Australian Sports Conditioning

Core Stability

2011-07-13T15:17:00+00:00

Core stability training has been a buzzword for some time in the athletic and personal training world and it has been interesting to see the interpretation by some practitioners. Kibler and colleagues (2006) provide a good summary of some of the literature on the subject and provide a clear set of assessment and training protocols to restore or improve core function, which can be applied to athletic and general populations alike. Be aware there is a bit of anatomy and kinesiology in this one. Should you have questions regarding specifics of the anatomy or kinesiology please feel free to email questions to:Core Stability Questions

What is the core?

Core comprises of the spine, hips, upper leg and abdominal structures. The muscles in this region are key to transferring energy from the large body segments to small body segments. The central location of the elements of the core allows the distal (lower legs and arms) to perform movements required in athletic activities, providing proximal stability for distal mobility. The core is crucial in almost all activities of the extremities such as kicking, throwing and running. Therefore injuries to the extremities should be assessed with consideration of core function.

Definition of Core Srtability

“The ability to control the position and motion of the trunk over the pelvis and leg to allow optimum production, transfer and control of force and motion to the terminal segment in integrated kinetic chain activities”

In other words the core positions and holds the body in the optimal position to allow athletic movements to occur in an optimal fashion. This will improve movement efficiency and power while decreasing the chance for injury to the lower back and other areas of the body.

Anatomy and Physiology

Most of the major prime movers of the body attach to the core (consider latissimus dorsi of the back or the hip flexors and extensors and knee flexors and extensors). The core muscles themselves are numerous and varied in their type and function, some being very small and spanning just one joint (for example multifidus providing segmental spinal stabilization to very local and specific parts of the spine) to large multi-joint, multi-segment muscles such as psoas major, spanning the hip, femur and lumbar spine. It is also important to consider the muscles of the abdomen and their vital role in creating a strong central “cylinder” particularly when the shape of transversus is appreciated wrapping around the abdomen like a corset. The obliques and rectus abdominus are also vital in contributing direction specific strength.

Before the movement of large body segments the deep core muscles activate increasing the pressure of the contents of the abdomen and thus supporting the lumbar spine creating a stable foundation. Crucial to the functioning of the hip and pelvis are the major muscles of the area, hip flexors and extensors which provide not only great power and locomotive actions in sports and daily life but also serve to fix the pelvis and thigh. However this power cannot be used as effectively without a well functioning core. These muscles are even included in throwing activities, and contribute approximately 50% of the total force delivered through the arm, this is assisted by the thoracolumbar fascia that connects the legs to the arms.

Muscle action is based upon preprogrammed muscle activation patterns that improve with practice. These activation patterns are dependant either on limb length in single joint activities or force when performing actions based on a number of joints. Evidence shows that in a high-speed arm motion such as a throw the intial activation comes from the calf muscles (Gastrocnemius and Soleus) of the opposite leg to the throwing arm. In addition baseball-throwing activity has been shown to initiate in the opposite external oblique. By being able to develop more force at the right time in the muscles that are close to trunk such as the “typical” core muscles and stabilizers of the shoulder such as rhomboids and trapezius the muscles of the arm can concern themselves less with force generation and more with precision making for more accurate throwing with greater efficiency. Ultimately this will result in better performance and less injury. This is demonstrated in the calf muscles as well where activation of the muscles close to the body increases plantar flexion (pointing the toes) strength by 26%.

Things to look for

In developing a core rehabilitation or training program for the athlete is crucial to understand their specific issues to get the best out of their training time. A few simple tests can aid this process. While objective assessment is difficult and various practitioners have described many techniques, Kibler and colleagues (2006) have found the following to be particularly useful.

Standing on one leg:

The athlete drops the hip on the contralateral leg – Indication weakness in the deep core (Transversus, internal obliques).

The athlete “corkscrews” to bring the hips over the leg they are standing on – Indication of hip abductor weakness (quadratus lumborum and gluteus medius and minimus) predominantly.

There are no standard tests described in the literature however single leg balancing is a good starting point looking for the conditions described above. This can be progressed to single leg squatting once again assessing the movement deviations described above. Three plane testing can be done by asking the athlete to stand side on proximately 8cm from a wall with the weight born on the inside leg. The athlete should be able to lightly touch the shoulder to the wall without losing balance. This test can be repeated to the front and back giving a good indication of eccentric control and strength.

Rehabilitation

Athletic requirements of the core are as for most muscles incorporating flexibility, balance, strength and endurance. Initial work should focus on specific weaknesses, poor movement patterns and inflexibilities. Progression should move quickly to global movement patterns in sport specific movements addressing the entire kinetic chain as described in the anatomy and physiology section.

The rehabilitation protocol should begin by addressing the deep core muscles (tranversus, multifidus and quadratus lumborum) due to their direct attacment to the pelvis and spine, which make them most responsible for the central portion of core stability. Side planks and isometric trunk rotation are good exercises to achieve these goals.

To progress to extremity stability incorporate forward and side lunges into the program. For the upper body, begin to introduce pulling movements initially with both arms then single arms and eventually single arm and single leg moving from ipsilateral (the left arm and leg) to contralateral (right arm, left leg). Cue the athlete to put their elbows in their back pocket will assist in achieving the desired scapular position.

Rehabilitation should avoid using movements in one plane or that isolate single muscles. This may be appropriate early in the training program but should be moved on quickly to more functional exercises. This will ensure a rapid return of development of normal biomechanics. These functional exercises should be begun with the extremity (arm or leg) close to the body and progressed to bring the extremity further from the body. The philosophy of core training and rehabilitation should be to build a base of stability and strength and progressed to develop control in increasingly distal (further from the centre) movements. The concept of the core becoming the “engine” of force generation through out the body.

In summary the core can provide proximal strength to maximize distal mobility. This requires the muscles of the core to switch on at the right time and fixate the pelvis and spine with as much force as is required to hold the base stable so the extremities can achieve the desired action in the most efficient way.

Practitioners should have a detailed understanding of the anatomy and kinesiology of the core and related structures to best assess issues inherent to specific athletes and develop the best rehabilitation and training programs. For this it is best to work with a qualified strength and conditioning coach or physiotherapist.

Reference

Kibler, W., Press, J. & Sciascia, A. (2006). The role of core stability in athletic function. Sports Med, 36 (3), 189-198.

Developing Explosive Power in Athletes

2011-03-22T12:25:00+00:00

Many factors contribute to the development of power and it has been controversial for many years as to wether it is best to train heavy with the intent to move quickly or to train light and actually move quickly. We looked previously at light power training versus heavy power training. This month we look at a literature review which sums up the research to 1994. While a bit on the old side it seems that more recent studies have confirmed the opinion of the Newton and Kraemer (1994) such Glenn and colleagues (2000). The final conclusion seems to be that strength and power development are specific to the speed at which they are trained.

Developing Explosive Power in Athletes

Increasing the power output is a key concern of strength and conditioning coaches as this translates into improved running speed, jump height, throwing capability and many other actions involved in sports performance. Given that the formula for power = force x (distance / Time). Assuming the distance can not be changed or is the dependant variable as it would be in most cases we have two other numbers in the equation to work with: force and time.

It has been observed that in untrained athletes simply making them stronger (increasing the force) would result in greater power (as measured by jump height) this is only one aspect of the equation and in any case how does this relate sports where there is a low force required such as in running. Is it better to develop power by increasing force production or increase contraction speed and to what extent does one affect the other?

This has been an area of debate, which was summed up by Newton and Kraemer (1994) where they examine the literature for the best loading protocols that have been found thus far. We will add to that summary by looking at some of the more recent work to attempt to develop a loading pattern that will work with your athletes.

The key to all explosive activities are the ability to develop as much force as possible in the shortest possible time and the muscle’s ability to continue to produce high levels of force as it shortens (considering the limitations of the length tension relationship).

In factors contributing to explosive muscular power the first, which has been well considered, is the ability to develop a high amount of force. This has been traditionally trained through heavy weight training. The problem is that as weight increases speed decreases. When most coaches consider strength they typically think of 1 repetition maximum strength where a maximal weight is lifted through one complete repetition. A huge amount of research has been conducted on how to develop 1RM strength despite the fact there are few sports that this specific kind of strength is specific to. Primarily power lifting, perhaps some aspects of rugby union scrimmaging. Most sports however require strength at much faster velocities. Newton and Kraemer (1994) point out that the name power lifting is not appropriate name for the sport as there is no requirement to move the weight quickly. Olympic Weightlifting would seem to be a more fitting sport as a power sport where speed is required to successfully complete the lifts.

“From an athletic perspective we should consider strength as the force capability of the muscle for actions ranging from the fastest eccentric to the fastest concentric”

(Newton & Kramer 1994)

In other words the athlete should be aiming to generate the most amount of force possible at the required/maximum speed. Maximal strength does contribute as all movements start at slow velocities or from a stationary position and so strength is required to initiate the movement. However once the initial movement has begun maximal strength becomes of little relevance, instead specific speed strength becomes more important.

There have been a number of studies that have shown that strength training improves jumping ability (Adams et al., 1992; Bauer et al., 1990; Clutch et al., 1983;, Wilson et al., 1993). Hakkinen and Komi (1985a) found a 7% improvement in vertical jump height following 24 weeks of resistance training. This seems a modest improvement when considered next to the study by the same authors where training with a lower weight (and thus higher speed) found a 21% increase in jumping height on average (Hakkinen & Komi 1985b). This demonstrates that the training effect is velocity and force specific.

It is important to consider that training results are not always consistent with this principle due to complicated combination of force development characteristics of the muscle that go to developing explosive power not to mention individual coordination and movement pattern. In the studies using untrained subjects simply improving squat movement patterns will likely improve vertical jump height.

The studies that have been cited above all tend to point to one key direction, which fits within key laws of athletic training. Movement speed as with all training is specific to the type of training stimulus provided to the athlete. The coach must consider which aspects of an athlete’s power are the week point in the chain. Is the issue the initial force development an issue? In which case maximum strength and heavy power training would be important. On the other hand, if the athlete shows slow peak velocity then high velocity training should be the focus

References

1. Adams, K., O’Shea, J.P., O’Shea, K.L. & Climstien, M., (1992). The effect of six weeks of squat, plyometric and squat-plyometric training on power production. Journal of Applied Sports Science Research, 6: 36-41.

2. Bauer, T., Thayer, R.E., & Baras, G. (1990). Comparison of training modalities for power training development in the lower extremity. Journal of Applied Sports Science Research 4:115-121.

3. Clutch, D. M., Wilton, M., McGown, C. & Bryce, G.R., (1983). The effect of depth jumps and weight training on leg strength and vertical jump. Research Quaterly, 54:5-10.

4. Hakkinen, K. & Komi, P. V., (1985). Changes in electrical and mechanical behaviour of leg extensor muscles during heavy resistance strength training. Scandinavian Journal of Sports Science, 7:55-64.

5. Hakkinen, K. & Komi, P. V., (1985). The effect of explosive type strength training on electromyographic and force production characteristics of leg extensor muscles during concentric and various stretch shortening cycle exercises. Scandinavian Journal of Sports Science, 7:65-76.

6. Harris, G. R., Stone, M. H., O'Bryant, H. S., Proulx, C. M. & Johnson, R. L., (2000). Short-term performance effects of high power, high force, or combined weight-training methods. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 14(1), 14-20

7. Newton, R. U., and Kraemer, W. J., (1996). Developing explosive muscular power: Implications for a mixed methods training strategy. Strength and Conditioning, 16(5). 20-31.

8. Wilson. G. J., Newton, R. U., Murphy, A. J. & Humphries, B. J., (1993). The optimal training load for the development of dynamic athletic performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 25: 1279-1286.

Heavy v Light Power Training

2011-01-04T19:11:00+00:00

Training specificity has always been a key component of athletic preparation. There has been discussion for some time over the best training loads for developing power in athletes. In this article we look at optimal training loads for the development of power

The Effect of Heavy- v Light-Load Jump Squats on the Development of Strength, Power and Speed

McBride and colleagues (2002) investigated power and speed development utilizing different training loads and as a result movement speeds. The resistance trained non-elite athletes were split into two groups and heavy jump squat training group, a light jump squat training group and a non-training control group. Differences in the three groups were examined after an 8-week training period.

The heavy training group underwent the following training protocol: Training was carried out on a braked Smith machine configured to minimize the impact on the landing phase of the exercises. A linear position transducer was used to determine bar displacement although it is unclear if this information was made available to the subject during the training (this is significant as in the last article we looked at the training effect was increased by 20% when the subjects were given this information during their training sets). After a warm up on a stationary bike they performed 2 warm up sets of 6 jump squats one with the bar alone and the next with 50% of their 1RM. This was followed by 4 sets of 6 jump squats at 80% of their 1RM squat weight.

The light training group underwent the following training protocol: As with the heavy training group all training was carried out on a braked smith machine with a linear position transducer attached to the bar. They performed 1 warm up set of 6 repetitions with the bar alone. They then performed 5 sets of jump squats at 30% of their 1RM squat (number of repetitions not noted).

The control (non-training group) maintained their usual activity routines.

The total amount of work between each training group was configured to be approximately the same, which results in the slightly different training protocols between groups and both groups trained twice per week.

All three groups were instructed no to perform any additional explosive type training during the training period, such as sprinting or Olympic lifting.

Before and after the training period tests were carried out on all participants on their Agility (T-Test), straight line speed (20m Sprint Test), electromyography (muscular electrical signals), strength (1 Repetition Maximum Squat) and vertical power (jump squat) at 30%, 55% and 80% of 1RM Squat.

In the jump squat testing the subjects were tested for peak force, peak velocity and peak power, jump height and work.

Results

Neither group showed a significant difference between the numbers of workouts, sets or reps performed but the heavy training group did significantly more work than the light training group although there were no correlations found between the relevant performance variables and work performed. Both groups significantly improved their 1RM squat during the training period by around the same amount (the heavy training group increased their squat on average by 3kg more than the light training group).

At 30% or 1RM the light training group improved peak power, peak velocity and jump height however the heavy training group significantly increased peak force.

In the 55% of 1RM testing conditioning the light training group increased peak force, peak power and peak velocity.

In the 80% of 1RM testing condition the light training group increased peak force, peak power and peak velocity where the heavy training group only increased peak force and peak power.

In the agility tests both training groups significantly decreased their time.

In the sprint tests the heavy training group significantly increased their time over the first 5m but there was no significant difference between the groups in the other distances of the sprint test.

The EMG data showed that there was significantly more electrical activity for the the light training group in the light testing conditions and significantly more electrical activity for the heavy training group in the heavy testing condition. Both groups significantly increased muscular electrical activity in comparison with the control group at 55% and 80% testing conditions but only the light training group increased their muscular electrical activity at the 30% testing condition.

Discussion

The findings of this study indicate that training adaptations are velocity specific as has been indicated by other studies. The underlying training principle demonstrated here is that specificity is key and as a coach it is important to decide upon the qualities that you wish to train. Where movement velocity is paramount then training light and fast is the most appropriate training mode. In sports where athletes must also overcome significant weight such as in rugby, American football and Olympic weightlifting then training heavy and fast would seem appropriate to the demands in the sport as key factors to performance include developing a large force quickly. Again this needs to be considered with in the context of the players position where a prop forward (rugby) or a lineman (American football) will need to generate a high peak force as they need to overcome heavy and strong opposition. Alternatively a winger (rugby) or a running back (American football) will need to generate high peak velocity as sprint speed is crucial to success for these positions.

An interesting finding was that the intention to move quickly was not successful in improving peak velocity which is converse to Behm and Sale’s finding. What is more important from this study is that the actual movement itself is rapid.

Conclusions

From the results of this study the main conclusion seems to be that training at a low weight and thus high velocity will develop improved velocity, in activities such as sprint speed, agility, throwing and jumping. These developments may not be useful for athletes who need to generate a high force rapidly in activities such as scrummaging or lineout lifting in rugby but will be usefull for line out jumpers in rugby or positions in various sports that require high movement velocity with low resistance such as sprinting, throwing or other jumping activities.

Refernces

McBride, J. M., Triplett-McBride, T., Davie, A. & Newton, R. (2002). The effect of heavy- vs. light-load jump squats on the development of strength, power and speed. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 16(1). 75-82.

Providing Real Time Feedback to Athletes Improves Power Output

2010-12-16T14:23:00+00:00

We all know we are more motivated by feedback. The more accurate that feedback is and the more objective it is, the easier it becomes for us to set goals and to measure if we have achieved those goals. A series of studies has also shown that providing realtime feedback on power output on every repetition can significantly enhance power output during a training period.

Providing Real Time Feedback to Athletes Improves Power Output

One of the best ways to motivate an athlete is to provide feedback on results. Usually we do this by recording weight lifted and regular testing. It seems intuitive that if feedback could be provided on every rep in real time athletes would push themselves harder to beat themselves and team mates. This was examined by Hasegawa (2010) in the literature and found that the science supports monitoring real time power can produce significant improvements in power.

There are a number of possibilities available to the coach for providing feed back to the athlete in real time giving reliable data for such things as power, velocity, bar displacement and ground contact time.

Linear Position Transducers (LPT) are common devices whereby a cable is connected to a bar (or athlete). Linear or rotary decoders measure the displacement of the cable. By knowing the extent of the displacement of the bar and how long it took the calculation for velocity is relatively easy (velocity = displacement/time). Once velocity is calculated power and force can both be determined. Devices currently on the market are linked to hand held devices or PC’s which can display the results of the calculations per repetition.

Accelerometers have become a very widely used device recently with the usage of Iphone and other similar smart phones. Accelerometers are very lightweight and can be easily attached to a barbell or athlete. They are able to measure three dimensional displacement and acceleration from which they can also determine velocity force and power.

Most devices designed for laboratory use have been shown to be valid and reliable making it possible to compare results between and within individuals relatively easily. This can be used to compare athletes in a testing session or to look at improvements of an athlete over time.

Jandacka & Vaverka (2008) in a six week training study showed that lifting speed decreased as weight increased in a strength training exercise. This effect was decreased if the athlete was instructed to maintain the lifting speed throughout the set. However barbell speed was decreased during the set if the athlete was given verbal feedback on lifting velocity obtained through an LPT. The authors proposed that this was due to a greater utilization of fast twitch muscle fibres which fatgue more easily. Where athletes performing 10 repetitions of bench press with no feedback decreased lifting speed by approximately 20% by the last repetition. Athletes who received feedback decreased lifting speed by around 50%. The non-feedback group was able to increase bench press power by 28.4% where as the feedback group was able to increase their bench press power by 45.5%. This most likely relates to the increased fatigue of the fast twitch muscle fibres leading to an increased training effect specifically on these fibres.

In a study on collegiate American Football players by Behm and Sale (1993) athletes were divided into three training groups. Speed controlled training, jump squat training with no feedback and jump squat training with feedback. They found that although there was no difference in velocity during training between the two jump squat training groups, in the post training test the feedback group had significantly improved their bar speed.

In an applied study an experienced male shot-putter trained for three weeks using the snatch prior to the first competition. After that competition the subject trained with the snatch for a further three weeks to the next competition in training the subject was given verbal, real time feedback on power output. He was instructed to stop training when his power output went below 80% of his maximum. There was no increase in the athlete’s one repetition maximum (1RM) but there was an increase in power at all percentages of the athlete’s 1RM.

These studies demonstrate that monitoring and providing real time feedback to athletes can significantly improve power output over the course of a training period. This information may also be useful in helping coaches to monitor training and ensure that athletes peak correctly as well as determine the optimal power profile of each athlete in their training.

References

1. Hasegawa, H. (2010). A real time feedback and monitoring of speed and power in resistance training for athletes. 7th International Congress on Strength Training Abstracts 2010. 51-54.

Jandacka, D. & Vaverka, F (2008). A regression model to determine load for maximum power output. Sports Biomechanics, 7(3): 361-371

Behm, D. G., & Sale, D. G. (1993). Intended rather than actual movement velocity determines velocity-specific training response. Journal of Applied Physiology, 74(1), 359-368.

The Training Philosophy of ASC

2010-08-30T19:38:00+00:00

Recently ASC has been asked a number of times what our training philosophy is. Therefore I have decided to post the publication that I created on the website for all to access and understand how strength and conditioning training from ASC is so different and I hope you agree better than what most athletes are doing in the gym.

Our Training Philosophy: Train Like You Play

At Australian Sports Conditioning our philosophy is simple “Train like you play”. If there isn’t a valid argument for how a training exercise relates to your sport, we wont do it.

A lot of recreational and professional athletes go to the gym, few actually benefit in the competition arena as a result of their hard work.

Why? Because they are doing non-specific, unrelated exercises. Top athletes and recreational athletes alike are still doing such classic exercises as bicep curls, hamstring curls and leg extensions. Can you name an activity that is mimicked by any of these exercises?

These exercises are attractive because they are easy to teach and safe for beginners. They also have a feeling of intensity (the burn) due to the limited ability of a small muscle to remove lactic acid so people feel like they are working hard. Hard maybe, smart? Definitely not.

ASC realizes this and creates strength training programs that are specific to athletes’ sports. Our strength training programs begin by addressing athletes’ specific issues such as poor movement mechanics, postural deficiencies, muscular imbalance, stability and specific rehabilitation concerns.

The Strength and Conditioning Coach is a key part of the modern coaching team. They do not replace physiotherapists but work closely with them. The Strength and Conditioning Coach has a unique knowledge of athletic preparation and can assist the physiotherapist in getting the athlete from the physio table to the competition arena.

The Process of Creating an Athlete that is Strong for Their Sport

Once the athlete has established sound movement patterns ASC builds a strong foundation, as nothing can be built without a strong foundation. Exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench press, chin ups and bent over rows are the basic building blocks on which to build sports specific exercises. We use exercises that use multiple joints and multiple muscles and require a degree of balance and coordination (we never use machines because there are no machines on the sports field).

Having established a base fitness we move on to make it sport specific here we ask specific questions like:

Do they take off on one foot or two?
What actions do they do with their arms?
Do they need to jump high or long?
Do they need to throw or perform a throwing type activity?

Australian Sports Conditioning works by following these basic principles:

Correct movement patterns:

Ensure that the athlete can do the basics right; running and jumping. This can be corrected as we build the base strength.

Base Strength:

The foundation on which everything else will be built.

Strength Specificity:

Increase strength as it applies to the sport.

Power development:

Improve the athletes’ ability to move quicker and higher.

Power Specificity:

Adapt the improved power to the specific movements of the sport.

In terms of the principles of periodisation these phases fit into the overall training plan. This plan is typical of a sport that requires single-periodisation (where there is one long season such as football) the plan is different from those such as swimming where multiple-periodisation is required. In multiple-periodisation the training year is divided into small blocks with the pattern below repeating itself for each important competition.

Anatomical Adaptation phase – General Preparation Phase
General Strength Phase – General Preparation Phase
Maximal Strength Phase – General Preparation Phase (sport dependant)
Strength Power Conversion – Specific Preparation Phase
Power Consolidation – Pre-Competitive phase
Maintenance – Competitive Phase
Transition – Transition Phase

Sample progressions of athlete training programs

Step 1: Establish if the athlete matches the optimal model athlete for their sport.

Motor skills
Muscular strength
Muscular power
Power to weight ratio
Take off mechanics
Landing mechanics
Core stability

These issues are corrected during the general preparation phase, step 2 incorporates the majority of corrections.

Step 2: Establish good movement patterns – Anatomical Adaptation Phase/General Strength Phase

General strength
Improve activation of key muscle groups (gluteals, quads, hamstrings, calves, core
Use balance exercises (specific to the sport)
Take off and landing exercises
Core stability

Step 2 is completed during the general preparation phase.

Step 3: Increase power (and therefore jump height) – Strength Power Conversion Phase

Focus on increasing speed of concentric phase of the lift.
Introduce jumping.
Progress to loaded jumping, Counter movement jumps, box jumps, jump squats, depth jumps.
Core Stability

Step 3 is completed during the specific preparation phase.

Step 4: Increase specificity to sport – Power Consolidation Phase

Once two-legged performance is satisfactory progress to single leg if required.
Incorporate angles and rest periods specific to the sport.

Step 4 is completed during the pre-competitive phase.

Step 5: Maintain performance – Maintenance Phase

In season, the hard work has been done.
Keep the athlete injury free and manage those injuries that do occur.

Step 5 is completed during the competitive phase.

Step 6: Recovery

Getting, bigger, faster and stronger needs more than hard work. Recovery ensures the adaptation process happens as quickly as possible so adaptation can follow. The principle is simple; train hard plus recover well equals best performance. ASC devises workable recovery plans for athletes, professional and amateur alike feel better, train better and compete better when the take an active role in their recovery.

Good hydration, good nutrition, good post exercise recovery strategy means best possible performance next time.

Finally

The concepts are simple and modern:

Train like you want to play –

Replicate movement patterns, without teaching skills.

Build a foundation –

Make sure the athlete uses key muscles appropriately and make sure that they are strong in core movements

Adapt the foundation to the sport –

Strength, Speed, Power, Balance, Joint stability

Maintain –

Keep the athlete going through their competitive season

Rest and recover –

Get the athlete optimally recovered for the next training or competition

Test –

Where are we starting from, where do we need to go, is what we are doing working? These are key questions and fitness is highly quantifiable. Regular testing keeps players motivated and reveals problems.

Australian Sports Conditioning can deliver highly professional programs, coaching and consultancy for motivated teams and individual athletes of all sports using these principles adapted to the individual, their position and their sport.

Creatine May Attenuate Muscle Damage

2010-08-17T11:49:00+00:00

We have examined creatine before but from the point of view of performance enhancement and optimal supplementation methods, Rosene and colleagues look at another aspect: the attenuation of muscle damage by creatine after exercise. More work is needed in this area but it looks as if there maybe yet another benefit to this nutritional supplement.

Short and Longer-term effects of creatine supplementation on exercise induced muscle damage

Author: Johan Rosene and colleagues (2009)

Australian Sports Conditioning has examined creatine previously from the point of view of optimal supplementation however we have been receiving queries as to if it is actually effective. This recent study looks at one more advantage to creatine supplementation in sports performance.

Training hard is crucial to sporting success, however training fatigued will produce poor practices, lower than optimal force output and skill performance. Practice is only effective if it is perfect, therefore it should be performed in a fully recovered state. Looking for ways to recover from hard training quickly so that more sessions can be fitted into a training period is crucial.

This study investigated if creatine decreased the amount of exercise induced muscle damage and facilitated recovery from exercise induced muscle damage. In this study two groups were used, one taking creatine and one taking a placebo. Each group participated in an eccentric (muscles are under high force while lengthening) exercise protocol designed to enhance muscle damage. Prior to the supplementation protocol each group was assessed for maximal strength (dynamic and isometric), knee range of motion, muscle soreness and serum levels of creatine kinase (CK). Both groups consumed 20g/day of creatine (or placebo) for seven days followed by 6g/day for 23 days. At day 8 and 31 subjects completed the exercise protocol and data were collected on indirect measures of muscle damge. These were:

Maximal Isometric Force – attempting to lift a load that is too heavy
Knee range of motion
Muscle soreness – as perceived by the subject
Serum levels of CK – Creatine kinase is a bi-product of exercise and is a good indicator of muscle damage
Serum levels of LDH – Lactate dehydrodgenase, more commonly known as lactic acid

Previous studies have shown that creatine supplementation has a number of positive effects on protein synthesis. Such positive effects include; increased muscle fiber cross sectional area and changes in the way that the DNA of the muscle fibres is created. These findings suggest that creatine will have an effect on muscle damage.

Other studies have shown that supplementation did not have an effect on indicators of muscle damage (Rawson et al. 2001). However in comparison to the study being reviewed here supplementation was only continued for 5 days. It was suggested that the extent of the exercise caused a degree of damage that was too great to be attenuated by the creatine as the damage went beyond a cellular level. Rawson and colleagues (2001) suggested that a five-day supplementation protocol was not enough to have an effect.

This study found similar results where in the short term creatine supplementation had little effect on indicators of muscle damage. However over the long term the effects of creatine supplementation were positive at the 31 day test. That is, when the subjects were tested at day 7 there was little difference in markers of muscle damage between the two conditions. When the subjects were retested at day 31 the creatine group recovered significantly faster and the degree of damage as measured by the markers was significantly less.

The exercise protocol in this study and that performed by Rawson and co-workers (2001) was designed to create extreme levels of muscle damage, greater than that expected to occur in most athletic activities. The study recommends protocols that more closely replicate loads that represent those experienced by athletes would be of interest to study.

Many studies have looked at performance enhancements due to creatine and the advantages of taking creatine as an ergogenic aid are broadly accepted. The concept of creatine aiding recovery from the point of view of attenuating muscle damage is relatively novel. From this study it is hard to conclude if creatine attenuated muscle damage or if creatine simply reduced recovery time. What seems evident from this study is that the creatine assisted recovery one way or the other.

1. Rawson, E.S., Gunn, B., & Clarkson, P.M. (2001). The effects of creatine supplementation on exercise induced muscle damage. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 15, 178-184.

2. Rosens, J., Mathews, T., Ryan, C., Belmore, K., Bergsten, A., Blaisdell, J., Gaylord, J., Love, R., Marrone, M., Ward, K., & Wilson, E. (2009). Short and longer-term effects of creatine supplementation on exercise induced muscle damage. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 8, 89-96.

Chocolate MIlk for Recovery

2010-07-14T16:34:00+00:00

We examined the possibility of milk as a recovery aid last year and this year we are going to look at more recent research from Gilson and colleagues (2010). This study used chocolate milk as a recovery beverage following a period of increased training duration (ITD) as compared to a carbohydrate rich drink. They found that milk decreased post exercise levels of creatine kinase (CK)*.

*Creatine Kinase is a chemical that is produced as a result of muscle damage. By examining the levels of CK in the blood, referred to as serum CK or plasma CK. The amount of CK present in the blood after exercise is related to the exercise intensity and duration (load). CK levels are also related to recovery the faster the recovery after exercise the faster CK levels drop. Usually the levels of CK are related to other indicators such as muscle soreness, feelings of fatigue and other indicators of fatigue and recovery are all related to CK levels in the blood. Therefore CK levels in the blood give an objective means to measure tissue damage and recovery from exercise.

The subjects were American collegiate football (soccer) players (NCAA Div I). It is accepted that this population fits the criteria of trained athletes, though not elite.

In this study subjects completed one week of baseline training followed by four days of increased duration training (ITD) after each ITD training session the subjects received either a high-carbohydrate drink or chocolate milk both of which contained exactly the same number of calories. Serum CK, myoglobin, muscle soreness, fatigue ratings and isometric (force produced but no change in muscle length) quadriceps strength were assessed and performance tests (T-Test and vertical jump) were also performed. The drinks were administered randomly and a cross over design was used where subjects repeated the protocol using the other recovery beverage following a two-week washout period. The high carbohydrate drink was flavoured with a chocolate carbohydrate gel to give a similar appearance and taste as the chocolate milk and a lab technician not directly involved in the study assigned the different drinks. Anecdotally the subjects were aware that there was a difference in taste but had no preconceived notions about the content or the likely effect of the different drinks.

When recovering using chocolate milk most indicators were the same as for the group using the high carbohydrate drink. However CK levels in the chocolate milk group were lower. While no differences were shown in the performance tests it is of the opinion of ASC that the “in-training” test protocol used for assessment was not ideal and a separate test day should have been programmed when the athletes were rested this may have shown differences between the groups. The drinking of chocolate milk through this study is shown to have similar effects to consuming high carbohydrate drinks post exercise with the addition of decreasing CK levels. This result supports other studies that show that chocolate milk is a good way to recover; these results have often been more convincing. Karp and colleagues (2006) showed that enurance cyclists could ride for longer periods on chocolate milk when compared with other recovery beverages. Thomas and others (2009) showed that chocolate milk was significantly better at improving time to exhaustion in elite cyclists than other recovery beverages one of which was a carbohydrate and protein mixture.

While so far the mechanism as to why chocolate milk should be better at recovering athletes and maintaining performance than other sports drinks is unclear. As drinking chocolate milk can do no harm pre and post exercise ASC strongly encourages all athletes to do so especially as it is a cheap and easily accessible source of nutrition.

References

The full text for this article and references can be found at:

http://www.jissn.com/content/7/1/19

Gilson, S. F., Saunders, M. J., Moran, C. W., Moore, R. W., Womack, C. J. & Todd, M, K. (2010). Effects of chocolate milk consumption on markers of muscle recovery following soccer training: a randomized crossover study.Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 7:19. DOI:10.1186/1550-2783-7-19.

Karp, J. R., Johnston, J. D., Tecklenburg, J., Mickelborough, T. D., Fly, A.D. & Stager, J. M. (2006). Chocolate Milk as a post exercise recovery aid.International Journal of Sports Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism, 16: 78-91.

Thomas, K., Morris, P. & Stevenson, E. (2009). Improved endurance capacity following chocolate milk consumption compared with two commercially available sports drinks.Applied Physiology Nutrition & Metabolism, 34: 78-82.

Programing Strength Training For Children

2010-06-24T11:00:00+00:00

This month's article is lengthy as it give details on programming strength training for children. The recomended process keeps in mind the long term development methods for athletes as outlined by Bayli (1999). Despite these detailed recommendations they are no substitute for a properly qualified strength and conditioning coach.

Strength Program Design and Progression for Children

One of the areas that has been unclear in addressing strength trainig for children is actual program design and progression. Previously other bodies releasing position statements on this matter have made very general guidelines regarding this. The Australian Strength and Conditioning Association has attempted to put together clear guidelines so that coaches can develop safe and effective strength programs for children.

Studies have shown that children can benefit from training where Tsolakis and colleagues (2004) examined the effects of two months of resistance training on 11-year-old boys. The children performed three strength-training sessions per week on non-consecutive days. The 6 exercises were performed on variable resistance machines at 3 sets of 10 with 1-minute rest periods. The children in this study reported no injuries apart from some delayed onset muscle soreness after the first three training session. By the end of the study the children had increased their isometric strength by 17,5% and their resting testosterone level by 124% from the baseline figures. This was statistically significant when compared to a non-training control group.

The ASCA recommends 4 levels of training. These levels are indicated by both age and ability. A series of simple tests has been devised to ensure that the appropriate level of motor control has been developed. It is important when designing programs for children that one keeps in mind the principles of long term athlete development outlined by Bayli (1999).

The levels are:

Level 1 - 6-9 Years of age
Level 2 - 9-12 Years of age
Level 3 - 12-15 Years of age
Level 4 - 5-18 Years of age

These levels are not only age dependant but ability dependant. For a child to progress from one level to the next they are required to complete a number of tests. Only when they have satisfied both age and ability tests may they progress to the next level of development. Therefore if a child is 11 years of age but has not training history and can not perform the test required to move on to level 2 then he or she must start at level 1. Often the child will be able to progress faster through the level due to their increased maturity and development.

To enter level 1 there are no ability tests, the child must simply qualify by age. However to move from level 1 to level 2 the following tests must be satisfactorily completed:

Hold a “plank” position for 60 seconds
Perform 10 well controlled back extensions
Perform 10 well controlled full range double legged squats
Perform 10 well controlled pushups on the toes, chest to touch the ground and arms to achieve full extension
Perform 5 well controlled lunges with the back knee (feather) touching the ground and good balance
Wall squat 90 degrees for 60 seconds
Touch the toes in the sit and reach test with control

These tests primarily assess motor control which is essential to progressing onto more advanced exercises.

To enter level 3 the child must be a minimum of 12 years of age and be able to complete the following tests:

Satisfy the requirements for level 2
Hold the “plank “ position for 90 seconds
Perform 10 well controlled repetitions of bench press at 40% of body weight
Perform 10 well controlled dumb bell rows at 15% of bodyweight in each hand
Perform 10 well controlled chin ups with legs out straight and a supinated (underhand) grip
Perform 10 well controlled lunges, back knee (feather) touching the ground with 10% of body weight in each hand and good balance
Reach 5cm beyond their toes in the sit and reach test

To enter level 4 the child must satisfy the age requirements and:

Satisfy the requirements for level 2 and 3
Hold a “plank” position for 120 seconds
Perform 5 well controlled single leg squats to full range,/li>
Perform 10 well controlled parallel bar dips (for boys) or 10 well controlled bench dips (for girls)
Perform 10 well controlled chinups (for boys) or a 90 second arm hang with the elbows at 90 degrees (for girls).
Perform 10 well controlled repetitions of bench press at 70% body weight (for boys) or 50% of bodyweight (for girls)

In some cases at the discretion of the coach these tests of muscular function and control may need to be modified for children who exceptionally tall or heavy such as basket ball players or rugby players.

The ASCA makes the point that while there are many reasons for strength training the primary goal in stages 1-3 should be on limb control and stability. With increases in strength and size being a bi-product of the movement control programs. By ensuring the intial three stages are properly completed the child can go onto level 4 with more advanced training goals such as improved maximal strength, power, hypertrophy (size) and so on.

Model training Programs

The training programs below are not the only training programs that can be used by the relevant age group but be aware of the general principles of the program such as primarily body weight exercises, stability exercises and so on.

Level 1

At level 1 a circuit style set up is recommended for ease of administration and to keep the children moving through out the duration of the session. An example of such a circuit is shown below:

Basic warm up (5 minute jog or cycle etc plus 2-3 minutes of dynamic stretching)

Step ups (both left and right legs) (quadriceps, hamstring and gluteal muscles) - 20 to 30 cm step or chair
Push ups (pectorals, deltoid and triceps brachii muscles) - off knees initially progressing onto toes as strength increases
Star jumps (quadriceps, adductors, gluteal muscles)
Abdominal crunches (abdominals and hip flexors) - as strength increases progress towards bent legged sit ups
Chair dips (triceps brachii muscle) - initially have legs close to the chair and use the legs and arms to raise the body. As strength increases progressively move legs further away from the chair
90 degree wall sit (quadriceps and gluteal muscles)
Reverse back extensions (lower back, gluteal and hamstring muscles) -lying face down with torso over table or bench and lift legs to level of hips hold top position for 1-2 s and repeat
Hover (abdominal, hip flexor and lower back muscles) - initially off knees progressing to toes

Cool down and stretch - (5 min jog or cycle etc and 5 minutes of stretching)

Progression:

Week 1: Perform 20 s of each exercise for as many controlled repetitions as possible followed by 40 s rest and then move onto the next exercise. Perform 1 circuit - total workout time approximately 25 minutes (including warm up and cool down). Once this circuit is comfortably achieved by the athlete progress onto stage 2.

Stage 2: Perform 30 s of each exercise for as many controlled repetitions as possible followed by 40 s rest and then move onto the next exercise. Perform 1 circuit - total workout time approximately 27 minutes (including warm up and cool down). Once this circuit is comfortably achieved by the athlete progress onto stage 3.

Stage 3: Perform the same as stage 2 but repeat the circuit 2 times - total workout time approximately 38 minutes. Once this circuit is comfortably achieved by the athlete progress onto stage 4.

Stage 4: Perform 2 circuits but increase exercise time to 40 s per exercise with 50 s recovery - total workout time approximately 40 minutes. Once this circuit is comfortably achieved by the athlete progress onto stage 5.

Stage 5: Perform 2 circuits but increase exercise time to 50 s per exercise with 50 s recovery - total workout time approximately 43 minutes. Once this circuit is comfortably achieved by the athlete progress onto stage 6.

Stage 6: Perform 2 circuits but increase exercise time to 60 s per exercise with 60 s recovery - total workout time approximately 47 minutes. At this stage the athlete can keep the same circuit but try and increase the intensity of some of the exercises. For example, some options include:

Increasing the step height for the step ups
Push ups off toes rather than knees
Progress from crunches to bent legged sit ups
Chair dips performed with legs progressively further from the chair
Hover off toes rather than off knees

It is important that a minimum of a level 1 strength and conditioning coach to ensure correct technique and progression supervise these sessions. New exercises can be added as the child adapts and improves their control and strength.

Level 2

At level 2 the programs begin to incorporate some free weights and machine weight exercises as well as body weight activities. Again it is essential that the programs adopted be strictly supervised by an adult with at least a Level 1 ASCA Strength and Conditioning accreditation and the machines used be an appropriate size for the children. A beginning program for level 2 would comprise a basic 3 day per week whole body program performed on alternate days (i.e., Monday, Wednesday and Friday) of the following exercises:

Basic warm up (5 minute jog or cycle plus 2-3 minutes of dynamic stretching)

Lunges (initially using body weight but progressing to include light dumbbells when appropriate)
Machine Leg Press
Barbell Bench Press
Wide Grip Lat Pulldown to the Front
Dumbbell Row
Back Extensions
Triceps Pushdown
Dumbbell Arm Curl
Hanging Knee Raises

Cool down and stretch – 10 minutes

The repetition range is between 10 to 15-RM with a maximal loading of 60% of the 1-RM. Initially the program should commence with 1 set of each exercise with 1-2 minutes rest between exercises, progressively building up to 3 repeated sets with 1-2 minutes rest between sets, as the child advances and can readily tolerate the increased training volume.

Level 3

At level 3 the programs begin using progressively more free weight exercises but avoid complex lifts such as cleans, snatches, deadlifts and squats etc unless competent coaching is available from a coach with at least a Level 2 ASCA strength and conditioning accreditation. Again it is essential that the programs adopted be strictly supervised by an adult with at least a Level 1 ASCA Strength and Conditioning accreditation and the equipment used be an appropriate size for the children. A beginning program for level 3 would comprise a basic 3 day per week whole body program performed on alternate days (i.e., Monday, Wednesday and Friday) of the following exercises:

Basic warm up (5 minute jog or cycle etc plus 2-3 minutes of dynamic stretching)

Front barbell squats
Step ups holding dumbbells
Barbell bench press
Chin ups – initially using a close grip and restricted range of motion but progressing to a full range of motion as strength develops
Back extensions – with a 2 s pause at top
Hanging leg raises or Inclined sit ups
DB seated overhead press
Parallel bar dips or Bench dips if not sufficiently strong to perform 8 repetitions
Hover – Circuit: 60 s 2 arms to front and 30 s 1 arm each side (side hover)
Barbell Arm Curls

Cool down and stretch – 10 minutes

The repetition range is between 8 to 15-RM with a maximal loading of 70% of the 1-RM. Initially the program should commence with 2 sets of each exercise with 1-2 minutes rest between sets, progressively building up to 4 repeated sets as the youth advances and can readily tolerate the increased training volume. Towards the end of level 3 the youth may start employing pyramid loading where the loading can be increased on subsequent sets with a lighter drop set employed for the final set.

For youth wishing to pursue a sporting career in a strength or power based sport such as any of the rugby or football codes, track and field, swimming etc it is recommended that during this level the inclusion of some of the more complex and/or explosive exercises such as clean and press, squats, and deadlifts into the program be commenced and that competent instruction from a strength and conditioning coach with at least Level 2 accreditation be employed to instruct the athlete.

Level 4

At level 4 the programs are progressively moving towards an advanced adult program involving split routines where appropriate and complex multi-joint movements provided sound technique has been developed under competent coaching by a coach with at least Level 2 ASCA strength and conditioning accreditation. The repetition range is between 6 to 15 RM with a maximal loading of 80% of the 1 RM.

A beginning program for level 4 would comprise a basic 3 day per week whole body program performed on alternate days (i.e.. Monday, Wednesday and Friday) of the following exercises:

Warm up – 10 mins on bike

Major leg exercise (Squat, Leg press or Hack squat)
Major chest exercise (Bench press, Incline bench press or DB press)
Overhead shoulder press (Clean and press, Standing military press or Seated press behind neck)
Upper back exercise (Chins, Lat pull or DB pullover)
Triceps (Dips, Lying triceps extension or Triceps pushdown etc)
Lower back exercise (Deadlift or Back extension)
Hanging leg raise (holding light 1-3 kg medicine ball between legs when strong enough)
Major bicep exercise (Standing DB curls, EZ curls or Preacher curls)
Inclined sit ups or Hover circuit
Calf raises

Cool down and Stretch – 10 mins

Should change specific exercises throughout the week:

Mon and Fri perform Barbell Bench Press, Wed Inclined Bench Press
Mon Clean and Press, Wed Standing military press, Friday Press behind neck
Mon Chins, Wed DB Pullover, Fri Lat pulldown
Mon Squat, Wed Leg Press, Fri Hack Squat
Mon and Fri Deadlift, Wed Back Extension etc

The repetition range is between 6 to 15-RM with a maximal loading of 80% of the 1-RM. The program should consist of 3-4 sets of each exercise with 2-3 minutes rest between major exercises such as clean and press, squats, deadlifts and 1-2 minutes rest between sets for more basic exercises such as back extensions, sit ups. The youth is encouraged to employ pyramid loading techniques where the loading can be increased on subsequent sets with a lighter drop set employed for the final set. For youth wishing to increase training intensity, muscle strength and size and move towards a split routine towards the end of Level 4 the following training recommendations are provided:

2 Way Split Routine: After 12 months on the above whole body program the individual may choose to up the intensity and volume and move to a 2 way split routine. This involves splitting the body in 2 and performing each workout 2 times per week, thus 4 workouts per week.

The ASCA preferred way to achieve this is to split the body into: Day 1: Upper Body (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Upper Back and Biceps): Monday and Friday. Day 2: Lower Body (Legs, Lower Back and Stomach): Wednesday and Saturday

However, there are other methods to achieve this, for example push : pull split routines. By splitting the body in two more exercises can be performed per session and a more intense workout per body part achieved with longer to recover prior to the next session.

Example of 2 Way Split Routine

Monday and Friday - Upper Body (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Upper Back and Biceps)

Warm up – 10 mins on bike

Bench press
Inclined bench press or DB Flies
Standing push press
DB Lateral raises or Rear deltoid exercise
Chin Ups
DB Pullovers or Bench pull
Dips
Lying Triceps Extension
DB Twist and Turn Biceps Curls

Cool down – 10 mins stretching

• 3-4 sets of 6-15 reps with about 1-3 minutes rest between sets.

Wednesday and Saturday - Lower Body (Legs, Lower Back and Stomach):

Warm up – 10 mins on bike

Squats
Deadlifts or Cleans
Leg press
DB lunges
Leg Curls
Back Extensions with additional loading
Calf Raises
Russian twists with medicine ball or Inclined sit ups with rotation
Hanging leg raises with light medicine ball between legs

Cool down – 10 mins stretching

• 3-4 sets of 6-15 reps with about 1-3 minutes rest between sets.

At this stage the athlete should be adopting periodisation techniques for the major lifts (i.e. bench press, squats, cleans etc) with their resistance training to coincide with their sporting program. For example, if the athlete was simply interested in getting basically big and strong during a 12 week off-season program the following schedule may be of use:

4 weeks of high volume and low intensity training performing 4 sets of 15- RM loads per exercise – followed by:
4 week of moderate volume and intensity training performing 4 sets of 10- RM loads per exercise – followed by:
4 weeks of low volume and high intensity training performing 4 sets of 6-RM loads per exercise.

At the end of the 12-week period the program could return to the 15 RM loads hopefully with the athlete considerably bigger and stronger than when they commenced the 12 week program.

Summary

The primary objective over this 8 year plan is to ensure that children develop safe technique and good muscular control before progressing to the next phase of the plan. In the intial stages the primary objective is movement control. The second stage and third stages build on this and graudually introduce free weights. In the final stage athletes can begin to pursue specific goals such as strength and power development specific to their sport or for fitness and asthetic development. At all stages it is essential that training is programmed and supervised by a properly qualified strength and conditioning coach. In the latter stages this coach should be at least a level 2 strength and conditioning coach.

Bayli, I. (1999). Australian Coaching Council: 5th Professional and National coaches seminar. Sydney, Australia, 1-3 December, 1999. Workshop series 1-4. Available at: http://www.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/1999/acc/pancs.asp

Tsolakis, C., Vagenas, G., and Dessypris, A. (2004). Strength adaptations and hormonal responses to resistance training and detraining in preadolescent males.
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 15(4):524-256

Website:

http://fulltext.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/1999/acc/pancs/balyi_w1.htm