same. After this has all been taken into consideration it is time for testing!!

[This is a guest blog by one of our Athletic Interns, Sarah Gilmore, an Exercise Science student from UNC]

When the term “carb” is mentioned what are the first things that come to mind? Pasta? Bread? Potatoes? These are all indeed sources of carbohydrates in the average diet but they are not the only sources nor are they necessarily the best ones. The media has trained consumers to acknowledge whole wheat and whole grain as the best choice of carbohydrates. These options are better than white bread for the average meal but instead of solely focusing on looking for these whole grain/wheat foods in their diet, consumers need to be retrained to look at carbohydrates as either simple or complex.

Scientifically, a carbohydrate is identified as an organic compound that consists of only carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Carbohydrates are then generally classified into two groups: simple carbs and complex carbs based on their composition. What difference does this make to an athlete/exerciser? Simple carbohydrates are smaller strings of atoms that are readily available as an energy source to the body. While this may sound like an ideal thing to have right before exercising that is actually not the case. Because simple carbohydrates are so readily available, they are used up quickly giving athletes that instant high followed by a crash when the supplies have been depleted. Instead simple carbs are best after a workout when the muscles are damaged and benefit from the quick energy supply to immediately repair the muscle and replenish the glycogen supply that has been depleted. Complex carbs are the types of carbs best to eat before exercising as well as throughout the day. The reason for this is that complex carbs are more difficult to break down into an energy supply so they provide energy for longer. A good analogy for this relationship is that of fire fuel. Newspaper and dry leaves burn and are used up very quickly. When cooking with logs on the other hand, it takes a lot longer to get the fire going but once started it will continually burn for a long period of time. It’s the same with the simple and complex carb energy supply. Simple carbs immediately use up all the energy, which can be good if you need an immediate energy supply such as for a diabetic needing sugar or after exercising and complex carbs provide a smaller, continual source of energy, which is better when partaking in a long sporting event or carrying on daily life between meals. Simple carbs include foods such as sugar, milk, fruit, candy and soda. Complex carbs include vegetables, whole wheat/grain products, and beans/lentils.

As always, there are exceptions to the rule and some foods classified as simple carbs based on their composition actually burn energy longer than some foods classified as complex carbs. So while simple/complex is a better way of looking at food than just whole-wheat vs. not, the best way of looking at food is based on its glycemic index (GI). The glycemic index is established based on research evaluating how quickly certain foods affect the level of sugar in the blood stream. Higher glycemic foods enter the blood steam more quickly but as described before are depleted more quickly and may led to the crash. Since the average consumer will not memorize or know the GI for every food the differentiation between simple and complex carbs will suffice but a quick chart of some GI values is included below.

[This is a guest blog by one of our Athletic Interns, John Grace]

I recently read an article by Loren Chiu and Eric Burkhardt on squatting technique and a proper progression to optimize technique, “A Teaching Progression for Squatting Exercises”.  It was a great read and I’d like to share the main points to the article.

Squatting is one of the most fundamental, most used, exercises among strength and conditioning programs.  One reason is because your lower body is the powerhouse. The lower body has more potential to produce a much greater power output in comparison to the upper body. Secondly, there are numerous variations of squatting to incorporate into one’s program that can target slightly different muscle groups. We will take a look into one less common squat, the plate squat, which is aimed at perfecting form and technique, and should precede the overhead squat, the front squat, and the back squat.

The plate squat is performed by taking a 10kg bumper plate, placing one end on the middle of the trainees head and the other end grasped by their hands, keeping the humorous parallel to the ground.  While descending into the squat, you want to maintain the parallelism between the humorous and ground at all times. You may place a volleyball or other lightweight ball on the bumper plate to indicate if the plate has dropped forward or below parallel.  If the plate does drop below parallel, “it is indicative of excessive forward trunk inclination and/or spinal flexion” At the bottom portion, the trainee should have the weight distributed between the heel and the forefoot, the torso upright, the back flat, and knees should end slightly ahead of the toes.

Having the correct equipment is a must with any squat attempt.  Bumper plates offer safety benefits that iron plates found in traditional gyms can’t give you.  With bumper plates you have a major advantage training with heavy loads because you can simply “dump” the weight if you cannot perform another rep without damaging equipment, the facility, or putting spotters in danger.  Getting rid of some major tonnage from overhead or on your back might be intimidating to some, but if performed correctly, can save you from some major injuries. With the overhead squat, you can simply dump the weight in front or behind you. The front squat will allow you to push the weight out in front of you while jumping your body back to avoid injury.  While the back squat can be the most difficult, you also can thrust the weight overhead and dump it in front while jumping back or can push the weight off the back while jumping forward.

The article then went into discussion on the overhead squat, the front squat, and back squat, in that particular order.  The authors thought this progression would be the most efficient way of teaching a trainee how to squat.  From what I gathered, they used this format to progress from light weight to heavy weight. Theoretically, one would be able to lift a heavier load with a back squat than a front squat, more on a front squat than an overhead squat, and more on an overhead squat than the plate squat. The article stated the authors have primarily worked with athletes (who are more than likely to be more flexible and stronger than the general public).  In my opinion the plate squat can be an excellent teaching tool to use within the general population, but progressing right into an overhead squat can be a little too technical for some to comprehend, therefore I would most likely start with a light back squat and progress into more technical squatting later on.

I am curious to hear your opinion, as a trainer or strength and conditioning coach, as to what squatting exercise you would prescribe first to someone from the general population, and why?

Also, for the trainee, what do you feel was the most difficult of the three squats (overhead, front, and back squats) to master, and why do you feel it was difficult for you?

[This is a guest blog by one of our Athletic Interns, Drake Webster, an Exercise Science student from ECU]

What can I do to be a better player? What should I do to get me to the next level? These questions are often asked by athletes who are wondering why they are not getting to the next level or playing to their full potential. Many different answers fly around when only one question should be asked right back to them, are you doing Olympic lifts in your program? Many times the answer to this question will be no and this is the answer to the first two questions an athlete often asks.

Olympic lifts are good for sport preparation because of their explosive/powerful nature and also the triple extension that is used in all of these lifts.

Explosiveness or power- These lifts are done with high force in short burst. Every athlete wants to be more powerful than their competition. If you want to increase your power output, incorporating Olympic lifts into the program can get you that power. A research study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning compared peak force, peak velocity, and peak power output of power lifters, Olympic weight lifters, sprinters, and a control group. The study showed that Olympic weight lifters had the highest peak force and velocity which means they had the highest peak power of all the groups. The study also goes on to say that these lifts can be very specific for sports and may be required to reach peak power needed for some sports.

Triple extension- Most if not all sports have triple extension during the sport. Triple extension is when the ankle, knee and hips are all extended. This is often achieved when doing a jump or sprinting. So even though you may not think about doing triple extension, it is happening all the time in sports. When you are consistently doing triple extension in your training through the Olympic lifts hen when you are on the field the triple extension movement will be a lot more natural and also more powerful.

Olympic lifts are a very important part of many strength and conditioning programs but also some programs lack the Olympic lifts. If the goal is for you to be the most powerful athlete and able to jump and sprint faster than Olympic lifts should be involved.

The fitness, health and physical capacity of a professional athlete’s body is of tantamount importance to both their livelihoods and their performance. That’s why so many elite and professional athletes come to Athletic Lab tro train. And unlike other facilities that SAY they are training elite and professional athletes, we actually ARE training them. You can see them around Athletic Lab on a daily basis. At the present time, we have professional and elite athletes from MMA, baseball, soccer, skeleton, and track and field training at Athletic Lab. In fact, over a quarter of our clientele are elite or professional athletes! Why is this relevant to those not looking to win an Olympic medal or earn a contract extension in their sport? Because you know if these athletes choose Athletic Lab to meet their goals that we can definitely meet your needs. Whether, you’re an aspiring high school athlete, wanna-be pro, or a fitness enthusiast, Athletic Lab has the facility, experience, and expertise to provide everything you need to achieve your goals.

[This is a guest blog by one of our Athletic Interns, Stephanie Shaw, an Exercise Science student from ECU]

Train, train, and train some more. This seems to be the motto these days for many elite athletes. It is easy to become consumed by your sport and think you have to train hard all day everyday, but when does your body have time to recover? Not enough people think about how important sleeping is for their body to be able to heal and perform at peak performance.

Having the optimal amount of sleep is very beneficial for performance, because your body naturally releases Human Growth Hormone (HGH) when in a deep sleep. HGH helps with not only metabolizing fat, but also with recovery and healing of the body. If you train all day every day without sufficient amounts of sleep, then your body will not recover and heal. If your body does not have enough time to heal, then training will not be nearly as beneficial, and you could also run the risk of hurting yourself and overtraining.

A study performed on 11 healthy athletes from the men’s basketball team at Stanford University showed that after increasing the amount of sleep of each athlete by around 110.9 minutes a night, their overall ratings of physical and mental well-being improved. Their speed during 282-foot sprints also improved from 16.2 seconds to 15.5 seconds and their shooting accuracy by 9% on free throws and three-point field goals.

Here are a few tips on how to help improve your sleep:

• Have the room completely dark (or as dark as possible) when going to bed.
• Try and have a regular sleeping schedule.
• Clear your head before going to bed. Write down any thoughts or things you have to do the next day.
• Avoid drinking any caffeinated beverages or alcohol before going to bed.

[This is a guest blog by one of our Athletic Interns, John Grace]

Beta alanine, unlike creatine, is a lesser known supplement in the fitness world, but becoming more popular.  Beta alanine is on the verge of becoming as well known as creatine for its performance benefits.  While creatine boasts its ability to create a higher power output in subjects, beta alanine not only helps with strength and power, but also increases muscular endurance. 

Beta alanine has been getting praise for its ability to stabilize pH levels and act as a lactic acid buffer, but it is really carnosine that makes beta alanine look like a star. So what is carnosine? During exercise, hydrogen ions (H+) are released, causing performance to plummet.  When our body accumulates a large amount of H+ ions, our muscles pH levels drop, or becomes more acidic (the burning sensation in muscles).  Carnosine helps stabilize muscle pH by soaking up these H+ ions that are released at an accelerated rate during exercise.
I know the next question that you may be asking. Why not just take carnosine instead of beta alanine? Carnosine actually gets broken down in the GI tract into beta alanine, while some is also escaping.  Beta alanine then has to get converted back into carnosine. In this conversion process, you lose a substantial amount of the initial carnosine you have just ingested. From a financial standpoint, it is much more effective to purchase beta alanine.

Like creatine, beta alanine has very generalized dosing across all products and manufactures.  In a study done by “Nutrition Research” in 2008, 4.5 grams per day of beta alanine supplementation proved “higher training volumes and lower subjective feelings of fatigue”. 

Ingesting beta alanine may cause a prickly feeling on the skin.  Don’t worry, this is normal.  It is caused by the beta alanine binding with nerve receptors, activating them and causing them to fire.  Beta alanine, by no means replaces creatine, but it is the ultimate 1-2 punch to be taken with creatine to benefit strength and power, as well as, muscular endurance.

[This is a guest blog by one of our Athletic Interns, Matthew Jessee, an Exercise Science student from Appalachian State University]

Have you ever wondered why a kangaroo hops? They are utilizing the elasticity of the tendons in their legs. This allows them to not only jump higher and cover long distances quickly, but they are able to do this without expending very much energy which is critical when living in harsh conditions. They do this using the powerful tendons in their legs. Humans might not be able to jump 20 feet in a single bound nor run at speeds at 40mph, but we can utilize the same principles to enhance performance.

The basic anatomy of skeletal muscle has a tendon attached to either side of the muscle which connects both ends to different bones. When the skeletal muscle contracts (or shortens) it brings the bones closer together decreasing or increasing a joint angle. These muscles and tendons have elastic properties similar to a rubber band. Imagine taking a rubber band and stretching it far apart, then letting it snap back. There are three phases to the stretch-shortening cycle. We will use a vertical jump to discuss these phases.

The first is the eccentric phase, or the countermovement. This simply means you are stretching the involved muscles and tendons. In the vertical jump this would be squatting down before jumping upward. Think of the rubber band the further you stretch these muscles and tendons the more energy you are storing to jump higher in the concentric phase. During this stretch you are pulling on specialized muscle fibers called muscle spindles that detect tension in the muscle. When a stretch in the muscle is detected it activates a reflex which causes the muscle to contract with a large amount of force.

The concentric phase is the contraction of the muscles required to perform the movement; in this case a vertical jump. During this movement not only are the muscles shortening to produce the movement but the tendons after being stretched are returning to their normal length; this adds a lot of extra force to your upward movement compared to just using muscle contraction alone. Remember during this phase the muscles will contract stronger than usual due to the muscle spindles.

The key to harnessing this elastic energy is the amortization phase. The amortization phase is the phase between the eccentric, and concentric phase of the stretch-shortening cycle. Unlike the rubber band our body takes energy to keep the muscles and tendons under tension. If we are in the bottom part of our jump too long most of our elastic energy will be lost as heat, we will lose force and usable energy, resulting in a lower vertical jump. The amortization phase should be as short as possible to harness as much energy as possible. So we should jump vertically as soon as we finish our countermovement. The less time between squatting down and jumping upward the higher our jump will be. Try experimenting with this. First squat down into jumping position and hold for about 5 seconds (the stored elastic energy will be released as heat) then jump. Next try squatting down quickly and immediately jumping as soon as you reach the bottom of your squat. Which jump was higher?

Now that we understand the basics of the stretch-shortening cycle we should train our body to utilize it effectively. One way to do this is to utilize plyometric training within a program. Plyometrics utilize various jumps, throws, and hops performed with countermovement in a quick, powerful manner. This type of training allows one to become more efficient at producing power which is a vital component to many different sports and activities.

Ever wonder why you feel fine right after your workout but you get progressively more sore in the 24-48 hours following. This nice guest blog will tell you what’s happening.

[This is a guest blog by one of our Athletic Interns, Anthony Williams, an Exercise Science student from NCCU]

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) can be described as muscle pain, soreness, or stiffness that presents itself within the body after a day or two after exercise. Most of the time DOMS occurs when you begin a new exercise program, change your routine, or increase your intensity when you exercise. Some people new to exercise are not aware of DOMS, but actually it’s a normal process to a new exercise. This also enables your body to adapt and help lead to greater strength, gains and stamina as your muscles recover.

Studies indicate that DOMS is related to microscopic tearing of the muscle fibers and the amount of tearing relates to how hard and how long you exercise. Basically any movement you are not accustomed to can lead to DOMS. It’s been shown that eccentric muscle contractions or movements that contract muscles while they lengthen can cause the most soreness. An example would be downward motion when lowering the weight on a bicep curl, or the downward motion of squats and push-ups. At the present time, there is no known way to treat DOMS however ice and anti-inflammatory medications may reduce discomfort.