The Performance Training and Conditioning E-Magazine of Athletes and Fitness Enthusiasts
March 2015 Issue
In this Issue:
Training Spaces: D-1 Sports Training
Book review: Power Positions
Velocity based training with the PUSH Band
in this issue:
Editorial: Train like an athlete to look like an athlete Training Tech: The PUSH Band tracker for velocity based performance training Book reviews: Top notch training with Power Positions; run better with Ready to Run; learn about how the best get better with Misty Athlete Zen: Don’t let victory defeat you Athlete Fueling: Over the counter recovery drinks for refueling Workout of the Month: Goblet hold exercises for lower body strengthening Training spaces: D-1 Sports Training facilities is where top athletes go to get better Feature Article: How to make those ankles healthy and strong
Train like an athlete for the look of an athletes From the Editor Athletes have a certain look. The muscular physique that looks balanced and strong, created to enhance athletic movement. The athletic look of course is a by product of training (with the exception of those select fortunate ones whose genetic make up include a GREAT athletic LOOK!) One of the questions that I am asked most often by former athletes trying to “get back into working out” is HOW to get that athletic look again. Many have become a shadow of what they used to look like, and want to regain that look. Many times they have dedicated themselves to a regiment of cardio and other mainstream exercises and workouts with no success of recapturing the athletic look of their past. My advice has always been the same: you have to train like an athlete to look like an athlete. Remember the tempo of your competition prep workouts: the box jumps, the DB lunges, and the overall effort? Now it’s replaced with monotonous minutes spent on the treadmill or elliptical and “ab exercises”. To look like the athlete you used to be, train like the athlete you use to be. You can of course do some tweaking. Exchange those barbell hang cleans you used to do for kettlebell swings. Remember those heavy squats you used to surrender to in the weight room? Modify the weight to make it more user friendly to your current strength level. But a big thing is HOW you workout out. Workout as if your goal is the same as your competition goal from back in the day. Instead of trying to win a particular game, win your fitness goal. Train with that athletic tempo in mind, not that of a “monotonous elliptical rider” hoping the workout is over soon. Still want that LOOK of an athlete? Then TRAIN like that athlete!
Daimond D. Dixon Editor, Pro Power E-Mag
The Mission The Pro Power mission is to provide training information to athletes and fitness enthusiasts by sharing training and conditioning ideals from various sources helping individuals to reach their personal performance potential.
Publishing Pro Power E-Magazine is published monthly in an online viewing format along with an accompanying online web site and blog.
Contact Information Editor: Daimond Dixon Web: ProPowerMag.com Email: PerformanceSport21@gmail.com Phone: (616) 633-1883
Training Tech Tech that adds variety to sports performance and fitness training PUSH is not your average wearable device. PUSH Band doesn't track steps, sleep, eating habits, or calories gained or lost. However instead it offers scientifically based metrics that can help you improve your performance training. PUSH measures two key metrics that have been scientifically proven to be excellent predictors of athletic performance: Power and Velocity.
POWER as the ultimate goal When two athletes compete and lift the same weight, Power can be used to determine which athlete exerted themselves more during the lift. With PUSH, you can gain real insights into which athlete is working harder. Measuring Power can be used to accomplish the following goals: Allow athletes to compete regardless of the weight being lifted Measure how hard each athlete is truly working
Speed of the lift Velocity Based Training (VBT) is a new training methodology in the world of strength and conditioning . For decades, coaches knew that the speed of movement during training is important. Velocity Based Training can be used to accomplish the following goals: Avoid under or over-training by monitoring speed of movement Optimize training load and volume based on training goals (Strength, Endurance, Speed)
Exercise Applications.
PUSH has created a database of exercises that will help you track automatically. Every exercise that is added is tested and validated against equipment to ensure accuracy and reliability. For exercises that aren't automatically tracked, you can manually log the number of reps you did.
Check out the PUSH Band video below and visit official site at TrainwithPush.com
(above photos property of PUSH, Inc.)
Book Reviews:
Power Positions, Ready to Run and Misty From Amazon: Power Positions Andrea Hudy has trained numerous NCAA national championship teams, elite athletes, and National Basketball Association players. The Wall Street Journal calls her “The Kansas Jayhawks’ Secret Weapon.” In Power Positions, Hudy shares her specific training prescriptions designed to maximize sports performance. “The Hudy Movement” provides a unique way to look at movement and training that is grounded in science to build a better athlete and a better person. Author Andrea Hudy has worked with the best researchers in the field to design a training method that is research-based and integrates leading technology to drive proven results for athletes.
Get the book here
From Amazon: Ready to Run Is there a bridge from the injury-ridden world of the modern runner to the promised land that barefoot running and Born to Run have led us to believe exists? Can we really live the running life free from injury? Is there an approach designed to unlock all the athletic potential that may be hidden within? Can we run faster, longer, and more efficiently? In Ready to Run, you will learn: The 12 performance standards you must work toward and develop on an ongoing basis How to tap into all of your running potential and access a fountain of youth for lifelong running
How to turn your weaknesses into strengths How to prevent chronic overuse injuries by building powerful injury-prevention habits into your day How to prepare your body for the demands of changing your running shoes and running technique How to treat pain and swelling with cutting-edge modalities and accelerate your recovery How to equip your home mobility gym A set of mobility exercises for restoring optimal function and range of motion to your joints and tissues
Get the book here
How to run faster, run farther, and run better
From Amazon: Misty The passionate, poignant, and triumphant story of two-time Olympic gold medal–winning beach volleyball icon Misty May-Treanor.
Get the book here
More than any Olympics in history, the 2008 Beijing Summer Games captured the world’s imagination, and Misty May-Treanor became one of the biggest U.S. stars on the global stage. Now she shares the story of her life and remarkable athletic career. Destined for beach volleyball superstardom, having been raised on famed Muscle Beach in Santa Monica, California, Misty talks about the personal and professional challenges she has faced and the life lessons she has learned in the process.
These books and others are available in both print and tablet versions in our Pro Power Bookstore HERE
Athlete Zen Don’t let victory defeat you
“Peace has cost you your strength…victory has feated you!”
de-
The arch villain Bane spoke those prophetic words to Batman aka Bruce Wayne in the final film of the recent Batman trilogy “The Dark Knight Rises”. It was Bane’s way of letting Batman know that in years of solitude without fighting to sharpen his skills, and having been a victor in past match ups with villains, these two things combined to lessen Batmans edge, making him in fact WEAKER. Does inactivity cause us to loose our competitive edge? Does reliance on past victories and success cause future down falls and defeats? I’m not sure. After all, we advocate times when we need to recover and re-tool outside of competition and training to get reconnected with life. We speak of relying on the memory of past wins and triumphs to propel us into future success from a confidence point of view. Be too much of either can have a negative affect. Staying out of the game of life too long by relaxing and re-tooling can have a negative impact on us by dulling our ability to engage and actively seek ways to get better and better. Relying too much on past success as an assumed crutch where we think victory is automatic because we have won before can be dangerous. The solution is to find those moments of peace when you can throughout the day and week. Moments where you take the time for mental downtime not trying to train your body, engage your mind, or solve the worlds problems. Then just get back into life when these moments are over, ready to get back at it. Review past victories as a reminder of what you have accomplished in the past, and what is possible in the future when it comes to challenges and competition. It’s a balancing act where peace doesn’t have to cost you any strength, and past victory and success’ can fuel you and won’t defeat you!
HOW THEY WORK FOR ATHLETES Swivel Vision allows athletes to utilize their optimal field of vision in order to achieve maximum focus and better hand-eye coordination. Swivel Vision will help athletes train to increase reaction times and develop superior mechanics. With repetitive use, Swivel Vision seeks to strengthen the core muscle memory of the eyes and the mind to help athletes become more successful.
Check out Swivel Vision’s Official Site HERE and see them in action HERE
Over the counter recovery drinks for refueling I recently completed a training session and had my typical post workout recovery shake. After drinking it and sitting for a moment I noticed an athlete across from me in the weight room ingesting his post-workout drink. I began thinking about the many drinks/recovery aids on the market today for post-workout consumption. Many of these are no longer just available at health food specialty stores, but can be found in main stream grocery stores. I searched out a few, and came upon one that I have seen often at my grocer: Gatorade Recovery Protein Shake. After I trained recently, tried this particular one out afterwards. Although not full of a lot “bells and whistles” this recovery drink did an admirable job of feeding me after my workout. Taste was pretty good, likening it to a less sweet version of chocolate milk.
Nutrition Facts Serving Size 1 Bottle (330 mL) Amount Per Serving
Calories 270 Calories from Fat 10%
Here are some fast facts about Gatorades Recovery Shake as offered by their website:
Daily Value* Total Fat 1g 2% Saturated Fat 1g 3% Trans Fat 0g
“Recover Protein Shake contains high-quality milk and whey protein that easily digests, reaching muscles faster than other types of protein, like casein. Two sources of calories offer one complete recovery. The calories from carbs refill depleted energy stores in muscles and the calories from protein help rebuild them.”
Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 320mg 14% Potassium 680mg 19% Total Carbohydrate 45g 15% Dietary Fiber 2g 7% Sugars 20g Protein 20g
My assessment? Although a bit pricey for the one container serving, it did an adequate job as my post-workout drink. It gave me the added carbs, proteins and calories to properly recover after a tough workout.
Training Tech Tech that adds variety to sports performance and fitness training
Get your Training Mask here today!
What is the Competitive Cauldron? A MUST use application for any coach. See it here
“Our competitive cauldron is a player development tool. By making the player better, it makes the team better. We don’t use players’ rankings to determine starting positions or playing time. The rankings are for the players’ information. Those that are ambitious will want to climb and those that are content to be mediocre will also be content to remain in the middle to bottom of the rankings.”
Customize your own Categories. Filter by Categories and by Player position. Create a cauldron from our templates for Soccer, Lacrosse, Basketball, Football, Volleyball or create your own personalize cauldron. Create and enter your players stats for each training sessions online or via the app. Printout/Email individual players stats or the entire Team. Allow players to login online to view only their stats and progress. Create and Email player evaluations (Customize your own evaluation for your team)
Workout of the Month: DB Goblet Holds for Lower Body Strength DB’s have be used for a variety of different lower body exercises for along time. The typical way is to grab ahold of the handles and do work, squatting, stepping and lunging. Another way is with the Goblet hold. How to do it: Tip the DB upright and hold it vertically by one of the weighted ends. Holding it beneath your chin with the upper weighted portion against your sternum, tighten your forearms around the DB. With this hold you can perform these 3 killer lower body strength moves:
See the video
Goblet Hold Side Lunge Goblet Hold Reverse Lunge Goblet Hold Box Step Up Check out the video and add these moves to your next lower body workout!
Excel Training sell’s excel templates—-the #1 design program for personal trainers, strength coaches, weight loss specialists, as well as functional movement specialists. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
Training Spaces We started searching the web each month to find unique training facilities across the internet that caters towards those competitive athletes and fitness enthusiasts looking to take their training to that next level. This month our search brought us to D-1 Sports Training
About D-1 Sports Training: According to their website D-1 delivers athletic-based scholastic and adult training programs, expert coaching and the latest in sports therapy, all in a high-energy, motivating environment. Facilities nationwide include strength training areas, turf training area locker rooms inside of a clear span structure. There are also different types of training to accommodate different types of athlete and fitness levels.
Elements of D-1’s Athletic-Based Group Training: Dynamic Warm-Up Speed, Agility & Conditioning Strength Training Core & Flexibility
Levels of D-1 Training SCHOLASTIC Rookie Developmental Prep Overtime ADULTS (Boot Camp, Low Impact, StrengthELITE (Collegiate, NFL Combine, Pro)
Click here to visit D-1 Sports Training for more information!
Feature Article: Keeping ankles healthy for max performance by Trevis Trevino (A.T.C., C.P.T., C.S.C.S., L.N.) Purpose of Program After an injury or surgery, an exercise conditioning program will help you return to daily activities and enjoy a more active, healthy lifestyle. Following a well-structured conditioning program will also help you return to sports and other recreational activities. This is a general conditioning program that provides a wide range of exercises. To ensure that the program is safe and effective for you, it should be performed under your doctor’s supervision. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about which exercises will best help you meet your rehabilitation goals. Strength: Str engthening the muscles that suppor t your lower leg, foot, and ankle will help keep your ankle joint stable. Keeping these muscles strong can relieve foot and ankle pain and prevent further injury. Flexibility: Str etching the muscles that you str engthen is impor tant for r estor ing r ange of motion and pr eventing injur y. Gently stretching after strengthening exercises can help reduce muscle soreness and keep your muscles long and flexible. Target Muscles: The muscle gr oups of the lower leg ar e tar geted in this conditioning pr ogr am, as well as the tendons and ligaments that control movement in your feet. These include:
• Gastrocnemius-soleus complex (calf) • Anterior tibialis (shin) • Posterior tibialis (center of calf) • Peroneus longus (outside of lower calf) • Peroneus brevis (outside of lower calf)
Soleus (calf)
Dorsiflexors (ankle)
Plantar flexors (ankle)
Invertors (ankle)
Evertors (ankle)
Foot and Ankle Conditioning Program Length of program: This foot and ankle conditioning pr ogr am should be continued for 4 to 6 weeks, unless other wise specified by your doctor or physical therapist. After your recovery, these exercises can be continued as a maintenance program for lifelong protection and health of your feet and lower legs. Performing the exercises three to five days a week will maintain strength and range of motion in your foot and ankle.
Getting Started Warm up: Befor e doing the following exer cises, war m up with 5 to 10 minutes of low impact activity, like walking or r iding a stationary bicycle. Stretch: After the war m-up, do the stretching exercises shown on Page 1 before moving on to the strengthening exercises. When you have completed the strengthening exercises, repeat the stretching exercises to end the program. Do not ignore pain: You should not feel pain dur ing an exer cise. Talk to your doctor or physical ther apist if you have any pain while exercising.
Ask questions: If you ar e not sur e how to do an exer cise, or how often to do it, contact your doctor or physical ther apist.
1. Heel Cord Stretch ________________________________________________________________ Main muscles worked: Gastr ocnemius-soleus complex You should feel this stretch in your calf and into your heel Equipment needed: None Step-by-step directions
Stand facing a wall with your unaffected leg forward with a slight bend at the knee. Your affected leg is straight and behind you, with the heel flat and the toes pointed in slightly.
Keep both heels flat on the floor and press your hips forward toward the wall.
Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and then relax for 30 seconds. Repeat.
2. Heel Cord Stretch with Bent Knee Main muscles worked: Soleus You should feel this stretch in your calf, the sides of your ankle, and into your heel Equipment needed: None Step-by-step directions
Stand facing a wall with your unaffected leg forward with a slight bend at the knee. Your affected leg is behind you, with the knee bent and the toes pointed in slightly.
Keep both heels flat on the floor and press your hips forward toward the wall.
Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and then relax for 30 seconds. Repeat
3. Golf Ball Roll Main muscles worked: Plantar fascia ligament You should feel this exercise along the bottom of your foot Equipment needed: Golf ball Step-by-step directions
Sit on a stable chair with both feet planted on the floor.
Roll a golf ball under the arch of your affected foot for 2 minutes.
4. Towel Stretch Main muscles worked: Gastr ocnemius-soleus complex You should feel this stretch in your calf and into your heel Equipment needed: Hand towel Step-by-step directions
Sit on the floor with both legs out in front of you.
Loop a towel around the ball of your affected foot and grasp the ends of the towel in your hands.
Keep your affected leg straight and pull the towel toward you.
Hold for 30 seconds and then relax for 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
5. Calf Raises Main muscles worked: Gastr ocnemius-soleus complex You should feel this exercise in your calf Equipment needed: Chair for suppor t Step-by-step directions
Stand with your weight evenly distributed over both feet. Hold onto the back of a chair or a wall for balance.
Lift your unaffected foot off of the floor so that all of your weight is placed on your affected foot.
Raise the heel of your affected foot as high as you can, then lower.
Repeat 10 times.
6. Ankle Range of Motion Main muscles worked: Dor siflexor s, plantar flexor s, inver tor s, ever tor s You should feel this exercise at the top of your foot and throughout your ankle Equipment needed: None Step-by-step directions • Sit down so that your feet do not touch the floor. • Use your foot to write each letter of the alphabet in the air. Lead with your big toe.
7. Marble Pickup Main muscles worked: Plantar flexor s You should feel this exercise at the top of your foot and toes Equipment needed: 20 mar bles Step-by-step directions • Sit with both feet flat and place 20 marbles on the floor in front of you. • Use your toes to pick up one marble at a time and place into a bowl. • Repeat until you have picked up all the marbles.
8. Towel Curls Main muscles worked: Plantar flexor s You should feel this exercise at the top of your foot and your toes Equipment needed: Hand towel Step-by-step directions
Sit with both feet flat and place a small towel on the floor in front of you.
Grab the center of the towel with your toes and curl the towel toward you.
Relax and repeat.
9. Ankle Dorsiflexion/Plantar Flexion Main muscles worked: Anter ior tibialis, gastr ocnemius-soleus complex You should feel this exercise at your calf, shin, the back of your heel, and the top of your foot Equipment needed: Use an elastic str etch band of comfor table r esistance Step-by-step directions
Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you.
For dorsiflexion, anchor the elastic band on a chair or table leg, then wrap it around your foot.
Pull your toes toward you and slowly return to the start position. Repeat 10 times.
For plantar flexion, wrap the elastic band around your foot and hold the ends in your hand.
Gently point your toes and slowly return to the start position. Repeat 10 times. Trevis Trevino (A.T.C., C.P.T., C.S.C.S., L.N.) is a sports medicine consultant who specializes in Sports Nutrition and has worked with Professional and Olympic athletes across the country.
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