The health of our knees are largely dependent on 3 factors; The following techniques will help strengthen your knees and prepare you for an active spring and summer. Strengthen your hamstrings & calves; Multi-directional lunges – 3 sets of 10 reps for each leg Bridges/ hamstring curls using a Physio/exercise ball, 2 sets of 12 […]
Sports performance is a huge field that is continually expanding in information, techniques, nutrition & recovery. If this is the case, than why are we still allowing teens to be trained by inexperienced high school coaches ?
As a certified strength coach/specialist, I am asked frequently why some teen athletes perform at a level that seems years ahead of their teammates/peers and why are certain athletes always injured ? The answer to these questions is “qualified conditioning coaches” who care.
As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), I have been noticing a huge increase in non-contact injuries among high school volleyball players. My daughter has been on a club team for 3 years & played 2 years of high school ball, and during each season there has been numerous injuries to ankles, knees & shoulders, which are common in the sport. The injuries that are alarming are related more to chronic hip, back and knee injuries that have sidelined athletes for entire seasons, or in two instances, ended their competitve careers. Since volleyball is a NON-CONTACT sport, one begins to realize that these injuries are most often attributed to either A) Incorrect biomechanical skills, & B) Lack of proper conditioning &/or fatigue from overtraining.
Many young athletes are currently training for one or more sports. In season, off season & between season terms are used alot but for most of us(including coaches & trainers) they can be very confusing. What needs to be emphasized ? Do we do bodyweight or free weight training ? Push harder or taper off & maintain what we have achieved. Confusing,? you bet!! That is why I have come up with programs for athletes that will help them recover, train & condition with different methods and movement patterns, which will enhance their upcoming season.
The Gary Gray Functional Training Institute was founded by Gary Gray P.T., MS & Dr .David Tiberio P.T., M.S. Both of these therapists have been involved in the rehabilitation & athletic training field for over 40 years, working with a wide range of patients & clients.
After working in the field for a short time however, Mr Gray realized that the protocols that were being used to rehab certain injuries were NOT very effective because of re-injury & return of many of his patients. The treatment called for “isolating” the area of injury & treating it in that manner.
As a result of this high rate of failure, he began to study the body differently then what schools were teaching students at the time in the physical therapy programs.
Do I do more long duration, endurance work or do I focus on doing short intense intervals of work until you drop ?
This debate has been on ongoing one in the fitness field for many years & has caused a great deal of confusion for athletes & the general public. They are both different methods of training the cardio-vascular system, and I feel they BOTH have their benefits and also their limitations or drawbacks. First of all, let us define each & see what they have to offer.
