Training & Conditioning 15.6 by Momentummedia

September 2005 Vol. XV, No. 6, $5.00

RUNNING ON EM EMP PT Y A look at athletes’ athletes’ eating deficiencies Career-Ending Injuries Understanding Movement Prep

TEAM PLAYERS.

That’s right, MET-Rx Collegiate Series sport supplements are team players to many top college strength coaches across the country. WHY? Because they keep all that sweat and hard work in the weight room from being wasted. They understand the importance of NUTRIENT TIMING and the benefits of our proprietary METAMYOSYN ® protein blend for their athletes.*

For more information call Team Sales at: 1-800-996-3879 • 1-800-99-MET-Rx

Performance depends on training and TRAINING depends on RECOVERY. That’s why getting a combination of protein and carbs into the system shortly after a workout kick-starts the RECOVERY process.* *Results may vary; when used in conjunction with an intense daily exercise program and a balanced diet including an adequate caloric intake. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

WHY USE ANYTHING ELSE? TRAIN SMARTER. TRAIN WITH MET-RX.

Circle No. 100

September 2005, Vol. XV, No. 6

CONTENTS

33 6

Q&A Pat Lamboni, Salisbury University

Bulletin Board Steroid testing … New wrestling rules … Caffeine & carbs

Sideline Sodium and Heat Cramps

Advertisers Directory

50 55 59 61 63

Product Pages Nutritional Products Leg Strengthening Products Pilates Equipment More Products Web News

CEU Quiz For NATA and NSCA Members

Cover Photo: © Kevin C. Cox/NCAA Photos

39 Nutrition

on Empty 17 Running A new study has found that only one out of four athletes eat enough calories to fuel their workouts and competitions. Here’s an in-depth look at the problem and possible solutions. By Dr. Pamela Hinton Leadership

… and Answers 25 Questions Want to know how veterans in athletic training tackle their jobs, their bosses, and their lives? Your questions, and their answers, are all here. By Dennis Read Optimum Performance

to Lift? 33 Ready In order for athletes to get the most out of their strength training, their muscles need to be prepared beforehand. One way to do that is through a new technique called movement prep. By Gray Cook & Aaron Taylor Treating The Athlete

39 When an athlete suffers a career-ending injury, the rehab process Point of No Return

takes on a different meaning. At Cal State Fullerton, a team approach guides athletes both physically and psychologically. By Laura Smith Sport Specific

45 At Boston University, preseason training for ice hockey includes Before the Puck Drops

a mix of on-ice and off-ice work, with a focus on conditioning. By Michael Boyle ATHLETICBID.COM

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

There are plenty of good things to say about water. It’s easily available, often free, it quenches thirst and it’s definitely better than nothing at all. There are even some occasions when water is good enough – at meals, while studying, or during a light workout. But when your team is working hard and sweating hard, a scientifically formulated sports drink like Gatorade beats water hands down. Hydration from a sweat gland’s point of view: Exercise increases an athlete’s core body temperature, thereby triggering the production of sweat. Beyond this “sweat threshold,” as exercise intensity increases, so does the rate of sweat production. Furthermore, the increased rate of production limits the reabsorption of electrolytes.

Water is a good thirst quencher for those times when you only need to quench your thirst. ®

The case for drinking Gatorade during exercise. So, when your team is working hard and sweating hard, they’re losing more sodium, chloride and potassium. Water doesn’t replace these electrolytes, which is one reason why a scientifically formulated sports drink like Gatorade beats water hands down. Now you know,

water is fine for reading the playbook, not for reading the defense.

ÂŠ2005 S-VC, Inc.

Learn more at gatorade.com/ athletictrainers Circle No. 101

Great Ideas For Athletes...

Editorial Board Marjorie Albohm, MS, ATC/L Director of Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Research, Orthopaedics Indianapolis Jon Almquist, ATC Specialist, Fairfax County (Va.) Pub. Schools Athletic Training Program Brian Awbrey, MD Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Instructor in Orthopaedics, Harvard Medical School Jim Berry, MEd, ATC, SCAT/EMT-B Director of Sports Medicine and Head Athletic Trainer, Myrtle Beach (S.C.) High School

Knee Strap Cho-Pat’s Original Knee Strap is designed to alleviate certain knee discomforts due to overuse syndromes, arthritis, and other forms of degeneration. Nearly two million sold! Sizes: XS - XXL • Colors: Black and Tan

Dual Action Knee Strap Patented device offers an extra level of pain relief and protection from knee degeneration and overuse syndromes. Stabilizes and strengthens the joint while allowing full mobility. Sizes: Sm - XL

Achilles Tendon Strap This patented device will reduce stress upon the Achilles Tendon and provide effective relief from pain and discomfort associated with Achilles Tendonitis. Sizes: Sm - Med - Lrg

www.cho-pat.com 1-800-221-1601 Circle No. 102

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

Gary Gray, PT, President, CEO, Functional Design Systems Maria Hutsick, MS, ATC/L, CSCS Head Athletic Trainer, Boston University Christopher Ingersoll, PhD, ATC, FACSM Director, Graduate Programs in Sports Medicine/Athletic Training University of Virginia Jeff Konin, PhD, ATC, PT Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine, James Madison University Tim McClellan, MS, CSCS Director of Perf. Enhancement, Makeplays.com Center for Human Performance

Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD Director, Sports Medicine Nutrition Program, University of Pittsburgh Medical Ctr. Health System

Michael Merk, MEd, CSCS Director of Health & Fitness, YMCA of Greater Cleveland

Christine Bonci, MS, ATC Asst. A.D. for Sports Medicine, Women’s Athletics, University of Texas

Jenny Moshak, MS, ATC, CSCS Asst. A.D. for Sports Medicine, University of Tennessee

Cynthia “Sam” Booth, ATC, PhD Manager, Outpatient Therapy and Sportsmedicine, MeritCare Health System

Steve Myrland, CSCS Owner, Manager, Perf. Coach, Myrland Sports Training, LLC Instructor and Consultant, University of Wisconsin Sports Medicine

Debra Brooks, CNMT, LMT, PhD CEO, Iowa NeuroMuscular Therapy Center Cindy Chang, MD Head Team Physician, University of California-Berkeley Dan Cipriani, PhD, PT Assistant Professor, Dept. of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences, San Diego State Univ. Gray Cook, MSPT, OCS, CSCS Clinic Director, Orthopedic & Sports Phys. Ther., Dunn, Cook, and Assoc. Bernie DePalma, MEd, PT, ATC Head Athl. Trainer/Phys. Therapist, Cornell University Lori Dewald, EdD, ATC, CHES Athletic Training Program Director and Associate Professor of Health Education, University of Minnesota-Duluth Jeff Dilts, Director, Business Development & Marketing, National Academy of Sports Medicine David Ellis, RD, LMNT, CSCS Sports Alliance, Inc. Boyd Epley, MEd, CSCS Asst. A.D. & Dir. of Athletic Perf., University of Nebraska Peter Friesen, ATC, NSCA-CPT, CSCS, CAT, Head Ath. Trainer/ Cond. Coach, Carolina Hurricanes Lance Fujiwara, MEd, ATC, EMT Director of Sports Medicine, Virginia Military Institute Vern Gambetta, MA, President, Gambetta Sports Training Systems Joe Gieck, EdD, ATC, PT Director of Sports Medicine and Prof., Clinical Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Virginia Brian Goodstein, MS, ATC, CSCS, Head Athletic Trainer, DC United

September 2005 Vol. XV, No. 6 Publisher Mark Goldberg Editorial Staff Eleanor Frankel, Director R.J. Anderson, Kenny Berkowitz, Abigail Funk, David Hill, Dennis Read, Greg Scholand, Laura Smith Circulation Staff David Dubin, Director John Callaghan Art Direction tuesdaythursday Brand Advertising Production Staff Kristin Ayers, Director Adam Berenstain, Jonni Campbell, Jim Harper IT Manager Mark Nye Business Manager Pennie Small

Mike Nitka, MS, CSCS Director of Human Performance, Muskego (Wisc.) High School

Special Projects Dave Wohlhueter

Bruno Pauletto, MS, CSCS President, Power Systems, Inc.

Administrative Assistant Sharon Barbell

Stephen Perle, DC, CCSP Associate Prof. of Clin. Sciences, University of Bridgeport College of Chiropractic

Advertising Materials Coordinator Mike Townsend

Brian Roberts, MS, ATC, Director, Sport Performance & Rehab. Ctr. Ellyn Robinson, DPE, CSCS, CPT Assistant Professor, Exercise Science Program, Bridgewater State College Kent Scriber, EdD, ATC, PT Professor/Supervisor of Athletic Training, Ithaca College Chip Sigmon, CSCS Strength and Conditioning Coach, Carolina Medical Center Bonnie J. Siple, MS, ATC Coordinator, Athletic Training Education Program & Services, Slippery Rock University Chad Starkey, PhD, ATC Associate Professor, Athletic Training Educ. Program, Northeastern University Ralph Stephens, LMT, NCTMB Sports Massage Therapist, Ralph Stephens Seminars Fred Tedeschi, ATC Head Athletic Trainer, Chicago Bulls Terrence Todd, PhD, Co-Director, Todd-McLean Physical Culture Collection, Dept. of Kinesiology & Health Ed., University of Texas-Austin

Marketing Director Sheryl Shaffer Marketing/Sales Assistant Danielle Catalano Advertising Sales Associates Diedra Harkenrider (607) 257-6970, ext. 24 Rob Schoffel (607) 257-6970, ext. 21 T&C editorial/business offices: 2488 N. Triphammer Road Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 257-6970 Fax: (607) 257-7328 info@MomentumMedia.com Training & Conditioning (ISSN 1058-3548) is published monthly except in January and February, May and June, and July and August, which are bimonthly issues, for a total of nine times a year, by MAG, Inc., 2488 N. Triphammer Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850. T&C is distributed without charge to qualified professionals involved with competitive athletes. The subscription rate is $24 for one year and $48 for two years in the United States, and $30 for one year and $60 for two years in Canada. The single copy price is $5. Copyright© 2005 by MAG, Inc. All rights reserved. Text may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without the permission of the publisher. Unsolicited materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Training & Conditioning, P.O. Box 4806, Ithaca, NY 14852-4806. Printed in the U.S.A.

ATHLETICBID.COM

Circle No. 103

Q&A

Sponsored by

Bulletin

Board States Act On Steroids While much attention has been paid to Congressional hearings on steroid use among professional athletes, state legislatures are also getting into the act. Several states entertained steroid control proposals during the first half of 2005, most of them directed at high school athletes and state athletic associations. Virginia was one of four states to pass legislation intended to discourage steroid use by high school athletes and enacted the toughest penalty of any state law. Students found to have used steroids will lose their athletic eligibility for two years. In addition, administrative or teaching licenses will be revoked from teachers, coaches, or administrators who sell or distribute steroids or who fail to notify their principal or superintendent about known steroid use among students. New laws in Texas and Illinois will require schools to educate students about the dangers of steroid abuse, with the Texas law leaving the door open for future testing. Other states considered bills that would have mandated testing athletes, but none of those became law. In New Mexico, Governor Bill Richardson plans to ask lawmakers to enact random testing next year and has pledged $330,000 toward a testing program. Most states have avoided colleges and universities in their proposed bills largely because of the NCAA drug-testing program. Athletes who fail an NCAA drug test lose one year of eligibility for the first offense and two years for a second offense. ■ The Dallas Morning News Web site features an ongoing look at steroid use among high school athletes, including a series of stories that revealed use at local high schools and prompted the new legislation. Links to the series and other stories can found at: www.dallasnews. com/sports/highschools.

Migraines May Signal Concussion Damage Most athletic trainers recognize acute headache pain, nausea, and hypersensitivity to light or sound as the hallmarks of migraine headaches. Now, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh say that these symptoms can also indicate increased neurocognitive impairment following a concussion. As part of the University of Pittsburgh Sports Medicine Concussion Program, researchers divided 261 high school and college athletes who had suffered a concussion into three groups: those who showed symptoms of post-traumatic migraine (PTM) headache, those who had headaches, and those who had no headaches. Neurocognitive testing (including verbal and visual memory, visual motor speed, and reaction time tests) showed that the migraine group performed significantly 12

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

worse than both the headache and non-headache groups. “The findings of our study strongly support the need for clinicians to exercise increased vigilance in making decisions about managing a concussed athlete with PTM and extreme caution as to when that athlete should be allowed to return to play,” said the study’s lead author, Jason Mihalik, CAT(C), ATC, a doctoral student now working in the Sports Medicine Research Laboratory at the University of North Carolina. According to the study’s authors, “Given the significantly greater neurocognitive impairments observed in the PTM group in our study, any athlete with a concussion accompanied by characteristics of PTM should be examined in a setting that includes symptom status and neurocognitive testing to address their recovery more fully. Clearly, sports-related concussion is related to increased cognitive impairments, regardless of the presence of headache. It is critical that any athlete sustaining a concussion be followed up to not only assess lingering symptoms, but also to evaluate cognitive impairments. Symptoms may resolve before their neurocognitive deficits do.” The study, titled “Post-Traumatic Migraine Characteristics In Athletes Following Sports-Related Concussion” was published in the April 2005 issue of the Journal of Neurosurgery and is the latest in a series of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center studies on concussions in athletes. A 2003 UPMC study showed that headache is likely associated with incomplete brain recovery following a concussion and indicated the need to keep athletes out of action until headache and other symptoms have cleared. ■ For previous T&C articles on concussions, go to our Web site and type “concussion” in the search window: www.athleticsearch.com.

Weighty Wrestling Rules After years of dialogue, a nationwide minimum weight requirement for all high school wrestlers will soon become a reality. In an effort to make the sport safer, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee is requiring every state to implement a weightmanagement program by the start of the 2006-07 season. Under the new rules, wrestlers will be assigned a safe minimum weight based on a body fat percentage of no less than seven percent for males and 12 percent for females. Safe minimum weights will be valid only when an athlete is measured while fully hydrated (having a specific gravity measurement above 1.025 at the time of their assessment). A wrestler will not be allowed to lose more than 1.5 percent of his or her weight per week and cannot fall below his or her safe minimum weight at any point during the season. In addition, wrestlers will ATHLETICBID.COM

º 9Ê - / Ê* 9 ,-Ê 6 Ê -/, Ê",Ê +1 , *-Ê 1, -Ê 1 Ê/ / --Ê Ê-* - -°Ê Ê7"1 Ê -- Ê Ê " , < Ê7 Ê-/, / Ê Ê/ Ê, -1 /-Ê7 , Ê < t» Á

Ê / , 7 / , 1,9Ê "-* / Ê-*",/-Ê

-R 0ERRY ! )SENBERG 0ERFORMANCE (EALTH )NC -ARGATE &LORIDA $EAR -R )SENBERG

E ) HAD JUST STARTED TO ) AM WRITING IN REGARDS TO YOUR PRODUCT "IOFREEZ D MANY ATHLETES LIKE USE "IOFREEZE DURING THE WINTER SEASON AND FOUN AM &OR EXAMPLE ) HAD MANY USING "IOFREEZE OVER ANY OTHER ANALGESIC CRE INJURIES INCLUDING TIGHTNESS BASKETBALL PLAYERS WITH HAMSTRING OR QUADRICEPS HILE STRETCHING AND THE RESULTS AND SPASMS ) WOULD MASSAGE "IOFREEZE IN W T ON THE COURT PLAYING WERE AMAZING 4HE ATHLETES WERE RIGHT BACK OU THROUGH THE REST OF THE GAME Y PATELLA TENDONITIS $URING THE SPRING ) ENCOUNTERED ANOTHER INJUR AGAIN APPLIED "IOFREEZE WHICH IS COMMONLY FOUND IN MANY ATHLETES AND T HER TENDONITIS m ARING UP 4HIS PARTICULAR STUDENT WAS UNABLE TO RUN WITHOU PATELLA TENDON SHE WAS ABLE !FTER TWO DAYS OF MASSAGING "IOFREEZE TO THE ALLY WELL TO RUN AN IMPORTANT MEET AND PERFORM EXCEPTION LETES THEY NOW ASK FOR !S A RESULT OF UTILIZING "IOFREEZE WITH MY ATH ING AND RELIEF THE PRODUCT YOUR PRODUCT BY NAME 4HEY LOVE THE COOL FEEL EXTURE ) WOULD ENCOURAGE OFFERS AS WELL AS THE ODORLESS AND GREASE FREE T ONE TIME /NCE ) TRIED ALL !THLETIC 4RAINERS TO TRY THIS PRODUCT AT LEAST C CREAM AGAIN 3INCE "IOFREEZE ) HAVE NEVER USED ANY OTHER ANALGESI BECOME A STAPLE PRODUCT "IOFREEZE IS SO POPULAR WITH MY ATHLETES IT HAS IN MY TRAINING ROOM AND BAG URE PLEASE FEEL FREE TO )F ) COULD BE OF ANY ASSISTANCE TO YOU IN THE FUT CONTACT ME 3INCERELY

+RISTEN 7ETHERED +RISTEN 7ETHERED !4#

")/&2%%:%¤ IS AVAILABLE IN OZ OZ AND GALLON PUMP BOTTLES AND OZ SPRAY FOR CLINICAL USE AS WELL AS TUBES ROLL ONS AND SPRAYS FOR AT HOME USE BETWEEN OFl CE VISITS 0ERFORMANCE (EALTH DOES NOT SELL ")/&2%%:%® TO RETAIL STORES

&OR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ")/&2%%:%® AND TO RECEIVE YOUR #OMPLIMENTARY 4RIAL 0RODUCT PLEASE GIVE US A CALL AT ")/&2%%:% -ENTION 3OURCE #ODE 4#-

")/&2%%:%¤ IS HONORED TO BE ENDORSED BY

&LOR ID

ON IATI

HIROPRACTIC !SSOC A#

0ERFORMANCE (EALTH )NC "OYD 2D %XPORT 0! 7EB WWW BIOFREEZE COM s &OR )NTERNATIONAL INQUIRIES CALL OR % MAIL EXPORT BIOFREEZE COM ¥ 0ERFORMANCE (EALTH )NC

Circle No. 108

Circle No. 109

Board

Bulletin be allowed to gain only two pounds during a multi-day meet, no matter how many days the competition lasts. Athletic trainers in states that have already implemented similar rules have found themselves on the front line of efforts to keep wrestlers safe. Only trained assessors—typically school athletic trainers and area medical professionals—will be allowed to conduct the initial measurements that establish safe minimum weights. The Florida High School Athletic Association initially trained 65 medical professionals as “master assessors,” who then trained over 130 additional people as assessors throughout the state. In New Jersey, seminars were held to train area athletic trainers and medical doctors. ■ More information on the NFHS weight-management program can be found in the “Sport & Rules Information” section of the NFHS Web site: www.nfhs.org.

Caffeine & Carbs Caffeine is a familiar pick-me-up for many athletic trainers, but it may also help their athletes, according to a study conducted at the University of Birmingham in England. Researchers at the school found that putting caffeine into sports drinks raised the absorption rate of carbohydrates in athletes by 26 percent, which can provide extra energy for those competing in endurance sports, such as cycling and distance running.

“You are kind of sparing your small body carbohydrate stores,” Asker Jeukendrup, PhD, told the Associated Press. Jeukendrup is Director of the school’s Human Performance Laboratory and an author of the study. “You can get more energy from your drink, [and that] means you are using less energy from your body stores.” As part of the study, cyclists rode in three two-hour exercise sessions at 55 percent of their maximum output while consuming one of three different drinks—glucose, glucose with caffeine (five milligrams per kilogram of bodyweight), and plain water. Blood and expired air samples taken every 15 minutes showed that the cyclists consuming the caffeine drink absorbed carbohydrates faster than the others. The researchers plan further studies to determine the level of caffeine intake required to increase carbohydrate absorption and measure the actual performance increase that drinks with caffeine may produce. The NCAA bans caffeine only in large doses (greater than 15 micrograms/milliliter in urine). The World Anti-Doping Agency removed caffeine from its banned list in 2004. ■ ■ The study, titled “Caffeine Increases Exogenous Carbohydrate Oxidation During Exercise,” has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Applied Physiology and is available through the journal’s Web site at: jap.physiology.org.

HiZe]dc BVgWjgn ]VY bdgZ C6HB b^cjiZh dc i]Z Xdjgi aVhi nZVg i]Vc Vcn di]Zg C76 eaVnZg#

To train the best sports professionals you need the most competitive certiÀcation, the NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist™. This is the only certiÀcation to be accepted by the NBATA for its NBA teams, and the only advanced performance program to use the NASM Optimum Performance Training™ (OPT™) method.

Comprehensive PES science and precision accurate assessment tools, as well as core, balance, power, integrated speed, reactive and strength training, give you the tools to help professional and Olympic athletes keep playing and keep winning. Call 800-460-6276 or visit www. nasm.org for information on courses, live workhsops, continuing education and more. “I have to be the best I can be every time I walk onto the court. NASM helps me do that.”

8=6C<>C< I=: H=6E: D; =:6AI= 6C9 ;>IC:HH

Stephon Marbury, professional basketball player

“I led the league in endurance minutes this season because of my NASM training.”

Circle No. 110 ATHLETICBID.COM

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

World Champion Pole Vaulter Stacy Dragila

California raisins are a delicious way to add nutrition and flavor to your family’s meals. Convenient and healthy, simply toss a handful into your favorite dishes to add natural sweetness and texture. “Raisins are fat and cholesterol free, high in antioxidants, and an excellent source of energy,” says Stacy. “There’s no telling how high they can take you.”

Find delicious recipes and more about California Raisins at www.calraisins.org Circle No. 111

NUTRITION

Running on Empty A new study has found that only one out of four athletes eat enough calories to fuel their workouts and competitions. Here’s an in-depth look at the problem and possible solutions. BY DR. PAMELA HINTON magine the starting point guard on your men’s basketball team sprinting down the court for a lay-up. Extremely fit, with a chiseled physique and a strong, healthy heart, he looks like the picture of health. How would it change your perception if you knew that he routinely eats fewer calories than he needs, depriving himself of both carbohydrate and protein, and that his daily intake of fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol is off the charts? Now picture a group of female athletes from your school’s soccer team in line at the cafeteria. On their trays: a small portion of lean chicken, a giant tossed salad with low-fat dressing, and fruit for dessert. These athletes are as healthy as they look, right? What if you knew that two out of three of them will leave the cafeteria hungry after consciously restricting their food intake because they want to lose weight, that they’ll then go on to push their energydeprived bodies to the max in practices, workouts, and competitions—and that they do this day after day?

©KEVIN C. COX/NCAA PHOTOS

Pamela Hinton, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Dietetics at the University of Missouri. Her previous studies have focused on iron deficiency and the female athlete triad.

NCAA PHOTOS

ATHLETICBID.COM

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

NUTRITION We recently put the eating behaviors of a sample group of NCAA Division I athletes under the microscope, and our study revealed some troubling trends. While the reasons why vary between genders and across sports, we found out that the vast majority of athletes do not eat enough calories to fuel their performance. Only 15 percent of the athletes we studied consumed adequate carbohydrate, and only 26 percent consumed adequate protein. Nearly two-thirds of the female student-athletes reported wanting to lose weight, which is almost always at odds with fueling for athletic performance. Many male athletes, while falling short on overall calories, were consuming more than the recommended amount of fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. That’s the bad news. The good news is that by simply getting athletes to commit to adequately fueling their bodies, you could see your teams quickly improve. Imagine how such a simple

composition tables, we then determined each athlete’s average daily nutritional intake, and broke this data down by sport and gender. We also asked participants to complete the Questionnaire for Eating Disorder Diagnosis to assess how disordered eating behaviors affect nutritional intake. This questionnaire addressed issues such as the athlete’s fear of gaining weight and their frequency of binge eating or purging behaviors. Based on their answers, athletes were placed into one of three categories: asymptomatic, restrictive disordered eating, or binge eating. Athletes also answered a set of additional questions regarding their sociodemographic characteristics and dietary behaviors. In this section, we asked them to report their current weight, their desired weight, and whether they used supplements or restricted their intake of carbohydrate, fat, or fluid to change their weight.

Eighty-one percent of the female athletes and 90 percent of the male athletes in our study failed to meet the recommendations for carbohydrate intake. As for daily protein needs … only 32 percent of females and 19 percent of males were getting an adequate supply. solution, which our research indicates might benefit as many as three out of four of your athletes, could prevent injuries, improve performance, and enhance well-being. Below, I’ll give a rundown of the results of our study, and follow with some analysis as to why athletes are eating the way they are. I’ll also discuss how athletic trainers and strength coaches can educate athletes, sport coaches, and administrators to help solve the undereating epidemic. OUR FINDINGS We collected data on the nutritional intakes and eating habits of 345 male and female student-athletes at a Division I university. Participation was anonymous and voluntary. To determine how the athletes’ daily food intakes stacked up against the recommendations for their gender and activity level, we asked each participant to complete a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Using computer software based on the USDA’s food 18

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

When we analyzed our data, we discovered that a large majority of athletes in our sample were eating fewer calories than they needed to fuel their exercise. Using a formula based on energy intake per kilogram of body weight, we found 70 percent of female athletes were falling short of their energy needs. Male athletes’ energy intake per kilogram of body weight was equally inadequate, with 73 percent consuming too few calories. In the process of short-changing themselves on calories, both male and female athletes were also falling short on carbohydrate and protein intakes. The recommended intake of carbohydrate for athletes is six to 10 grams per kilogram of body weight. Eighty-one percent of the female athletes and 90 percent of the male athletes in our study failed to meet the recommendations for carbohydrate intake. As for daily protein needs—1.2 to 1.7 grams per kilogram of body weight—only 32 percent of females and 19 percent of males were get-

ting an adequate supply. For many athletes, the desire to lose weight and/or change their body composition seemed to motivate the undereating. Sixty-two percent of the female athletes in our study reported wanting to decrease their body weight by at least five pounds. For these athletes, insufficient fueling seems to be a direct result of the desire to be thinner—athletes who wanted to lose weight were more likely to report that they purposely restricted their fat or carbohydrate intake. The desire to lose weight was experienced regardless of which sport they played, and the women in our study reported that society—not peers, coaches, or parents—made them feel overweight. The desire to change body composition influences many male student-athletes’ eating behaviors as well, but the picture is somewhat more complicated. While 23 percent of male athletes reported wanting to lose five pounds, the majority of football, basketball, and baseball players said they wanted to gain weight. With football players, even though many desired to gain weight, the majority consumed significantly less carbohydrate, protein, and fat than male athletes in other sports when we took into account the football players’ larger body size. Basketball players consumed the lowest amount of all macronutrients per kilogram of body weight. These lower relative intakes were due to the combination of greater body weight and lower absolute energy intake compared to male athletes in most other sports. While they were under-eating in terms of calories, the diets of many male athletes in our study exceeded the USDA Dietary Guidelines for fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Lack of time to seek out proper nutrition seemed to be driving this trend, as many male athletes reported eating meals and snacks away from home. For these athletes, fat is displacing carbohydrate as an energy source, contributing to their inadequate carbohydrate intake. Nearly one in four males and one in five females reported some type of subclinical disordered eating pattern. Among males, 7.2 percent reported restrictive eating (frequently dieting or fasting to lose weight), and 16.5 percent said they had episodes of binge eating. Among females, 11.1 percent reported restrictive eating and 7.4 percent reported binge eating. ATHLETICBID.COM

“ PASSION IS SACRIFICING IT ALL SO MY ATHLETES DON’T HAVE TO.” —Mark Verstegen, coach of elite athletes

Passion – it's having a vision, quitting your job and sacrificing it all to create a training system and facility unlike any other. It’s new athletes, new challenges and new champions to build. This isn‘t just a way of life. It is my life. Through research, science and technology, EAS allows me to provide an ethical solution for my athletes to fuel their passion. I had a vision to create a multi-disciplinary team dedicated to helping professional and elite athletes maximize their potential to achieve their goals. In 1999 my vision became a reality with the opening of Athletes’ Performance in Tempe, Arizona. As president of Athletes’ Performance, I ensure that we always live up to our mantra: Improve our athletes’ performance, decrease their potential for injury and motivate them through education. As a result, our athletes come away with improved career productivity, increased career longevity, long term strategies and the confidence to succeed. Nutrition is the foundation of everything we do. The greatest training in the world would achieve nothing without the proper fuel. At Athletes‘ Performance, we seek out the finest and safest products to give our athletes the best ethical solutions to achieve their dream. We select our product partners based on three criteria: A relentless pursuit of scientifically backed, break-through products, be the best in the world at offering these products and build deep relationships between our companies. There was no doubt EAS was the best fit for our athletes, that’s why they’re our exclusive sports nutrition supplier. Together we work to provide the finest scientifically backed solutions to give our athletes the competitive edge not only in their sport, but the game of life.

At EAS we understand the no excuses, no pain-no gain philosophy. So for all you athletes and trainers out there who eat, breathe and live your sport, lucky for you, so do we. Welcome to EAS.

TRAIN WITH THE BEST. Call 1.800.297.9776 or go to eas.com for your FREE EAS Product Guide and to order EAS products. (enter dept. 5573) FUEL YOUR PASSION

Circle No. 112

NUTRITION

A DAY IN THE LIFE The following are sample eating days of two of the 345 NCAA Division I athletes we studied. Their eating habits illustrate many of the trends our research uncovered.

Female Volleyball Athlete Weight: 140 lbs. (64 kg) Breakfast:

Lunch:

Dinner:

Snack:

1 cup Fiber One cereal 1 cup skim milk 1 cup orange juice 1 large multigrain bagel 2 Tbsp. lowfat cream cheese 6 oz nonfat coffee-flavored yogurt 3 cups mixed greens 2 Tbsp. fat-free dressing 2 small breadsticks 1 cup skim milk 1 cup lowfat Wheat Thins

Nutrient

Intake

Energy (kcal) Carbohydrate (g) Protein (g) Fat (g) Saturated fat (g) Fiber (g)

1,320 243 57 27 8 40

Recommended Intake

2,500 380-640 90 30-80 <33 25

Male Football Athlete, Running Back Weight: 250 lbs. (114 kg) Unlike 73 percent of the male athletes in our sample, this particular football player was getting adequate calories. But since much of his food intake consisted of fast food, he was also consuming nearly twice as much fat and three times as much sodium as recommended, and he was falling short on several micronutrients. Breakfast: 20 oz. bottle Gatorade 6 mini doughnuts, chocolate frosted Lunch: 1 Big Mac 1 large order french fries 32 oz. Coke 1 large chocolate shake Dinner: 1 12-inch supreme pizza, thin crust 6 breadsticks with cheese sauce 32 oz. Coke

Nutrient

Intake

Energy (kcal) Carbohydrate (g) Protein (g) Fat (g) Saturated fat (g) Fiber (g) Cholesterol (mg) Sodium (mg) Potassium (mg) Magnesium (mg) Vitamin A (mcg) Vitamin C (mg)

6,235 824 161 260 80 24 320 8,000 2,800 300 320 18.5

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

Recommended Intake

5,000 684-1140 180 55-165 <33 25 <300 2,500-3,000 4,700 400 900 90

THE CONSEQUENCES With three out of four athletes consuming less fuel than they need, what happens to their health and performance? In short, they’re more frequently ill or injured, they can’t train to their potential or recover between workouts, and they feel psychologically run-down or even depressed. And because an under-fed brain has trouble concentrating, academic performance can suffer as well. Dietary energy fuels the biological processes that allow the body to adapt to the stress of training and to recover between training sessions. Protein synthesis and the production of red blood cells are training adaptations that require energy, and repletion of muscle and liver glycogen also requires energy. Low carbohydrate intake in particular is known to hurt athletic performance. If glycogen stores are low, the ability to perform high intensity activities over time will be limited. The inability to train at high intensity will severely limit an athlete’s capacity to improve their lactate threshold, speed, and maximal strength. Without adequate carbohydrate, athletes are more susceptible to the immunosuppressive effects of exhaustive exercise and more likely to get sick. And because the brain and central nervous system depend on glucose for energy, low carbohydrate availability can cause decreased mental function and even depression. When athletes don’t get enough protein, the lack of amino acids limits the synthesis of new protein. Protein synthesis and muscle hypertrophy will be limited if protein intake is low, even if total energy is sufficient. Also, with chronic low energy intake the hypothalamicpituitary-thyroid axis is suppressed. The resulting hypothyroidism causes the following physical signs and symptoms: bradychardia, postural hypotension, delayed reflexes, and acrocyanosis. Obsessive thoughts about food are another common result when an athlete is not eating enough, leaving the athlete unable to concentrate on school or sport. A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY Can our findings be generalized to other populations of college athletes? I believe the answer is yes. I think it’s safe to say that our major findings—that many male and female athletes are under-fueling for their activity levels, that the majority of female student-athletes desire to lose weight, and that many male athletes are over-eating on fat and skimping on carbohydrate and protein—probably apply to athletes on most college campuses. However, our results suggest that huge improvements can be made to the health and well-being of many athletes, and quite possibly to an entire athletic department’s performance, with one simple step. Athletes need to be taught that it’s essential to adequately fuel their bodies. The first step can be to address under-eating directly with athletes, and preseason meetings are a great time to bring it up. Make sure to focus on the message: “There is one extremely simple step you can take to improve your performance, and that is to make sure you are eating enough.” Using the analogy of the athlete’s body as a race car and food as fuel is a good place to start. Then follow with a brief education session on the importance of carbohydrate and protein in relation to training and performance. If you can, relate actual cases of one or two athletes whose seasons or careers were negatively impacted by inadequate energy. You want to leave athletes thinking, “I don’t want ATHLETICBID.COM

NUTRITION

SELF-ASSESSMENT

ne way to get athletes to improve their energy intake is by asking them to study their own behavior. Have athletes select three days—two weekdays and one weekend day—when they will be following their typical diet. Ask them to keep a written food diary for those three days. They should record what they eat, how much they eat, and how the food is prepared. Beverages can significantly affect energy and nutrient intake, so athletes should remember to record what they drink as well. In addition, athletes should log their training and/or competition information—the duration, intensity, and time of day they perform their workouts. Once the diary is complete, have athletes visit the USDA’s Web site (see address at bottom of this box), which is equipped with assessment tools to determine the quantities of calories, carbohydrate, fat, protein, vitamins, and minerals they consumed. Next, have athletes divide their weight in pounds by 2.2 to obtain their weight in kilograms. Finally, have them calculate their specific needs based on body weight according to the following formulas, and compare their actual intake to the results: • Carbohydrate: 6-10 g/kg of body weight. • Protein: 1.2-1.7 g/kg of body weight, depending on sport. Another way athletes can start to assess the adequacy of their nutrient intake is simply by paying attention to how they feel physically and psychologically. If an athlete experiences fatigue that doesn’t resolve with rest, can’t finish workouts, or has a drop-off in performance, lack of dietary energy may be to blame. If an athlete is hungry all the time or is obsessing about food, he or she is probably not eating enough. Mood changes such as depression, irritability, anxiety, and marked emotional ups and downs can also signal inadequate food intake. If these symptoms are present, advise the athlete to keep a food diary and conduct the self-assessment outlined above to pinpoint areas where he or she is under-eating. Web resource: http://mypyramidtracker.gov

Circle No. 113 ATHLETICBID.COM

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

NUTRITION that to happen to me.” Working with sport coaches is also extremely important, since they have perhaps the strongest influence on athletes’ attitudes about nutrition. If the coach doesn’t send the message that adequate fuel intake is important, or if he or she pushes a weight loss message, athletes are not likely to listen to anyone else who encourages them to fuel up.

lem exists at your school, and suggest putting money into the budget for a nutritionist to work with athletes. Some under-eating athletes will likely require individual intervention tailored to treat the cause of the problem. If an athlete is restricting calories because of a strongly held belief that performance will improve if they lose weight, or if they under-eat because they are afraid

Try telling the athlete, “Let’s increase your energy intake for a couple of weeks and see how your body responds.” Then support him or her by monitoring changes in heart rate, blood pressure, reflexes, mood, and energy to provide evidence that the experiment is working. Solving the problem also means educating administrators on how under-fueling could be sabotaging your department’s success. Discuss specific solutions with them, including making a plan to survey athletes to assess whether (and to what extent) the prob-

of gaining weight, it’s important to take a cautious approach. You’ll probably get further by encouraging him or her to view increasing food intake as an experiment, rather than a permanent change. Try telling the athlete, “Let’s increase your energy intake for a cou-

ple of weeks and see how your body responds. You might be surprised to find that you don’t gain weight. You might even feel better during practices and see your performance improve.” If the athlete agrees to the experiment, support him or her by monitoring changes in heart rate, blood pressure, reflexes, mood, and energy to provide evidence that the experiment is working. Athletes who under-eat because they have trouble fitting healthy meals into their schedules need a different approach. These athletes will benefit most from practical suggestions on how they can increase their energy intake in ways that take very little time and effort. For example, packing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a piece of fruit to eat between classes takes minimal time and preparation. Other athletes would benefit from education on making healthful selections from fast food menus and vending machines. A sports nutritionist can be a valuable resource for this type of information. RESTRICTIVE EATERS Another risk associated with chronic

Circle No. 114

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

ATHLETICBID.COM

Use What Pro Trainers Use

No Prescription Required Gebauer·ssInstant InstantIce Ice

®®

TOPICAL SKIN REFRIGERANT

Now athletic trainers, therapists and coaches can use fast-acting Gebauer’s Instant Ice® OTC.

USE LIKE ICE • Muscle spasm (Stream spray only) • Minor sports injuries • Minor pain and swelling from sprains, strains, bruising and contusions ®

Gebauer Company

Choose either mist or stream spray cans - sold separately.

Most Trusted Name In Skin Refrigerants For Over 100 Years! "We support the NATA"

Call for product information and local distributor.

800-321-9348

Mist

Stream

www.gebauerco.com

Circle No. 115

low energy intake is that it may progress into a clinical eating disorder. Research has shown that individuals who are diagnosed with a clinical eating disorder universally have a history of chronic dieting and food intake restriction. The progression from dieting to eating disorder is influenced by many factors. For some individuals, the precipitating factor is a negative life event like a death in the family or the termination of a long-term relationship. For others, the triggering event is a negative comment about body weight or shape—often from a well-meaning coach, friend, or parent who suggests that the athlete would be more successful if they lost weight. It is not always easy to differentiate between an athlete who is a chronic dieter and one who has an eating disorder, as eating-disordered athletes tend to carefully hide their problematic behaviors. The hallmark warning sign is when an athlete is unable to correct their disordered eating behaviors even when they are clearly hindering athletic performance. In other words, when the eating disorder becomes more important than the athlete’s sport, the problem is serious. Other warning signs are isolation from teammates and friends, ATHLETICBID.COM

gastrointestinal complaints, absence from team meals, and frequent trips to the bathroom following meals. If an athletic trainer or coach suspects an athlete is struggling with an eating disorder, he or she should express concern for the athlete’s current and long-term physical and emotional health. Because athletes may resent feeling they are only valued for their athletic performance, it’s best not to fo-

and that they will not lose their athletic scholarship if they ask for help. Provide contact information for those on campus who can assist them. LOUD & CLEAR Athletes are bombarded with nutrition advice from many sources, some sound and some disastrous. Messages about how they should look and how much better they would perform if they

Another risk associated with chronic low energy intake is that it may progress into a clinical eating disorder. Research has shown that individuals who are diagnosed with a clinical eating disorder universally have a history of chronic dieting and food intake restriction. cus only on how their under-eating may compromise performance. An athlete with an eating disorder needs the evaluation and assistance of a qualified therapist, and the athletic trainer’s efforts should focus on supporting him or her in accessing that help. Reassure the athlete that their problem will be treated confidentially

changed their bodies are clearly finding them as well. At a time when so many voices are battling for athletes’ attention, it’s imperative that the sports medicine professionals they encounter provide a simple message: If you want your body to perform well and feel good, treat it right by not holding back the fuel it needs. ■ T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

(EAT

4HE !LL .ATURAL 3OLUTION THAT WILL FOREVER CHANGE THE WAY EVERY !THLETIC 4RAINER APPROACHES SOFT TISSUE THERAPY 0ERFORMANCE (EALTH PROUDLY INTRODUCES 0ROSSAGE© (EAT A UNIQUE THERAPEUTIC SOFT TISSUE WARMING OINTMENT 4HERE IS SIMPLY NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT )T S VISCOSITY IS TRULY CUTTING EDGE AND IT FEATURES A CONTROLLABLE GLIDE WITHOUT THE SLIP OF AN OIL 0ROSSAGE© (EAT WILL ENHANCE EVERY ASPECT OF SOFT TISSUE THERAPY AND ITS INHERENT PROPERTIES ALLOW SO LITTLE TO DO SO MUCH

1 7HAT IS 0ROSSAGE (EAT

! 0ROSSAGE© (EAT IS A UNIQUELY BLENDED !,, .!452!, AREA SPECIl C WARMING OINTMENT FORMULATED SPECIl CALLY FOR DEEP TISSUE WORK MYOFASCIAL RELEASE AND TRIGGER POINT THERAPY 0ROSSAGE©(EAT IS A REVOLUTIONARY BREAK THROUGH FOR TREATMENT OF SYMPTOMS OF SOFT TISSUE PAIN AND DYSFUNCTION THROUGHOUT THE BODY 4HE NON SLIP CONTROLLED GLIDE ALLOWS ATHLETIC TRAINERS AND THERAPISTS TO WORK MORE EFFECTIVELY

'ET A FREE COPY OF OUR EDUCATIONAL MINUTE $6$

,%!2. MORE (%!, MORE !#()%6% MORE

0ERFORMANCE (EALTH S COMMITMENT TO HELP YOU HEAL MORE HAS LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PRODUCT SO INNOVATIVE AND EFFECTIVE THAT IT HAS ATTAINED BOTH THE OVERWHELMING APPROVAL AND MORE IMPOR TANTLY DAILY USAGE BY SOME OF OUR COUNTRY S BRIGHTEST PIONEERS LEADING EDUCATORS AND TOP THERAPISTS )N KEEPING WITH OUR COMMITMENT WE VE CREATED A MINUTE EDUCATIONAL $6$ FEATURING INFORMATIVE TIPS AND TREATMENTS FROM "ENNY 6AUGHN ATC, LMT, CSCS, NCTMB !4# ,-4 #3# .#4-" n !N ATHLETIC PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE THERAPIST FROM THE .EUROKINETIC 4HERAPY #ENTER IN &ORT 7ORTH 4EXAS

1 7HY SHOULD ) USE 0ROSSAGE (EAT IN MY PRACTICE

!ARON -ATTES -3 2+4 ,-4 n !UTHOR CLINICAL DIRECTOR AND INTERNATIONAL LECTURER AS WELL AS THE CREATOR OF !CTIVE )SOLATED 3TRETCHING AND 3TRENGTHENING

7E KNOW THAT ACCURATE AND EFFECTIVE SOFT TISSUE WORK CAN BE DIFl CULT AND PAINFUL TO THE PATIENT 0ROSSAGE© (EAT MAKES IT EASIER TO hHOOKv THE DEEP FASCIA ALLOWING YOU TO WORK FASTER AND MORE EFl CIENTLY (EATING THE TISSUES WITH 0ROSSAGE© (EAT REDUCES SPASMS IN MUSCLES LIGAMENTS AND JOINT CAPSULES 4HE NON SLIP CONTROLLED GLIDE MAKES DEEP TISSUE WORK EASIER AND LESS PAINFUL FOR THE PATIENT AND ATHLETE

-ICHAEL -C'ILLICUDDY ,-0 .#4-" n 3PORTS -ASSAGE 3PECIALIST FROM 53! 0RO 3PORTS !VAILABLE IN OZ OZ AND OZ BOTTLES *iÀv À > ViÊ i> Ì ]Ê V°]Ê£ä£ÇÊ Þ`Ê,`°]Ê Ý« ÀÌ]Ê* Ê£xÈÎÓ * i\Ê£ nÈÈ { *,"-- ÊUÊ7iL\ÊÜÜÜ°«À ÃÃ>}i°ÕÃ ÀÊ ÌiÀ >Ì > Ê µÕ À iÃÊV> \Ê£ ÇÓ{ ÇÎÎ xääÊ ÀÊÛ Ã ÌÊÕÃÊ>ÌÊÜÜÜ°« °ÕÃ

i Ì ÊV `i\Ê/

4AKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS HANDS ON KNOWLEDGE #ALL 02/33!'% TO GET YOUR &2%% %DUCATIONAL $6$ AND 0ROSSAGE (EAT 3AMPLE TODAY )T S &2%% Circle No. 116

LEADERSHIP

… ? Questions and

Answers

Want to know how veterans in athletic training tackle their jobs, their bosses, and their lives? Your questions, and their answers, are all here. BY DENNIS READ

GETTY IMAGES

oaches sometimes say the best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores. That’s because there are certain lessons that only experience can teach. Fortunately for athletic trainers, that experience doesn’t always have to be their own. During this year’s NATA Annual Convention in Indianapolis, we asked athletic trainers what advice they would like to get from those who have been in the profession longer than they have. We passed these questions on to respected veteran athletic trainers, including NATA board members and Hall of Famers. Their answers are presented below. How do you avoid burning out? Marjorie Albohm: It’s important to pace your work and always make time for yourself and family. Sometimes you actually may need to block out time in your schedule for you. The hours of athletic training are extremely demanding. You have to carefully plan your schedule and talk with your supervisor about release time before it becomes a critical issue. Mike Sahm: You have to budget your time well and learn to say “no.” If someone asks you to work late or do something extra, and you don’t have time to do it, you have to tell them “no,” even though that may be hard to do. Jenny Moshack: One of the most important things is to have balance in your life—you cannot survive on athletic training alone. You need to get out of the work environment and find some different activities—go see a play, visit a museum, go hiking, anything that takes you completely away from athletic training. Sometimes the best time to do this is while you’re traveling with a team. There’s a lot of wasted time on the road that can be used to take care of yourself. Another thing that helps is to learn as much about counseling as you can. Not only will this help your student-athletes and staff, but it will allow you to do some self exploration. Athletic training is a high-burnout profession, and if you’re not taking care of yourself mentally and emotionally, you can’t effectively take care of others. Tara Lepp: Learn to recognize the symptoms of burnout so that you can do something about it before it consumes you. Some typical symptoms are: depersonalization, which is a lack of concern for the people you work with; emotional exhaustion; and lack of personal accomplishment. In other cases, it may be your job becoming your life instead of being part of your life. Dennis Read is an Associate Editor at Training & Conditioning. He can be reached at: dr@MomentumMedia.com. ATHLETICBID.COM

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

LEADERSHIP

OUR SAGES The following athletic trainers served as our panel of veterans. Marjorie Albohm, MS, LAT, ATC, is Director of Business Development and Orthopaedic Research at OrthoIndy and The Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital in Indianapolis. A 1999 inductee into the NATA Hall of Fame, Albohm is a past Vice-President of the NATA. Maria Hutsick, MS, LAT, ATC, CSCS, is Head Athletic Trainer at Boston University. Hutsick has been involved in athletic training since 1976 and has served on the NCAA Competitive Safeguards Committee. Joe Iezzi, MS, ATC, NASM-PES, is Head Athletic Trainer at Downington (Pa.) High School West. Iezzi is a past member of the NATA Board of Directors. Tara Lepp, ATC/R, is an Associate Professor, Head Athletic Trainer, and Athletic Training Program Director at Linfield College. She made a presentation titled “Strategies to Avoid Burn Out and Enjoy Work” at the 2005 NATA Meeting in Indianapolis. Justin Miller, LAT, ATC, CSCS, is Athletic Trainer for St. Vincent Sports Medicine and serves as Head Athletic Trainer at Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis. Jenny Moshack, MS, LAT, ATC, CSCS, is Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Medicine for the University of Tennessee women’s athletic department. Moshack is entering her 15th year at Tennessee where she works directly with the six-time national champion women’s basketball program. Andy Paulin, ATC, is Athletic Trainer at Mt. San Antonio College. He is also an Athletic Trainer for USA Track and Field and the District 8 Representative to the NATA Board of Directors. Bill Prentice, PhD, PT, ATC, is Professor and Coordinator of the Sports Medicine program at the University of North Carolina. A member of the NATA Hall of Fame, Prentice serves as athletic trainer for the 18-time NCAA champion Tar Heels women’s soccer team in addition to his duties as an educator. Mike Sahm, ATC, is Head Athletic Trainer at Roncalli High School in Indianapolis. Sahm works closely with the Roncalli football team, which has won three straight state titles. Scott Sailor, EdD, ATC, is Assistant Professor in the Athletic Training Education Program at California State University, Fresno. Sailor is the NATA District 8 Secretary. James Thornton, MS, ATC, NASM-PES, is Head Athletic Trainer at Clarion University. Thornton has been at Clarion since 1990 and recently became the District 2 Representative on the NATA Board of Directors. Rod Walters, DA, ATC, is Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine at the University of South Carolina. A 2005 inductee into the NATA Hall of Fame, Walters has overseen the athletic training department at South Carolina for 16 years after serving as Head Athletic Trainer at Appalachian State University for 11 years. Dan Wathen, MS, ATC, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, is Head Athletic Trainer at Youngstown State University. Wathen has been at Youngstown since 1976 and was President of the National Strength and Conditioning Association from 1998-2000.

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

And then take steps to address the problems. You might have to change some of your behavior or meet with your administration to talk about changing your hours. You should also make sure you have a life outside of athletic training and take time to exercise and relax so you can maintain your health. Joe Iezzi: You have to prioritize family and work—in that order. Otherwise, you will become consumed by the profession. When I was working at the collegiate level, I tried to keep a healthy balance by being with my children at times when other fathers couldn’t. For example, I would spend some time with them before I went to work. You can also look for a job that fits your situation. For example, I went from college to high school and now I have Sundays off and don’t travel as far as I used to. I have no overnight trips orweeks away from my family. James Thornton: One of the most important ways to help prevent burnout is to educate administrators about what athletic trainers do. They need to know that the athletic training room is open at 7 a.m. for rehabs and we’re there until 10 at night. The bottom line is we have to educate our administration so they can have realistic expectations of what can and cannot get done. How can you learn to interact with higher-ups in administration? Rod Walters: You should always be professional, as this carries so much weight. Regardless of how busy you are or what the situation is, be poised and communicate well. In addition, always maintain ethics, as this is what guides us and keeps us doing the right things. Jenny Moshack: One of the challenges in our profession is that no one teaches you how to be a supervisor. Instead, an administrator recognizes that you’re very good at your job, you’re promoted, and suddenly you’re a supervisor and a manager. My advice is to take advantage of human resources courses that are offered within your institution, whether they’re on time management, efficiency, leadership, or supervision skills. A lot of these courses also explain the inner workings of the university and help you speak the language of your administrators. Once you start speaking about budgets, hiring and firing, management of people, and performance reviews in their language, you’ll be operating on the same level as those administrators. ATHLETICBID.COM

LEADERSHIP James Thornton: The main thing is to act like a medical professional, because that’s what you are. When you act professionally, it is much easier to approach and interact with administrators. To do this, you also have to truly think of yourself as an administrator. Once you’re comfortable with being an administrator, approaching other administrators will be much easier. Maria Hutsick: Find someone who is willing to mentor you, which can be your Head Athletic Trainer, an athletic trainer at another school, or even a coach or athletic administrator. Call them when you have a question and discuss it with them. People are very willing to offer advice or share their experiences. I looked up to the older athletic trainers in my conference and always called them when I had questions. I also got involved with the NATA on a national level and then with CATS. The people I met mentored me and taught me how to operate in a political realm. How do I know what products to buy and where to buy them? Jenny Moshack: So much of purchas-

ing depends on university rules, but the biggest thing you can do is establish relationships with vendors. Those folks can often lead you in the right direction and really work with you, whether that means giving you a deal or taking shipping charges off your orders. Once you find vendors who are good to you, you’re golden.

what works and what doesn’t. James Thornton: A lot of it is dictated by budget, as well as bidding processes that athletic trainers have no control over. If athletic trainers want a specific brand of product and have to send it out to bid, then they must spec out that product and make sure that it cannot be replaced or substituted with

“Take advantage of human resources courses that are offered within your institution ... They can explain the inner workings of the university and help you speak the language of your administrators.” – Jenny Moshak Keeping up with all the products out there can be difficult, but if you pay attention and talk to people you might see something different at another institution that works better. It might be something as simple as good ice bags that never leak. Your colleagues can serve as your product testers and let you know

something else. I make a lot of the decisions about who I ask to bid based on whether or not they are involved in the development of my profession. The NATA is there to promote the profession of athletic trainers, so I support companies that support the NATA.

Because there’s power in performance. Participate in the fastest-growing exercise method in America by aligning with STOTT PILATES, the only full-service organization of its kind worldwide. We provide all the training, equipment and support you need to build a successful pilates program, attract clients and grow your business. That’s all the power you need.

QUOTE CODE TCQT

ATHLETICBID.COM

27 1.800.910.0001 – www.stottpilates.com T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

INTELLIGENT EXERCISE. PROFOUND RESULTS.® Circle No. 117

TM/® Trademark or registered trademark of Merrithew Corporation, used under license.

LEADERSHIP Apart from working at a college athletic department, what other career options should athletic trainers consider? Bill Prentice: Right now there’s so much diversity in job opportunities for athletic trainers. There are many opportunities in high schools, which can be better places for athletic trainers in terms of pay and the number of hours that they’re required to work. Many athletic trainers are also working in sports medicine clinics, in the military, and in private medical offices as physician extenders. There are also a lot of possibilities in education, because the number of accredited programs is growing and there’s a need for faculty members. Most institutions are looking for people who have

portunities or go to grad school and see if one setting fits them as far as interest and commitment and family. Some people say they couldn’t work in a clinic 9to-5 because they have to be out on the field with a team. Others don’t want to be on the field and working nights and want to be in a clinic working one-onone with patients. Explore what options work for you. Justin Miller: Don’t be too picky when you’re looking for a job and think you have to work in one particular setting. Go out and get the job that seems most interesting. Then you can get some experience and have a better idea of exactly what settings you like. And if you have an interest in working at the high school level, get your teach-

“Today’s athletic trainers need to think of themselves as time managers ... The key is to figure out, ‘This is something I really need to take care of, and that is something I can let slide a little bit.’” – Bill Prentice a terminal degree, either an EdD or a PhD, but right now there’s not enough of those individuals. So many institutions are hiring individuals who have a masters degree to function as a program director and encouraging them to seek their terminal degree in the future. Marjorie Albohm: I’ve been in a clinical setting, specifically a physician-owned orthopaedic practice, for 23 years. Although there will always be things that I miss by not being in an academic environment, I have learned so much about the business of health care and have grown so much personally and professionally. As a senior administrator, I am in a key decision-making position that allows me to develop clinical models for athletic trainers that can be shared nationwide. Joe Iezzi: When I came out of school, there was basically the collegiate level and maybe the pros. Now there are so many other options, such as high schools, physician extenders, sports medicine clinics, and different sports such as rodeo and auto racing. Or you could be an entrepreneur and start your own business. If people aren’t sure what they would like to do, they can observe different op28

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

ing license. It will make getting a job that much easier. How do you learn to manage your time? Bill Prentice: Today’s athletic trainers need to think of themselves as time managers. It’s critical to establish priorities based on doing the job you’re hired to do. The key is to figure out, “This is something I really need to take care of, and that is something I can let slide a little bit.” Marjorie Albohm: Organizational skills are critical to time management. That means organizing your work place and your schedule. You also must try to manage and minimize interruptions. That’s difficult for athletic trainers, but we really don’t have to be everything to all people, all the time. Jenny Moshack: I think the biggest thing is setting up a system. We’re always going to have things that interfere with our time, like emergencies and practices that get rescheduled. But you still need to plan as much as possible. There are athletic trainers out there who are more than willing to share information about their written policies and procedures, or talk about how they do things. See what

fits within your system and then tailor that plan to work for you. It’s also important to use time as productively as possible. I take my laptop to practice so I can get some work done while the team is watching film or before they start practice. This way I’m being productive, instead of sitting there waiting for them to come out of the locker room. Andy Paulin: I was once told, you can’t “manage time,” it marches on whether you are ready or not. I have found you must start your day with a few quiet minutes to prioritize your day, and rate your tasks A, B, or C. Then you’ll have a much clearer picture of your day and your ability to manage your tasks, not time. Maria Hutsick: I learned to delegate my duties and work on eliminating those tasks that really don’t belong in a healthcare setting. I listened to The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, which gave me a framework in dealing with people and setting my own goals. I also follow the One Minute Manager, which helps me manage staff, students, and coaches. When it comes to rehab and strength training, are there simple exercises that are just as effective as those requiring elaborate machines? James Thornton: Weight machines often isolate individual muscles and have an athlete work out in the sagittal plane only. We use multi-planar exercises such as single-leg squats or lifting and chopping movements in the front, sagittal, and transverse planes. These are drills that require nothing more than dumbbells, and they are specific to the way athletes move every day. I do not recommend using machines for isolated strength movements because increases in strength don’t always result in increases in performance. An offensive lineman who improves his bench press by 30 percent can still fail when he’s standing on two feet and trying to push back a defender. I’m going to train a lineman standing up using tables or pulleys so he can activate other musculature in his body in different planes of movement and increase his performance and not just his strength. Young athletic trainers who are looking to supplement the wonderful education they get in our curriculum programs should look at the National Academy of Sports Medicine’s PerATHLETICBID.COM

Advance Your Career with the CSCS Credential “Athletic trainers who earn the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® (CSCS®) are recognized in allied health professions as qualified, knowledgeable and competent strength and conditioning professionals. I feel that obtaining the CSCS gives athletic trainers the opportunity to advance their careers and establish themselves as leaders in their field.” Dr. William Holcomb, ATC, CSCS,*D

Advance Your Career

88%

88% of employers surveyed agreed that CSCS certiﬁed individuals are more likely to advance in their career.*

For more information or for a listing of exam dates and sites, contact the NSCA Certiﬁcation Commission.

CEUs Available! The NSCA Certiﬁcation Commission has been approved as a BOC Continuing Education Provider. Complete and pass the CEU Quizzes in the NSCA’s Strength and Conditioning Journal or online at www.nsca-cc.org to receive 0.5 or 1 CEU for BOC and 0.5 CEU for NSCA. BOC Approved Provider #: P2301-1

The CSCS and NSCA-CPT certifications are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies.

Phone: 402-476-6669 • Toll-free: 888-746-2378 • Web site: www.nsca-cc.org • E-mail: commission@nsca-cc.org Circle No. 118

LEADERSHIP formance Enhancement Specialist certification. I think it’s the single most effective course for showing how to take advantage of exercises that do not require a lot of equipment. Bill Prentice: We are really getting away from using elaborate machines. We have found that when you’re performing athletically you have to be able to adjust and adapt to a variety of different forces and stresses coming at you from all different angles, and you have to be able to balance yourself while doing that. If you’re working on a weight machine, the design constraints limit what kind of forces you have to exert and it doesn’t simulate a real-life situation. For example, one of the things that everyone is doing right now is core stabilization. Instead of putting athletes on a machine for a resistance exercise, we

our profession is going. I see more evidence-based decision making now, which is refreshing and less frustrating to those of us who always think about why we do things the way we do. Maria Hutsick: I would like to see the next generation of athletic trainers continue to build the profession into a strong and well-respected vocation. This means we must continue to play an important role in the health and welfare of the athlete. We also need to keep educating administrators that our profession helps keep them out of the courts and is a vital part of an athletic department. As this happens, they will start to pay us more money and allow us to work more humane work schedules. However, we have to continue to demand respect and maintain a high level of professionalism, which includes

“I see more evidence-based decision making now, which is refreshing and less frustrating to those of us who always think about why we do things the way we do.” – Dan Wathen have them working on a ball in multiple planes using a variety of different types of resistance simultaneously. They have to balance and maintain some postural stability while they’re doing those exercises.

Circle No. 119

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

What direction would you like to see the profession of athletic training go in? Rod Walters: I am so proud to be an athletic trainer. I want to see this profession continue making a positive impact in the healthcare arena. Athletic trainers are key components of the entire healthcare team—and I only want to see this continue to improve. Andy Paulin: I strongly support the path we are taking in creating jobs and placing certified athletic trainers in environments where they have never been before. I also support the more formal educational process that is in place. What I would like to see is a little more of what the quality internship programs used to do—really expose students to the good and bad of all of the clinical rotation sites and show them more about what is not in the textbook. Dan Wathen: I like the direction that

not taking jobs that pay less than an unskilled laborer would make. Scott Sailor: I want athletic trainers to continue to gain recognition for the outstanding contribution we make to the health care of society. I also want to see athletic training salaries fall in line with the high level of training we possess. I believe this is occurring and will continue to get better as the profession continues to grow. How should functional screening be used in return-to-play decisions? Dan Wathen: Functional testing and screening is just one element of the return-to-play decision-making process. But it is a critical element, as no matter how well an athlete is doing clinically, they must be able to perform functional activities that are germane to their sport prior to being cleared. Scott Sailor: I believe the athletic trainer is the individual best suited to evaluate athletes regarding return-toplay decisions. We will constantly consult with the individual’s physician but no other professional is as well-versed in the demands of activity as we are— ATHLETICBID.COM

LEADERSHIP especially athletic activities. Other rehabilitation professionals often lack the biomechanical background and kinesiological preparation of the athletic trainer. Jenny Moshack: First, make sure you establish functional screening criteria with your physicians. Will they leave the decisions up to you or do they need to be involved? Do they want some isokinetic testing to back anything up? The biggest things are getting as sportspecific as possible and not letting athletes go full-bore in practice too early. Get them into controlled practice situations first and go slow. For example, have them do every other drill instead of every drill. Then keep an eye on them, and if it looks like they’re in pain, pull them.

also try to bring a sense of humor to most situations, which allows me have fun and bring joy to others. Maria Hutsick: I learned that if you have a good staff and a good administration, then the job is what you make it. Who you work for can be more important than how much money you make. The number one thing I say to a

How do you continue to make the job exciting? How do you have fun? Dan Wathen: For me, it’s always a challenge to keep abreast of new findings in the field and then to educate those I work with and for about those findings. Our profession, like others, is a journey to seek truth. That’s exciting to me. I

young person is to pick a place to work where the head athletic trainer is interested in developing their assistants and will fight for them. If those things are in place, athletic training is an exciting and very rewarding profession. I enjoy working with the athletes and my staff and watching

younger athletic trainers develop. To keep it fun, I try to stay current, challenge myself, and look for new ways to stay in step with the profession. Scott Sailor: I have fun by trying to learn new things every day. I constantly look for ways to get better at my job. One of the great things about athletic training is that it’s so practical. It’s great

“I learned that if you have a good staff and a good administration, then the job is what you make it. Who you work for can be more important than how much money you make.” – Maria Hutsick to find out something new and then use it to help someone else. Mike Sahm: You always have to be ready to learn in this profession, because there’s always something new. Either you’re moving ahead or falling behind, and it’s more fun to be moving ahead. ■

For treatment of muscle dysfunction or deep massage of trigger points, Thera Cane’s

patented

design

provides

enhanced leverage for myopain relief.

There’s only one TheraCane. But there are dozens of ways it can provide pain relief. ®

Includes a 16-page guide with 40 illustrated uses. Also available, the 30-minute Thera Cane Video. Call today for more information and a free OPTP

Phone: (763) 553-0452 Fax: (763) 553-9355 www.optp.com

Free Catalog:1-800-367-7393

Catalog. Dealer inquiries welcome.

Circle No. 120 ATHLETICBID.COM

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

Circle No. 121

OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE

Ready to Lift? In order for athletes to get the most out of their strength training, their muscles need to be prepared beforehand. One way to do that is through a new technique called movement prep.

GETTY IMAGES

BY GRAY COOK & AARON TAYLOR

ow do your athletes warm up before hitting the weightroom? For years, coaches asked that they perform static stretches—bending and stretching while sitting and standing. Other coaches have used a general warmup, with the idea of simply getting the muscles moving. But neither approach is truly in your athletes’ best interests. Getting athletes ready for intense activity is not just about stretching, nor is it just about warming up the body. For your athletes to get the most out of their weightroom workout, they need to use a more integrated approach. In response, we have developed a group of movements that we call movement preparation (or movement prep) to ready the body for intense activity. In our work with athletes, movement prep

ATHLETICBID.COM

has replaced the terms “warmup” and “stretching,” not by deleting them but by embracing them and pulling them into an integrated system. EMBRACING INTEGRATION To start, let’s look at the limitations of performing just a general warmup before working out. A general warmup may get the cardiovascular system prepared for exercise, but it does not take joints to their extreme range of motion. It also does not check functional mobility or challenge functional stability. Nor does it indicate whether a joint or muscle is stiff, if a lingering injury is flaring up, or if the athlete seems off-

balance for whatever reason that day. And what’s wrong with static stretching to get ready for weightlifting? Stretching may increase muscle length, but it does not ready the neurological system for intense activity. Isolated stretching works on one simple movement pattern, but lifting a weight involves complicated movement patterns. Pre-activity warmup and stretching are still necessary, but they must be woven into neuromuscular activities that prepare the body on a much higher level for functional activity. The main idea of movement prep is to let go of isolation and embrace integration. As an example, think about how yoga

Gray Cook, MSPT, OCS, CSCS, is Clinic Director and Aaron Taylor, MS, LAT, ATC, is Sports Medicine Coordinator at Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy, Dunn, Cook, and Associates in Danville, Va. Cook is also the author of Athletic Body in Balance, published by Human Kinetics. For more on movement prep, go to: www.functionalmovement.com. T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE

Figure One: Hip Flexor Stretch with Chop Motion works. In yoga, the athlete does not simply stretch one muscle group at a time. One muscle group in a particular yoga posture or movement may feel a slightly greater stretch than other muscles, but that is not the focus. The focus is the posture or the pattern of movement. So what goes into a movement prep exercise? Simply put, there are three areas covered in every exercise: stabilized static stretch, dynamic movement with stabilization, and balance drills to address left-right symmetry. The stabilized stretch helps increase muscle length and basic posture and pattern proficiency, the dynamic movement

BEFORE LUNGING Many workout programs incorporate the lunge, which strengthens the muscles of the core, hips, and legs. It is a simple exercise, but a very dynamic one. The abdominal muscles and hip flexors must be warmed up and working together to get the most out of this exercise. Here are two movement preps we use to get ready for the lunge: Hip Flexor Stretch with Chop Motion: This is a stabilized static stretch, which engages the core, stabilizes the pelvis, and lengthens the hip flexors. When doing a lunge, the hip flexors will often try to assist or compensate

Simply put, there are three areas covered in every exercise: stabilized static stretch, dynamic movement with stabilization, and balance drills to address left-right symmetry. functionally prepares the body for complicated movements, and the balance drills ready the athlete for using both sides of the body as well as red flag any posture problems. In all, movement prep will enhance the mobility and stability needed to execute movements with greater control, strength, power, and balance. In the remainder of this article, we provide specific movement prep exercises to be accomplished with specific lifts: the lunge, squat, and deadlift. For all three, the goal is to provide a preparatory exercise that engages the core and readies the athlete for the specific movement pattern of the lift. 34

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

where the abdominals should be working. Movement prep for this motion ensures that hip extension and core stabilization work together. It enhances core stabilization while improving the hips’ ability to extend. This movement prep also provides an excellent way to compare left and right function and target the weaker side prior to exercise. (See Figure One, above.) Instructions: The hip flexor move begins with one knee down and the other foot in front in a half-kneeling position. You hold a stick in front of you, in line with the down knee and an arm’s length away. Your base should be narrow, with legs no more than six inches apart. While

Figure Two: Static Stretch with MedBall Chop holding the stick with both hands, push down in a chopping motion at an angle away from the front foot. This will engage the core and stabilize the pelvis. Rock forward while continuing to hold and put pressure on the stick. Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds, then return to an upright position. Verbal cues: • Maintain a tall spine. • Look forward throughout the entire movement. • Maintain a narrow base. • Exert pressure on the stick before and throughout the stretch. Static Stretch with MedBall Chop: This prep exercise is a dynamic movement with stabilization. It will improve static and dynamic balance reactions for lunge-related activities. The quick movement of the medicine ball chop pass stimulates stabilization reactions within the core. Requiring the half-kneeling position to be maintained provides the stretch, and the movement provides an excellent way to compare left and right function and target the weaker side prior to exercise. (See Figure Two, above.) Instructions: Get into the same narrow half-kneeling position as the first movement. Using a medium to light medicine ball, throw a bounce pass to a partner. This movement should follow a chop pattern, starting from a point above one shoulder and finishing by the opposite hip. Make 10 to 12 passes to a partner and have the partner return the passes in the same direction. Catch the medicine ball at the top of the arc and immediately pass the ball back. Try and pick a spot on the floor for the mediATHLETICBID.COM

OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE cine ball to hit so that the bounce is the same each time. Speed up the delivery every two to three passes and try to increase the height of the bounce. Verbal cues: • Maintain a steady and consistent position throughout the movement without any collapse in the pelvis. • Keep the front knee in a straight, up position without letting it collapse. • Maintain an erect spine and move the arms in a diagonal pattern.

SOLID SQUATS To effectively perform a squat, an athlete’s hips need to be ready for deep range of motion, and the knees, ankles, and feet also require a warmup. In addition, the core must be prepared to balance and support weight. To warm up for this lift, we have our athletes complete two very different prep exercises: Acro Roll Out: This is a dynamic movement with stabilization, which promotes bilateral hip extension in the presence of an actively stabilized core. Having an athlete roll out on Acro wheels stimulates balance and core reactions to stabilize the pelvis while the

hips go through the range of motion required of squatting movements. (See Figure Three, at right.) Instructions: Start in a quadruped position with knees shoulder-w idt h apa r t. Toes should be pointing down and hands a little wider than shoulder width. Hips should start over the heels with hips and knees in a flexed position. Slowly roll forward with the Acro wheels while maintaining hand- and arm-width positions and lower your hips to neutral or 0 degrees. Keep toes pointing straight down. Return to start position. Verbal Cues: • Maintain a tall and erect spine without any lag at the hips or core. • Keep shoulders and scapula movement within position.

Figure Three: Acro Roll Out • As movement improves, let arms increase flexion while taking the hips to neutral position. Squat with Tubing: This is another dynamic movement with stabilization. The tubing assists in two ways with movement prep for the squat. First, the anterior weight shift supports the tech-

ADD MORE POWER TO YOUR TRAINING LINEUP Our new Hammer Strength Olympic Heavy-Duty Combo Rack is a tough, rugged, sturdy performer that won’t break down in the clutch. This hard-hitting machine gives you and your staff the freedom to train two athletes at once with one machine. It’s a simple, yet powerful formula. One that comes only from the company that gives you more ways to build champions. And with our new platform and inserts, no other brand has a lineup this deep. Make the new combo rack part of your facility today, call 800.634.8637 or visit hammerstrength.com.

Bench sold separately.

BUILDING CHAMPIONS Circle No. 122

ATHLETICBID.COM

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE

Figure Four: Squat with Tubing nique by stimulating plantar flexion and hip and knee extension. Second, the adduction creates a need for enhanced glute medius activity. (See Figure Four, above.) Instructions: Place the points of attachment of the tubing (Lifeline FMT) at knee-height and spread the handles about the size of a door-width apart from each other. Then give the band a twist so that the tubing crosses in front of you. Step inside and face the point of attachment. Position the foam handles at the outside of your knees. Point your toes straight ahead with your feet shoulder-width apart. Start your squat.

size of the lift over time, working toward doing a squat with the heels flat. • To increase difficulty, keep moving back to create more resistance. LIVELY DEADLIFTS We often ask our athletes to perform single-leg, single-arm dumbbell deadlifts, which require intense balance and spine stabilization. Our movement prep activities for these deadlifts involve athletes balancing on one leg while lengthening the hip muscles. We also use the movement prep activities to look closely at left vs. right side strength discrepancies. Here are the two exercises we use:

In this exercise, the stick creates feedback for spine stabilization while the single-leg stance requires intense balance reactions by the hip internal and external rotators as well as the adductors and abductors. While pushing your knees down, keep feet flat, and cross your arms over your chest. As you descend, keep your heels down and go as deep as you can comfortably go. Then return to the standing position. Verbal Cues: • Keep the line of your spine parallel to the line of the lower leg (tibia) and keep your knees over the outer half of your feet. • Do not let your heels rise off the ground. • If unable to go completely down, use a heel lift and slowly decrease the 36

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

Bend with Stick: A balance drill to address right/left symmetry, in this exercise, the athlete bends over on one foot while holding a stick across his or her spine. The stick creates feedback for spine stabilization while the single-leg stance requires intense balance reactions by the hip internal and external rotators as well as the adductors and abductors. This is also an excellent way to compare left and right function and target the weaker side prior to exercise. (See Figure Five, above.) Instructions: Start in a standing upright position while holding a dowel or

Figure Five: Bend with Stick stick in both hands behind you or slightly off to one side. You will raise the opposite leg. Place one hand (still holding the stick) behind the neck with the palm facing the body. Position the other at the lumbar area with the palm facing away. In one motion, balance on one leg and flex forward (without rotating) while raising the straight leg and keeping the toes pointed up. For the down leg, the knee should be slightly bent. Four points of contact should be maintained: the back of the head, between the scapulae, the hips, and the calf. Then return to the upright position. Verbal Cues: • Maintain a straight line from head to toe on the up leg. Only go as far as you can while maintaining a straight line. • Concentrate on sustaining the points of contact. • Keep the knee of the down leg slightly bent. Tubing Deadlift: This exercise is another balance drill to address right/left symmetry. Here, we are mimicking a single-leg deadlift with little weight, using elastic resistance instead of a dumbbell. By adding the tubing resistance to the deadlift, balance and stability mistakes are quickly detected prior to exercise. The tubing also creates greater rotational force, which enhances stabilization and targets the core for single-leg stance activities. As with the previous exercise, it also provides an excellent way to compare left and right function and target the weaker side prior to exercise. This same move can also be done with a dumbbell. (See Figure Six, above right.) ATHLETICBID.COM

OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE Instructions: Place the tubing (Lifeline FMT) at a low attachment point. Loop the tubing around the shoulder that is above the down leg. Place the same-side hand on the lower back to help maintain a nice arch while doing the single-leg deadlift. Standing upright, grab the handle of the tubing with the opposite hand. This will create a rotational force, so it is important to maintain good posture throughout the movement. Keep shoulders parallel to hips by not letting the shoulders rotate out. Rotate forward in the same fashion as in the single-leg forward bend by keeping the body in a straight line from head to toe with the down knee slightly bent. Verbal Cues: • Keep the body as tall as possible throughout the movement. • Descend only as far as this posture allows. WHEN & HOW While these movements are meant to prepare the body for three fundamental lifts—the lunge, squat, and dead lift—they don’t all have to be done be-

fore strength work begins. They can be performed either as a single set of preparation prior to activity or as a superset between activities. Either way, they will reinforce and improve technique for the lifts. Movement prep exercises also give the coach and athletic trainer an opportunity to observe movement problems, limitations, and restrictions prior to intense exercise or heavy loading. In many cases, movement prep can temporarily become the workout until a movement pattern is corrected or improved, at which time more functional movement or greater load can be added. These movements are effective because they are an extension of corrective rehabilitation exercises that specifically

Figure Six: Tubing Deadlift focus on the neuromuscular system and the correction of movement patterns. They do not just isolate specific muscle groups. Instead, they integrate stretching, movement patterns, balance, and core work into quick and easy exercise patterns that any athlete can benefit from. ■

Your Athletes Can

Train More

Perform Better

Recover Faster

Add PowerLung Training to: Improve Lung Capacity • Reduce Breathing Stress • Reduce Blood Lactate Easy to Use - Easy to Implement - Cost Effective 10690 Shadow Wood Drive, Suite 100, Houston, TX 77043

(800) 903-3087 info@powerlung.com www.powerlung.com Circle No. 123 ATHLETICBID.COM

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

Are you prepared for concussions?

Athletic trainers will see 70,000 concussions this year, and that’s just in high school football. That’s 70,000 difficult decisions regarding whether it’s safe for an athlete to return-to-play. That’s why the NATA issued recommendations stating: Evaluating and Making the Return-to-Play Decisions For athletes playing sports with a high risk of concussion, baseline cognitive … testing should be considered. Concussion Assessment Tools Formal cognitive … testing is recommended to assist in determining injury severity and readiness to return to play (RTP). Once symptom-free, the athlete should be reassessed to establish that cognition … (has) returned to normal for that player.

Special “Back to School” $100 discount. Take the guesswork out of return-to-play decisions.

Protect the athletes in your care It’s not too late to baseline test your football players, or get a head start on soccer and hockey. From now through December 31, 2005 you can save $100 off any of the testing packages simply by using the promotional code “backtoschool2005”.

Sign-up at www.concussionsentinel.com Circle No. 124

TREATING THE ATHLETE

Point of No Return When an athlete suffers a career-ending injury, the rehab process takes on a different meaning. At Cal State Fullerton, a team approach guides athletes both physically and psychologically.

GETTY IMAGES

BY LAURA SMITH

or some athletes, it happens in an instant—one misstep, one quick twist, one bad break. For others, it’s the end of a long, hard road— multiple injuries, a series of surgeries, months spent working and waiting. Either way the final diagnosis is hard to take: “Career-ending injury.” Injuries that take away an athlete’s ability to play his or her sport are statistically rare. But sooner or later, most athletic trainers encounter one, and it turns the rehab process on its head. The usual driving force behind an athlete’s rehab—returning them to the sport they love—doesn’t exist. Returning the athlete to functionality and a good quality of life becomes the goal, and the ATHLETICBID.COM

focus shifts to helping him or her cope, not only with the injury, but also with the grief of a huge loss, a life change, and a reorganization of identity, goals, and dreams. Perhaps more than in any other situation, helping an athlete navigate a career-ending injury means treating the whole individual. At California State University-Fullerton, that challenge is taken on by a seasoned team. Julie Max, MEd, ATC, Head Athletic Trainer, contributes 20 years of experience and a holistic approach to physical and psychological treatment. Ken Ravizza, PhD, Professor of Sports Psychology and a mental skills training consultant, lends his deep knowledge of athletes’ inner experiences. And Amanda Rice, ATC, a

graduate assistant in Sports Psychology, draws on perspectives from both fields. From making the determination that an injury is “career ending,” through the process of physical and psychological rehab, we’ll take a close look at how these three experts collaborate to help athletes who won’t be coming back. MAKING THE CALL Whether an athlete has a sudden, severe injury or a series of injuries that resist treatment, recommending the end of a competitive career is a step that Max takes with extreme caution. It’s also a Laura Smith is an Assistant Editor at Training & Conditioning. She can be reached at: lsmith@MomentumMedia.com. T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

TREATING THE ATHLETE decision she never makes alone. “Before we label an injury careerending, we make sure we’re very, very certain,” Max says. “‘Career-ending’ means that even if the athlete leaves this institution, they can no longer compete in their sport. It’s over. This is a very big decision to make, and we believe the only safe way to make it is with a team approach.” In addition to Max, the Cal State Fullerton decision-making team involves the student-athlete, the attending physician, the coach, and often the student-athlete’s parents. As the head athletic trainer, Max is usually the group’s leader. “I spearhead the decision-making process because I’m the one who sees the athlete on a daily basis, and I’m closest to the situation,” she says. “Coordinating collaborative efforts is part of my daily job description, so I know how to do it effectively. And the athletic training office is a natural nucleus where information can be centralized because

pletely understands the athlete’s injury and that he or she is not pushing the athlete in an inappropriate direction.” The challenges behind the decision can vary depending on whether an athlete’s career ends suddenly with a single injury or gradually with multiple events or an unsuccessful rehab. “I have an example of each scenario on my desk right now,” Max says. “We have a female tennis player who sustained damage to three disc levels in her back at once. It was immediately obvious to us that her competitive tennis career was over. “Then we have a wrestler whose career has ended in a very different way,” Max continues. “He underwent three different shoulder surgeries and has been attempting to rehab over a series of months. When he injured himself the last time, it became clear that it was not appropriate for him to continue to wrestle.” For Max, the decision to recommend the wrestler end his career was easier to

“Much of an athlete’s identity comes from their physicality: ‘I am a strong person. I am a fit person.’ We work within the specifics of their injury to find an exercise routine they can do. They need to sweat and put in the effort they are used to, and doing that will connect them back to their body’s competence.” I’m in touch with our team physician and coaches daily.” As the hub of the decision-making team, Max attends doctor’s appointments with the athlete or calls the doctor afterward so information doesn’t get misinterpreted or lost. She also makes sure that multiple medical professionals—team doctor, orthopedic surgeon, neurologist, and general practitioner— are able to share information easily. She facilitates conversations between the athlete and the coach, explains to the athlete in lay terms what is going on with their body, takes calls from parents, and makes sure everybody’s questions get answered. Rice says it’s especially important to involve the coach in the decision to end an athlete’s career. “A coach who isn’t fully aware of what is happening medically can negatively influence the athlete,” she says. “For some athletes, the opinion of the coach can be intimidating. It’s imperative that the coach com40

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

make. “There was a lot of data adding up over a long period of time, all pointing to the fact that this was the right decision, and that makes it easier for the athlete to accept,” she says. “With a sudden injury, it’s harder for the athlete to believe that one event has ended their career. They want to believe they’ll be the one case that actually comes back. These are harder to deal with in the decision phase, and fortunately, they’re much more rare. The key is to rely even more heavily on the team approach and take extreme caution.” In either case, the attending physician ultimately has the final say on ending an athlete’s career. However, at Cal State Fullerton, more often than not, it’s the athlete who decides it’s time to stop. That’s an important step, according to Rice. “All their lives, athletes have been in control of their athletic success,” she says. “They’ve fixed problems by training harder, eating better, practicing

more, or working hard at rehab. With a career-ending injury, they’re faced with a situation where none of those things is going to help, and they suddenly feel very out of control. We give them as much power as we can in the decisionmaking process to help ease that feeling. “Of course, we don’t hesitate to offer our opinion when we believe returning to play is not the best thing,” she adds. “But we’re patient, and whenever possible, we allow the athlete to reach the decision on their own.” PSYCHOLOGICAL CHALLENGES Once the decision has been made that a Cal State Fullerton athlete’s career is over, Max relies on a collaboration between her staff and Ravizza to help an athlete deal with both the physical and emotional trauma. However Ravizza stresses that, although he is the sports psychologist, Max is really the one who takes the lead in helping the athlete heal psychologically as well as physically. “Julie’s role on the mental side is crucial because athletes know her and trust her, and she is the one who sees them day in and day out,” he says. “When I see her working with these athletes, the empathy she shows is amazing and that is what’s needed the most.” Max is careful to watch for times when an athlete needs more psychological expertise than she can offer. “I understand my boundaries, and when I see that an athlete is struggling, becoming depressed, or in any way needs more help than I can offer, I go straight to our experts, Ken and Amanda.” Every athlete who endures a careerending injury has a unique experience and reaction, but there are several common threads that most face in dealing with the psychological aftermath. These are the issues that Ravizza, Rice, and Max see arising most often, along with some solutions that have worked for them. Grief and loss. “We see the same stages of grief among most athletes: disbelief, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance,” says Ravizza. “We used to believe that the stages occurred in that order, but we’ve found that athletes actually bounce around. One day they’re angry, one day they’re in denial, the next day they seem to have accepted it, and the day after that, they’re angry again. But these distinct emotions are all there at some point.” “When I first came to this profession ATHLETICBID.COM

TREATING THE ATHLETE and heard about the stages, I was skeptical, but they really happen,â&#x20AC;? Max agrees. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As athletic trainers, we put a lot of effort into learning to recognize the stages of grief and being sensitive to what an athlete is feeling on a given day. We also talk with the athlete about these common emotional reactions so they understand that their feelings are normal, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not afraid to address the athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feelings directly. If an athlete comes in and seems very angry, for example, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll ask them about their anger.â&#x20AC;? Educating the athlete about the stages has an added benefit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even if they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t process what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re saying right away, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll recall it later when they run into one of the stages, and that will help them,â&#x20AC;? Ravizza says. Identity crisis. When an athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career ends, his or her sense of self is almost always thrown into chaos. â&#x20AC;&#x153;During their identity-forming years, they were probably deeply immersed in the athletic world,â&#x20AC;? Ravizza says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Their sport is deeply woven into their sense of self. Being very competent in this one area is what has supplied them with a lot of their confidence and self-

esteem. When that gets ripped away, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very traumatic.â&#x20AC;? Again, acknowledging what is happening and why is the first step to helping the athlete deal with his or her feelings. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I sit down with them and explain how identity gets formed and why they suddenly feel so lost,â&#x20AC;? Ravizza says. His next step is to help the athlete understand that the parts of their personality that made them so successful at their sport are still there, even though they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t using them to compete. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are still the same person with the same drive, dedication, competitiveness, and competence,â&#x20AC;? Ravizza says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My job is getting them to see that they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to lose those thingsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; they can apply them to other areas of their lives. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen many athletes, once they can no longer play, focus their energy on their academics and discover that they can achieve things they never thought possible.â&#x20AC;? Also, Ravizza and Max pay special attention to keeping the athlete as active and fit as possible. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Much of an athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s identity comes from their physicality: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I am a strong person. I am a fit person,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

Max says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We work within the specifics of their injury to find an exercise routine they can do. They need to sweat and put in the effort they are used to, and doing that will connect them back to their bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competence and help them feel like themselves.â&#x20AC;? Loss of social supports. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When an athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career ends, all their major relationships shift,â&#x20AC;? Rice says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Their teammates were their closest friends. Now theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not a member of the team in the same way, and they often feel like theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been cast out of the group just when they need support the most.â&#x20AC;? Disconnection from the coach can be the most painful relationship shift. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We see the gamut of responses from coaches when an athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s playing career ends,â&#x20AC;? Max says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some are very supportive and stay involved, and others treat the athlete as if they no longer exist.â&#x20AC;? When a coach drops contact with an athlete, Max believes itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s her job to intervene. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a delicate balance, but I will speak discretely to the coach and bring his or her attention to the fact that the athlete is having difficulty with how they are being treated,â&#x20AC;? she says.

"ENEFIT FROM !CCURATE Â¤ 2ESULTS WITH THE &542%8 "ODY #OMPOSITION !NALYZER s 2EPRODUCIBLE 4EST 2ESULTS s 'OLD 3TANDARD !CCURACY s 3IMPLIFIED 4ESTING 0ROTOCOLS s &ITNESS !NALYSIS 2EPORTS )MAGINE HAVING THE BEST ASSESS MENT TOOL IN THE ATHLETIC TRAINING INDUSTRY !THLETIC TRAINERS AND STRENGTH COACHES HAVE LONG RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCURATELY MEASURING THE BODY FAT OF THEIR ATHLETES 4HE MOST SUCCESSFUL OF THEM KNOW HOW BODY FAT ANALYSIS CAN HELP THEIR ATHLETES REACH THEIR OPTIMAL POTENTIAL &542%8 S PATENTED NEAR INFRARED BODY COMPOSITION ANALYZERS HAVE HELPED THOUSANDS OF TRAINERS AND COACHES DO EXACTLY THAT "EST OF ALL &542%8 IS ACCURATE AND PORTABLE ENABLING YOU TO MEASURE YOUR ATHLETES ANYTIME ANYWHERE

&OR &2%% )NFORMATION #ONTACT 5S 4ODAY

)NTERNATIONALLY

WWW 3PENCER-EDICAL COM !SK !BOUT /UR 3PECIAL /FFERS Circle No. 125 ATHLETICBID.COM

Circle No. 126 T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

TREATING THE ATHLETE â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll point out that the athlete is going through a crisis and let the coach know that his or her behavior is counter-productive to the healing process. Sometimes the coach isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t aware of what theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing and appreciates the heads-up.â&#x20AC;? Ravizza also addresses the issue with coaches. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I encourage them to make sure they are at least touching base with this athlete,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know they have tight schedules, so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll ask them to schedule one day a week where they are going to make contact with two athletes on their roster who are not playing, and the athlete whose career has ended is definitely on that list.â&#x20AC;? Max also works to find a role the athlete can still fill on the team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They can be a team manager, an academic mentor, or a psychological support person,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had athletes who contributed by keeping stats, stuffing envelopes, and doing PR for events. We try really hard to get our coaches to include them. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For many athletes, still being able to contribute helps the healing process, but for others, being around the sport

is too difficult,â&#x20AC;? Max adds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Someone who was a point guard may not want to play the role of video manager. We encourage them to do whatever is going to be best for them.â&#x20AC;? In some instances, Max and Rice become the center of the athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suddenly smaller social network. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the only people who understand what theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going through,â&#x20AC;? Rice says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So we make sure we always listen deeply and never turn them away.â&#x20AC;? MAINTAINING MOTIVATION After the decision has been made that an athlete will not return to play, the physical rehab continues nearly unchanged. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t alter much,â&#x20AC;? Max says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our goal is still to get the athlete back to full functionality. I take just as much pride in restoring them to a good quality of life as returning them to play.â&#x20AC;? On the positive side, one thing that usually does change is the pace of rehab. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Once the decision has been made to end their career, the pressure is off for my staff to get them better as quickly as possible,â&#x20AC;? Max says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For the athlete,

the pressure is off to drive themselves in rehab. We can allow the body to heal on its own timetable, and that can be a relief and an advantage.â&#x20AC;? A less positive change in rehab, however, can be a drop in motivation on the athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s part. This is particularly true when the athlete has been dealing with injury and rehab for a long time prior to the decision to end his or her career. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Once an athlete no longer has the goal of playing again, a drop in motivation is common and understandable,â&#x20AC;? says Ravizza. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to eventually find a way to motivate them again so they can rehab as best they can for the rest of their activities.â&#x20AC;? Rice, Max, and Ravizza all believe setting goals is the key to motivation, and when competing is no longer the objective, they help the athlete set new goals that are specific, measurable, and meaningful to the athlete. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Goal setting is another opportunity to put the athlete back in control of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening to him or her,â&#x20AC;? Rice says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have them sit down and write out their goals, focusing on things that are important to them. When motivation drops, we re-

C]ej ] opal kj pda _kilapepekj 4RAINING FOR 3PEED !GILITY AND 1UICKNESS IS THE WORKOUT BOOK AND $6$ PACKAGE ATHLETES NEED IN ORDER TO PERFORM AT AN OPTIMAL LEVEL 4OP SPORT AND CONDITIONING EXPERTS PRESENT THE BEST INFORMATION ON TESTING TECHNIQUES DRILLS AND TRAINING PROGRAMS 4HE BOOK CONTAINS DRILLS MANY OF WHICH ARE FULLY ILLUSTRATED AND ADDRESS TOPICS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE ACROSS ALL SPORTS BALANCE REACTION TIME AND BODY MECHANICS 4HE MOST COMPLEX DRILLS AND USEFUL TESTS TO TRACK ATHLETIC SKILLS AND PROGRESS ARE FEATURED ON THE ACTION PACKED BONUS $6$ "UILD THE MOVEMENT SKILLS TO EXCEL IN SPORTS WITH 4RAINING FOR 3PEED !GILITY AND 1UICKNESS

4O ORDER CALL #ANADA OR VISIT OUR 7EB SITE AT WWW (UMAN+INETICS COM PAGE BOOK s MINUTE $6$ s )3". 5 3 s #DN

(5-!. +).%4)#3 4HE 0REMIER 0UBLISHER FOR 3PORTS &ITNESS

.EW WITH BONUS $6$ 8

Circle No. 127

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

ATHLETICBID.COM

TREATING THE ATHLETE visit those goals. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll say to an athlete, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;You said you wanted to be running by week eight, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s week six. You have two more weeks to reach your goal, and here is what you need to do.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? Motivation comes from seeing results, so Ravizza also focuses on helping the athlete assess progress realistically. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the biggest problems is that athletes are often comparing themselves to where they were before the injury,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If an athlete is spending all their time thinking, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I used to be able to slam dunk a basketball and look at me now,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not going to be able to see that being able to walk to and from class without pain is progress. So I keep reminding them to compare how they are doing today to how they were doing the day after their injury, not the day before.â&#x20AC;? Because these athletes are vulnerable and dealing with a huge loss, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to know when to push and when to back off. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We keep in close contact with the athlete and watch their mood,â&#x20AC;? Rice says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes they simply need a vacation. Coming into the athletic training room day after day, seeing athletes who are still playing, is wearing. When we

sense they need it, we tell them, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Take three days off and go do whatever you want. But donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to come back.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? SILVER LINING When an athlete whose career has ended has had some time to adjust and is ready to hear it, Ravizza presents an-

tle time, I was able to redirect my energy into academics, and I went after a PhD the way I had been going after a football career. Out of that devastating experience came the career I have today. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So I tell our athletes, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;This crisis gives you a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get a whole new perspective on who you

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes they simply need a vacation. Coming into the athletic training room day after day, seeing athletes who are still playing, is wearing. When we sense they need it, we tell them, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Take three days off and go do whatever you want. But donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to come back.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? other message: Depending on how you handle it, this event can be a wonderful opportunity. Hard to believe? Maybe, but Ravizza has proof to back up his claim. He himself played college football, until a knee injury ended his career during his sophomore year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My identity was obliterated, and my future was gone,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But after a lit-

are and what you want,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? he continues. â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;You may have thought your sport was the sum total of your identity, but that was never true. Who are you? What do you want to do now with the time and energy you have?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; If we can help the athlete eventually see this event in their lives that way, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have a very successful outcome.â&#x20AC;? â&#x2013;

4HE LEADING EDGE OF 0ILATES 4AKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND INNOVATION .OTHING PERFORMS BETTER LASTS LONGER OR DELIVERS GREATER VALUE THAN "ALANCED "ODYgS !LLEGROÂ¸ OR OUR HANDCRAFTED 2OCK -APLE STUDIO EQUIPMENT

,ET OUR EXPERIENCE BECOME YOUR ADVANTAGE #OMPARE OUR EQUIPMENT TO ANY OTHER AND YOUgLL SEE WHY "ALANCED "ODY IS THE CHOICE OF 0ILATES PROFESSIONALS

4HE CHOICE OF 0ILATES PROFESSIONALS AND lTNESS FACILITIES IN COUNTRIES "ALANCED "ODY HAS HELPED THOUSANDS OF FACILI TIES BUILD SUCCESSFUL 0ILATES PROGRAMS PROVIDING

&REE CATALOG WWW PILATES COM OR 0),!4%3

s 0ILATES EQUIPMENT s )NVESTMENT MODELS AND BUSINESS CONSULTING s )NSTRUCTOR EDUCATION

.EW

!LLEGROÂ¸ 4OWER OF 0OWER4- EXPANDS THE VERSATILITY OF THE !LLEGRO 2ETROlTS EXISTING !LLEGRO 2EFORMERS

Circle No. 128 ATHLETICBID.COM

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

Take your training to the next level. You know the benefits of EMS in the training room. Now thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a device for the next level. Beyond rehabilitation, now there's EMS for improved muscle performance in sports. Compex is a compact, portable electronic muscle trainer that uses revolutionary electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) technology to take your training to the next level â&#x20AC;&#x201C; work more muscle fibers in less time.

Compex Sport includes over 75 training programs that can be customized for your training goals.

Used by elite European and American champion athletes, Compex is the EMS device for all athletes who want to improve muscle performance. Build muscle strength. Improve power. Increase endurance. Experience faster muscle recovery. Call today or visit us online at www.compex.us/TC to get a free report on how Compex can help you improve muscle performance.

www.compex.us/TC

1-866-826-6739

Compex is used by these athletes and recommended by their trainers:

Compex is cleared by the FDA for sale in the U.S. without a prescription. Circle No. 129

JOHN QUACKENBOS

SPORT SPECIFIC

Before the Puck

Drops

At Boston University, preseason training for ice hockey includes a mix of on-ice and off-ice work, with a focus on conditioning. BY MICHAEL BOYLE

t the collegiate level, the sport of ice hockey is thriving, with a large increase in the number of teams playing at the Division I level. Since 2000, the NCAA has expanded the Division I men’s national tournament to 16 teams and added a Women’s Frozen Four. With increased participation comes increased interest in training for the sport. However, there are still many misconceptions about developing ice hockey players for peak performance. Hockey is an interesting sport to train athletes for because it has high energy system needs as well as high muscular system demands. Athletes must possess great speed and acceleration, withstand some of the highest velocity collisions in ATHLETICBID.COM

all of sport, and repeatedly perform at a high exertion level with limited rest. An effective strength and power program must resemble that for a sprinter, utilizing Olympic lifts and multi-joint upper- and lower-body exercises. The conditioning program must prepare the athlete for repeated efforts while also promoting rapid recovery. Meeting these unique demands requires unique programming. While this article will focus on preseason training for ice hockey, let me briefly explain our off-season program

here at Boston University, since it differs from either preseason or in-season training. In the off-season period, from April to Sept. 1, the priority is strength and power work with a goal of building maximum strength and lean mass. Conditioning is maintained through running and extensive use of the slideboard, which develops the proper energy systems while stressing the hip flexors, adductors, and abductors. We do not use the stationary bike in the offseason because it can shorten the hip flexors, and the key to long-term injury

Michael Boyle, MEd, is the Strength and Conditioning Coach for Ice Hockey at Boston University. He served in a similar capacity for the 1998 U.S. Women’s Olympic Team and for the Boston Bruins of the NHL from 1991-1998. He is the author of Designing Strength Training Programs and Facilities and can be reached through his Web site at: www.michaelboyle.biz. T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

SPORT SPECIFIC

TABLE ONE:

PRESEASON CONDITIONING

This chart details the preseason conditioning program we use at Boston University, in which athletes skate laps and work out on a stationary bicycle during each workout. Bike distances are measured in miles, and recovery from biking is measured in heartbeats per minute. Rest-to-work ratio is primarily 3-1, with some 2-1 work as we approach the start of the season. 1 2 3

4 5

Workout

# Laps/Distance

Work Time

Rest Time/Recovery

Skate Bike Skate Bike Skate

4x3 3x0.3 5x3 2x0.5 4x3 2x2 4x0.3 6x3 3x0.5 4x3 3x2 5x0.3 6x2 4x0.5 7x2 6x0.3 1x3 6x2 2x1.0 2x3 6x2 7x0.3

0:45 0:50 0:45 1:15 0:45 0:30 0:50 0:45 1:15 0:45 0:30 0:50 0:33 1:15 0:33 0:50 0:45 0:30 2:35 0:45 0:30 0:50

2:15 40-50 2:15 40-50 2:15 1:30 40-50 2:15 40-50 2:15 1:30 40-50 1:30 40-50 1:30 40-50 2:15 1:30 40-50 2:15 1:30 40-50

Bike Skate Bike Skate

Bike Skate Bike Skate Bike Skate

Bike Skate

6 7

Bike

prevention is to keep athletes extending the hips. With a good strength base and flexibility in the hips established, our preseason program concentrates on interval training for conditioning and total-body strength work. Our conditioning program has changed the most over the years, from running workouts to an on-ice and stationary bike regimen with no running at all. We do not train for aerobic capacity—only for the sprint demands found in the sport. USE OF VO2 MAX A major problem with many traditional hockey training programs is that they focus on developing aerobic capacity, in spite of an ever-increasing body of evidence that clearly refutes the “aerobic training for anaerobic sports” theory. Research done in Australia concluded that “elite and sub-elite players have about the same VO2 max scores but that elite players perform better on muscular strength and power tests.” An article 46

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness by A.R. Aziz concluded that “improving aerobic capacity further will only be expected to contribute marginally to improving repeated sprint performance of team game players.” Still, many coaches cite the value of aerobic capacity in recovery. However, S.R. Cooke, in the European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, concluded that “VO2 max is a poor predictor of metabolic recovery from high intensity exercise … Differences in recovery rate observed between individuals with similar VO2 max imply that other factors influence recovery.” Last year, we decided to test the importance of VO 2 max with our own athletes by comparing physiological test results to actual performance results. We used a Korr Analyzer, which provides peak values for VO 2 and anaerobic threshold, for the physiological testing. For the performance testing, athletes completed a 10-10 test, a fivemile time trial on a stationary bike, and

a repeat 300-yard shuttle run test. The 10-10 test requires athletes to run to exhaustion on a treadmill at 10 mph and 10 percent incline. Although it requires close supervision in case the athlete falls while mounting the moving treadmill or from exhaustion at the end, it is a great test of fitness, strength, and willpower. We found no relationship between the results of the three performance tests and the results of the VO 2 max and anaerobic threshold tests. In fact, the top performer in most of the competitive tests had a measured peak VO2 of only 52 ml/kg. Ultimately, I think VO2 tests are too one-dimensional to be used in multi-dimensional sports. Performance testing produces results on functional movements and incorporates the combined functions of the athlete’s physiological, mental, and emotional systems. In other words, performance testing allows athletes to use their competitiveness as well as their heart and lungs. Scoring fitness based on physiological indicators ATHLETICBID.COM

SPORT SPECIFIC obviously rewards physiology over performance. In reality, physiological test results have little relationship to actual performance. Based on both the literature and our own experimentation, we have decided to disregard VO2 max as an indicator of performance. We do not strive to increase our athletes’ VO2 max during preseason training, and we do not use such measurements to assess fitness levels. However, we have not thrown peak VO2 testing out the window. Peak VO2 accurately measures maximum heart rates, which are critical to know when devising individual workouts for athletes. In our 2004 testing, heart rates at the conclusion of the peak VO 2 test ranged from 184 to 211 beats per minute. There was no relationship between maximum heart rate and performance, but based on the commonly used 220-minus-age formula, the athletes’ maximum heart rates had roughly a 10-beats-per-minute variation, plus or minus. If we had assumed that all our athletes had maximum heart rates of approximately 200 beats per minute and designed programs around this number,

we would have overtrained some athletes while undertraining others. Instead, the physiological data allowed us to design individual programs based on each player’s actual maximum heart rate and the heart rate at anaerobic threshold as provided by the Korr Analyzer. This let us design individual conditioning programs in which recovery was based on heart rate, not time. ICE & BIKE The NCAA allows strength and conditioning coaches to conduct on-ice conditioning in the preseason, provided no hockey equipment is used and no hockey coaches are involved. It would appear obvious that the most effective method of preparing athletes to perform in ice hockey would be to utilize a program of ice skating. Although this seems like a simple conclusion, many teams continue to follow preseason programs based primarily on running. Our preseason program utilizes both on-ice and off-ice workouts. Three days a week, the players perform on-ice interval work followed by off-ice interval training on a stationary bike. This

mix allows us to progressively and safely stress both the muscular and energy systems of the athletes. (See “Preseason Conditioning” on page 46.) The program is designed to acclimate the athletes to the demands of skating and at the same time avoid muscle strains. In preseason ice hockey conditioning, groin and adductor strains are a frequent problem. This is most likely due to a sharp increase in the use of the hip flexors and adductors in the recovery portion of the skating stride. The use of on-ice conditioning during preseason training helps athletes strengthen their muscles, while using the off-ice stationary bicycle ensures that they do not overtrain their groin or adductor muscles. The bike is great for energy system stress but produces little groin stress. The reason we do not use the bike in the off-season is the same reason we do use it in the preseason. Our on-ice work mainly consists of simply skating laps in clockwise and counterclockwise directions. Four groups of two or three skaters skate simultaneously, starting from opposite sides of the blue lines. The lap program

Train as hard off the ice as you do on! The PowerSkater teaches proper skating technique, speed and stride power at the same time. This revolutionary dry land skating system forces skaters into perfect skating mechanics allowing for specific motor programs to be memorized. Players can now improve their balance, strength, endurance, quickness, body control and anaerobic conditioning in a dry land environment. Used by the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks, Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning plus pro, college and junior teams throughout North America.

For more information or to place an order:

IN THE USA Toll free 1.866.672.1700 www.powerskater.com IN CANADA Toll free 1.888.214.4244 www.powerskater.ca

Shown with optional Lateral Cross-Under/Over Attachment.

Manufactured by

Circle No. 130 ATHLETICBID.COM

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

SPORT SPECIFIC

TABLE TWO:

STRENGTH WORK The following depicts our strength training during the preseason. Note that exercises numbered 3 and 4 (both days) are tri-sets. We implement one-minute rests in the tri-sets. With several of the exercises, we increase the number of sets or reps each week. We also pay close attention to the tempo of the exercise (which is listed immediately after the exercise name). 4/0/4 indicates an eccentric emphasis with a four-second concentric contraction, no pause, followed by a four-second eccentric contraction—a number greater than zero in the middle indicates a pause. Exercises designed to be performed in an explosive manner are indicated by “Exp.”

DAY ONE: 1. Warm-Up and Ab Work 2. Snatch Pair, Exp. 3. Chinup, 4/0/4 Front Squat, 3/0/Exp. 4. Alt. DB Bench, 3/0/Exp. Slideboard Leg Curl, 2/0/Exp. 5. Side Twist Pass, 5K

4x5 with Quad/Hip Flexor Stretch 3x5 with Squat Toe-Touch Stretch 3x8 3x8 with Standing Hamstring Stretch 3x8 x10, x3

DAY TWO 1. Warm-Up and Ab Work 2. Clean Pair, Exp. 3. Sternum Chinup, 2/0/2 Leg Squat, Exp. 4. Bench, 3/1/Exp. Single-Leg Straightleg Deadlift, 2/0/2

can be preceded by an informal skating workout. If not, a proper warmup should be performed. Prior to skating laps, players may engage in short sprints and some change-of-direction skating. Bike work is done immediately after the skating workout, and our stationary bicycles have a couple of important features. They include an automatic system of accommodating resistance—increased effort yields increased resistance with no manual adjustment of tension. The bike also uses both upper- and lower-body action, thus more closely replicating the metabolic demands of skating. The bike allows for intervals based not only on time but also on distance. Players are required to ride a specific distance rather than a specific time interval. This forces greater accountability and greater effort. STRENGTH GAINS In order to comply with NCAA rules limiting preseason work to eight hours per week, athletes perform six 75-min48

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

4x5 3x8 8x8 3x8 3x8

with Quad/Hip Flexor Stretch with Squat Toe-Touch Stretch with Standing Hamstring Stretch

ute workouts each week. Three of these are our conditioning workouts, leaving three days for strength and power work. We use two of those days for intense total-body strength workouts, while the third day is often a movement workout followed by some sort of competitive game. At this point in the calendar, strength development takes a back seat to conditioning, as conditioning will be a more limiting factor in game situations than strength. With only two days for strength training per week, we work hard to hone in on what is most important and make the most of every minute in the weightroom. (See “Strength Work,” above, for a sample protocol.) After warmup and ab work, one power movement is performed at the beginning of each workout. Each set of the power movement for that day, generally a variation of a clean or a snatch, is followed by an active isolated stretch of a problem area, such as the quads or hip flexors. After the power exercise are two tri-sets, consisting of

two multi-joint exercises with a stretching exercise in between. The concept of tri-sets is a variation on the old bodybuilding idea of supersets. Exercises are grouped together for a more efficient use of time—while the body is recovering from a lift emphasizing one group of muscles, it is performing a lift with another group of muscles. Inserted between each set of the strength exercise is an active isolated stretching exercise. Stretching occupies the athletes during the rest period and extends the rest between strength exercises, thereby facilitating strength gain. In the first tri-set sequence, an upper-body pulling exercise, like a pull-up or chin-up, is paired with some type of squatting movement. In the second triset, an upper-body pressing exercise is paired with what we would classify as a hip-dominant movement—a variation of deadlifts and straight-leg deadlifts. On our third day of strength work, we typically do some type of enjoyable outdoor activity. This gives the athletes a break from the usual workouts, and I feel I can develop what they need in two days a week in the weightroom. THE RIGHT FOCUS Because ice hockey has such unique demands, its training program must be carefully designed. The off-season should focus on strength training and keeping the hip flexors, adductors, and abductors loose, while the preseason should focus on conditioning, developing skating muscles, and injury prevention. I have found the keys to success include combining on-ice and off-ice work, both done in an interval format, and making the strength workouts simple and very efficient. While my teams have also benefited from preseason testing and using VO2 max rates for determining workout loads, they are not mandatory. Any coach at any level can use the basics I’ve described here to make their ice hockey players faster, stronger, and better conditioned. ■

■ For a look at a previous article published in T&C by Michael Boyle on slideboard training, you can access our archives by visiting: www.AthleticSearch.com. Type “slideboard” or “Boyle” into the search engine. ATHLETICBID.COM

Pilates: A Trainer’s Secret Weapon BY KEN ENDELMAN Developing an athlete’s core - the deep abdominal muscles along with the muscles closest to the spine – makes athletes more agile, helps prevent injury and increases performance. Trainers and coaches are discovering a secret weapon for developing optimal core control and flexibility in their athletes – Pilates. Pilates integrates the trunk, pelvis and shoulder girdle. It also emphasizes proper breathing, correct spinal and pelvic alignment, and complete concentration on smooth, flowing movement. Through Pilates, athletes become acutely aware of how their body feels, where it is in space, and how best to control its movement. Tom McCook, owner of the Center of Balance Pilates studio in Palo Alto, CA, has trained many athletes, including Olympic swimming medalists Natalie Coughlin and Jenny Thompson. McCook says that Pilates helps athletes learn how to individually access each part of their body, and become familiar with functional mechanics. “Pilates helps a body move the way it’s designed to move, from the center out. Athletes learn how to torque the body correctly, to avoid injury and increase performance.” Many professional sports teams are buying into that theory. “The reformer is a perfect piece of equipment for the NBA,” says Rich Dalatri, trainer for the New Jersey Nets. “We play up to five games a week. Fatigue and stress due to travel and the number of games can really mount up. It [the reformer] was a godsend, because it is much less stressful on the body than lifting weights, it’s safer, and you work both eccentric and concentric contractions. It’s a total body workout that increases flexibility, and from a

Tampa Bay Buccaneer Josh Bidwell on the Aleegro Performer

weight training standpoint there’s not a program we can’t do on it.” Pilates has become such an essential part of the Nets training program that the team takes a reformer on the road with them for all their away games.

“Pilates helps a body move the way it’s designed to move...to avoid injury and increase performance.” -Tom McCook, Center of Balance Pilates Studio Performance-wise, it’s hard to argue with the success New Jersey has had lately. After posting losing records from 1998 though 2000, the Nets have four straight playoff appearances, including two consecutive Eastern Conference championships. Pilates has made its way to the gridiron, too. “My training philosophy is to get the midline in shape and then make the circle a little larger and a little larger around the body,” says Garrett Giemont, strength and conditioning coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “When you look at that philosophy and then at Pilates, a trainer can see that it is a great adjunct to what he or she is trying to accomplish from an overall conditioning standpoint.”

One Buccaneer who has seen a difference is punter Josh Bidwell. Bidwell began doing Pilates mat exercises during the 2004 season and statistically had his best overall season. This year he began working on a reformer. “As a punter I put tremendous pressure on my hamstrings, my lower back and my glutes,” says Bidwell. “I’m not the most flexible person but Pilates has definitely lengthened my muscles and increased my agility. I can really feel it in the way I move.” Bidwell had also been bothered by periodic, painful flare-ups in his lower back. But since he started Pilates that trouble has disappeared. “It is completely gone,” says Bidwell. As costs of amateur and professional sports continue escalating, keeping an athlete on the field and off the injured list becomes paramount. Trainers who implement Pilates as a component to their conditioning programs will see increased results in flexibility, durability and strength. Says Giemont: “When you take an athlete with a tremendous skill level and then give them the tools of length, strength and balance on a continual basis, it elevates their performance to an entirely new level.” Ken Endelman is Founder and CEO of Balanced Body Inc. To see an expanded version of this article, or for more educational materials on Pilates, please visit www.pilates.com/ TrainingAthletes.

Nutritional Products 4 Core Health Resources Co. 712-946-5534 WWW.4COREHEALTH.COM

Higher Power 100% Whey Powder • Sold online directly from Athletes.com • Comes in three flavors: berry, chocolate, and vanilla

Vibe

Cera Sport

• Liquid multi-supplement • Company-direct selling • Available in two flavors: regular and apple Primary Advantages: • Convenient, potent oneounce doses • A powerful blend of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients • High in antioxidants, including green tea and lysine • Helps prevent and heal joint injuries and inflammations Serving Size: 1 oz. Calories: 24 Total Fat: 0g Total Carbohydrate: 5g Sugars: 3g Protein: 0g Significant Source Of: Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, Biotin, C, D, E Minerals: Boron, calcium, chromium, copper, germanium, iodine, indium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, strontium, sulfur, vanadium, zinc

Circle No. 500 Athletes.com 866-377-9001 WWW.ATHLETES.COM

Micronized Creatine 1000 • Available in powder form and in capsules • Sold directly online • Express shipping available Primary Advantages: • Contains more creatine per weight material than any other source • The most popular and effective bodybuilding supplement on the market • Sufficiently increases lean muscle mass • Non-toxic; 100 percent natural Serving Size: 1 tsp. (5g) 100 percent pure Creatine monohydrate

Circle No. 501

Primary Advantages: • Contains the perfect combination of amino acids • Provides the necessary building blocks for muscle tissue • Plays an important role as an antioxidant and an immune system builder Serving Size: 1 scoop (34g) Calories: 133 Total Fat: 1g Total Carbohydrate: 5g Sugars: 2g Protein: 25g Significant Source Of: Over 15 amino acids, including L-aspartic acid, L-glutamic acid, L-leucine, and L-lysine Other Ingredients: Whey protein blend (micro/ ultra filtered whey concentrate, whey isolate, whey peptides), natural and artificial flavors, guar gum, natural soybean oil, acesulfame potassium

Circle No. 502 California Raisin Marketing Board 559-248-0287 WWW.CALRAISINS.ORG

California Raisins • Available year-round • Convenient snack-size packs • Wide distribution Primary Advantages: • Naturally sweet California raisins are a great source of energy • Help athletes maintain a steady level of energy for sports and other activities • Rank among the top antioxidant-rich foods • Fat- and cholesterol-free • Great versatility

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

• Quantity discounts and pricing available • Available from manufacturer and through national distributors • Comes in four flavors: citrus, lemon, fruit punch, and berry Primary Advantages: • Rice-based liquid allows for faster fluid absorption than glucose-based sports drinks • Delivers optimal hydration and sustained energy for peak performance • No bloating, cramping, or other side effects • Prevents electrolyte imbalances Serving Size: 11 oz. Calories: 69 Total Fat: 0g Total Carbohydrate: 17g Sugars: 9g Protein: 0g Contains natural and artificial flavors Osmolarity: <220 mOsm/L

Circle No. 504 EAS 800-297-9776 WWW.EAS.COM

EAS Energy System • Four-tiered approach to fuel endurance athletes • Prepares athletes for their races, optimizes their performance during races and helps their bodies recover faster • Available online Primary Advantages: • VO2 Peak™ – Everyday: Helps increase VO2 Max • Catapult™ – Pre-Race: Intensifies training • Endurathon™ – During Race: ATP synthesis for muscular energy • Race Recovery™ – Post-race: Improves recovery from intense exercise

Serving Size: 1/4 cup (40g) Calories: 130 Total Fat: 0g Total Carbohydrate: 31g Sugars: 29g Protein: 1g Significant Source Of: Vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, calcium, iron

Circle No. 503

Cera Products, Inc. 888-237-2598 WWW.CERASPORT.COM

Serving Size: 1 scoop (Pre-Race Catapult) Calories: 90 Total Fat: 0g Total Carbohydrate: 21g Sugars: 12g Protein: 0g Significant Source Of: L-Tyrosine, alpha glycerol, phosphoryl choline, caffeine anhydrous

Circle No. 505

ATHLETICBID.COM

Nutritional Products Full Performance Fitness, Inc. 866-357-STEP WWW.FULLPERFORMANCEFITNESS.COM

Liquid Glucosamine & Chondroitin â&#x20AC;˘ Sold directly through company and through retailers at discount prices â&#x20AC;˘ Great-tasting fruit breeze flavor Primary Advantages: â&#x20AC;˘ Repairs and maintains cartilage and connective tissue â&#x20AC;˘ Eases osteoarthritis and articular joint pain â&#x20AC;˘ Inhibits enzymes that can cause joint inflammation

1st Step for Energy â&#x20AC;˘ Discount pricing offered for resale â&#x20AC;˘ Sold directly through Full Performance Fitness â&#x20AC;˘ Quick absorption of multivitamins and minerals Primary Advantages: â&#x20AC;˘ Increases energy â&#x20AC;˘ Promotes faster workout recovery â&#x20AC;˘ Reduces muscle cramping and tearing â&#x20AC;˘ Provides nourishment to strengthen the immune system Serving Size: 1 oz.

Serving Size: 1 oz.

Calories: 8 Total Fat: 0g Total Carbohydrate: 2g Sugars: 2g Protein: 0g

Calories: 10 Total Fat: 0g Total Carbohydrate: 2.5mg Sugars: 3g Protein: 1g Significant Source Of: Chondroitin (600mg), glucosamine (1000 mg)

Circle No. 506

The Gatorade Co. 800-88 GATOR WWW.GATORADE.COM

Endurance Formula â&#x20AC;˘ Available in three flavors â&#x20AC;˘ Global distribution â&#x20AC;˘ May be purchased in liquid or powder form Primary Advantages: â&#x20AC;˘ More fully replaces what is lost in sweat during longer, more intense exercise â&#x20AC;˘ Unique five-electrolyte blend contains nearly twice the sodium and three times the potassium of Gatorade Thirst Quencher â&#x20AC;˘ Designed to refuel athletes during marathons, triathlons, two-a-days, and all-day tournaments Serving Size: 8 fl. oz.

Significant Source Of: Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, biotin, C, D, E, folic acid Minerals: Calcium, chromium, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, selenium, zinc and 49 trace minerals

Circle No. 507

Calories: 50 Total Fat: 0g Total Carbohydrate: 14g Sugars: 14g Protein: 0g Significant Source Of: Calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium

Circle No. 508

Protect your team from heat related injuries during the long, hot days of preseason conditioning. Invest in Cooling Fans or a High Pressure Flash Evaporative Cooling Pump to add to your current fans.

And best yet, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to send it to you for free! (Ask us about our innovative funding & finance program!)

No matter the talent level on your team this year, you can have the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Air of Victoryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; this season! Ă&#x20AC;iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x160;yĂ&#x160;Ă&#x2022;Â&#x2C6;`Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;EĂ&#x160;iÂ?iVĂ&#x152;Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x153;Â?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x152;iĂ&#x192;

Team Victory can happen...Easier...

ÂŤĂ&#x20AC;iĂ&#x203A;iÂ&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;EĂ&#x160;VÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;iVĂ&#x152;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160; `iÂ&#x2026;Ă&#x17E;`Ă&#x20AC;>Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC; Â&#x2C6;Â&#x201C;ÂŤĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x153;Ă&#x203A;iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x160;iÂ&#x2DC;`Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x20AC;>Â&#x2DC;Vi "Ă&#x160;VĂ&#x20AC;>Â&#x201C;ÂŤÂ&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160;Â&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2DC;>Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x192;i> Ă&#x2022;Â&#x2DC;Â?Â&#x2C6;Â&#x17D;iĂ&#x160;Â&#x201C;Â&#x153;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x192;ÂŤÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;`Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x17D;Ă&#x192;

$&3"41035 $0. Circle No. 131 ATHLETICBID.COM

&-&$530-: 5& ):%3 "5*0/ %3*/,

Circle No. 132 T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

Nutritional Products The Gatorade Co. 800-88 GATOR WWW.GATORADE.COM

MET-Rx Engineered Nutrition 800-55 METRX WWW.METRX.COM

Gatorade Nutrition Shake

MET-Rx AMPED ECN®

• A balanced nutritional supplement • Available online • Comes in three flavors: chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry Primary Advantages: • Ideal for use as a high-energy meal replacement, or as a pre-event or between-meal snack • Provides great nutrition for recovery • High in protein for strengthening and building muscles Serving Size: 325 ml Calories: 370 Total Fat: 8g Total Carbohydrate: 54g Sugars: 28g Protein: 20g Significant Source Of: Vitamin C, calcium, iron, potassium, sodium

Circle No. 509

MET-Rx RTD 51 • Available in four flavors: chocolate, vanilla, mocha blast, and cookies & cream • Delivered in cases of 12 • Available online

• For use before or after workouts • Available online Primary Advantages: • Supports muscle recovery from highintensity exercise • Muscle-Nitro blend containing important amino acids supports muscle nitrogen levels • Neuro-Muscle blend magnifies energy levels • ECN NOS blend supports nitric oxide synthesis • Neuro-Energy Blend features ingredients such as L-taurine, L-tyrosine, caffeine anhydrous, white willow, and vinpocetine. Serving Size: 1 scoop Calories: 70 Total Carbohydrate: 11g Significant Source Of: Ester creatine and many key amino acids, including L-Leucine, LIsoleucine, L-Valine, L-Taurine, L-Tyrosine, and L-Glutamine

Primary Advantages: • Ready-to-drink • 51 grams of Metamyosyn® protein to help support muscle* • Low in fat and net carbohydrates • Natural source of valuable amino acids • Full of vitamins and minerals * These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Serving Size: 12 fl. oz Calories: 240 Total Fat: 2g Total Carbohydrate: 7g Sugars: 2g Protein: 51g Significant Source Of: Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, Biotin, C, D, E, Folic Acid, K Minerals: Calcium, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc

Circle No. 510

Circle No. 511

“LET THE BODYGUARD PROTECT YOUR TEAM” BodyGuards are designed for the prevention and treatment of upper and lower-body soft tissue injuries using the theory of Stored Elastic Energy Transfer (“SEET”). BodyGuards: used by 19 of 32 NFL teams and numerous collegiate programs during the 2005 season in a wide variety of sports. “We have used Antibody products for the past three years. During that time they have proven to be a valuable modality, allowing players to stay in the game when they otherwise couldn·t have.” Al Bellamy - Head Athletic Trainer/Detroit Lions

“The BodyGuard made me feel like I had an extra layer of muscle that gave me the ability and the conÀdence to perform. I recommend The BodyGuard for any athlete that has suffered an injury similar to mine.” Triple H - World Wrestling Entertainment

INJURY

ANSWER

Groin strain: Hamstring: Quadricep: Hip Flexor: Shoulder subluxation: Shoulder dislocation: Shoulder separation:

The BodyGuard The BodyGuard The BodyGuard The BodyGuard The BodyGuard The BodyGuard The BodyGuard

Antibody, Inc. phone (301) 782-3700 fax (301) 782-3701

Antibody’s goal is to improve the Athletic Quality of life of all athletes. To purchase and learn more visit us at www.antibodywear.com Circle No. 133

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

ATHLETICBID.COM

Nutritional Products Medco Sports Medicine 800-55-MEDCO WWW.MEDCO-ATHLETICS.COM

Q-Blast Thirst Blaster • Flavors include fruit punch, lemonlime, and orange • Available in readyto-drink or concentrated forms • Sold exclusively through Medco Sports Medicine Primary Advantages: • The first healthy beverage alternative to sugar-based drinks • Efficiently hydrates and replenishes essential electrolytes • The first to develop a light-weight, anticaking, easy-to-dissolve powder drink • Contains no sugar, so it’s diabeticfriendly Serving Size: 8 oz. Calories: 50 Total Fat: 0g Total Carbohydrate: 12g Sugars: 0g Protein: 0g Significant Source Of: Potassium

Circle No. 512

Catalog Showcase Power Systems, Inc. 800-321-6975 WWW.POWER-SYSTEMS.COM Since 1986, Power Systems has been setting the standard as a leading supplier for sports performance, fitness, and rehabilitation products and programs. The company prides itself in being the one resource for all of your training equipment, supplemental product education, and storage needs. The sports-performance catalog has designated areas for core strength, medicine balls, speed, plyometrics, strength equipment, racks, and flooring. The catalog has over 700 products and dozens of items available exclusively from Power Systems. You get premium products at great prices, fast delivery and superior customer service. Visit Power Systems online, or call tollfree for more information. Circle No. 515 ATHLETICBID.COM

Testimonial

Pro-Tec Products Offer More Than Efficiency “With the Pro-Tec Ice Up portable ice massager, the benefits of ice massages are ready for me—anytime, anywhere.” Scott Jurek Ultra Marathon Champion “It is my opinion that the new Pro-Tec is the best patellar tendon strap on the market today. It outsells the competition three to one!” Joe Shipman The Brace Center “I have found the Pro-Tec IT Band compression wrap offers unmatched effectiveness in alleviating conditions of Iliotibial Band Syndrome. We are recommending it for our patients.” Dr. Shintaro Ohtake Aim Treatment Center Manhattan Beach, CA “Pro-Tec Athletics offers the most effective and comfortable orthopedic braces and supports. Our athletes are asking for them by name. More specifically, we have found the Shin Splints compression wrap to be very efficient in its ability to alleviate conditions of medical and anterior shin splints.” Sharon Allanson, ATC (19 years experience) Hamilton College Clinton, NY

Company News

The New Aircast® A60™: The Next Degree in Ankle Support™ Aircast LLC, a trusted leader in sports medicine products, introduces the new A60 Ankle Support, the latest addition to the well-respected Aircast line of products for ankle protection, injur y prevention, and support. Created with the athlete in mind, the A60 provides a winning combination of effective support and protection, comfort, and simplified application. The patent-pending design incorporates a pair of sleek stabilizers located on either side of the ankle. These stabilizers are molded at a 60degree angle to help guard against ankle sprains and prevent rollover. Manufactured from Breath-O-Prene® material, the A60 ensures that the wearer stays comfortably cool and dr y, while the lightweight anatomic design easily fits in athletic footwear without creating additional bulk. The A60 is applied and adjusted with a single strap that securely holds it in place, replacing time-consuming lacing and taping. Visit www.aircast.com for more information.

Pro-Tec Athletics 2743 152ND AVE., N.E. REDMOND, WA 98052 425-497-0887 PRO-TEC@INJURYBEGONE.COM WWW.INJURYBEGONE.COM

Aircast LLC 92 RIVER RD. SUMMIT, NJ 07901 800-526-8785 USINQ@AIRCAST.COM WWW.AIRCAST.COM T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

E L E C T R O LY T E S A R E V I T A L F O R SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE:

www.gssiweb.org

PRACTICAL RESEARCH YIELDS IMPOR TANT LESSONS FOR ATHLETES E. Randy Eichner, MD, Team Internist, Oklahoma Sooners

SODIUM AND HEAT CRAMPING

ELECTROLYTES MAINTAIN BLOOD VOLUME

Major heat cramping involving widespread painful spasms of muscles can take athletes out of the game. In the past, some have recommended increasing potassium intake as the key to preventing heat cramps1. But forget the bananas and oranges. New research has shown sodium, not potassium, is critical in preventing major heat cramping in sports2. Research with the University of Oklahoma football team shows that sodium loss in sweat is a key culprit in heat cramping in athletes. Through on-field studies of Sooner football players in action, researchers measured sweat rates and sweat electrolyte losses in two-a-day practices in August. In hot and humid conditions, they compared cramp-prone players with teammates who had no history of heat cramping.

Although athletes should avoid overdrinking, athletes in action tend not to drink enough fluid to stay fully hydrated. Sodium in a sports drink helps keep athletes hydrated. ឣ Beverages containing sodium are better retained by the body because the blood sodium concentration is maintained. This helps hold fluid in the bloodstream, preventing a fall in blood volume. ឣ In contrast, sodium-free beverages like SODIUM NEEDS OF ATHLETES water are eliminated more quickly in the Intensity and duration of workouts can add up to substantial sodium loss. urine, because they rapidly dilute the blood sodium concentration7. ឣ The sodium in sports drinks like Gatorade also helps maintain the physiological drive to drink, so athletes drink more and hydrate better.

FLUID TURNOVER AND HOMEOSTASIS

Results showed both groups lost small and Research shows that Sooner football players Data from laboratory and field research on typical amateur and professional athletes to similar amounts of potassium in sweat, but turn over huge amounts of fluid during twogauge sweat sodium loss during typical workouts for each sport. Sweat sodium loss in their sweat sodium losses were starkly difa-day practices8. Basically, they lose and football is represented for noncrampers; cramp-prone players lose twice this much sodium. ferent. need to replace an average of 10 quarts of ឣ Crampers were “salty sweaters,” losing fluid a day. Up to 70% of this daily fluid twice the sodium in sweat as noncrampers. loss is sweat; the rest is mostly urine. ឣ In one day of two-a-day practice sessions, the crampers lost an average of ឣ Sweat comprises more than just water. It also contains electrolytes, mainly five teaspoons of salt (sodium chloride). In an extreme example, one athlete sodium and chloride, but also potassium, magnesium, and calcium. ឣ Replacing the fluid and electrolytes lost in sweat is vital to maintain proper lost nine teaspoons. ឣ Football crampers also had higher sweat rates and dehydrated more than hydration and cardiovascular control, help regulate body temperature, and noncrampers. ensure top athletic performance9.

THE WATER HAZARD If an athlete does “lock up” with major heat cramping, athletic trainers and other sport professionals should think twice before instructing the athlete to drink plenty of plain water. Over-ingestion of plain water can worsen the problem by diluting the blood sodium concentration and causing hyponatremia. Proper treatment protocol involves administration of sodium chloride through fluid, either orally or intravenously. Fluids taken orally are the first line of defense. If drinking is impaired or it is an emergency situation, fluids can be administered intravenously. ឣ Athletic trainers and other sport professionals should never treat heat cramping with only plain water. ឣ To prevent heat cramping, encourage athletes to salt their food and consume sodium-rich foods like tomato juice, canned soup, and pretzels. Further prevention should include weighing athlete pre and post practice to determine fluid weight loss. ឣ During on-field situations, the use of sports drinks containing sodium, like Gatorade, will continue to help athletes meet their electrolyte needs.

ELECTROLYTES BEAT PLAIN WATER IN THE ATHLETIC ARENA ឣ

Sodium is vital to prevent major heat cramping in athletes. Beverages with sodium stay in the body better than sodium-free fluids. ឣ Electrolytes are imperative to maintain a healthy fluid balance and keep athletes performing at their peak. ឣ

For more information, please visit www.gssiweb.org. REFERENCES 1 Arnheim, D, &,Prentice, W. Principles of Ahletic Trianing (9th ed).St. Louis: McGraw-Hill (1997): 266. 2

Stofan JR, ZAchwiega JJ, Horswill CA, Lacambra M, Murray R, Eichner ER, Anderson S. Sweat and sodium losses in NCAA Division 1 football players with a history of whole-body muscle cramping. In Press: J Sports Nutr Exer Metab.

Maughan RJ, Merson SJ, Broad NP, Shirreffs SM. Fluid and electrolyte intake and loss in elite soccer players during training. Int. J. Sports Nutr. 14:333-346, 2004.

Maughan RJ, Shirreffs SM, Merson SJ, Horswill CA. Fluid and electrolyte balance in elite male football (soccer) players training in a cool environment. J. Sports Sci. 23:73-79, 2005

Phanke MD, Trinity JD, Batty JJ Zachwieja JJ, Stofan JF, Hiller WD, Coyle EF. Variability in sweat rate and sodium concentration in ultra-enduracne athletes during exercise. Texas-chapter ACSM meeting, February 2004.

GSSI in house research on Olympic marathon runners.

Maughan RJ, Leiper, JB, Sodium intake and post exercise rehydration in man. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol Occup. Physiol. 71(4):311-9, 1995.

Montain SJ and Coyle EF. Influence of graded dehydration on hypertension and cardiovascular drift during exercise. J. Appl. Physiol. 73:1340-1350, 1992.

Stofan JR, ZAchwiega JJ, Horswill CA, Lacambra M, Murray R, Eichner ER, Anderson S. Fluid turnover during two-a-day practices in college football. MSSE, 37:S168, 2005.

Leg-Strengthening Products Antibody, Inc. 301-782-3700 WWW.ANTIBODYWEAR.COM

athletes’ improving strength results and to assess their overall fitness. Circle No. 518

The BodyGuard compression shorts prevent and accommodate lower-body injuries to the groin, hamstring, quadriceps, hip flexors, and hip pointers. Because of their inner surface and custom design, they attach to the wearer and transfer their stored elastic energy to the muscles, creating torque and assisting with muscle flexion and extension. They also provide constant compression, strain distribution, impact absorption, heat circulation, and absorption of fatigue-inducing muscle vibrations caused by repetitive use. Circle No. 516

Exertools, Inc. 800-235-1559 WWW.EXERTOOLS.COM

Compex Technologies 888-826-6739 WWW.COMPEX.US/TC Compex Sport is a portable electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) device that delivers proven results. For years, athletes have used Compex, with its proprietary Swiss technology, to increase muscle strength, size, power, and endurance, and to promote faster muscle recovery. The electricity produces powerful, exhilarating contractions—putting muscles through training programs that adhere to the principles of training physiology. This device is FDA-cleared for sale and available in the United States. Circle No. 517 Creative Health Products 800-742-4478 WWW.CHPONLINE.COM Creative Health Products is a leading discount supplier of rehabilitation, fitness, exercise, and athletic testing and measuring products. The company offers a unique testing device to measure the strength of the legs, and is ideal also for measuring the strength of the thighs, chest, back, and upper torso. Its device is easy to use and is an innovative way to measure

ATHLETICBID.COM

Exertools is proud to introduce the Magnum Motion 4000 Leg Press, an eight-in-one machine that uses an athlete’s weight resistance to perform exercises such as leg extensions, leg curls, supine bench presses, and more. Its patented technology allows five different resistance settings to enhance both slow and high-speed concentric and eccentric movements. Magnum Motion is fun, safe, portable, and meets the needs of those training, conditioning, and rehabilitating. Circle No. 519 Human Kinetics 800-747-4457 WWW.HUMANKINETICS.COM Athletic Strength for Women specifically addresses the physiological, biomechanical, and anatomical needs of female athletes in developing optimal speed, strength, and power. In-season, off-season, and preseason programs are included for the most popular sports, and more than 120 targeted exercises and drills are provided. Exercises and programs for the lower body will improve hamstring and quadriceps strength ratios, providing enhanced takeoff power and landing strength, and better protection for the knee. Circle No. 520 Jump Stretch, Inc. 800-344-3539 WWW.JUMPSTRETCH.COM The goal at Jump Stretch is to provide equipment that simulates actual game conditions to improve performance, such as anaerobic training. Most sports require short bursts of explo-

sive power. Squats and squat thrusts performed with Flex Bands® provide a safe and highly effective method for improving explosiveness. Jump Stretch has been helping pro, college, and high school teams improve vertical jump, speed, and power since 1980. Circle No. 521 Keiser Corporation 800-888-7009 WWW.KEISER.COM Keiser’s 300 Squat combines low-impact technology with the ability to move safely at high speeds. The result is unmatched, explosive power—the key to superior athletic performance. Thumb buttons for resistance control are conveniently positioned on the ends of the handgrips for greater control and stability during the exercise. In addition, a rangelimiting feature helps prevent ligament and joint injury to the knee. Circle No. 522 The Air 300 Runner from Keiser is a unique and innovative product designed for the athletic performance market. It allows athletes to train the lower body for power by using the components of speed and resistance. Developed specifically for sports teams to improve acceleration and explosive power, this unit will improve the power and performance of any individual looking for a competitive edge. Circle No. 523 Kwik Goal 800-531-4252 WWW.KWIKGOAL.COM The Kwik Goal Speed Harness provides resistance training for acceleration drills while strengthening the legs of an athlete. The speed harness can also help improve quickness in all directions. An adjustable belt ensures that all athletes can use the speed harness. A page containing training drills is also included. Circle No. 524

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

Leg-Strengthening Products Kwik Goal 800-531-4252 WWW.KWIKGOAL.COM

Perform Better 800-556-7464 WWW.PERFORMBETTER.COM

OPTP 800-367-7393 WWW.OPTP.COM

The Kwik Goal Ankle Speed Bands are designed to help athletes improve their lateral agility and balance while building upper leg strength. The bands use a bungee cord as resistance when exercises are being performed. The bands are adjustable, ensuring that all athletes can use them. A page containing training drills is included. Circle No. 525

Perform Better has added 18” and 24” sizes to its popular line of Banana Steps for intermediate to advanced plyometric exercises. These portable, lightweight units are perfect for hopping, stepping, jumping, bounding, or lateral speed and agility drills. They can also be used in rehabilitation to improve gait. For more information or to request a copy of the 2005 Perform Better catalog, call tollfree or check out Perform Better’s Web site. Circle No. 528

The Power Medicine Balls from OPTP are perfect to strengthen and tone muscles during leg exercises. Use these multi-functional balls as traditional medicine balls or attach handles for an intense workout. The Power Medicine Balls are available in two-, four-, six-, eight-, and 10-pound weights, and have removable handles to make them excellent for total body resistance training. Circle No. 531

New in the 2005 Perform Better Catalog is the G1 Extreme Athletic Training System. Use the system as a multi-directional training apparatus or as a traditional slide board to develop lateral speed, agility, coordination, and balance. The extra-long 5’x 8’ surface allows for a variety of sport-specific exercises. Six rotating discs swivel to allow unrestricted change of direction and side movement when contacted, forcing the body to balance and stabilize. For more information, contact Perform Better or visit online. Circle No. 529

The Multi Challenge Board from OPTP is an adjustable wobble board that provides two levels of balance challenge. Simply pull out and turn the sphere base to adjust the board from a 14inch angle to a 17-inch angle. You can use it in a sitting position for core, trunk, and pelvic girdle stability exercises. Grasp the Multi Challenge Board to add an unstable dimension to push-ups. Circle No. 532

Hammer Strength 800-634-8637 WWW.HAMMERSTRENGTH.COM The Hammer Strength Olympic Heavy Duty series now includes a 6’x 8’ Olympic lifting platform that features a finished oak surface and rubber impact mats. Also available are finished oak inserts to use with the platform and an Olympic Heavy Duty Rack. Circle No. 526 The new Hammer Strength Olympic Heavy Duty Combo Rack gives collegiate and high school athletic facilities the ultimate training variety in the most space-efficient combination. It offers two training stations, two flip-up, nonslip spotter stands, and two Dock ‘N Lock stations, which secure two optional benches in the proper position. Like all Hammer Strength products, the Heavy Duty Combo Rack provides premium durability, functionality, and ease of use, providing optimal team training for enhanced sports performance. Circle No. 527

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

NZ Mfg., LLC 800-886-6621 WWW.NZMFG.COM Leading professional football, baseball, hockey, and basketball teams use TurfCordz® for explosive start drills, power-building footwork exercises, and leg strengthening. All TurfCordz resistance-training products offer the safety, security, and reliability professional athletes demand. To learn more about the entire innovative TurfCordz line, call toll-free, or visit the company online. Circle No. 530

Power Lift 800-872-1543 WWW.POWER-LIFT.COM The Combo Power Rack from Power Lift combines two lifting stations into one space-saving rack. It is available in eight- and nine-foot heights, and comes with all of the following: two pairs of safety spot bars, two pairs of patented “Rhino Hook” bar catches, and two dual-grip chin-up bars. The unit also includes storage for bars, weights, and bumper plates. The space inside the rack accommodates two people, for spotting two bench press stations at once. The Combo Power Rack can be customized with Power Lift’s patented “Lever Action” benches and Olympic lifting platforms. Circle No. 533

ATHLETICBID.COM

Leg-Strengthening Products Power Lift offers a unique method of exercising the glute and hamstring muscles with the Rotating Glute-Ham Bench. This machine more effectively works the hamstrings, gluteus maximus, gastrocnemius, and erector stabilizers for more pelvic stability than traditional methods. The large rotating pads greatly reduce discomfort on the thighs, allowing for complete stretches and contractions of the hamstrings. An Easy Glide sliding mechanism effortlessly adjusts the machine so lower kneepads can properly position the body for a more fulfilling workout. Circle No. 534 Power Systems, Inc. 800-321-6975 WWW.POWER-SYSTEMS.COM Drive home the power and develop explosive lower body strength with the Power Systems Power Sled. Utilize the body harness to target stride length and acceleration, or use the handles to push the sled to develop a powerful hip and leg drive. The waist belt can be used for backward, forward and lateral running drills, adjusting easily to any body type. Add weights to increase difficulty and challenge acceleration. The Power Sled instructional manual and VHS or DVD are also available. Circle No. 535 Powering Athletics 866-672-1700 WWW.POWERSKATER.COM The PowerSkater teaches proper skating techniques, speed, and stride power all at the same time. This revolutionary dry-land skating system forces athletes to memorize specific motor programs while improving their balance, strength, endurance, quickness, body control, and anaerobic conditioning. The PowerSkater is used by the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks, Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadians, St. Louis Blues, Carolina

Hurricanes, and Tampa Bay Lightning, plus college and junior teams throughout North America. Circle No. 536 PowerPlyos from Powering Athletics does the work of four different exercise machines because it adjusts into four positions: plyo boxes, V-box, Russian side-jump angle box, and resisted vertical leaper (RVL). The RVL allows hundreds of different exercises to develop strength, quickness, endurance, and explosive power. PowerPlyos offers extremely functional applications of lateral and multi-directional movement. It teaches athletes that by being aggressive with their arms and legs, they can bring the whole body into the exercise. Circle No. 537 efi Sports Medicine 800-541-4900 WWW.EFISPORTSMEDICINE.COM As the preferred functional training device for athletes and trainers, the Total Gym 26000 offers an array of accessories that enhance and improve stretching, agility training, and injury prevention for the lower body. The Total Gym is often used as a basis for measuring leg strength and activity potential, and with product attachments such as the Closed Chain Platform®, users are able to go from unloaded rehab to high performance plyometric exercises. Circle No. 538 efi Sports Medicine’s Ergometric Multi Cycle (emc™) adds the aerobic advantages of cycling to the movements of Total Gym’s incline glideboard for unparalleled performance and proprioception training. The emc lets you measure strength deficiencies and train to improve symmetrical leg strength and endurance at the same time with its LCD display that monitors elapsed workout time, distance, speed, and calories burned. Or, use it as a stand-

alone leg or arm cycle with its fully adjustable cycle tension. Circle No. 539 Total Therapy, Inc. 541-510-8681 WWW.USGYMSTICK.COM The new Gymstick is a complete body workout tool developed and manufactured in Finland that’s designed as the ideal rehabilitation tool to improve muscular strength and endurance, muscular balance and posture, metabolism and cardiovascular fitness, body control and coordination, and to enhance weight loss. The Gymstick is a fiberglass stick over 50 inches long with a strong exercise band attached to each end, offering four different resistance levels. It is suitable for all fitness levels, young or old, fit or with room for improvement. Circle No. 540

DISCOUNT PRICES FITNESS TESTING PRODUCTS & EXERCISE EQUIPMENT

CREATIVE HEALTH PRODUCTS We stock popular brand name instruments for Fitness Measuring and Testing at the lowest prices.

BIG SAVINGS ON • HEART RATE • BREATHING MONITORS EXERCISERS • BODYFAT • FLEXIBILITY CALIPERS TESTERS • BLOOD PRESSURE • LUNG CAPACITY TESTERS TESTERS • STRENGTH TESTERS • SCALES • STETHOSCOPES • GONIOMETERS • ERGOMETERS • METRONOMES • EXERCISE BANDS • STOPWATCHES • FITNESS APPRAISAL KITS • ANTHROPOMETRIC CALIPERS • BLOOD CHEMISTRY ANALYZERS QUALITY PRODUCTS GUARANTEED LOWEST PRICES PROMPT FRIENDLY SERVICE

CREATIVE HEALTH PRODUCTS 5148 Saddle Ridge, Plymouth MI 48170

800-742-4478

WWW.CHPONLINE.COM e-mail: sales@chponline.com AUTHORIZED

SERVICE CENTER

800-287-5901 WWW.POLARSERVICECENTER.COM

Circle No. 134 ATHLETICBID.COM

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY CIRCLE NO.

COMPANY

PAGE NO.

125 . . .4 Core Health Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 133 . . .Antibody (BodyGuards) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 137 . . .Athletes.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IBC 128 . . .Balanced Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 108 . .Biofreeze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 111 . . .California Raisins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 131 . . .CeraSport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 102. . .Cho-Pat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 129. . .Compex Technologies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 124 . . .Concussion Sentinel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 134 . . .Creative Health Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 112 . . .EAS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 104 . .efi Sports Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 105. . .Exertools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 113 . . .Full Performance Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 119 . . .Game Ready . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 101 . . .Gatorade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 115 . . .Gebauer (Instant Ice) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 114 . . .Gebauer (Spray & Stretch) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 122. . .Hammer Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

CIRCLE NO.

COMPANY

PAGE NO

127 . . .Human Kinetics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 136 . . .Jump Stretch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 103. . .Keiser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 106. . .Kwik Goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 100 . .MET-Rx. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC 110 . . .NASM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 118 . . .NSCA Certification Commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 138. . .Oakworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC 120. . .OPTP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 107 . . .Perform Better . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 121 . . .Power Lift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 130. . .PoweringAthletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 123 . . .PowerLung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 116 . . .Prossage Heat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 109. . .Q-Blast (Medco Sports Medicine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 126 . . .Spencer Medical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 117 . . .Stott Pilates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 135 . . .TurfCordz/NZ Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 132 . . .Victory Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

PRODUCTS DIRECTORY CIRCLE NO.

COMPANY

PAGE NO.

500 . .4 Core Health Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 516 . . .Antibody . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 501 . .Athletes.com (Creatine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 502 . .Athletes.com (Whey Powder) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 545 . .Balanced Body (Pilates Allegro Reformer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 546 . .Balanced Body (Tower of Power) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 555 . .Biofreeze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 503 . .California Raisins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 504 . .Cera Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 517 . . .Compex Technologies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 518 . . .Creative Health Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 505 . .EAS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 539 . .efi Sports Medicine (emc) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 538 . .efi Sports Medicine (Total Gym 26000) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 519 . . .Exertools (Leg Press) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 550 . .Exertools (rebate) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 507 . .Full Performance Fitness (1st Step) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 506 . .Full Performance Fitness (Glucosamine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 508 . .Gatorade (Endurance Formula) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 509 . .Gatorade (Nutrition Shake) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 551 . . .Gebauer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 527. . .Hammer Strength (Combo Rack) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 526. . .Hammer Strength (Olympic series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 520 . .Human Kinetics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 521. . .Jump Stretch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 522 . .Keiser (300 Squat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

CIRCLE NO.

COMPANY

PAGE NO

523 . .Keiser (Air 300 Runner) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 525 . .Kwik Goal (Ankle Speed Bands) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 524. . .Kwik Goal (Speed Harness) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 510 . . .MET-Rx (AMPED ECN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 511 . . .MET-Rx (RTD 51) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 552 . .NASM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 554 . .NSCA Certification (CEU Quiz Packets) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 553 . .NSCA Certification (online quiz) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 530 . .NZ Mfg., LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 532 . .OPTP (Multi Challenge Board) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 531. . .OPTP (Power Medicine Balls) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 528 . .Perform Better (Banana Steps) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 529 . .Perform Better (G1 Training System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 533 . .Power Lift (Combo Power Rack) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 534 . .Power Lift (Glute-Ham bench) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 515 . . .Power Systems (catalog) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 547. . .Power Systems (Pilates Ring/Ring Plus) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 535 . .Power Systems (Power Sled) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 537 . .PoweringAthletics (PowerPlyos) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 536 . .PoweringAthletics (PowerSkater) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 556 . .Prossage Heat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 512 . . .Q-Blast (Medco Sports Medicine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 557 . .Spencer Medical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 548 . .Stott Pilates (DVD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 549 . .Stott Pilates (Group SPX Reformer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 540 . .Total Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

ATHLETICBID.COM

Pilates Equipment

The Pilates Allegro® Reformer is ideal for sports training, to improve core strength and flexibility, and help prevent injuries that can sideline top athletes. The New Jersey Nets, Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as well as Olympic athletes, all use the Pilates Allegro Reformer for highperformance training. The most versatile Reformer on the market, it folds down flat, stacks or stands for storage, and sets up in 60 seconds. The product comes with a five-year warranty. Circle No. 545 Add the Tower of Power™ to your Allegro® Reformer, and gain even more programming. In addition to exercises for the Reformer, you get new programming possibilities with the Tower (Half Trapeze), as well as the new Integrated workout, which combines the moving Reformer carriage with the Tower. The complete system includes Reformer, the Half Trapeze, and mat. It’s simple to set up, easy to move and store. Retrofits all existing Allegros. Start with Allegros and add Towers later, or kick off your program with the complete system. The system includes a five-year warranty. Circle No. 546 Power Systems, Inc. 800-321-6975 WWW.POWER-SYSTEMS.COM Integrate Pilates’ style exercises into workouts using the Power Systems Pilates Ring and Pilates Ring Plus. Begin with the Pilates Ring for moderate flex resistance to activate and strengthen deep core muscles. With regular use, the body becomes stronger and muscles elongated without creating bulk. As strength

increases, advance to the more resistant Pilates Ring Plus. The Pilates Ring is foam-covered fiberglass with padded grips. The Pilates Ring Plus is three bands of steel with fixed molded handles and a synthetic rubber coating for comfort. The molded handles are covered with removable slip-resistant neoprene pads. Circle No. 547 Stott Pilates® 800-910-0001 WWW.STOTTPILATES.COM Stott Pilates has released 10 videos from its Professional series on DVD, covering Stott Pilates’ repertoire on the mat, Reformer, BOSU, and more. These DVDs are suitable for instructors and advanced exercisers as its training programs are internationally recognized as educational materials. Bonus content, including a “try the next level” option, gives viewers a glimpse into the

Perform Better With ProCordz!

Balanced Body, Inc. 800-745-2837 WWW.PILATES.COM

next level of programming. DVDs can be purchased directly online, or call Stott Pilates’s toll-free number for more information. Circle No. 548 The new Group SPX Reformer by Stott Pilates is designed for facilities with multipurpose group exercise rooms. At only 100 pounds, this portable unit offers unparalleled safety, durability, and versatility as it facilitates dozens of exercises, such as cardiobased plyometrics. It also converts to a mat, can be rolled away, stacked sixhigh, or hung on a convenient racking system. Inquire about the Stott Pilates Group SPX Reformer online or call its toll-free number. Circle No. 549

Find these and other great products through

www.AthleticBid.com

ProCordz This Football Season be Faster! Quicker! Stronger! TurfCordz ProCordz Gives You... • Explosive Off-The-Line Starts! • Faster, Stronger Legs! • The Safety and Reliability Pro Football Players Demand! • Call 800-556-7464 or Online at www.performbetter.com TurfCordz are distributed by M-F Athletic Company © 2005 NZ MFG LLC, Tallmadge, OH (TC0509)

Circle No. 135 ATHLETICBID.COM

T&C SEPTEMBER 2005

S P ECI A L A D VER TI S I N G F EATU R E

Sports Nutrition