Congratulations to all of our athletes who just completed our Summer Strength and Conditioning Program. There's no doubt that the "Conca" Females set a strong pace here at the training center this summer. There was no hesitation on their part to get after it when they walked through the doors. That same mentality was present from our junior females all the way to our adults.
It all starts with leadership! And we have no better female leader then "your" very own coach Julia Girman.
On July 8, 2011, Julia received the "Student Research Award at the National Strength & Conditioning Annual Awards Banquet, (L to R) Dr. Jay Hoffman, - Poster Presentation Masters recipient: Julia Girman, and Dr. Alan Kinniburgh.
That's right...She was awarded the best Masters level research project in the country!
I have been around the world of Strength and Conditioning for the last 15 years and in my opinion, Julia is one of the most unique coaches who can bring her academic intelligence into the training environment and deliver it in such a way that all of her clients (middle, high school, collegiate and professional) thrive.
One question I get a lot from the parents of female athletes (especially middle school age) is: "My daughter is only 11 or 12, is this type of training appropriate at her age?".
My answer is "Absolutely YES!". Strength Training is not just appropriate, it's probably the most neglected component of most female athletes' sport training program.
There is a big misconception in the general public on the benefits of strength training for pre-pubescent female athletes.
Many female athletes are just not aware that they can MAXIMIZE athletic potential while MINIMIZING risk for an overuse or knee injury.
Serious knee injuries are sidelining female athletes in many sports especially soccer, basketball, lacrosse and volleyball. These sports, which involve repetitive pivoting, cutting and jumping, place a high amount of stress on the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Aside from the popular ACL injuries, the repetitive motions of throwing a softball or skating can lead to overuse injuries and subject female athletes to a host of problems. Many female athletes are following the footsteps of their male counterparts, playing on multiple travel teams and having specialized sport coaches. However, in many instances the female athletes do not have a foundation of strength to protect them.
All this repetitive stress on a young girl's muscular and skeletal system can backfire on their quest to become the best athlete possible. The good news is that when female athletes begin a formalized strength and conditioning program, injury rates go down and on-field performance is taken to a whole new level.
Conca’s screening process identifies several important factors that can predispose an athlete to a non-contact injury no matter the sport. An assessment of the mechanical factors that control the way you move is done with the Functional Movement ScreenTM. The same screening process being incorporated into the NFL,NHL,WNBA, and hundreds of colleges and universities strength and conditioning programs.
All athletes can keep the momentum going from the awesome Summer they had! Register now for our Fall Athletic Performance Programs right HERE. Training Begins Sept.12!
Check out some of our females in the training center!
Every athlete who has been diagnosed with a concussion must progress through 6 steps or phases in the recovery process. Once the first step has been completed each subsequent step can be completed every 24 hrs. If any symptoms return during any of the steps, activity should be stopped and the athlete is regressed to the previous step. The return to play steps are listed below:
1. Asymptomatic and Cognitive Recovery - No Aerobic Conditioning
2. Light Areobic Exercise
3. Sport Specific Exercise
4. Non-Contact Practice (Resistance training can begin)
5. Full Contact Practice
6. Return to competition
To Complicate things... cognitive deficits and post-concussion symptoms do not always resolve at the same time. (Broglio et a., 2007) Post-concussive symptoms can resolve while cognitive deficits remain and vice-versa, where neurocognitive function returns to normal while the athlete is still symptomatic. If this scenario occurs it's important to explain this to the athlete, as they can get frustrated if they think their recovery is being delayed.
We are fortunate to live in close proximity to the epicenter of concussion research. Below is some information from theSports Legacy Institute, Boston MA.
For local athletes here in Western Mass, Conca Sport and Fitness works closely with the physical therapists and physicians from the Baystate Rehabilitation Sports Medicine Concussion Program.
If you wish to hear more detailed information about concussions, how to recognize symptoms and access local resources then please click HERE to attend the FREE Baystate Concussion Clinic on Tuesday August 2nd, 2011.
During the recent Stanley Cup Playoffs there was a good deal of attention related to the topic of concussions.
As we witnessed the media has turned their attention to the effects of collision sports such as hockey and football. The dramatic hits which result in a player being knocked unconscious, stumbling off the field or having slurred speech get the most attention. However, there are greater concerns to which our parents, coaches and athletes need to be aware.
Just because someone does not experience the dramatic effects mentioned above, they may still have suffered a concussion. It's not uncommon for athletes to hide the truth about symptoms they are experiencing in hopes of continuing to play or returning to play sooner.
As strength and conditioning professionals we usually deal with athletes as they prepare to make it back to competition after a concussion. Coaches, parents and Athletic Trainers are on the front lines (attending the games and practices where many athletes are injured). However, many middle school and high school programs don't have the luxury of a licensed and Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) present during games or practice.
Parents must be engaged in their athlete's performance, especially if their child has experienced a "hard hit," collision, or "Got their bell rung," as some would say.
If an ATC (or medical professional) is present and suspects a possible concussion they should assess the athlete with a complete battery of questions and test for symptoms of memory, cognition, balance, and coordination impairments. These results will determine if the athlete should be taken to the hospital for further evaluation.
What next?
Computer based testing has become commonplace in professional sports, collegiate settings and now it's making its way into high level, amateur and private schools.
Many teams and leagues are using the ImPACT test (http://impacttest.com). ImPACT is used for neuropsychological testing when evaluating concussions. ImPACT stands for Immediate Post-concussion and Cognitive Test.
During the pre-season all players take the test to establish a baseline neurological profile. 22 different symptoms (listed below) are rated by the athlete on a scale of 0-6. 0 meaning they are not experiencing that symptom and 6 being the worst that symptom could be. The cognitive portion of the test has 6 modules which measure the athletes' Verbal Memory, Visual Memory, Reaction Time, Processing Speed, and Impulse Control.
Here are the symptoms: (Parents if there is no ImPACT test available be on the look out for these)
Headache Nausea Vomiting Balance Problems Dizziness Fatigue Trouble falling asleep Sleeping more then usual Drowsiness Irritability Sensitivity to noise Sadness Nervousness Feeling more emotional Numbness or tingling Feeling slowed down Fogginess Difficulty concentrating Difficulty with memory Visual problems
Post injury testing is administered 24-48 hrs after the concussion and compared to the athlete's baseline test. If scores are not at baseline levels a Neuropsychologist or tending physician will intervene and provide direction on how to proceed with the recovery.
In Part 2 we will discuss the 6 step process an athlete must progress through when recovering from a concussion.
Just a reminder that next week I will be presenting, along with the regions medical experts on Concussions, hosted by Baystate Rehabilitation.
We can do all the strength training, mobility work, and soft tissue treatments in the world and it won’t matter if they’re overused – because I’m just not smart enough to have figured out how to go back in time and change history. Worried about whether they’re throwing curveballs, or if their mechanics are perfect? It won’t matter if they’ve already accumulated too many innings.
While athletes might be playing with fire each time they throw, the pain presentation pattern is different. You burn your hand, and you know instantly. Pitching injuries take time to come about. Maybe you do microscopic damage to your ulnar collateral ligament each time you throw – and then come back and pitch again before it’s had time to fully regenerate. Or, maybe you ignore the shoulder internal rotation deficit and scapular dyskinesis you’ve got and it gets worse and worse for years – until you’re finally on the surgeon’s table for a labral and/or rotator cuff repair. These issues might be managed conservatively if painful during the teenage years (or go undetected if no pain is present) – but once a kid hits age 18 or 19, it seems to automatically become “socially acceptable” to do an elbow or shoulder surgery.
Sure enough, just yesterday, reader Paul Vajdic sent me this article from the Shreveport Times. The author interviews world-renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews about the crazy increase in the number of Tommy John surgeries he’d performed over the past decade.
A comment he made really jumped out at me, in light of my point from above:
“”I had a kid come in, a 15-year-old from Boca Raton, (Fla.), who tore his ligament completely in two,’ Andrews said. ‘The interesting thing is when I X-rayed his elbow with good magnification, he has a little calcification right where the ligament attaches to the bone. We’re seeing more of that now. He actually got hurt with a minor pull of the ligament when he was 10, 11, 12 years of age. That little calcification gets bigger and, initially, it won’t look like anything but a sore elbow. As that matures, it becomes more prominent. It turns into an English pea-size bone piece and pulls part of the ligament off when they’re young.’”
In other words, it takes repeated bouts of microtrauma over the course of many years to bring an athlete to threshold – even if they have little to no symptoms along the way. Injury prevention starts at the youngest ages; otherwise, you’re just playing from behind the 8-ball when you start training high school and college players.
In addition to walking away with the perspective that young kids need to be strictly managed with their pitch counts, I hope this makes you appreciate the value of strength and conditioning programs at young ages, too. For more information, check out my post, The Truth About Strength Training for Kids.
We can’t prevent them all, but I do think that initiatives like the IYCA High School Strength Coach Certification in conjunction with pitch count implementation and coaching education are a step in the right direction.
Eric Cressey, MA, CSCS is the President of Cressey Performance, just west of Boston, MA. He publishes a free daily blog and weekly newsletter at www.EricCressey.com.
Over the years we have adopted the same philosophies that Eric uses with his baseball clients. Baseball players in the Pioneer Valley who are looking to take your game to the next level, while reducing your chances of developing a shoulder or elbow problem, give us a call at 413-304-2350. Let the Conca Strength and Conditioning team provide you with a comprehensive plan to make this your best season yet.
At Conca Sport and Fitness we have seen an influx of shoulder and elbow injuries this summer. In a effort to provide our baseball clients with the most current trends in injury prevention and performance enhancement, Eric Cressey has been kind enough to provide a 2 part guest post on our blog which will hopefully provide some insight to the problem.
We have a great working relationship with our athlete's parents, their AAU coaches and the medical community. Eric's article may seem controversial, but in no way are we attempting to single out any particular individuals. We are attempting to shed some light on a growing trend in youth baseball. I really believe you will enjoy this 2 part series.
If something is going to be controversial and potentially elicit a negative response from my readers, I “sit” on the topic for 24 hours. During that time, I weigh the decision of whether me publicly writing about something is for the better good – meaning that it’ll help people in the long-term even if it makes them recognize that they’ve been goofing up in the short-term.
I did some thinking on that front last night (actually, for the past several nights), and decided to go through with this blog, as I feel like it’s something that every single baseball player, parent, and especially coach ought to read. So, if you’re in one of those categories – or are just a baseball fan who loves the game – please spread the word on what you’re about to read, whether it’s with a Facebook “recommend,” “Tweet,” or just a friendly email with the link to this article.
If you’ve perused my Baseball Content page much in the past, you’ll know that I don’t try to hide the fact that throwing a baseball is an incredibly unnatural and flat-out dangerous motion. It’s the single-fastest motion in all of sports, and every day, physically unprepared athletes go out and essentially play with fire every single time they try to light up a radar gun – or even just play catch.
Not surprisingly, when you mix physically unprepared bodies with arguably the most dangerous sporting challenge on the planet (the folks in Pamplona, Spain might argue with me, but that’s a blog for another day), athletes get hurt. Arm injuries (like all youth sports injuries) are rising exponentially thanks to not “less athletic athletes” taking part in high-risk sports, but also this participation taking place at all-time high rates thanks to the proliferation of little league all-star teams, AAU teams, fall ball, private pitching instruction, and the baseball showcase industry. A fantastic study by Olsen et al. in 2006 (must-read for anyone involved in baseball development) clearly demonstrated strong associations between injuries requiring surgery and pitching “more months per year, games per year, innings per game, pitches per game, pitches per year, and warm-up pitches before a game” as well as showcase appearances during adolescence. The message was very clear: throw too much – especially at a young age – and you’re going to wind up hurt.
Unfortunately, though, many people glaze over numbers in studies (if they ever read them), and while they may walk away with the “overuse is bad” message, they don’t appreciate what true overuse really is – especially since it’s age-dependent. Fortunately, a February 2011 study from Fleisig et al. showed in no uncertain terms that, in ages 9-14, throwing more than 100 innings per year was associated with a 3.5 times higher risk of elbow or shoulder surgery – orretirement altogether.
To put this into context, I’ll first ask you: do you realize how challenging it is to throw 100 innings in a little league season? Let’s say you start baseball the first week of April (little league) and even manage to play on a summer team that runs through the end of July. That’s a four month season: exactly what I was accustomed to growing up – at the absolute most.
Conveniently right now, we are almost exactly through a month of the major league season – and Jon Lester leads my team of choice, the Boston Red Sox, with 31.1 innings pitched. In other words, at this point in time, a high-performance, skeletally mature pitcher (with no history of arm troubles) in the most elite baseball league in the world is on pace for roughly 130 innings pitched over the first four months of the year. However, there are parents and coaches out there that actually think it’s okay to send an 11-year old out there for a comparable number of innings? It’s especially troublesome when you realize that younger kids always throw more pitches per inning than their older counterparts, as they don’t have good command and insist on trying to strike everyone out instead of pitching to contact here and there.
Just think about how hard that is to do. Lester throws on a five-day rotation, and Little league games are, at most, twice a week. If a kid pitches once a week for four months, even if he throws complete games every time out (not something I’d advise, for the record), he’d still struggle to hit 100 innings (16 starts x 7 inning games =112 innings). Rats! It’s actually tough to overuse kids when the season is kept in check.
So, instead, they add seasons. Join an AAU team (or seven of them). Play fall ball so that you can rack up another seven innings every weekend. Be sure to hit up a few college camps on Saturdays and throw as hard as you can so that your Sunday outing in 25-degree weather is extra miserable. Make sure you see your pitching coach for bullpens as soon as fall ball ends. Get your registration in early for that showcase that’s taking place the first week in January. Just do some band work and a couple of half-ass stretches and you’ll be fine. Riiiight….good thinking.
At risk of sounding arrogant, I’m good at what I do. I’ve devoted my life to keeping baseball players healthy. They comprise 85% of our clientele at Cressey Performance, and I work with millions of dollars of arms every off-season and see players from ages 9 to 50+. I do my best to surround myself with the smartest people in strength and conditioning, rehabilitation, and skill-specific training in and outside of the game. I managed the first subpectoral biceps tenodesis in major league history. I can talk mechanics with the best pitching coaches around, write strength and conditioning and throwing programs, manually stretch guys, you name it. I’ve got two fantastic therapists in my office to do massage, ART, Graston, chiropractic adjustments, and a host of other manual therapy approaches – not to mention a great physical therapist nearby who can handle all our complex cases. You know the only things I, we, or anybody on this planet can’t control?
Poor judgment by athletes and their parents and coaches.
And that – no doubt about it – is the primary reason that kids get hurt. We can do all the strength training, mobility work, and soft tissue treatments in the world and it won’t matter if they’re overused – because I’m just not smart enough to have figured out how to go back in time and change history. Worried about whether they’re throwing curveballs, or if their mechanics are perfect? It won’t matter if they’ve already accumulated too many innings.
While athletes might be playing with fire each time they throw, the pain presentation pattern is different. You burn your hand, and you know instantly. Pitching injuries take time to come about. Maybe you do microscopic damage to your ulnar collateral ligament each time you throw – and then come back and pitch again before it’s had time to fully regenerate. Or, maybe you ignore the shoulder internal rotation deficit and scapular dyskinesis you’ve got and it gets worse and worse for years – until you’re finally on the surgeon’s table for a labral and/or rotator cuff repair. These issues might be managed conservatively if painful during the teenage years (or go undetected if no pain is present) – but once a kid hits age 18 or 19, it seems to automatically become “socially acceptable” to do an elbow or shoulder surgery.
Of course, this isn’t just applicable to coaches in the 9-14 age group. You see “criminal” pitch counts in the high school and collegiate ranks as well, and while they may be more physically mature than the 9-14 year-olds, that doesn’t mean that they’re exempt from the short- and long-term consequences.
This is why we need the best coaches at the youngest levels. It’s also why we need pitching coaches that understand “managing pitchers” as much as – if not more than – teaching pitching mechanics. And, it’s why coaches need to understand the big picture in terms of what different kids can do at different ages, at different times in the year.
It’s also while parents need to be proactive with their young pitchers. If a coach isn’t going to track his innings – and a 9-year-old kid certainly can’t be expected to do so – the parent needs to step up and do so. I’ve met a lot of parents of kids who have been injured at ages 17-21, and most of them look back with a lot of anger toward coaches at younger levels for overusing their sons. Hindsight is always 20/20, but foresight is what saves an arm. Don’t be afraid to step up and say something, as you aren’t telling a coach how to do his job; you’re protecting your kid, just as you would be locking the door at night or making sure he brushes his teeth.
In terms of planning the competitive year, I have no problem with a 9-14 year-old kid playing baseball 4-5 months of the year, as the other 7-8 months per year should be devoted to at least two other sports. It’s basically the “rule of thirds” for long-term athletic development: three sports, four months apiece. Kids can strength-train year round.
At ages 15-16, I’m fine with kids changing things up and going to only two sports. Baseball might occupy 7-8 months, but a big chunk of that should be focused on preparation. So, a kid might start playing catch in November, start his high school season in March, and then play summer ball through the end of July. August through November would be devoted to a fall sport and fall ball would be altogether omitted, as it was the only idea worse than making Rocky V. Kids would, of course, strength-train year-round.
At ages 17 and up, it’s fine with me if you want to specialize in baseball, but that doesn’t mean you should play year-round. I actually advocate kids only throw for 8-9 months of the year (at most) – which is right on par with what most professional players do. The only thing that’d be different is that the season would be shifted up a bit in the year, as the high school season usually starts a few weeks before the professional season. Pro guys get half of October, then all November and December off from throwing. “Specialized” high school players get August, September, and October off (again, because fall ball is as useful as a trap door in a lifeboat). Strength training is year-round.
You’ll notice that there isn’t a single penny spent on off-season baseball showcases. That wasn’t an accidental omission (read here why I don’t like them). If you insist on going to one, pick one between June and early August.
I’m convinced that the next big thing in Major League Baseball’s “scouting revolution” is meticulously analyzing what players did when they were younger. If they are going to draft kids, they want to know that they haven’t been overworked for years prior to entering professional baseball. You’re already seeing this taking place in collegiate baseball based more on an assumption: pitchers from the North are getting more and more opportunities to play down South because coaches recruit them (beyond just talent) under the assumption that they’ve accumulated less wear and tear on their arms.
This piece might have ruffled some feathers. Kids want to play year-round. Parents want to make kids happy – and they enjoy watching them play. You know what else? Kids love chocolate, and parents want to see kids happy – but that doesn’t mean that kids should get a limitless amount of chocolate to consume, right? You put away the Easter candy this week to stress moderation and look out for their long-term well-being.
Coaches enjoy coaching and want to win – and they may take a commentary like this personally because they’re the ones who sent a 9-year-old out for 120 innings one year – and now he’s the one having the elbow surgery. Or, maybe it’s the college coach who let a kid throw 160 pitches in a game and killed his draft status because teams know he’ll have a shoulder surgery in three years. Admitting you’re wrong is hard enough, but admitting you’re wrong and learning from that mistake to help future kids is even harder – but all the more rewarding.
This post wasn’t intended to make anyone feel bad, but bring to light an issue (throwing volume) that I think is the absolute most important consideration when taking care of arms. We can do everything right in terms of physical preparation, but if you throw too much – especially at vulnerable ages – none of it matters.
Again, if you could help spread the word on this, I’d really appreciate it. And, feel free to comment below; I’m here to help.
Eric Cressey, MA, CSCS is the President of Cressey Performance, just west of Boston, MA. He publishes a free daily blog and weekly newsletter atwww.EricCressey.com.
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Over the years we have adopted the same philosophies that Eric uses with his baseball clients. Baseball players in the Pioneer Valley who are looking to take your game to the next level, while reducing your chances of developing a shoulder or elbow problem, give us a call at 413-304-2350.
We also have the privilege of working with the staff at Extra Innings. Together, our baseball clients get the best in instruction and athletic development. Let the Conca Strength and Conditioning team provide you with a comprehensive plan to make this your best season yet.
IN-SEASON TRAINING FOR BASEBALL...OR WHATEVER YOUR SPORT OF CHOICE IS
A few weeks ago I got an email from a parent of a high school baseball player we train asking if I thought it would benefit their son to continue training twice per week in-season. She was asking because she thought it would better prepare her son for the lengthy summer season. Great forward thinking mom!
IN-SEASON TRAINING
I thought this would be a great question and highlights an incredible insight so many coaches, parents, and athletes overlook. In-season training is an absolute necessity, but it’s almost always completely neglected.
While I think this is not the smartest thing to say for scientific reasons, I also think it demonstrates an incredible ability to selectively neglect an obvious occurrence:
EVERY PROFESSIONAL AND COLLEGIATE PROGRAM FOLLOWS AN IN-SEASON TRAINING PROGRAM!
How can anyone look at the levels of every sport considered “elite,” see a commonality amongst all of them, and then say something like “in-season training isn’t good for you?”
I've heard it all the from the golfer's saying that working out will mess up their swing to the baseball player who was told it will hurt their mechanics and make them “tight.”
I believe one of the only reasons in-season training is so frequently neglected is because of the lack of understanding of how the nature of the program should change to accommodate the demands of the sport. Yes, there are commonalities in exercise selection, but the design of our in-season baseball training programs are VERY different from that of our off-season programs.
Naturally, in-season carries a number of benefits. Unfortunately, most youth sport programs aren’t set up to accommodate in-season training. There’s an excessive focus on competition at the expense of preparation, and the “training” side of preparation is neglected all together. As it is, most youth athletes don’t have a true off-season, and it’s easy to see why these non-contact overuse injuries in the youth population have exploded over the last decade.
To keep it simple, the body operates in a “use it, improve it, or lose it” capacity. If athlete’s aren’t working to improve or maintain their athletic capacities, such as speed, power, strength, stability, they’re going to lose them. There are numerous studies supporting this. There is more and more convincing evidence that fatigue associated with accumulated wear and tear, it was also the result of trying to maintain a given performance level while the athletic capacities such as strength, power, and speed were diminishing.
With in-season, the goal is to create a minimal amount of stress to the body that will result the largest improvements in strength and power and allow for the restoration od balance across all major joints in the body.
Why aren’t youth organizations doing this? Simple, time and know how. Most youth sports organizations only have a finite number of hrs to practice during the week. Many dedicated sport coaches simply do not have the high level of strength and conditioning training needed to implement such programs. In a perfect world, youth organizations would dedicate 45 minutes of practice time twice per week to get some strength and power work in.
This is where Conca Performance programming comes in. Coaches recognize the benefit, and they see the difference it makes in the athletes that participate in an in-season strength program, not to mention the reduction in injury rates.
Elite organizations such as Extra Innings, The Western Mass Storm, Cathedral Hockey, and Holy Name Hockey have seen how important a professionally designed in-season strength program can be to their athletes.
If you are currently playing baseball, let us help you maximize your potential this season. Give us a call for a complimentary consultation on how we can help you make this season your best!
Now that Spring is right around the corner and the weather is warming up, you may find yourself exercising more outside. If you are a competitive triathlete or just enjoy the outdoors, you may find yourself running, biking, swimming, or doing a combination of those activities. Before you establish your training routine, there are 5 common mistakes that many endurance sport athletes make which may impair their performance in training and competition. So, if you want to gain the competitive edge and stay strong, energetic, and injury-free this season, you need to avoid these mistakes.
Mistake #1 - Not lifting weights
A common misconception with endurance athletes is that lifting weights will make you slow, bulky, and inflexible. Contrary to popular belief, lifting weights the CORRECT WAY will enhance your performance by reducing injury and correcting muscular imbalances. You need to be a functionally strong, all-around athlete. If you can run, bike, and swim for hours but you can't do a proper body weight pushup or squat on only one leg, you are at risk for injury! And, the extra miles you put in on the road or in the pool are not going to change that - they will only further predispose you to a nagging overuse injury, which will negatively impact your ability to train and compete. What you do in the gym will assist you out in the water or on the road, and we at Conca Sport and Fitness know just how to do that.
Mistake #2 - Not eating enough protein
It is very crucial to eat plenty of carbohydrates (i.e., pastas, rice, breads, fruits, vegetables) in order to maintain your energy levels and performance during these long-distance endurance events, but it is also very crucial to eat plenty of protein. Protein will help you to maintain your lean muscle mass, burn unwanted body fat, and recover faster and more efficiently after your training and competitions. In other words, protein helps you to become stronger and race faster. How much protein should you be eating? There are many variables to answer this question correctly. Let us at Conca Sport and Fitness teach you how to figure out your individual nutrient needs and watch your performance soar!
Mistake #3 - Overtraining
There is a difference between training hard and training smart. You want to be able to train efficiently so you can move forward towards your goal of maximizing your performance during competition. If you are consistently training too hard, too long, and too frequently you may be well on your way to overtraining. When this happens, you may experience interrupted or inconsistent sleep, nagging injuries, decreased performance, daily fatigue, decreased appetite, lack of motivation to train, and persistent muscle soreness. Remember, training should be fun, positive, and keep you healthy. You must be able to recognize when you are overtrained and give yourself appropriate time to recover.
Mistake #4 - Not taking the time to Rest/Recover/Regenerate
You have to remember that if you get hurt, you can't train. And, if you can't train, you can't get better. So, abusing your body by pushing through the signs of overtraining will only set you further back from achieving your goals. Scheduling rest and recovery into your program is just as important (if not more important) as the actual training program itself. Without taking appropriate time to rest your mind and body, you will quickly burn out, lose motivation, and potentially injure yourself. Implementing regenerative techniques into your routine (i.e., foam rolling, massage, stretching, Epsom salt or ice baths) also are very important for keeping your body running as a fine-tuned Ferrari and not a lemon. So, pay attention and listen to your body!
Mistake #5 - Not incorporating post-workout nutrition
Having a good, consistent post-workout nutrition plan can make a HUGE difference in your training, performance, and overall vitality. And sadly, most people wait too long or completely forget! When you workout, you break down muscle (protein) and deplete your carbohydrate energy stores (muscle glycogen). If you do not consume an easily digested food source with a 3:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio (i.e., Prograde Workout, BioChem Whey protein shake with fruit) within 30-45min after your workout, you are defeating the whole purpose of working out and are breaking your body down even more! So plan ahead and start refueling immediately. Then, within the next hour, have a more substantial meal consisting of healthy complex and simple carbohydrates and a lean protein. If you can avoid these common mistakes, your enjoyment and performance will improve!
Not sure where to get started?
Give us a call to set up a complimentary consult and we'll have you ready for race day!
Not making progress towards your health and fitness goals? Are you putting in the time, but not seeing results as quickly as you would like? Have you stopped seeing results at all? Or worse, is your progress sliding backwards?
In a world of immediate gratification it's shocking for most people to hear that they may not get exactly what they want when they want it.
I'm not judging this as right or wrong, but rather pointing out that this way of thinking may sabotage your long-term, permanent results when it comes to your personal health and weight loss.
If you have been putting in the time but are not seeing the results of your efforts, you may be in a "steady state" of exercising - doing the same thing day after day; exercising the same amount of time with the same intensity; eating the same foods; putting the same number of miles on the treadmill; maintaining the same mental focus and outlook on achieving your goals.
You may be in "maintenance mode." Maintaining your current level of health and fitness and weight (healthy or not!).
Ignore what you do for a living. Some of you may be construction workers, desk jockeys, teachers, and others stay-at-home moms. We all have a baseline level of daily activity.
Here's the secret...you must boost your intensity ABOVE whatever your daily activity level is to make progress. It's all relative to your lifestyle. That means that the on-the-go mom still needs to put in bouts of intense training to push herself to reach her goals.
Keep in mind, very few people don't have setbacks on their path to total health, wellness, and weight loss. It's just the nature of the journey.
However, when we view these temporary setbacks as learning experiences and remember not to repeat them in the future, then they are well worth the aggravation they may bring us.
Especially when you look at it as part of your education in what your body will or won't tolerate.
For example, there is an ideal exercise volume and intensity for each of us to increase lean muscle mass, boost our metabolism, and achieve a desired body transformation. This equation CHANGES as we progress. It's what I like to call the "Unsteady State of Health and Fitness"
To find that specific volume and intensity equation for you, it will take some "trial and error". With the right professional by your side you can navigate through that path of trial and error much more quickly to find the best balance for you to get the results you desire.
Too much volume may cause joint and muscle pain or tissue breakdown. Too little intensity may keep you right where you are. Either scenario can be frustrating, especially if you are putting in the time to exercise.
Tweaking your program as you go is the best option to maximize results and keep your body challenged and improving.
What I recommend is beginning a body transformation program with the knowledge ahead of time that there will be some bumps along the way. The reason is that although a quality and proven body transformation program will work for EVERYONE, you may need to tweak some components to adjust it to your fitness level and dietary needs.
The truth is that no "plan" is meant to be perfect for everyone right out of the box; you just need the commitment and focus to make changes when necessary.
But I caution you, don't change something simply because you don't like it...sometimes working through the exercises that are the toughest or eating new foods is EXACTLY what our bodies need. They are craving for CHANGE.
So in the end, I believe that the best mindset to have for ultimate weight loss success and health is to adopt a philosophy that allows you to continually learn from your ups and downs and to be flexible and open to change.
Welcome and seek out variety, challenges, and change. View setbacks as opportunities to succeed again instead of as mistakes.
And by all means don't get down on yourself for difficulties or stagnant periods with weight loss - that should be your signal to mix it up a little and try something new. Remember, avoid the "steady state"... same foods, same exercise, same intensity, same distance, same amount of time, same motivation or effort level...and
Get UNSTEADY!!
I hope this article was helpful in providing an alternative view on a successful weight loss mentality and how to avoid the pitfalls of a steady state routine which can be less than rewarding when trying to reach your goals.
While distance running may seem like a good way to improve body composition and cardiovascular endurance for sports performance, in sports dominated by short bursts, stops, and frequent changes of direction, long-distance running actually impedes your ability to develop strength, power, and dynamic flexibility which directly increases your risk of injury on the field, ice, and court. Let me explain.
In most sports, the events are dynamic and unpredictable, and athletes must be prepared to and able to react to the continuously changing external environment. This ability to accelerate, decelerate, stop and accelerate again as quickly as possible (and perhaps in a different direction) is a huge characteristic for success in these sports. When you go for a long-distance run, you repeat the same, shortened range of movement through the hips, knees, and ankles in only one direction or plane of motion - forward. What happens in soccer, lacrosse, or hockey when you are head to head with a defender?What about in baseball and softball once you have made the outfield catch and must quickly transition into a long throw for the final out? You have to slow down (decelerate), quickly change your direction, and immediately explode past the opponent or into a very powerful throw. Your muscles have to be primed to be able to execute these movements. The muscles of your hips and legs must be strong enough to slow the forward motion of your body and powerful enough to quickly produce enough force into the ground to move in the new direction.
In power or explosive movements, the movement is predominantly initiated in the trunk and hips, even in throwing. By preceding the muscular contraction with a pre-stretch or quick muscle lengthening, you can effectively improve the amount of power can produce because of the contribution of elastic rebound. In long-distance running, the ability to access this elastic rebound greatly diminishes with the length of the run. When training a "work-recover-repeat" athlete, one that must be strong and powerful in short bursts, aerobic steady state exercise will do nothing to increase your ability to work at high intensities, recover quickly, and be able to reproduce that effort. Instead, training using high intensity intervals will be much more effective than steady state aerobic work for increasing your cardiovascular endurance, improving your body composition, and preparing you for the specific metabolic demands of your sport without negatively affecting your strength and power.
