INJURY PREVENTION WORKBOOK | NOVEMBER 2016
BETTERFENCER.COM Injury Prevention Training Program Worksheet Based on conversations with Jeremy Summers Director of Sports Medicine, USA Fencing
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE: Each slide below contains information about the exercises described in the Better Fencer injury prevention article Use the Scheduler on the next page to track your exercise plan and measure your progress (you can always print more or edit your own at bit.ly/injurypreventionworksheet) Additional pages give further information about : The core exercises, choosing number of reps and sets, and additional exercises you might consider
Editable spreadsheet can be found at bit.ly/injurypreventionworksheet
1. Overhead Squat This exercise can be done with 5 foot pipe (PC pipe works well), which you hold directly above your head, arms out wide. Keep your toes pointed slightly outwards. Holding the bar in position will force you to keep your back upright and your hips open as you lower and return to standing. Because fencers tend to round their shoulders to cover their target, an overhead squat helps to create mobility in the chest, shoulders and hips.
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2. Single Leg Dead Lift Start on one leg, keeping the knee slightly bent. Your other leg is relatively straight and should extend behind you. Reach down towards the floor using the strength in your hamstring to lower and return to the starting position. This helps with both strength and balance. Once you master the movement, you can slowly start adding weight to the exercise by holding 2 equal dumbbells, one in each hand. 3. Lateral Lunges Holding your hands in front of you, step out to the side (with both feet still pointed forwards). As your foot lands, bend the stepping leg while keeping your back/spine straight. The other leg should remain straight. The exercise works both the bending leg and the extended leg and is excellent for strengthening muscles in the inner thigh where fencers are prone to injury.
4. Lateral Slides Start with the arms in front of you and your knees a little more than hip distance apart. Keeping your knees bent in an athletic stance, step with one foot out to the side, shortly followed by the other foot stepping back under you. Your knees should remain bent the whole time. This exercise can be made more difficult by adding a Theraband tied around your knees to create additional resistance as you take each step. 5. Hip Abduction Lying on your slide with legs straight, use the arm underneath you to stabilize your head and neck. Lift the top leg up, keeping it straight, and then return to original position. The bottom leg can be bent to stabilize your body.
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6. Hamstring Exercise There are a number of exercises to target the hamstrings. Begin by lying on your back with both feet flat on the floor. Push up with your legs and buttocks to create a bridge. The longer you hold this position at the top, the more difficult the exercise. Return back to the original position. To make the exercise more difficult, progress to using only one leg. Another variation is to place your feet on an elevated platform (like a bench) to increase the intensity. Also, the further you move your feet away from your butt, the more challenging the exercise will be. And lastly, for the hotshots, you can use an exercise physio ball: place your calves on the ball while lying on your back, lift your butt up while keeping legs straight, and then pull the ball towards you so your feet come flat on the ball and you are in a bridge. Extend and repeat. 7. Anterior Plank A weak core predisposes you to injury so strengthening your abdominal muscles and core endurance are a vital part of your training. Get into a pushup position, then lower yourself into a plank by placing your elbows and forearms on the floor. Your knees should be off the ground and your tailbone tucked under. That’s it! This exercise will get more difficult the longer you hold it.
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8 8. Lateral Plank Turn on your side with one elbow and forearm on the floor. Push up into a plank with your body in a straight line, balancing your weight between your elbow and forearm and the side of your foot. The other arm can rest on your side or be straight up in the air. Like the exercise above, it will be easier when you start, but get more challenging the longer you hold the position.
How often and how many? Jeremy Summers recommends you do this every other day or 3 times per week. The actual number of sets and repetitions depends on your current fitness level. If you haven’t done any strength training, start slow and use the first month to build your base strength. Once you feel stronger, you can progress at your own pace. How many? Ideally, you are performing each exercise until the final rep is very difficult. This is the state when the muscle gets the maximum benefit. Depending on the number of reps you are doing, you are actually working on different aspects of muscle development. When you are struggling to finish 12-15 of an exercise, you are building strength. When doing 20-25 reps, you are building more muscle endurance. The term “power” is often used to describe the ability to execute explosive, athletically-related movements. One increases their “power” by using heavier weights and fewer reps. When it’s hard to finish 4-6 reps with the appropriate weights, you are building your “power. Training power is not something that’s important to do all year long and should be avoided in developing bodies. However, as you progress, consider incorporating this into your routine, first under the supervision of a trained professional**. A good goal for the lower body exercises is 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps for each exercise. If you are finding that easy, then first increase your number of reps to 20-25. When that becomes easy, begin adding additional sets to each exercise. If you can do 4-5 sets of 20-25 repetitions, you are really kicking butt!
With the abdominal exercises (planks), Jeremy suggests you build up to 45 seconds for each lateral (side) plank and up to 2 mins per anterior plank. Aim for a couple of sets. Athletes with current low back pain should avoid these exercises until evaluated by their doctor.
Quick Look Lower Body Exercises: Begin at 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps → Work to 4-5 sets of 20-25 reps Anterior Plank Work towards 120 seconds (approximately 2 sets) Lateral Plank Work towards 45 seconds (approximately 2 sets) General Info about Sets and Reps 4-6 reps = Training Power 12-15 reps = Training Strength 20-25 reps = Training Muscle Endurance
Bonus Exercises Included here are additional exercises that can be done to support the key 8 exercises. These are part of an overall hamstring rehab and injury prevention plan created by Director of Sports Medicine for USA Fencing, Jeremy Summers, DC, L.Ac., ATC, DACBSP
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Bonus Exercises Included here are additional exercises that can be done to support the key 8 exercises. These are part of an overall hamstring rehab and injury prevention plan created by Director of Sports Medicine for USA Fencing, Jeremy Summers, DC, L.Ac., ATC, DACBSP
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Bonus Exercises Included here are additional exercises that can be done to support the key 8 exercises. These are part of an overall hamstring rehab and injury prevention plan created by Director of Sports Medicine for USA Fencing, Jeremy Summers, DC, L.Ac., ATC, DACBSP
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Bonus Exercises Included here are additional exercises that can be done to support the key 8 exercises. These are part of an overall hamstring rehab and injury prevention plan created by Director of Sports Medicine for USA Fencing, Jeremy Summers, DC, L.Ac., ATC, DACBSP
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