Here at Conca Performance, we offer more than just training. In fact, a very important and crucial component of what we do involves education, especially for our adult clients. For those who are unaware, it’s not just a saying but a scientific fact that older we get the weaker we become. As we age we not only say goodbye to our strength, but we also see a decrease in muscle tone, power and balance. This deterioration, for many, can lead to a decline in the quality of life.
After turning 40, most adults start to lose approximately 5-10% of their muscle mass every decade. After age 65 this rate increases significantly. There is an abundance of research documenting that simple strength training can prevent the decline in strength and muscle mass in any decade. Shredding fat and firming up (i.e preventing muscle loss) are big time benefits of strength training that can be very noticeable. Here are a few benefits that sometimes go unnoticed.
Why You Need to Build Muscle and Train Your Balance
According to a study done by Colorado State University in 2005:
The risk of falling greatly increases with age
Women are more susceptible to falling then men
Of those who fall, two-thirds are likely to fall again within a six-month period
A large majority of falls were due to lack of exercise, leading to poor flexibly, muscle tone, strength and bone density
Discoveries made by a 2001 American Family Physician (AFP) study found:
Falls are the leading cause of injury-related visits to emergency departments in the United States.
Other research has shown that there is a strong correlation between increased strength and decreased morbidity rates: essentially, stronger adults have a lower risk of falling, or dying from all causes (Ruiz, et al. BJM July 2008;337:a439).
It is truly a matter of life and death!
Why You Need to Focus on Power
Just like strength, power must be a part of every adult program.
According to Dr. R.J. Sheppard, a professor of Applied Physiology at Emeritus University; “between the age of 20-60, the V02 (maximal oxygen consumption) decreases by 44% in women and 34% in males.” This means that as we age we are less efficient at using oxygen to produce energy and power.
What You Should be Doing…
Keep moving and stay challenged!!
Partaking in exercises that require you to walk or march under load can be one of the best exercises that carries over into everyday life. By picking up a weight, carrying it and putting it down properly teaches us how to stabilize the entire body. Performing resistance training in standing/lunge/plank positions forces your body to maintain a stable posture, all the while stabilizing the ankle, hip, core, scapula and shoulder. This can also be incorporated as a metabolic challenge or in a conditioning routine.
How do we target these pitfalls at Conca Performance?
Do any of these exercises ring a bell...just to name a few?
Sled pushing and pulling
Single leg hopping
Hex bar squats
Medicine ball throws and slams
Rear foot elevated squats
Squat jumps
TRX sprints
TRX jump pull ups
Standing core press
Shuttle jumps
Mountain climbers
There's something for everyone to keep you lean and strong!
By incorporating these into your exercise program you’re already ahead of the curve. Don’t become a casualty of inactivity!
Stay tuned for our upcoming Spring Fitness Specials - Bathing suit season is FAST approaching!!!
Within the past decade, baseball progress has come a long, long way. The progress has lead to such things as baseball-specific skills and training systems to develop. In laymen’s terms, this means that players who are willing to do what it takes, more than before, have the ability to reach elite status.
These baseball players, in the video below, are striving for elite status as they prepare for upcoming season in our Conca Performance Baseball Strength and Conditioning program.
Though elite status is more attainable then it was in previous years, the term attainable is not to be confused with effortless. In fact, that is the underlying theme of Mathew Syed’s book entitled,Bounce. Syed, a British journalist, broadcaster and author sums up the science of success in his book, that any and everyone can fulfill their dreams if they keep at it and find people who’ll help steer them in the proper direction.
In one of his passages in Bounce, Syed writes,
“Purposeful practice is about striving for what is just out of reach and not quite making it; it is about grappling with tasks beyond current limitations and falling short again and again. Excellence is about stepping outside the comfort zone, training with a spirit of endeavor, and accepting the inevitability of trials and tribulations. Progress is built, in effect, upon the foundations of necessary failure. That is the essential paradox of expert performance.”
Syed’s advice should not fall upon deaf ears. In fact, his point is furthered by arguably one of the greatest hockey players/athletes in the history of sports, Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky has admitted, “I wasn’t naturally gifted in terms of size and speed; everything I did in hockey I worked for. The highest compliment that you can pay me is to say that I worked hard every day….That’s how I came to know where the puck was going before it even got there.”
When discussing athletic ability in any level or sport, the one topic that always seems to arise is genetics. It would be foolish to think that genetic make-up does not play a pivotal role in determining an athletes’ true peak performance, because it is does. This is so because genetic make-up is responsible for the functional make-up of the musculoskeletal system. The musculoskeletal system is responsible for things such as bony make-up, muscle fiber type distribution and tendinous insertion locations. All of these components can and will play a role in an athlete’s ability to develop key skills, such as high levels of force production/speed or endurance capacity. Ironically, only a sparce minority of athletes actually come near their true genetic limitation.
A prominent reason for most athletes never hitting their genetic limitations is due to the fact that they do not work hard or smart enough to reach this limitation. Although the peak limitation is tough to measure because it can vary immensely, the best way athletes seem to measure it is by the term of “making it.’ The idea of “making it” can mean differ things to different people. Sticking with hockey, one player’s goal may be to reach the NHL, while another player’s dream is to be able to play at the top-tier of the collegiate level. This idea holds true in all sports, especially in baseball where it isn’t uncommon to see a player drafted straight out of high school. For some that may be the ultimate goal, however, other players may wish to play in college. Regardless of the sport or the endpoint, numerous steps and short-term goals need to be set and obtained in order for an athlete to reach his or her ultimate potential.
When such steps aren’t taken, it can be detrimental to an athlete’s progress. While there are athletes everywhere who are enthusiastic, willing and determined, they do not make up the majority of athletes. Unfortunately, the most common situation involves an athlete setting intermediate goals. These goals do not really challenge or push the athlete to truly hit his or her peak potential. When this occurs, complacency starts to take place. Complacency is a slippery-slope, often leading to plateaus, failed dreams, and the most damaging- self-excusing internal dialogue.
In order to avoid the slippery-slope, one easy step to take is to pursue the role of the underdog. Before you go thinking that you want no part of being an underdog because it is stigmatized as cowardly and undesirable, you should comprehend what kind of mentality an underdog possesses, and how successful an underdog can be.
Despite popular belief, an underdog does enter a contest/fight with confidence. In addition, knowing they have nothing to lose, the underdog is relieved of the high stress levels that accompany fearing failure. A prime example of this mentality was put on display for the world to see during 2007-08, when the New York Giants upset the heavily favored New England Patriots in the Super Bowl (and agin in 2012!). More importantly, the underdog knows that he or she will never, ever be outworked. They may not be the most naturally gifted, or blessed with perfect genetics, but the underdog will outwork any opponent that dares to stand in their way. This doesn’t just take place during events, but also before in preparation.
That is where we at Conca Sports and Fitness come into play. Over the years we have helped, trained and pushed athletes of all sports, genders, shapes, sizes, skill levels, and genetics. It does not matter what your true genetic limitation or goals are, we will help you reach them. All you need to do is be willing to work, sacrifice and push yourself and what you can accomplish may amaze you.
A very important component of what we do at Conca Performance is education, especially for our adult clients. Many of our adults inherently know that the older they get the weaker they will become. With this aging process comes not only a decrease in strength but a decrease muscle tone, power and balance. For many aging adults this leads to a decline in their quality of life.
After the age of 40, most adults lose approximately 5-10% of their muscle mass every decade! After age 65 this rate increases significantly. There's plenty of research documenting how to prevent strength and muscle loss by simply strength straining. And it doesn't matter where you are in the age category.
Why You Need To Build/Maintain Muscle Mass
Strength is the most important factor in fall prevention, and is also relation to the performance of activities of daily living, balance and walking (American Geriatrics Society; British Geriatrics Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Panel on Falls Prevention. Journal of American Geriatrics society, Vol. 49, 2001, pp 664-72. Speechley, M. Canadian Journal on Aging, 2005.)
It's A matter of Life and Death!
Research has shown a very strong correlation between strength and death from all causes: essentially, stronger older men have a lower risk of dying from all causes (Ruiz, et al. BMJ July 2008;337:a439).
So the evidence is pretty clear, Strength is more important for our adults
Why You Need Keep Your Power
Just as strength, power must be a part of every adults programming. Here is what some of the research as proven:
Between the ages of 65 and 89, explosive lower-limb extensor power has been reported to decline at 3.5% per year compared to 1-2% per year decrease in strength (Skelton et al. 1998)
In elderly males, maximal anaerobic power has been reported to decline 8.3% per decade from age 20 to 70 (Bonnefoy et al. 1998)
MOST IMPORTANTLY
Power is one of the major performance variables associated with independence (foldvari et al. 2000), fall prevention (Whipple et al. 1987) and rehabilitation following injury (lamb et al. 1995).
What You Should Be Doing...
MOVE...Some Resistance!!
Locomotion
Performing exercises where it requires you to walk/march under load can be one of the best exercises that carries over into everyday life. By picking a weight up, carrying them and putting it down properly teaches us how to stabilize the entire body. Performing resistance training while standing forces you to learn how to stand erect while stabilizing the ankle, hip, core, scapula and shoulder. This can also be incorporated as a metabolic challenge or in a conditioning routine. Take home message...get off the machines and get on your feet when exercising!
Condition
Why do we condition?
Improve cardiovascular health
Live longer healthier lives
Improve body composition
Increase the heart rate zone where we can work out in and still receive a benefit
Conditioning can be brought upon in many different forms. We could use one tool and give interval progressions for that one exercise (airdyne or slideboard) or we could create a circuit for time intervals or for repetitions. It all depends on the goal for the day whether were trying to work in short all out bursts, give a medium interval to work longer anaerobically or have our clients perform long distance rides for their best time possible (increase size of mitochondria before strengthening).
Since we work with many young athletes we get the same question each and every day, “What can you do to make my son or daughter faster?” It’s the #1 question from parents, coaches and athletes, and rightly so, always looking for that “edge” to out perform their opponents. What parents and coaches really mean to asks is “how can their athlete better accelerate?”. Looking at any sport, the two main differences between Junior Varsity, Varsity, Collegiate and Professional athletes, are speed (acceleration) and skill level. Now it’s not hard to notice these differences on the field, but knowing how to acquire speed is a different story.
Let me explain the process we take with all of our athletes here at Conca Performance. It all starts with the initial assessment. Every athlete walks in with unique characteristics. To begin with, most of them (ranging from 12-16 year olds) have very poor movement patterns. This is a result of poor mobility, stability and strength which yields a lack of body control. I believe you can thank the video gaming industry and early sport specialization for this lack of physical development in our youth.
First step: Identify and address inefficient movement patterns. Once we create a solid foundation of movement, the process of acquiring strength and then speed begins. That’s right, you need to acquire strength first before you can become fast. Athletes simply need to first build a solid strength foundation. As you can see from the video below, many of our athletes arrive with less then adequate movement patterns. These patterns must be fixed before strength can be applied!
But what about Plyometrics?
No so fast!! The repetitive pounding of high volume running and jumping (plyometrics) can be very dangerous to the long-term health of a young athlete. When an athlete is sprinting, the ground reaction forces that travel through the body is approximately 4-6 times the athlete’s bodyweight. An untrained 135lb athlete is now sending forces of 540-810lbs of force into a single leg (ankle, knee and hip joint) during each stride (let alone how much these forces are increased when jumping is included!).
The first order of business is to develop strength with new athletes. We do this the old fashion way, slowly over time. First and foremost, strength teaches them how to control their body weight. On the field, athletes are constantly changing directions to adapt to the play. As noted before, how is it possible for that untrained athlete to stop on one leg (up to 810lbs of force in the 135lb athlete) and then use that same leg to push back into the ground to change direction? When an athlete is playing on the field, they must be able to control how they are landing and moving. Not being able to do so puts the athlete at a higher risk of injury as well as decreases their performance.
Eccentric strength training (the ability to lower a weight under control) leads to a more dramatic increase in strength while learning movement patterns. It is much harder to handle a load while decelerating it, as opposed to pushing it back or moving fast. This given load can begin as bodyweight and progressively increase with external resistance until the athlete is ready to move the load at a faster pace. Single leg eccentric strength is the key!! From our junior athletes to the advanced collegiate athletes, the philosophy remains the same. Single leg strength first. Speed second.
An athlete’s speed will increase as they get stronger. I have parents and coaches tell me their kid's feet are moving so fast but they aren’t going anywhere. This example indicates that the athlete does not have enough relative strength. This is a very simple concept that is often been made all too complicated by a “have to have it now” population looking for a “magic drill.” Here it is in simple terms:
It all comes down to force production. The best solution to slow feet is to get stronger legs (one leg at a time!). Single leg strength to be specific.
In order to propel yourself forward, you need to be able to push back into the ground. The harder you push, the farther you go; the stronger you are, the harder you’ll push; the stronger you are, the faster you will be. Notice the pattern here? In every sport (except track) the athlete needs to be able to decelerate, change direction on a dime and repeat this for an extended period of time.
It’s no accident that in the last 2 years we have helped athletes win 4 NCAA National Championships in sprinting and jumping events. I will not be so bold to say that it’s all in the strength training. It’s just an important piece of the puzzel. Athlete motivation, effort, special skills coaching and nutrition all play a big role.
So why do some facilities advertise “Speed and Agilty Camps? And why do some programs spend so much time on “Speed and Agility”? The simple answer is money. You can cram a lot more kids into a group and run them around some cones, hurdles, ladders and “perform speed drills.” This is much less coaching intensive. Less staff, more kids equals more profit. The process of getting a kid strong, safely takes not only time, but a variety of exercises, individualized cues, progressions and more individual coach-to-athlete interaction. “Speed camps and clinics” just won’t get the job done. At Conca Performance, I will not let the business model dictate how we train our athletes.
A great example of how to spend your time and $$ and
NOT get faster!
The take home message for today: Creating a solid strength foundation is the first and most important step in a new athlete’s training program. The cure for slow feet... develop efficient movement patterns and get strong legs!
Depending where the athlete is in their stage of development and physical maturity, they may or may not need much movement training. Athletes can increase his/her speed without even performing any wild plyometrics or spending time on the agility ladder. Don’t get me wrong, the agility ladder is a great tool for developing the brain to muscle connection which is a piece of the neural puzzle. But don’t waste your time using the ladder as “the tool” to increase speed. Pushing a sled is much more effective!
In Part 1 or our two part series we discussed some of the top 5 components you need to be a successful player. In Part 2 we will focus in on some of the solutions to get your body game ready.
Part 2:
The Benefits of Off-season Baseball Training - Fixing your Asymmetries and Stiffness
Once the season comes to an end, players will notice certain areas of their body feeling stiff, sore, loose and even painful. Recognizing and screening these specific areas will be the first step is finding movement patterns that have become asymmetrical and or stiff. Addressing these areas should be a priority before they lead to injury.
Thoracic extension and rotation
Without these two areas of mobility, the velocity of the ball with not only be less then it was in the beginning of the season, but a greater risk of (stress) injury is placed on the cuff and elbow. Having enough extension and rotation through the upper back not only results in a healthier shoulder, but will also increase performance. The thoracic spine keeps the shoulder from over reaching and allows a longer and greater cocking phase when throwing the ball, resulting in higher arm velocity speeds and a more efficient throwing motion. If these forms of mobility become limited, the stress on the shoulder and elbow increases.
Below are some clips on how to gain thoracic extension and rotational mobility.
Gaining thoracic extension can be done just as easily. Using a foam roller, begin laying it across the middle of your back. Clasp you hands behind your neck in a neutral position, arch your upper back over the roll trying to touch the top of your shoulder blades to the ground, then return to a neutral spine. Be sure to maintain a flat lumbar spine. The upper back extends, while the low back remains flat the entire times. Repeat for five repetitions, move the foam roller up one inch on the back towards the shoulders and repeat the exercise. Continue rolling the foam roller towards the top of your shoulders to ensure mobilization of the entire thoracic spine. Remember to deeply exhale as you extend your back over the roll.
Ankle Mobility
Many of the athletes we see come to us with poor mobility in the foot and ankle, baseball players are not the exception. A quick way of checking an athlete’s ankle range of motion is to simply look at how he/she stands. If the athlete’s toes are pointing outward, and the arch of the foot is relatively flat can be an indicator of a lack of ankle dorsiflexion (how far the foot can pull up). Deep body weight squatting is another way to assessment how a lack of ankle mobility can effect gross movement patterns as seen here. Poor mobility around the ankle joint can contribute to poor running mechanics, poor body positioning and overall mobility in the field and can even effect throwing mechanics.
All movement and ground reaction forces begin with your feet, so paying close attention to taking care of your feet (ankles) will give you a big advantage on the field and in the Gym.
One of the ways to keep the ankle mobile is starting in a half kneeling position and performing the following movements: Keeping the front heel completely flat and toes remaining forward, drive the knee as far as possible straight ahead before the heel lifts off the ground, then return to starting position. Repeat this move five times, and then drive your knee to the right and left of the dowel to turn this exercise multi-planar.
Glenohumeral Internal Rotation Deficit
This can be one of the biggest issues players, especially pitchers, run into during the season. Glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) is known as having a measurement of 19 degrees or more of internal rotation deficit between the dominant throwing arm and non dominant arm. When being assessed, coaches and trainers must find the total range of motion (ROM) of each shoulder. The total range of motion is found by measuring the external and internal rotation of the shoulder, then adding the two numbers together. A calculation of a total range of motion of approximately 170 degrees on both shoulders is ideal.
When comparing shoulder ROM, we are looking at the differences between internal and external rotation of the two shoulders. In the throwing arm, there will be a greater degree of external rotation and a lesser degree of internal rotation of the non-dominant shoulder. Since we can predict the asymmetries that are going to occur, look at the difference between internal rotation between the two shoulders. Ideally we would like it to be between 12-17 degrees as this has shown many players to have no symptomatic issues. However, when numbers reach around 19 degrees and above, these have turned into symptomatic and injured shoulders. Soft tissue work across the posterior capsule along with mobility exercises and light cross body stretches will be the prescription for decreasing GIRD. Remember a proper evaluation must preceded any corrective exercises. Here is a sample of a cross body stretch to gain some internal rotation (if needed).
DO NOT overlook the low intensity exercises during training. A strong cuff is needed to decelerate the arm when going into internal rotation. The cuff is made up of four muscles, infraspinatus, supraspinatus, subscapularis and teres minor.
The main function of these four muscles is not only to externally and internally rotate the shoulder, but more importantly to stabilize the glenohumeral joint. Strengthening the subscapularis may be one of the most important as it depresses the humeral head during overhead movement and will prevent the head from superior migration (head of the humerus sliding upward into the acromion). When the head rises, the athlete would typically feel discomfort or pain as the head crunches tissue into the acromion (another reason why overhead mobility work is a must!!). Below are a few exercises that should be a part of every players program. Not only should these exercises be done during the offseason, but during in-season training as well.
DO THIS:
Dynamic stabilizations – These exercises can be done either with a partner or by yourself. Perturbation can be one of the lowest technical exercises with the biggest outcome. Since the main function of the cuff is to stabilize that joint why train it in any other way? Having the trainee stabilize their shoulder in the packed position (down and back) while partners or coaches perform perturbations at different ranges of motion gives the shoulder the functional training it needs to stabilize the glenohumeral joint.
NOT THAT:
Don’t be that guy -
Do not go find some tubing and have your players crank out a bunch of repetitions and think that will be fine. There are exercises that may work, but there are also ones that give much better results.
Below is the T exercise which mainly hits the posterior deltoid, supraspinatus and lower traps. Begin with the arm at shoulder height and slowly drop the arm back down towards the floor and repeat.
Next is the Y which is used for the mid and low traps while also hitting some of the upper trap. The body position will remain exactly the same as the T, except the arm will now be raised in the position of a Y.
DO NOT OVERWORK THE CUFF!!!
The rotator cuff is not meant to become fatigued! When it does, the muscles cannot function properly and the risk of injury is increased. Think about running long distance. When you reach that maximum threshold you feel like your legs are about to give out and your body will collapse. The same will happen with your shoulder if these small muscles are worked to failure. Programming rotator cuff exercises can be done at any point during the workout. If they are done in the beginning, those muscles are now prepared for the pushing and pulling that is done in a workout. On the other hand, if the exercises are done during the workout, the athlete and coach much look at the number of repetitions between cuff exercises as well as the intensity of the pushing and pulling done on that day. Also, whether you’re an athlete or a coach, remain in contact with one another and always ensure the safety of how the athlete feels to determine if his shoulder may be overtraining.
Recovery
Going to the gym is only 1/3 of the battle during the offseason. Working your butt off 3-4x a week at the gym is an excellent start, but what are you doing during the other 165 hours out of your week? This is where adequate sleep and proper nutrition come into action. Sleep as much as you can! This is where your body allows itself to shutdown and focuses on increasing recovery more than any other part of your day. Stalking on facebook late night or attempting to win the Super Bowl on your Xbox is not going to aid in reaching your goals. There have been multiple studies shown that the hours you get before midnight are more important than the hours you have afterward. Set a schedule for yourself to finish everything you planned for the day, and aim for a time where you can get the 8+ hours of sleep you need.
Nutrition is the final piece to the puzzle. Beginning with a diet log 3-4x a week can help you assess how well you are nourishing your body. Once you see that cereal, bagels and pizza aren’t going to cut it, begin with going back to what your parents told you when you were a kid...
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day (and no it's not PopTarts or Cereals!)
We'll save the more detailed nutrition information for a separate post, so for now remember these quick tips for every time you eat.
Eat protein at every meal
Eat fruits and vegetables at every meal
Eat fiber at every meal
Make sure you have enough omega-6 and omega-3 everyday (Krill Oil)
There are no secrets in the recovery process or becoming a better athlete. Work hard, eat right, get enough sleep and you will become a much improved player from last season.
If you want to be a successful baseball player you need:
1. ACCELERATION when sprinting to first base or getting a jump on a ball in the gap
2. STRENGTH when swinging the bat, throwing "gas," or firing a ball from deep in the hole
3. POWER when driving a ball in the gap and exploding off the mound in the late innings
4. STABILITY to control ALL of these movements
** You need even more STABILITY in the shoulder if you’re a pitcher.
A long season can have a negative impact on each of these components that make up an athlete’s profile. The greatest concern to the athlete is not merely a decline in their physical performance, but a decline in their body's dynamics over the course of the season. The chances for stress (injury) on key areas such as the SHOULDER, ELBOW, HIPS and BACK are magnified.
Aside from the obvious ones I stated above, listed below are my top five reasons why it is a necessity that baseball players become involved with an off-season strength training program.
1. Weaknesses
"What’s your bench bro???" This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions with athletes when they step into a "gym" or training facility. Sad to say, how much someone can bench press has very little carry over to sport performance other than powerlifting. Walk into any gym in town and watch who spends the most time on their back pressing weight. You guessed it! The middle and high school boys!
Take a step back and identify your weaknesses or areas that need improvement. Is it your bat speed? Is it the time it takes you to sprint to first base? Or is it that you have been dealing with specific painful areas such as the shoulder, elbow or hip while in season?
Figuring out where you can make the biggest improvement for next season will only make you that much better and keep you off the injured reserved list. Remember, you’re only as strong as your weakest link. Having an intervention with yourself, your coach and/or your strength coach is one of the most important first steps before beginning an offseason program.
2. Your Core
When you hear everyone talk about training your core, what’s the first exercise that comes to mind? A million sit-ups? That’s typically the #1 answer received. Unless you’re looking for increased disc pressure and zero improvement in rotational core strength and stability, then go ahead and do your million sit-ups.
Believe it or not, your core muscles are built to transfer energy from your lower body to your upper body. Coming up in a future post we will go into greater detail on the importance your core development has on throwing and hitting power.Understand this concept for now. When looking at baseball players, their entire sport is built around generating power through rotation. Hitting and throwing are both major repetitive rotational movements. All the energy generated in these motions begins at the ground. The more stable your core the more energy gets transferred to the upper extremities, which equals more power (velocity in arm and bat speed).
The key when looking at the best baseball players is that they are all in sync from the ground through their legs, their core and all the way to their upper extremities.
Picture this, if you have a really strong lower body and strong upper body but no stability through your midsection you’re going to have a huge disconnection and lose power in transition from your legs to your arms!
Plank and bridge variations along with anti-rotation holds and presses are among the top core activation exercises.
3. Strengthening and Maintaining a Healthy Rotator Cuff
The words baseball throwing and rotator cuff (RC) go hand in hand. However, many players and coaches lack understanding of RC function let alone how to optimally train it. We will cover this topic in greater detail in another post but for now here are the basics:
Envision this: A pitcher begins his wind up and starts his controlled fall to the mound. As the front foot hits the ground, the throwing arm makes it's approach to the release point and in a fraction of a second a 98mph fast ball explodes out of his hand. The arm didn't create the power. It was simply the end of the bull-whip. As a result the shoulder has to internally rotate at approximately 7,000°/s during the acceleration phase (just prior to ball release). This is not only one of the most biomechanicaly dangerous movements in sports, it's the fastest motion in all of sports.
The rotator cuff muscles are too small to be responsible to decelerate the arm (slowing down the arm after ball release) by themselves. Other physical components such as hip internal rotation thoracic rotation play a roll in assisting the deceleration phase. Aside from these other components, keeping the rotator cuff strong, stable and maintaing consistent ranges of internal and external rotation throughout a season can be very complex. We will discuss what to look for and how to manage this in an upcoming post.
4. Soft Tissue Restoration
Soft tissue is recognized as tissue that connects, supports or surrounds other structures and organs of the body. These tissues include muscle, fascia, tendons and ligaments. When a muscle becomes damaged it also becomes dense or thick with inflammation. To relieve the density of these damaged tissues, certain forms of self-myofascial release are necessary including foam rolling and massage. Performing these techniques daily will help players recover faster, maintain better overall muscle tissue quality and decrease the risk of injury.
Some soft tissue restoration techniques we use at CSF are below:
5. Be A Better Athlete
With the days of youth sport specialization upon us, younger athletes are focusing on just one sport at too early of an age. The result is a decrease in overall athleticism and overuse injuries. The danger with baseball is that it's primarily a static sport. With the focus on repetitive, single-direction, rotational patterns that involve throwing and hitting, asymmetrical muscular imbalances can develop. Several other athletic attributes such as foot speed and agility can be suppressed.
If you look at the rosters of most collegiate and pro teams, many of the players were multi-sport athletes throughout high school. Don't kid your self, college and pro-scouts are looking for good baseball talent. But what they're really focusing on is your overall athleticism. They want athletes!! Can you run fast, be agile, can you move, are you strong, etc. If you can do all the above and bring some baseball talent, you will be a complete player, reduce your chances for injury and attract some attention.
Start your preparation now and get involved in a structured and supervised off-season strength and conditioning program. Combine this with continued refinement of your baseball skills and this will not only help you with your baseball development but with your overall athletic development as well. This could be one of the most important decisions you will make in your career.
The liver is the metabolic super-achiever of your body and is vital for survival. It supports nearly every organ in the body by cleaning toxins from the foods you eat and drink, making hormones that help balance your blood sugar, processing fats, and making a variety of chemicals that your body needs to be healthy.
Guess which liver is healthy?
Your liver will keep on working for you, even if 3/4 of it has been damaged by alcohol, infection, and other environmental toxins (i.e., pesticides, prescription or over-the-counter drugs, etc). Unfortunately, excessive liver damage has been suggested to be a big contributor to the obesity epidemic in this country.
In a previous blog on nutrition - Got Greens? - I addressed that just because you have a healthy diet, it doesn’t mean that you can properly digest and absorb the nutrients from your healthy foods. A healthy liver typically breaks down dietary fat into usable energy, exporting any excess fatty acids and triglycerides to other organs for further metabolism.
Sometimes, however, the excess fat gets stored in the liver, which sometimes leads to inflammation, impaired function, and further complications. One condition that too much fat in the liver can lead to is insulin insensitivity, which in turn, leads to type 2 diabetes and inefficient weight loss.
The Quick Start Solutions?
1. Get regular physical exercise. The most effective and time-efficient mode of exercise is short duration high-intensity bursts intermingled with short duration low-intensity recovery periods. Not only do you burn a ton of calories during the workout, BUT your body keeps on working for you for several hours POST-workout as well.
2. Eat more raw vegetables. Many different enzymes are necessary to properly digest your food and absorb the nutrients. Raw vegetables are the BEST source of these digestive enzymes outside of the body. Include raw veggies with every meal and snack, especially the green leafy vegetables from the cruciferous family (i.e., broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kale), which contain very specific phytonutrients that actually help fight against stubborn belly fat.
3. Consume less Fructose, especially high-fructose corn syrup. Fructose is the form of sugar readily found in most fruits and many sweetened beverages, including those so-called “healthy flavored waters”. Fructose is metabolized into fat in the liver much more readily than glucose, and, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is even worse! HFCS is found in so many of the processed foods, “healthy whole grain” breads and pastas, dressings and other condiments, pre-packaged meals and vegetables, and sugary drinks (i.e. soda) that have become staples in the new-age American diet. You name the food/drink, chances are, HFCS is in there. So, be sure to read your nutrition labels, and if you see HFCS listed, ESPECIALLY within the first 5-10 ingredients - PUT IT BACK! Spend a little extra $ on healthier foods now and you’ll be saving a lot of extra $$$$$ on medical bills and health costs later in life.
4. Supplement with Krill Oil. Antarctica krill are small shrimp-like creatures that feed many marine life including whales, seal, penguins, and other fish to supply their nutritional needs. Krill are a highly renewable source that is free from several environmental toxins and heavy metals, and RICH in omega-3 fatty acids. Current research has shown that by taking krill oil, you can reduce your liver fat by 60%, as compared to only 38% with fish oil. Keep in mind, not all krill oil is created equal. To ensure high quality at one of the most competitive prices on the market, use Prograde EFA Icon.
As for my mom who is now a 16 year liver transplant survivor, she is enjoying a healthy and active life. She was able able to receive a liver very quickly and had no complications, mainly due to the fact that she was in good health to begin with.
Remember that the fat you see on the outside is not the only thing working against you. Jump start your metabolism and weight loss by taking better care of your health TODAY!
September is always a special month for many reasons. This September has been a particularly special one due to the fact it was the 10 yr anniversary of Sept 11th, my 10th wedding anniversary and the 2nd anniversary of CSF.
Just to put things in perspective, 10 years ago, Tina and I were living in NC and drove back to NJ to get married in Morristown, NJ near where I grew up. As a kid growing up in NJ, I always marveled at the sight of the Twin Towers sticking out of the city into the sky. While in college in NC I always looked forward to driving up the NJ Turnpike and seeing the NYC skyline on my way home. However, making the trip up for our wedding in late September 2001, the skyline was noticeably empty and changed forever.
Sept 12, 2001
Just 11 days after Sept 11th Ground Zero was still smoking, and 25 miles away in Morristown,NJ we were the only wedding booked at Assumption Church that day. The church was otherwise booked with memorial services for those who were lost. After that experience, thoughts of moving back home, closer to family, started to grow.
Since that day, 10 years have passed. We relocated the family to West Springfield, Tina's home town, brought 3 wonderful kids into this world, and opened CSF. I can say we have been very blessed.
The development of Conca Sport and Fitness began in my mind after I left NC and a small business that I co-owned, (East Cost Athletics). For 7 years we had a great time at ECS. It was awesome! The kids, the adults, the community, and the friendships!
CSF was created to form similar bonds in another community, West Springfield. The ability to become a resource for the local athletes with professional strength and conditioning, and give our adults a viable opportunity to change their lives with expert fitness and nutrition services has been our primary goal since opening day.
As I look back on the last 2 & 10 years I really wanted to do something special for all the CSF clients. It has been a life changer for me in many ways. As a BIG thank you, I hope to do something that may positively impact not only your life, but the lives of your family and friends. But first, here’s a fun look back at the last 2 years...
The secret behind the WALL
First equipment arrives
The First clients arrive! Guess Who??
First 5:45am Ladies group!
First Annual "Burn The Bird" Workout Thanksgiving morning
Party Time At The First Annual Client Appreciation Bash
Highlights from our youth Athletic Development Program
It really has been a pleasure working with all of you over the last 2 years. As a big THANK YOU, we are having an Adult small group coaching MEGA SALE! Take full advantage of this before it’s gone!
This special offer will only be available for a limited time. Your family and friends can also take advantage of this awesome opportunity!
On September 18th, 2011, Dr. Jeanne Johnson completed her first 5k race in Farmington, CT.Her goal was to run the race from start to finish without stopping. Jeanne not only reached this goal, she also had enough energy left for a final push the last tenth of a mile up a moderate incline to the finish line!
Jeanne first came to Conca Sport and Fitness (CSF) in January 2011 after having seen the progress her cousin was making here. At that time, her initial goal was simple: to lose weight and get healthier. She was overweight, tired most of the time, and recovering from some significant health issues in 2010 which had prevented her from doing much of anything.
Dr. Johnson, like many others, wanted something more from her training than what ordinary gyms could offer - she wanted that extra accountability to push herself a little further and to help motivate her to stay with it. While she’d tell you that the workouts can be grueling, Jeanne would also tell you that she’s gotten exactly what she’d been looking for.
“Julia has been exactly what I needed, someone to be accountable to, someone to push me when I would have given up.”
Dr. Johnson’s goal now is to stay fit long-term. Today, Jeanne is 25 lbs lighter and 13.4 inches smaller. “I still have some weight to lose to make my goal, but overall I feel great!”
Jan 2011 Sept 2011
While Jeanne aims to continue running, doing as many 5Ks as she can over the next few months, and to look fantastic at her cousin’s wedding in November, she says that “my biggest accomplishment so far will be the running the Rugged Maniac Race this weekend in Southwick, MA. Who would have thought a year ago that this 42 year old, 50 lb overweight, tired girl would be able to do something like this!”
