Training & Conditioning 19.3 by Momentummedia

April 2009 Vol. XIX, No. 3, $7.00

One Step Ahead The latest technology for advanced assessment and injury prevention Protein Roundtable Becoming an Athletic Director

Circle No. 100

April 2009, Vol. XIX, No. 3

contents 41 49

Bulletin Boards 5 Wrestlers sue over herpes infection … Probiotics help ward off illness … High school football death rate spikes … Scientists developing urine-based HGH test.

Comeback Athlete 8 Kristin Duquette East Catholic High School, Manchester, Conn. Sponsored Pages 39 Fitness Anywhere 47 Balanced Body Product News 55 Nutritional Aids 58 Rehab Equipment 62 Knee Products 63 Pilates Equipment 64 Football Conditioning 67 More Products

68 Advertisers Directory 72 Next Stop: Web Site CEU Quiz 69 For NATA and NSCA Members On the cover: Terrelle Pryor was one of several Ohio State athletes to undergo an innovative screening program at the school’s Sports Biomechanics Lab. Story begins on page 24. Photo by AP Photos, Al Goldis TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

Nutrition

A Closer Look

You know protein is important for athletes, but have you heard about the latest research on recommended doses, which sources are best, and protein’s role in recovery? In this roundtable discussion, we talk with leading nutrition researchers about those topics and more. By Dr. Janet Walberg Rankin Treating the Athlete

24 An inside look at the Ohio State Sports Biomechanics Laboratory One Step Ahead

reveals how cutting-edge technology is shaping the future of athlete assessment and training. By R.J. Anderson Leadership

33 More and more athletic trainers are taking the leadership, From ATC to AD

communication, and managerial skills they’ve developed in the field and applying them to athletic administration. By Kenny Berkowitz

Optimum Performance

A Mat for All Seasons

Athletes in any sport can benefit from the balance, flexibility, muscle control, and mindfulness developed through Pilates. With just a few basic supplies, you can implement a Pilates regimen for your teams. By Kerrie Lee Brown Sport Specific

49 Players who man the line of scrimmage at the University of Oregon Trench Warriors

follow their own unique conditioning approach, focused on explosive power and position-specific strength, speed, and agility. By James Radcliffe T&C APRIL 2009

Editorial Board Marjorie Albohm, MS, ATC/L Director of Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Research, Orthopaedics Indianapolis

Joe Gieck, EdD, ATR, PT Director of Sports Medicine and Prof., Clinical Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Virginia (retired)

Jon Almquist, ATC Specialist, Fairfax County (Va.) Pub. Schools Athletic Training Program

Brian Goodstein, MS, ATC, CSCS, Head Athletic Trainer, DC United

Brian Awbrey, MD Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Instructor in Orthopaedics, Harvard Medical School

Christopher Ingersoll, PhD, ATC, FACSM Director, Graduate Programs in Sports Medicine/Athletic Training University of Virginia

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

Allan Johnson, MS, MSCC, CSCS Sports Performance Director Velocity Sports Performance

Cynthia “Sam” Booth, ATC, PhD Manager, Outpatient Therapy and Sportsmedicine, MeritCare Health System 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. Keith D’Amelio, ATC, PES, CSCS Head Strength & Conditioning Coach/ Assistant Athletic Trainer, Toronto Raptors Bernie DePalma, MEd, PT, ATC Head Athl. Trainer/Phys. Therapist, Cornell University Lori Dewald, EdD, ATC, CHES Health Education Program Director, Salisbury University Jeff Dilts, Director, Business Development & Marketing, National Academy of Sports Medicine David Ellis, RD, LMNT, CSCS Sports Alliance, Inc. Boyd Epley, MEd, CSCS Director of Coaching Performance, National Strength & Conditioning Association 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 P.J. Gardner, MS, ATC, CSCS, PES, Athletic Trainer, Colorado Sports & Spine Centers

Circle No. 101

T&C april 2009

Publisher Mark Goldberg

Maria Hutsick, MS, ATC/L, CSCS Head Athletic Trainer, Medfield (Mass.) High School

Jim Berry, MEd, ATC, SCAT/EMT-B Director of Sports Medicine and Head Athletic Trainer, Myrtle Beach (S.C.) High School

Christine Bonci, MS, ATC Co-Director of Athletic Training/Sports Medicine, Intercollegiate Athletics, University of Texas

April 2009 Vol. XIX, No. 3

Gary Gray, PT, President, CEO, Functional Design Systems

Editorial Staff Eleanor Frankel, Director Greg Scholand, Managing Editor R.J. Anderson, Kenny Berkowitz, Abigail Funk, Kyle Garratt, Mike Phelps, Dennis Read Circulation Staff David Dubin, Director John Callaghan

Tim McClellan, MS, CSCS Director of Perf. Enhancement, Makeplays.com Center for Human Performance

Art Direction Message Brand Advertising Production Staff Maria Bise, Director Jim Harper, Neal Betts, Natalie Couch

Michael Merk, MEd, CSCS Director of Health & Fitness, YMCA of Greater Cleveland Jenny Moshak, MS, ATC, CSCS Asst. A.D. for Sports Medicine, University of Tennessee

Business Manager Pennie Small Special Projects Dave Wohlhueter

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

Administrative Assistant Sharon Barbell

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

Advertising Materials Coordinator Mike Townsend

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

Marketing Director Sheryl Shaffer

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

Marketing/Sales Assistant Danielle Catalano

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 Visiting Professor, Athletic Training Education Program, Ohio 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

Advertising Sales Associates Diedra Harkenrider (607) 257-6970, ext. 24 Pat Wertman (607) 257-6970, ext. 21 T&C editorial/business offices: 31 Dutch Mill 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., 31 Dutch Mill 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 $7. Copyright© 2009 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. Periodicals postage paid at Ithaca, N.Y. and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Training & Conditioning, P.O. Box 4806, Ithaca, NY 14852-4806. Printed in the U.S.A.

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

FEar No Evil HIT HARDER PLAY LONGER PERFORM BETTER

A NEW STANDARD IN SPORTS PROTECTION, HEXPAD IS MADE OF INDEPENDENTLY POSITIONED HEX SHAPED PADS THAT DELIVER UNSURPASSED COMFORT AND PROTECTION FOR ENHANCED PERFORMANCE

HEXPAD DUAL DENSITY DESIGNED FOR HIGH IMPACT SPORTS. MADE OF LARGE HEX SHAPED PADS WITH HARDER OUTER DUROMETER AND SOFTER INNER DUROMETER FOR MAXIMUM PROTECTION

HEXPAD MONO CELLULAR DESIGNED FOR THE OPTIMUM BALANCE OF PROTECTION, FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT, AND BREATHABILITY

HEXPAD LITE DESIGNED FOR LOWER IMPACT SPORTS AND SPORTS THAT REQUIRE SLIDING. MADE OF SMALLER DIAMETER HEX & ONLY 3MM THIN. PROVIDES PROTECTION WITHOUT RESTRICTING MOVEMENT

Circle No. 102

NOW WITH MSM

BIOFREEZE Pain Relieving Spray delivers powerful relief even to those hard-to-reach areas. 速

Improved Performance Longer Lasting With More Natural Ingredients No - Mess Application Air Travel Friendly (2 oz) Dye Free

Powerful Pain Relief Without a Prescription Learn more about Biofreeze Pain Reliever products by visiting www.biofreeze.com or calling 1-800-246-3733. Available in 2 oz. or 4 oz. Patient Size and 16 oz. Professional Size

Circle No. 103

Bulletin

Board Wrestlers Sue After Contracting Herpes In a lawsuit filed last November, three former York College wrestlers claim they contracted herpes simplex 1 (the virus associated with genital herpes and cold sores) due to negligence by the school’s athletic trainer, head wrestling coach, and administration. The athletes were allegedly infected after school officials failed to follow NCAA guidelines on infection control. The wrestlers say that in October 2006, approximately two weeks into regular season practice, a teammate with visible open lesions was kept out of practice for three days, then returned with bandages covering his wounds. In the following weeks, multiple team members noticed lesions on their skin, and some reported flu-like symptoms. They, too, were held out for only three days and then returned to full-contact practices wearing bandages. Soon after, the three plaintiffs learned they had contracted herpes. The suit claims the athletic trainer, head coach, and dean of athletics acted negligently by requiring infected team members to participate in practice and not providing the team with information about confirmed cases of the virus. The complaint also says the school ignored NCAA guidelines, which in the case of herpes call for five days of antiviral drug therapy and no participation if active lesions are present. “Blame rolls uphill,” says the wrestlers’ attorney, David Avedissian. “It starts with the coach and athletic trainer who were working with the wrestlers on a daily basis. They needed to make sure the situation was being managed on the front lines. The administrator also had a duty to make sure the coach and athletic trainer were aware of and were following the rules. That was not the case here.” The college refutes the wrestlers’ claims and has vowed to fight the lawsuit. “York College denies that the college or any of its employees engaged in any negligent conduct,” York College attorney Paul Minnich said in a statement. “In fact, the college has, at all times, met or exceeded all applicable standards of care.”

H.S. Football Death Rate Rises Based on figures from the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research, 2008 was the deadliest year for high school football players in recent memory. Newspapers from around the country reported at least eight football-related deaths, including three in North Carolina in a span of just over a month. Has high school football become more dangerous? “We’re still figuring out what these numbers mean,” says Bob Colgate, Assistant Director of the NFHS and liaison to the Football Rules Committee. “We’re obviously concerned—one death is too many. But it’s too early to tell whether this is an actual increase, or if something else is going on, like the reporting TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

Sponsored by

channels for catastrophic injury have improved.” Colgate says the NFHS sports medicine advisory committee will examine the issue at its upcoming meetings. In North Carolina, however, immediate action was taken this past fall. The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) called an emergency meeting of its own sports medicine advisory committee and put several new policies in place. Each school was ordered to develop an emergency action plan (if it didn’t already have one) with procedures for catastrophic injuries, heart attacks, heat-related illnesses, and other serious medical conditions. Schools also must now report to the association the current status of their athletic medical coverage—whether they have a full-time athletic trainer, what medical personnel cover sporting events, and any other arrangements for on-site injury treatment and prevention. In addition, any time an athlete has a suspected head injury, the NCHSAA now requires that he or she be removed from play and not return until released by a doctor. Finally, a new task force was created to reduce catastrophic injuries, and its primary recommendation is a statewide mandate that each school employ a certified athletic trainer. “That idea makes a lot of sense, but there’s an obvious budget concern,” says Que Tucker, Deputy Executive Director of the NCHSAA. “So first we need to see where funding might come from. An unfunded mandate would be a major hardship for some schools.” In the meantime, the NCHSAA is considering other recommendations from the task force. These include revamping the state’s required pre-participation exam and adding required baseline neurocognitive testing to help guide return-to-play decisions after concussions.

Using Probiotics to Prevent Illness New research involving distance runners who took a probiotic supplement during winter training offers good news for athletes looking to avoid the common cold. Published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, an Australian study found that the probiotic Lactobacillus fermentum VRI-003 enhanced athletes’ immune systems, helping ward off colds and other respiratory ailments. Probiotics are naturally occurring “good bacteria” or yeasts which may be beneficial to the human body. In essence, they compete with the “bad bacteria” by balancing and strengthening the immune system. While completing their usual winter training regimens, 20 elite long-distance male runners took Lactobacillus fermentum supplements for one month in the form of a freeze-dried powder encased in gel capsules. During that time, three contracted colds. The group then took a month off from treatment before taking a placebo capsule for another month. During the placebo month, seven of the 20 contracted colds. To assess the runners’ health, researchers measured their T&C APRIL 2009

Bulletin

Board mucosal and systemic immunity, serum cytokine and immunoglobulin A (an antibody) levels, and the incidence, duration, and severity of any respiratory tract infections. The study authors also measured the athletes’ running performance, and found no substantial effects from the supplementation. Though it was a small study, the findings should open doors for more probiotics research. Because the athletes in this study were elite runners who naturally compromise their immune systems through intense training, it remains to be seen whether moderate-level athletes or non-athletes with healthy immune systems would benefit from probiotic supplements. To view the abstract of the study, “Oral administration of the probiotic Lactobacillus fermentum VRI-003 and mucosal immunity in endurance athletes,” go to: bjsm.bmj.com and type “probiotics supplement” into the keyword search window.

Urine Test for HGH on the Horizon Science has taken another step forward in the ever-evolving battle against performance-enhancing drugs. Two George Mason University professors working with scientists in Virginia and Italy have found a process that can detect human growth hormone (HGH) in urine.

Presently, HGH testing is performed only via blood samples. Blood testing is more invasive and expensive than urine testing, and HGH shows up in blood for only 24 to 48 hours after use. The researchers say HGH can be detected in urine up to two weeks after use. Their peer-reviewed paper, which appeared in the December 2008 issue of the journal Nano Research, says that “a reliable detectable concentration” of HGH can be found through a process involving nanotechnology, and readily available lab equipment can do the work. A nanoparticle attracts and traps HGH molecules, acting as an amplifier so standard lab instruments can detect the substance. While experts say the implementation of an HGH urine test for athletes is still years away, the lab finding has caught the attention of researchers, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and organizations like the NCAA and professional sports leagues, including MLB and the NFL. And large-scale clinical studies are likely on the way. “WADA encouraged the company to continue its work and emphasized that there is a robust process to be followed from research to the full implementation of a test for antidoping purpose,” WADA spokesman Frederic Donze told USA Today. “WADA must ensure that all detection methods it approves and implements can withstand any scientific and legal challenge.” n C

why do The oTher Teams geT oakworks Tables and we don’T?

CMY

PowerLine™

The BOSS™ Portable Taping Table

Circle No. 104

Circle No. 105

ComebackAthlete

Kristin Duquette

East Catholic High School, Manchester, Conn. By Kyle Garratt

Kristin Duquette is big on goals. She sets them weekly, monthly, and yearly. Some of the teenager’s current goals include getting a manicure, having a sleepover with her friends, surfing in California again, improving at the violin, and trying her hand at triathlons. But one goal has reigned above the others since she was a child: to swim in the Olympics. And even though life has dealt Duquette some unexpected challenges, she’s not letting her Olympic dream die. Now a senior at East Catholic High School in Manchester, Conn., Duquette started swimming when she was three years old, and was a very athletic child until the age of seven or eight. That was when she began to trip over her feet, developed difficulty running, and found herself chronically fatigued. In 2000, when Duquette was nine years old, her parents took her to a neuromuscular specialist, who diagnosed her with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), a form of muscular dystrophy (MD) that causes muscle weakness and deterioration in the eyes, mouth, shoulders, and upper arms. She was also diagnosed with scoliosis, a lateral curvature of the spine. “I didn’t know exactly what was going on, but I knew something was wrong when the doctor started doing all these tests,” recalls Duquette. “I was a kid, so the only things I really cared about were being like my friends and playing the sports I wanted to. But before long, I couldn’t run like my friends, and then I quit playing sports when I was 10 because my body was getting progressively more tired. It got to the point where I was sleeping for two hours every day after school.” Duquette started traditional physical therapy, including stretching and strengthening exercises for her calves, legs, and upper body. She threw a medicine ball and tried yoga, but continued to lose control over her body. As a middle schooler, her doctors told her she would likely be in a wheelchair by the time she started ninth grade. FSHD makes swimming difficult, as it causes scapular winging and decreases flexion and abduction in the shoulder. As her symptoms worsened, giving up swimming was especially hard. “I was getting slower and I remember feeling almost insulted when I’d finish in last place with no one else in the pool and people would still clap for me,” she says. “I had dreamt of 8

T&C APRIL 2009

Kristin Duquette hasn’t let muscular dystrophy quash her competitive swimming goals. She holds national junior Paralympic records in the 50-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke. becoming an Olympic swimmer, but I started to think it wasn’t meant to be.” Duquette readjusted her sights and goals when she discovered two things that would change her life: the Paralympic Games and Integrative Manual Therapy (IMT). The Paralympics are an elite athletic competition held in the same year and city as the Olympics for athletes in six disability groups: amputee, cerebral palsy, visual impairment, spinal cord injuries, intellectual disability, and a group for those who don’t fit into the other five. The games gave new life to Duquette’s dream of swimming against the world’s best athletes—which she hopes to do in London in 2012. And IMT helped give her a realistic shot of getting there. IMT is a hands-on therapeutic technique that incorporates varying levels of pressure to reduce muscle spasms and pain while increasing soft tissue flexibility, joint mobility, range of motion, and strength, and improving balance and coordination. Developed over the past 30 years by Sharon Kyle Garratt is an Assistant Editor at Training & Conditioning. He can be reached at: kg@MomentumMedia.com. TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

LIFTING PLATFORM,

OR LAUNCHING PAD FOR ATHLETES?

3223 Pro Series

Insert Lifting Platform

• 3-by-2 inch rectangular tubing is more dent resistant than frames built with channel steel • New proprietary hardwood finish is more durable than polyurethane, won’t flake or chip • Only 3 frame pieces ease assembly and add rigidity

4 layers of protection in a 3-piece frame

Circle No. 106

3 inches of impact absorption

ComebackAthlete

160330

Weiselfish-Giammatteo, PhD, PT, President of the Center for IMT (CenterIMT) in Bloomfield, Conn., and a physical therapy practitioner and instructor, IMT is unique because it targets specific systems within the body, utilizing different manual techniques for each. “Muscles require certain intervention techniques for healing, and those interventions are different from the requirements for bones or blood vessels,” says WeiselfishGiammatteo, who started treating Duquette four years ago. “IMT is based on an integrative systems approach with multiple types of intervention, and over the years we’ve learned which techniques improve muscle, and which improve bones, joints, circulation, connective tissue, or organs.” Weiselfish-Giammatteo’s craft differs from other physical therapy methods for MD not only in practice, but in intent. “Traditionally, physical therapy for someone with Kristin’s diagnosis attempts to improve the body’s function, with the understanding that structural impairments will probably limit the degree to which function can be attained,” she says. “A physical therapist might try to maintain range of motion and strength. With IMT, we attempt to improve the structural integrity of the body in order to increase the potential for function.” Duquette first met Weiselfish-Giammatteo and the staff at CenterIMT when she was 14, and was immediately impressed. “My mom brought in my x-rays to show Dr. Giammatteo that I ppc_TandCmag_steve_lehman_v1.qxp 3/25/09 2:17 PM had scoliosis, and she said, ‘I don’t need to see the x-rays. I know by the way she’s sitting and by feeling her spine,’” says

Duquette. “When they performed therapy on me, at first I thought it was some kind of voodoo. But as soon as I got up from the table and started walking, I felt the difference. “I was amazed because after so many years, something was finally going right for me physically and giving me hope,” she continues. “Walking out of there I said to my mom, ‘This is the best day of my life.’ I felt like I was finally getting my health back.” Weiselfish-Giammatteo says every person with FSHD suffers from weakness in the facial muscles, shoulder muscles, and girdle, and postural deformities to the joints where the humerus and scapula meet. However, not everyone faces Duquette’s postural deformities and weakness of the lower back, spine, and legs. And fighting a disease is different from working through a disability. “With a disability, you typically have the symptoms and the diagnosis, and that’s it,” says Weiselfish-Giammatteo. “It’s not supposed to get worse over time. A disease is constantly changing and potentially causing more and more deterioration.” Duquette’s treatment is an ever-evolving team effort including Weiselfish-Giammatteo, fitness trainer Michelle Compton, CSCS, and her private swimming coach Rich Lucan. She has been performing strengthening exercises with Compton for just over a year, and coordinating with Weiselfish-GiamPage 1 matteo has been integral to the process. “I watch Dr. Giammatteo work with Kristin and I bring her

Active bodies demand performance... ®

The Original Backnobber II delivers:

• Reduction of Muscle Pain • Injury Prevention • Speedy Recovery • Improved Performance

35 Page User Guide Included

The Original Backnobber II is a high quality, durable and practical trigger point self care tool that is equally effective in clinical and home use settings. Breakdown feature makes it ideal for travel and storage. 36 Page User Guide included. Available in 4 colors.

The Original Index Knobber II: ®

"When the training intensifies, so do the associated pains and soreness. I’m never far from my Backnobber. It’s been in my training room for over 15 years." – Steve Lehman

Masters World Champion and World T&C APRIL 2009 Record holding cyclist, Fleetwood, PA See www.stevelehmantours.com

The Original Index Knobber II is designed to avoid repetitive stress injuries to fingers and thumbs while applying deep pressure and stripping techniques to trigger points and muscles. Easy to clean and virtually indestructible. Available in 6 colors. The Pressure Positive Co. 128 Oberholtzer Road Gilbertsville, PA 19525 610.754.6204 Circle No. 107

Order Now! Call

1-800-603-5107 www.pressurepositive.com

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

Health Professional/Wholesale pricing available

ComebackAthlete my concerns about where I want to build Kristin’s strength,” says Compton. “Her condition gives her a lot of imbalances, so the better her therapy does at placing her in an anatomically correct alignment and range of motion, the more I can strengthen her muscles to help keep her there.” Some of the upper-body strength work involves resistance training with stretch cords and light weightlifting. For the lower body, Duquette performs stretching exercises with her calves to increase dorsiflexion, along with core-strengthening exercises using foam rollers and wedges. Duquette is the first MD patient Compton has worked with, and the road to increased functionality has not been without its bumps. “It’s been hard at times because she is so limited,” says Compton. “For example, it took me three months to come up with a triceps exercise that she had the shoulder stability to perform without causing pain or taking her out of a normal range of motion. It’s a lot of experimentation. She stretches my mind more than any other client I’ve ever worked with.” The progressive nature of FSHD means that different muscles strengthen or weaken at different paces, adding another challenge. Duquette might be able to perform an exercise on her own with one leg, while Compton has to passively move her through the same exercise on the other leg. And while her biceps are strong, her shoulders aren’t stabilized enough for much strengthening work, which prevents her from performing more advanced exercises. Compton and WeiselfishGiammatteo constantly work to get Duquette more in tune

with her muscles and help her recognize what it feels like to use them. To do this, Compton teaches Duquette anatomy and emphasizes visualization. “We’ve hit sticking points where she can’t move a muscle past a certain point because I can’t adjust her hips or fix the arch in her back,” says Compton. “While I’m moving her through a range of motion I’ll touch a muscle and say, ‘It attaches here, now picture these muscles sliding together and shortening.’ She’s become more aware of her body and now she can visualize her muscles working on her own.” For most FSHD patients, success often means simply slowing the deterioration of the body. But Duquette’s determination, and the hard work of her treatment team, have resulted in a more optimistic outlook as they focus on improving her athletic performance as well as her overall health. Even Duquette’s diet was revamped, as Weiselfish-Giammatteo recommended she eliminate sugar, gluten, and all other substances which could damage her nervous system and speed up muscle deterioration. Compton urged her to eat more, including pre- and post-workout meals to fuel her body for exercise and promote muscle growth. At age 15, around the time doctors had told her she would be in a wheelchair, Duquette began to take swimming seriously again, beginning in a 10-meter pool. “I was dealing with a different body than when I was younger, but I got used to it,” she says. “For all those years when I couldn’t do any sports, I knew there had to be a way back, and then it finally came. I

speed and agility

strength and power

specialized equipment

training facilities

flooring

weight rooms

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM 530-20982_(blue)_901_AM.indd 1

Untitled-4 1

Circle No. 108

Request ouR NeW catalog

Call 800-556-7464

www.performbetter.com T&C APRIL 2009

12/22/08 3:40:07 PM

12/29/08 10:26:10 AM

ComebackAthlete cried. I was just so overjoyed.” Duquette swam in progressively longer pools and joined her high school team for her junior and senior years, a privilege her parents allowed only because she maintained nearly a 4.0 GPA in school. At meets, she swam half the distance of her able-bodied competitors. In July 2007, she joined the Connecticut Paralympic team and competed in her first na-

“Before I started therapy, I was absolutely terrified about the future,” says Duquette. “I did not want to look forward ... If you told me I would be where I am now, I might have jumped for joy, but then again, I probably wouldn’t have believed you.” tional Paralympic swim meet. She was given the Paralympic functional classification of S4 on the one-to-10 scale measuring disability level (the lower the number, the more severe the disability). By the end of that summer, she had achieved qualifying times for the U.S. national team in the 50-meter freestyle and backstroke, and the 100-meter backstroke. She also became the junior national record holder for those races at the National Junior Disability Championships in July 2008, and is the only person in the country with an S4 classification to

T&C APRIL 2009

Circle No. 109

Kristin Duquette East Catholic High School, Manchester, Conn. Sport: Swimming Condition: Diagnosed with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) and scoliosis at age nine. Result: Now 17, Duquette swims on the Connecticut Paralympic team and is attempting to qualify for the U.S. squad for the 2012 Paralympics. She has set three junior national Paralympic records and is the only person in the country with her disability classification to complete the 200-meter backstroke.

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

ComebackAthlete complete the 200-meter backstroke. “I’ve not heard of another person with FSHD who has reached those goals,” says Weiselfish-Giammatteo. “Nobody in the medical field can really understand her improvements, because they so far exceed the expectations according to predictors of outcome in the medical literature.” Today, Duquette is training to qualify for the U.S. Paralympic team, which she can accomplish by again meeting the qualifying times in official meets in May and July. She swims two hours a day, five to six days a week, and four hours on Saturday, taking breaks when her body is too fatigued to continue. She also does dry-land exercises every other day for 30 minutes to an hour to stretch and strengthen her muscles, and meets once a week with Compton for strength training and with Weiselfish-Giammatteo for manual treatment. Duquette relays which strokes Coach Lucan wants her to improve on, and Compton creates exercises to strengthen the appropriate muscles, with a special focus on reducing stress on the interior of the shoulder. “She has an incredible work ethic,” says Compton. “She takes her therapy, training, swimming, sleeping, and eating as seriously as a professional athlete. With her condition, she has to work twice as hard, but she thrives.” If Duquette makes the U.S. Paralympic team, she will compete in national meets for the next three years in hopes of being selected to the U.S. qualifying team for the 2012 Paralympics. Selection for that team is based on world ranking,

race times in national meets, and a swimmer’s potential to medal at the London games. “Before I started therapy, I was absolutely terrified about the future,” says Duquette. “I did not want to look forward because I didn’t know what was going to happen. If you told me I would be where I am now, I might have jumped for joy, but then again, I probably wouldn’t have believed you.” Now when she looks forward, she doesn’t just see the Paralympics. She sees a college education and, hopefully, collegiate swimming. She sees a potential career in motivational speaking—she recently gave a 30-minute speech to the Women’s Democratic Club of East Hartford on her struggles and her Paralympic dreams. And she sees a transition from a walker to a four-pronged cane and increasing independence. “She’s traveled a long and difficult road, to say the least,” says Weiselfish-Giammatteo. “It’s a joy to know her and recognize all she has accomplished.” Duquette says she has no doubt she can make it to London, but she knows her body and condition are always changing, always capable of ruining her fairytale story. But one thing FSHD has improved is her ability to adapt. “I will encounter situations I can’t control, but I can control how I perceive what is good and what is bad,” she says. “I try my hardest at whatever I do. I am still just a kid who has been given situations and opportunities and tried to make the best of them. I’m really thankful for everything that has happened to me.” n

Serious Stretching.

Includes new and improved Stretching Guide

The simple, effective and affordable Stretch Out® Strap. Only from OPTP. Heavy-duty nylon strap delivers the benefits of stretche without a partner assisted (PNF) stretches Patented multiple lo loops for hands and feet allow deep, gradual stret stretching of major muscle groups ham including the hamstrings, calves, quads, hip flexors, tric thighs, back, triceps, shoulder, lats, chest and biceps Includes illustr illustrated instruction book with 34 different t entire body stretches for the A available: Stretch Out® DVD, Exercise Also C Charts and Extra-long Strap Model Go to OPTP.COM for more information

www.optp.com/ad 1-800-367-7393 TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM OPTP_CM1606.indd 1

Circle No. 110

T&C APRIL 2009 8/4/08 1:47:36 PM

Circle No. 111

nutrition

A Closer Look AP PHOTOS (steak), Dennis Kunkel Microscopy, Inc.

You know protein is important for athletes, but have you heard about the latest research on recommended doses, which sources are best, and protein’s role in recovery? In this roundtable discussion, our expert talks with leading nutrition researchers about those topics and more. By Dr. Janet walberg Rankin

ew topics in sports nutrition are as controversial as dietary protein. But despite the many unknowns and uncertainties, protein is a major dietary focus for many athletes. A recent survey of over 300 athletes at an NCAA Division I university showed that nearly half believed protein was a major fuel source during exercise, and about a third believed that taking protein supplements was a necessity. Does research support the value of protein for performance, muscle building, and enhancing glycogen recovery after exercise? How much protein TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

should athletes consume, when should they consume it, and what specific protein sources are best? To answer these questions and others, I talked to five researchers who are well known for their work exploring protein needs among athletes. In some areas, a clear consensus emerged, providing athletes with practical advice and guidelines on the best strategies for protein intake. In other areas, the researchers didn’t agree, and in their conflicting responses we see the newest frontiers and most contentious areas of inquiry into protein and athletic performance. They were

also able to dispel a few protein-related myths, providing information that every athlete can benefit from. What research is your lab currently conducting regarding dietary protein and athletes? Stuart Phillips: We are interested in how muscle loading interacts with different amounts and types of protein to affect Janet Walberg Rankin, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise at Virginia Tech. She can be reached at: jrankin@vt.edu. T&C APRIL 2009

nutrition

OUR PANEL Elisabet Børsheim, PhD, recently joined the Department of Sports Medicine at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences as a Professor. Before that, she was with the Metabolism Unit, Department of Surgery, at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) for more than nine years. She still holds an appointment with UTMB. Martin Gibala, PhD, is a Professor of Kinesiology at McMaster University in Canada. He has served as a consultant to several leading sports organizations, and co-authored consensus statements on sports nutrition for the International Olympic Committee and the International Association of Athletics Federations. Stuart Phillips, PhD, is a Professor of Kinesiology at McMaster University in Canada with a cross-appointment in medicine. He is frequently an invited speaker and writer of reviews related to exercise and protein.

Nancy Rodriguez, PhD, RD, CSSD, FACSM, is a Professor of Nutritional Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Connecticut, where she holds joint appointments in the Departments of Kinesiology and Allied Health Sciences. She also serves as the Director of Sports Nutrition in the Department of Sports Medicine. Brian Roy, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Physical Education and Kinesiology, and the director of the Centre for Muscle Metabolism and Biophysics at Brock University in Canada.

6 1

T&C APRIL 2009

muscle protein turnover (synthesis and breakdown). We think proteins that are digested and absorbed rapidly and are rich in leucine, such as whey, are particularly effective. Our recent data has also shown that relatively small doses of protein (20 grams) are effective for stimulating protein synthesis. Brian Roy: Our current interest is the influence of hydration state on muscle and protein metabolism. We have developed an isolated muscle model to evaluate the acute influences of fluid shifts into and out of skeletal muscle. We are also interested in the signaling processes involved in protein synthesis and degradation within skeletal muscle. Elisabet Børsheim: Our lab is focused on determining the role of essential amino acids in the regulation of muscle protein synthesis. Our research demonstrates that the change in blood essential amino acid concentration is more important than the absolute concentration for stimulating muscle protein synthesis. This may help us find the optimal pattern of ingestion—for example, suggesting that frequent, small doses may be more valuable than one large dose. We have also shown that providing 22 grams of essential amino acids in two equal doses (11 grams each) per day increases lean body mass and muscle strength in elderly people. More recently, our research has turned to the effect of amino acids on fat metabolism. Martin Gibala: First, we are interested in the impact protein has on skeletal muscle metabolism when ingested during aerobic exercise. Various theories have been advanced to explain some authors’ finding that ingesting protein and carbohydrate together improves exercise performance compared to ingesting carbohydrate alone, but no studies have investigated the mechanisms. Second, in collaboration with Dr. Phillips, we are exploring the impact of protein ingestion following aerobic exercise on muscle protein turnover. The effect of nutrient ingestion on muscle protein metabolism during recovery from endurance exercise remains largely unknown. Nancy Rodriguez: My research relates to the interactions between exercise, protein intake, and energy balance on skeletal muscle protein turnover. For example, we have evaluated the effects of different protein intakes on skeletal muscle protein metabolism, and looked TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

Circle No. 112

nutrition at whether a short-term reduction in energy intake affects the use of protein as a fuel at rest or during recovery from exercise. In addition, we have explored the effects of specific protein sources on recovery from an endurance exercise bout. How much protein do you recommend that athletes consume daily? Børsheim: For endurance athletes, I would say 1.2 to 1.4 grams per kilogram of body weight per day—only slightly more than the typical recommendation for sedentary individuals. The absolute use of protein for energy in any given workout is likely small, but it can translate into higher needs for those with high training volume. For athletes doing resistance training, I would recommend up to 1.6 or 1.7 grams per kilogram per day, but the precise amount is controversial. The increased need in these athletes is caused by frequent elevated muscle protein synthesis following workouts. Interestingly, more experienced resistance athletes appear to require less protein than those just starting a program. Gener-

ally, most healthy young athletes ingest sufficient protein through their ordinary diet to support muscle growth. Rodriguez: Although there is not much contemporary research on the subject, athletes who are in energy balance likely only need the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein—0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day—to maintain nitrogen balance. However, findings in our lab indicate that this amount may be insufficient to optimize skeletal muscle protein, and we’ve observed a better protein balance with daily protein intake of 1.6 grams per kilogram. Therefore, from a practical perspective, I recommend a range of 1.2 to 1.7 grams per kilogram per day for endurance athletes, with special attention paid to energy balance. Roy: I support the contention that protein requirements of athletes are likely similar to those of the general population. Early nitrogen balance studies suggest that athletes who consume an adequate amount of energy do not require much more protein than the RDA.

What is the maximum protein intake you recommend for athletes? Phillips: Roughly two grams per kilogram of body weight per day would be the ceiling beyond which I’m not sure benefit occurs. At some point, protein actually begins to “steal” carbohydrates from the diet, and we know how important carbohydrate is to athletic performance. Roy: I would recommend a maximum protein intake of around 1.3 grams per kilogram per day. This should be more than adequate to meet the needs of both resistance and endurance athletes. Research suggests that intake above this amount has no added benefit, and may carry some risks. Børsheim: There is no support for athletes consuming more than 2.5 to 3.0 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, nor is there good evidence that these doses are dangerous. Any excess protein will be used as fuel and not used to boost muscle protein. However, in some instances, high protein intake may reduce carbohydrate intake, which could negatively impact training. Rodriguez: I do not believe protein in-

You know that to achieve success, your athletes must build strength, create lasting endurance and possess a “never say die” attitude. These are also the attributes of Nebula. With over 20 years of experience in the strength training industry, we know what it takes to support your program and help it succeed. Do your athletes deserve any less in the equipment you offer? Unless you’re scared of quality fitness equipment molded from strength, endurance and attitude, click or pick up the phone & call us now. What are you waiting for? Ask about our first-time buyer discounts.

800-763-2852 Circle No. 113

nutrition take above 1.8 to 2.0 grams per kilogram per day confers any additional benefit. If the kidneys are healthy, concern about high protein consumption hampering renal function is likely unwarranted, but there is some evidence that very high protein intake can lead to dehydration. What does the latest research say about the timing of protein consumption? Roy: I believe timing is the most important variable in regard to protein intake. Since most athletes consume enough protein during the day, timing is likely the most critical factor affecting protein synthesis and recovery from exercise. There is still no definitive answer on the possible benefits of adding protein to carbohydrate beverages during endurance exercise, but there is some evidence that protein ingestion during endurance work may decrease muscle damage. More research is needed in this area. That said, I would caution athletes that consuming too much protein during exercise could slow the digestion or absorption of carbohydrates and elec-

trolytes. Protein ingestion while exercising may increase glycogen synthesis post-exercise, but there is still scientific controversy on this topic. In contrast, there is no debate that consuming highquality protein after resistance exercise stimulates increased protein synthesis. We just don’t have the long-term data to conclude whether it’s better to consume protein during or after workouts.

mass, strength, and muscle fiber area than those who consumed the same supplement at other times of the day. Børsheim: I believe there is currently not enough evidence that protein consumption is needed during aerobic exercise or even after exercise for muscle glycogen replacement if enough carbohydrate is ingested (approximately 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per

“Protein ingestion while exercising may increase glycogen synthesis post-exercise, but there is still scientific controversy on this topic. In contrast, there is no debate that consuming high-quality protein after resistance exercise stimulates increased protein synthesis.” Gibala: A growing body of work suggests that the strategic timing of protein ingestion around a workout can affect training-induced gains in lean mass and strength. For example, one study reported that young men who consumed a protein-containing supplement immediately before and after each workout for 10 weeks had more gains in lean

THE P OLARPOOL™ IMPROVE ATHLETIC RECOVERY & PERFORMANCE

CryoTherapy Spa The one pool that does it all Cold, Hot and Salt Water

No More . . .

hour during the first two to five hours). However, if the optimal carbohydrate amount is not ingested, adding protein in the first hours after exercise may increase glycogen replacement. For resistance exercise, the literature suggests ingesting protein within the first two hours after a workout, as well as several times throughout the day, to

TAKE YOUR CAREER

TO NEW

HEIGHTS GLOBAL ONLINE 100% ONLINE

No More Draining and Filling No more Ice No Freon No Compressors

MS in Exercise Science & Health Promotion • Four degree tracks

- Performance Enhancement & Injury Prevention - Wellness & Fitness - Rehabilitation Science - Sport Psychology

• NASM certifications in PES, CES, and/or CPT

MS in Sport Management Studies • Three degree tracks

- Intercollegiate Athletic Administration - Facility and Event Management - Sport Management

BS Program in Wellness and Fitness

• NASM Certification in CPT Phone: 1-866-595-6348 or visit: www.cup.edu/go

for more info . . . info@ThePolarPool.com

California University of Pennsylvania

Building Character. Building Careers. www.cup.edu

A proud member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

Circle No. 114

Circle No. 115 Untitled-2 1

CALU 3/13/08 1:53:34 PM

nutrition promote maximum protein synthesis. A supplement or food containing roughly 10 to 15 grams of essential amino acids seems to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Do you believe particular types of protein are superior to others for athletes? Phillips: A number of studies support the finding that milk-based proteins, and whey in particular, are more effective than other proteins in the promotion of muscle hypertrophy. Roy: Two recent studies showed that milk-derived proteins, taken acutely or chronically, are superior to protein from soy for stimulating muscle mass growth when combined with resistance exercise. Very recent work also suggests that whey hydrolysate might be superior to casein and soy protein after exercise, but further research and evaluation are needed to confirm this. Børsheim: Various types of protein stimulate muscle protein synthesis differently after resistance exercise because of minor differences in amino acid composition and digestion rate.

The amount of essential amino acids, specifically leucine, may be important. For example, research shows that milk is superior to soy protein in stimulating muscle protein synthesis after exercise. Whey protein is absorbed rapidly, and some evidence shows it to be superior to other protein sources, but long-term studies are needed in this area. Rodriguez: Various studies in our lab have looked at diet interventions that incorporate high-quality proteins such as eggs and beef. Findings from this work suggest that protein quality and the intake of essential amino acids in the correct amounts are important to support muscle protein synthesis. Gibala: Work from Dr. Phillips’s lab has suggested that milk is superior to soy in terms of promoting the skeletal muscle adaptive response to resistance exercise. One study showed milk consumption to have a superior effect on protein synthesis as compared to soy consumption in the hours after a weightlifting bout. Subsequent research demonstrated greater lean mass and Type II muscle fiber area gains over 12 weeks in those who

Make an Informed Choice! INFORMED-CHOICE is a supplement testing and certiﬁcation organization that works closely with responsible nutrition companies by screening their products for banned substances against the World Anti-Doping list. Our mission is to provide athletes, coaches, advisors, parents, etc. with an INFORMEDCHOICE with regard to supplements, as part of a general approach to risk management. While it’s NEVER possible to guarantee that any product is absolutely free of contamination, the choice is simple: If you choose to take a supplement, ensure that what you take has been tested for contamination using appropriately accredited tests Log on to www.informed-choice.org to learn more about the organization and the companies who are testing their products for banned substances.

consumed milk regularly after each workout as compared to those who consumed soy. Does the form of protein ingested affect athletic performance? Roy: Food-based proteins, such as those in milk, are more than adequate to meet the needs of athletes, as long as they are rich in essential amino acids. The value of co-ingestion with other nutrients remains unknown. The fact that food-based protein is generally consumed with other nutrients, such as carbohydrate and micronutrients, provides another advantage as compared to protein or amino acid supplements. Børsheim: Ingestion of essential amino acids causes a more rapid response than intake of complete protein, because they enter circulation more quickly and thus begin to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Ingesting carbohydrate with protein may lead to a more prolonged effect on muscle protein synthesis because of the enhanced insulin release. The best consumption strategy may be a combination of essential amino acids, protein, and carbohydrate af-

Today’s Ultimate Muscle Relief Ultimate Ice Wraps Feature…

›8 unique designs for specific body parts

›Pure water ice packs

from Igloo ›Stays cold 2x’s longer than gel ›Reusable & washable patented design ›Lightweight & can be worn under clothing ›100% satisfaction guaranteed

Make sure your athletes are well INFORMED and download a FREE copy of our “Athlete’s Guide To Nutrition” and pass it onto your athlete’s today!

888-678-8494 www.UltimateIceWraps.com 0 2

T&C APRIL 2009

Untitled-21 1

Circle No. 117

Circle No. 116

7/18/08 11:07:36 AM

nutrition ter exercise, as this would cause both a rapid and a prolonged stimulation of protein synthesis. Do certain athletic populations have unique protein needs? Phillips: In my view, too few studies exist to support setting specific requirements for specific populations. However, there appears to be an advantage to maintaining higher protein intake (up to 35 percent of energy intake) for those looking to lose weight, at the expense of dietary carbohydrate (40 percent). Although these recommendations are at the ends of the acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges for general health, I think they can be extended to athletes who are not overly reliant on carbohydrate fuel. Børsheim: Elderly individuals may require increased protein intake, or possibly amino acid supplementation, in order to avoid muscle loss. But overall, we know little about the specific needs of elderly athletes. What myths about protein exist in the athletic world that aren’t supported by science and should be debunked? Phillips: The biggest myth is that “more is better” and that power training or resistance training athletes need more protein to achieve muscle growth or strength gains. Our work has shown that, if anything, these athletes actually require much less protein than those who are sedentary. Among our research subjects, we’ve found that during resistance training, total protein balance is more positive and less protein is oxidized for energy than when the subjects are sedentary. This supports the concept that resistance exercise is anabolic and conserves body protein rather than increasing loss. Further, our data suggest that just 20 grams of protein maximally stimulates protein synthesis, and this response lasts for three to four hours. Thus, if you consume 20 grams of protein four to five times per day, you’re covered. Roy: One myth that needs to be debunked is the idea that athletes must take protein via a supplement. It is evident from current research that foods containing high-quality proteins with essential amino acids can maximally stimulate protein synthesis. Furthermore, food contains other valuable nutrients that may facilitate recovery, and it is generally a more palatable and costeffective strategy than supplements. TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

You’re on our turf now. Increase speed, endurance and flexibility with TurfCordz™, the industry’s most high-level athletic training resistance tools. Ideal for training and conditioning, versatile TurfCordz can be used for explosive start drills, powerbuilding footwork exercises, simulated play action and more:

Shoulder rotator strengthening Agility and strength training Vertical leaps Quadriceps, gluteus and shoulders toning Quick reaction and multiple-direction drills Order today! Call 800.886.6621 or visit turfcordz.com now.

Made in USA

Circle No. 118

NEW

“Z” Ankle StabiliZer™ Custom Fit Any Ankle

N EW T EC H N OL O GY

Texas Orthopaedic Products & Services LLC

s See u oth Bo A T A at N 031 #14 Circle No. 119

nutrition Another myth is the perception that the greater the amount of protein consumed, the greater the amount of hypertrophy. That just isn’t supported by research. Rodriguez: A myth still persists that eating more protein will result in increased muscle mass. Athletes must eat enough food to have a positive energy balance and adequate protein levels. But more protein isn’t always better. What current research on protein and athletes are you watching most closely, and why?

Phillips: I am interested in the research looking at leucine supplementation. Studies support both sides of the debate on this essential amino acid. Reading some magazines and Web sites, you would think leucine will result in amazing muscle gains. In my view, that concept is completely off-base. Gibala: I think there is going to be an explosion of interest in the potential for protein ingestion during recovery from aerobic exercise to maximize recovery and augment training-induced adaptations. Numerous studies have in-

Revolve to Evolve! From classic training tools to innovative alternatives, we’ve got over 2,000 products to satisfy your training needs. Shop power-systems.com or call 1.800.321.6975 for a FREE catalog!

Circle No. 120 2 2

T&C APRIL 2009

vestigated the influence of protein source, amount, and timing on muscle accretion after resistance exercise, but the effect of nutrient manipulation on muscle protein metabolism during recovery from endurance exercise remains largely unexplored. Techniques are now available to quantify changes in specific fractions of the muscle cell, as well as the molecular process involved in the adaptive response. What unanswered questions are most in need of further research regarding protein intake for athletes? Phillips: Although difficult and expensive to research, we need to determine whether ingesting certain levels of additional protein over time really confers benefits for muscle mass gain and strength development. This is especially important to study in the elderly. In addition, we need to develop new methods to more accurately measure requirements for protein. Nitrogen balance is a tired old method that gives no useful information about actual protein requirements. No physiological outcome has ever been associated with being in “nitrogen balance.” Børsheim: Areas that are still not fully understood include the impact of type and timing of protein, concurrent ingestion of other nutrients with protein, and whether protein requirements vary for athletes in specific sports and activities. In fact, relatively little is known about the protein needs of athletes competing in sports other than running, cycling, and resistance exercise. The effect of an athlete’s gender on protein needs, and the effect of protein intake on fat metabolism, are also unresolved. Gibala: A major unanswered question is: Does protein ingestion during and/or immediately following aerobic exercise attenuate skeletal muscle fiber disruption, and if so, what is the mechanism? Several studies have reported that protein ingestion attenuates the rise in markers sometimes used to estimate muscle damage, such as creatine kinase, whereas other studies have failed to show a difference. Despite widespread use of these indirect markers, they correlate poorly with changes in muscle function and might not represent true muscle damage. New techniques may emerge that offer more sensitive indicators of muscle damage and can help clarify our understanding of how protein ingestion might improve recovery following exercise. n TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

READ THIS! Lose Weight Now! Join Our Success Stories!

What’s the best way to use our Liquid Egg Whites? Imagine a protein drink that you can make taste like anything you want, any time you want. Chocolate, Vanilla, Ice Coffee, or just Orange Juice. You name it! You are only limited by your own imagination. Our All Natural, 100% Pure Liquid Egg Whites are pasteurized, Salmonella tested, USDA & Kosher approved. Best of all, they are double filtered to have the smooth consistency of milk. You can literally take one cup of our egg whites, and make the fluffiest omelet you have ever had. OR, take one cup of our liquid egg whites, and add some sugar free chocolate syrup, and you would not know it’s not chocolate milk. YES REALLY! One 8-ounce cup of our liquid egg whites supplies 26 grams of Pure protein, with only 2 carbs., No Fat, No Cholesterol, and only 120 calories. The worlds best protein for losing or managing weight, and for building muscle. It’s also a great protein for kids and adults with health issues who don’t get enough protein. NOTE that this is not a supplement, it’s a Real, All Natural FOOD. How much protein should you consume in a day? The average “Active” person requires approximately 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body weight per day. Protein is the building block for muscle growth as well as helping in the battle against body fat. Liquid Egg Whites are the perfect source of protein, for Gastric bypass patients, athletes, World Class Bodybuilders and everyone in between! How often do you use our Liquid Egg Whites? We recommend a minimum of

t w i c e a d a y. I d e a l l y, a s soon as you get up in the morning, and just before bedtime. For optimal results keep an extra bottle of Liquid Egg Whites at work to enjoy their beneﬁts throughout the day! Why take Liquid Egg Whites before bedtime? Fitness enthusiasts have known for decades that if you don’t put protein into your body before you go to bed, your body will run out of protein in the middle of the night. Once your body digests all of its available proteins, your body thinks it is starving itself. To protect you, your body shuts down and starts storing your own fat cells. Your blood sugar still needs protein to keep you going, so it starts consuming the only protein source available at 3 am, your own muscle mass. Basically, you are storing fat and eating muscle. By drinking a high protein drink with Pure Liquid Egg Whites just before you go to bed, the egg protein will support muscle growth for up to 4 to 5 hours. Now the process is reversed for most of your sleep time. Rather than storing fat and eating muscle, the protein from the Liquid Egg Whites, is allowing your body to burn the fat at its normal rate while building on the muscle. You will get better nights sleep, and wake up more alert and refreshed, and not as hungry in the morning.

100 % Guaranteed Will stay good refrigerated for 90 to 120 days, and can be frozen indeﬁnitely.

Chris LaCascia accomplished his amazing transformation of losing 130lbs in only 9 months by drinking Liquid Egg White Protein Shakes for 3 of his 6 daily meals.

PPump Pu u Fits Both Half-Gallon And An nd Gallon Bottle! For A Perfect Measurement 1 Pump Equals: 1 Ounce 1 Whole Egg 1.25 Egg Whites 3.25g of Protein

WWW.EGGWHITESINT.COM Circle No. 121

877-EGG-WHITES

TREATING THE ATHLETE

Special cameras at the OSU Sports Biomechanics Lab track athletes’ movements using reflective markers attached to the body. A computer then converts the data into skeletal animations to examine biomechanics and joint forces in great detail.

ONE STEP AHEAD An inside look at the Ohio State University Sports Biomechanics Lab reveals how cutting-edge technology is shaping the future of athlete assessment, injury prevention, and training.

By R.J. Anderson

n his first official day as an Ohio State University Buckeye last June, freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor looked like an actor on the set of a futuristic science fiction film. Clad only in shorts and covered in small white reflectors, Pryor and 12 of his teammates stepped, squatted, and jumped as high-speed cameras at the school’s Sports Biomechanics Laboratory captured their every move. The reflectors helped track Pryor’s lower body as he performed simple movements testing his balance, flexibility, and strength in a functional movement screen. As Pryor did overhead squats, lunges with both legs, hurdle steps over a wire, and box drops, information on his biomechanics was transferred to a computer system and used to analyze motor control, joint torque, and strength imbalances—information that could help identify risk for specific injuries. The data was also passed on to strength coaches, who looked at it when designing workouts for him based on his strengths and weaknesses. The freshman football study is just one project at the Sports Biomechan-

T&C APRIL 2009

ics Laboratory using cutting-edge technology to improve athlete assessment. Working in concert with the lab’s engineers are medical doctors, physical therapists, and athletic trainers who develop projects to explore the mechanisms behind injury, rehabilitation, and performance. In less than three years of existence, the OSU lab has become one of the premier biomechanics facilities in the country. It uses data-driven evaluation techniques to reach evidencebased conclusions about many of sports medicine’s commonly held beliefs and practices. It is also working to make advanced assessment methods more accessible down the road, and thus helping to shape the future of sports medicine and athlete development. MOTION PICTURE MAGIC If you’ve ever watched a behind-thescenes breakdown of how video game developers bring superstar athletes to life in games like NBA Live or the popular Madden series, you’ve seen the technology that’s used in the OSU Sports Biomechanics Lab. It’s also what allows real-life actors to perform phys-

ically impossible stunts in computerenhanced films like The Matrix and 300. But in the Ohio State lab, the goals have nothing to do with special effects. Images captured on camera are converted to simple stick figures or skeletons, mapped out with help from the reflective material attached to the athletes’ bodies. “Video game developers record a person’s motion so it looks realistic when they apply the animation,” says Ajit Chaudhari, PhD, Director of the Sports Biomechanics Laboratory and Assistant Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics. “But we use it to analyze the subject’s movements and provide objective measurements of their biomechanics.” Ohio State combines the motioncapture technology with a loadmeasuring system made up of force plate sensors embedded in a gym floor. The sensors measure the impact created by athletes as they cut while running and performing exercises. “It allows us to calculate force from the floor to the foot up through the leg and estimate R.J. Anderson is an Assistant Editor at Training & Conditioning. He can be reached at: rja@MomentumMedia.com. TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

TREATING THE ATHLETE

NEAL LAURON, COLUMBUS DISPATCH

the torques placed on an athlete’s joints from the foot to the ankle, knee, and hip,” Chaudhari explains. “That tells us how hard each muscle is working to create motion, what type of loads are being placed on passive structures like the ACL and other ligaments, and how much compression each joint is under during a given movement.” Located in a 3,500 square-foot gymnasium, the lab’s eight cameras, which film at up to 300 frames per second, are attached to railings nine feet above the floor. They’re configured in a horseshoe shape, with all the lenses focused on the embedded force plates. For cutting drills, athletes approach from the open end of the U, plant on the force plate, and cut in a direction dictated by a signaling board. The cameras and force plates also collect information from a variety of non-running exercises, such as squats, lunges, and box drops. Motion-analysis software then marries the footage collected by the eight cameras, creating 3-D representations of an athlete’s movements. Chaudhari says analyzing Pryor and his classmates’ biomechanics with the lab’s high-tech tools provides a glimpse TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

of bigger things to come. “At this point we’re laying the groundwork for future projects,” he says. “It takes years to build up a database that can draw solid conclusions on biomechanics. Right now, we’re collecting data to determine which measurements actually matter, because we can measure about 50 different things, from force generated to flexibility to strength. But we don’t know yet which measurements have a relationship with injury risk.” Janine Oman, MS, PT, ATC, Assistant Athletic Director of Sports Performance at Ohio State, is excited about the opportunities the Biomechanics Lab will create for athletes, coaches, and athletic trainers. “This is something we can add to our toolbox to help identify athletes who need intervention—either for injury prevention or to improve their performance,” she says. “It will give us more objective criteria for making those judgments.” While Oman acknowledges that the relationship between the Sports Biomechanics Lab and Buckeye athletics is still a work in progress, she says everybody involved recognizes the potential and wants to make progress as a

team. “We’re basically trying to figure out how we can best use the information the lab is gathering,” she says. “It’s a collaborative effort between the researchers and our strength coaches and athletic trainers as to what needs to be measured and how we might be able to act on the findings in the future.” SNEAK PREVIEWS The Sports Biomechanics Lab is also working on a number of studies that address injury prevention and technique validation. A large part of that research is examining the effects of trunk control on injuries within different populations. Currently, Chaudhari and his colleagues are in the early stages of three studies looking at the relationship between trunk control and ACL tears in football players, lower extremity injuries in distance runners, and shoulder and elbow injuries in baseball players. “There are plenty of anecdotal explanations for how trunk control and core stability help athletes avoid injury and improve performance, but there is no scientific data supporting that yet,” Chaudhari says. “Nobody has ever proven the link or explained the relaT&C APRIL 2009

TREATING THE ATHLETE tionship—that’s where we come in. “To do that, we look at the body as a mechanical system,” he continues. “Just like a machine, if the forces on certain joints are too high, they’re going to

examinations of 20 athletes, during which they’ll wear 79 reflectors—39 on the torso and upper body and 40 on the legs and feet—while going through a battery of running, cutting, and trunk

After the initial evaluations, athletes will be divided into two groups. “Both groups will participate in a standard high school football summer workout program ... The difference is that one group will replace the workout’s standard trunk exercises with ones that concentrate more on stabilization.” break. It can be an acute break, like an ACL tear, or a fatigue failure that plays out over time. We’re looking for some insight into how these injuries occur and how to prevent them.” The study on football ACL injuries is set to begin this summer and will involve high school players. Funded by a research grant from NFL Charities, it will examine the relationships between core stability, dynamic loading of the knee during cutting, and athletic performance on standardized football-specific tests. RX24.09_TC_031309_1a.pdf 3/13/2009 4:24:08 PM The study will begin with baseline

control tests. Cameras and force plates will record each player’s biomechanics during the tests. The players will also perform drills like those used at the NFL Scouting Combine, such as the three-cone drill, the 20-yard short shuttle, and the broad jump, so researchers can examine how the biomechanical measurements from the lab relate to performance on the field. “We chose the NFL Combine drills because they involve change of direction and upper-body motion to decelerate and then accelerate again,” Chaudhari says.

“We think trunk control may have a pivotal role to play in those movements.” Chaudhari and his staff will look for specific measurements in each player, for example, at what point their knees go into a valgus angulated (knock-kneed) position due to abduction torque—the torque that pushes the knee toward the midline of the body. This torque and the resulting valgus position created by contact from cutting or landing is a fairly accurate predictor of ACL injury risk according to recent studies. Chaudhari wants to determine when the valgus moment occurs for a typical high school athlete. After the initial evaluations, athletes will be divided into two groups and perform strength and conditioning workouts for six weeks. “We’re still developing the specifics, but we know both groups will participate in a standard high school football summer workout program with general strength and conditioning, agility, and cardio,” Chaudhari says. “The difference is that one group will replace the workout’s standard trunk exercises with ones that concentrate more on stabilization—

CMY

T&C APRIL 2009

Circle No. 122

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

66 32.34 800.4

Townsend Design is celebrating its 25th year of providing bracing solutions for premier athletes, weekend warriors, and patients who have common to severe mobility challenges. The cornerstone of Townsendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success is our recognized ability to help medical professionals optimize patient outcomes. With patented technology, and a commitment to personalized customer service, Townsend is the last family-owned major orthopedic brace manufacturer. We are proud to say we still hand fabricate our functional and OA knee braces in the United States -- supporting our countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy and providing job security for our 130 employees. We are blessed to work with athletic trainers, physicians, and other orthopedic professionals who care about quality and value working with a company that views each order as an opportunity to help someone realize their physical potential. We appreciate our customers for trusting us these past 25 years, and we look forward to continuing our commitment to superior patient outcomes. For current information about our products and services, please speak with your Townsend representative or visit our web site: www.TownsendDesign.com

w w w . t o w n s e n d d e s i g n . c o m Circle No. 123

TREATING THE ATHLETE such as planks, Bodyblade exercises, and Bosu ball work—with a focus on holding and maintaining proper trunk and pelvis position rather than flexing and extending. The other group will perform traditional crunches, med ball

says. “If it turns out not to be the case, that could tell us it doesn’t matter how athletes train the trunk—they’ll make stability gains either way. “Another thing, which is the meat of the study for us, is if we show im-

Another upcoming study will address the relationship between trunk stability and arm injuries among college pitchers. “We’re interested in seeing whether a pitcher who trains for trunk control can reduce stress on his shoulder and elbow, thereby decreasing his risk for a torn rotator cuff.” tosses, and concentric abdominal work. The trunk exercises will be the only variable between the two groups and will account for about 25 percent of the weightroom activity.” After six weeks, the athletes will undergo post-testing similar to their earlier baseline screens, and Chaudhari and his team will look at the results from multiple angles. “We expect the trunk stabilization program will lead to greater improvements in general trunk control, but we really aren’t sure,” he

proved trunk control, does it translate to improved biomechanical measurements and reduced loading on the knee joints and ligaments when those players cut and land?” Chaudhari continues. “If trunk stabilization is as important as we think it is, we expect to see proportional improvements in both. But we don’t know until we do the tests.” The lab is using similar concepts and technology to evaluate biomechanics and injury thresholds in collegiate and recreational distance runners. Instead of jump-

ing and cutting, the runners will simply have their straight-ahead, normal-speed running biomechanics evaluated. “With these athletes, we’re looking to show a relationship between trunk stability and biomechanical breakdowns resulting in patellofemoral pain, iliotibial band syndrome, and tibial stress fractures,” Chaudhari says. “We feel all these injuries are caused by some type of specific mechanical flaw or pattern.” The lab is currently collecting pilot data and submitting grant proposals in hopes of securing funding for the study. Chaudhari would like to expand the project to include a larger, more diverse population because of running’s popularity among all age groups. Another upcoming study will address the relationship between trunk stability and arm injuries among college pitchers. “We’re interested in seeing whether a pitcher who trains for trunk control can reduce stress on his shoulder and elbow, thereby decreasing his risk for a torn rotator cuff or ulnar collateral ligament,” Chaudhari says. “We want to identify any flaws that might contribute to those injuries and correct them. That also means

800 460 NASM 6276 (6276)

T&C APRIL 2009

Circle No. 124

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

After further review, the Legend Series has more advantages than ordinary taping tables. Take a closer look at the Legend Series Taping Tables by Clinton and you’ll ﬁnd more reasons to buy our taping tables. • All models save space and cost with leg extension pull-outs • Customize with 14 options • Constructed with welded steel top frame and steel fasteners • Choose classic wood or 12 colors of durable laminates • Available in 4 depth choices to ﬁt your space

Adjustable Backrest Available 2" of Firm Foam Padding 27" Width Top with Rounded Corners Leg Rest Extensions Ample Storage options Closed Side Storage

Examine Real Quality™

1140 East Edison St., York, PA 17403 • 800-441-9131 • 717-848-3519 Toll-Free Fax 866-522-1233 • Fax 717-843-5871 • www.clinton-ind.com Circle No. 125

TREATING THE ATHLETE

ON THE LEVEL The Ohio State University Sports Biomechanics Laboratory is a breeding ground for innovative, data-driven ideas and analysis. One recent example is the Level Belt, a patentpending training and assessment tool conceived by Chris McKenzie, PT, SCS, MHS, ATC, CSCS, Rehabilitation Team Leader at the OSU Sports Medicine Center, and developed with help from Ajit Chaudhari, PhD, Director of the lab and Assistant Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics. Worn around the waist while a baseball pitcher practices his delivery, the belt has an accelerometer sensor the size of a matchbox that measures degrees of motion. It’s a new, highly accurate way to assess trunk stability. “If you tip your pelvis forward, the belt will roll with the pelvis and measure the degrees of displacement,” explains McKenzie, who uses the Level Belt with rehab patients and for performance development. “If the pelvis rolls forward or backward a set number of degrees (usually between five and seven), the sensor provides biofeedback via an audible tone.

“We instruct pitchers on keeping the pelvis stable because proximal stability allows for better distal mobility,” McKenzie continues. “Athletes need that external feedback because five to seven degrees is such a tight range and they often don’t realize what is and isn’t stable. “Our research is aimed at helping pitchers keep their hips closed longer, allowing more explosion from the push-off leg and better consistency with their arm slot during the delivery,” McKenzie adds. “Our Level Belt provides a measurement of pelvic stability, which helps pitchers improve positioning, mechanics, and pelvic control.” McKenzie sees this research making the biggest impact on younger athletes, whose mechanics are typically more flawed. “Instead of just monitoring pitch counts and how many innings a pitcher throws, maybe our focus should be on teaching kids how to maintain control of their pelvis and stay closed longer during the pitch cycle,” he says. “Who knows how many elbow and shoulder problems we can prevent that way?”

elite seat P O R T A B L E

K N E E

E X T E N S I O N

kneebourne

D E V I C E

T H E R A P E U T I C

PH: (866)-756-3706 30

T&C APRIL 2009 Kneebourne_TC1707.indd 1

Circle No. 126

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM 9/18/07 10:21:22 AM

TREATING THE ATHLETE evaluating whether more trunk control work in rehab actually lowers forces and torques in the shoulders and elbows.” To evaluate pitching biomechanics, Chaudhari is working with some Ohio State mechanical engineering students to outfit a pitcher’s mound with force plate sensors like the ones in the gym floor. “Even though we’re looking primarily at the shoulder and elbow, we also want to measure forces at the feet and how they relate to the torque created by the upper body,” he says. “We’re using a portable fiberglass mound with sensors located under the push-off area in front of the pitching rubber and on the slope where the lead foot lands.” For this project, Chris McKenzie, PT, SCS, MHS, ATC, CSCS, Rehabilitation Team Leader at the OSU Sports Medicine Center, will bring in several college pitchers who are rehabbing from upperextremity throwing injuries. His rehab approach concentrates on increasing players’ trunk stability to enhance performance and avoid re-injury, so the lab is a perfect setting to accumulate evidence-based validation. “My goal is to use the motioncapture technology to expand our understanding of the role pelvic stabilization plays in preventing injury,” McKenzie says. “I also want to find the best way of training for a stable pelvis so we can introduce those methods to younger pitchers and prevent future injuries while improving mechanics.” BABY STEPS Chaudhari believes the Sports Biomechanics Lab today is barely scratching the surface of what it can offer sports medicine professionals and athletes tomorrow. “First, we have to prove that our concepts work and produce some meaningful, practical results,” he says. “Then we’ll start investing in even more advanced equipment and further refine our operations.” Moving forward, another goal is strengthening the lab’s relationship with the Ohio State athletic department. Chaudhari says his ultimate plan is to some day perform pre-activity screenings for every Buckeye varsity athlete. “We’ll then hand our data over to the strength and conditioning coaches and athletic trainers, who can use it to customize conditioning programs for each individual to address deficiencies and improve strength,” he says. Oman is excited to have a front-row seat TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

in watching the technology mature. “Our field is in need of more good clinical research,” she says. “We hope these studies will yield data to validate our assessment and treatment techniques so that we can put those techniques into practice for larger populations. I think we’ll also see this type of testing refined so that anybody can afford to do it in some form.” Chaudhari has similar goals. “A major priority is making our discoveries translatable outside the lab as much as possible, because we’re limited in the number of people we can work with here,” he

says. “For example, we’re looking to develop tools that can be taken to baseball fields to determine what deficiencies pitchers have and how they can decrease their likelihood of injury. “When I first came here, I hoped people would be interested in the kind of work we’re now doing, but I didn’t really know,” he adds. “Fortunately, I’ve found that everyone here is open to new ideas and we all want to talk about what our research is showing and how it can help athletes perform better and stay healthier.” n

Circle No. 127 T&C APRIL 2009

Active Ankle® Volt™ cramersportsmed.com

1-800-345-2231

Carbon fiber-reinforced shell provides lightweight protection and Active Ankle’s renowned stability and support

Specially molded strengthening ribs offer a sleeker profile without sacrificing support and rigidity

Redesigned hinge provides better overall range of motion with less friction for smoother movement

The Active Ankle® Volt’s™ unique design and carbon-reinforced shell make this brace lighter and stronger — giving you maximum performance without sacrificing comfort. Circle No. 128

LEADERSHIP

From

istock.com (briefcase); cramer products, inc. (bag)

ATC to AD

More and more athletic trainers are taking the leadership, communication, and managerial skills they’ve developed in the field and applying them to athletic administration. The people in this article did, and they explain how you can, too.

By Kenny Berkowitz

ot too long ago, it was virtually unheard of for athletic trainers to move into the ranks of athletic administration. But as the athletic training profession continues to evolve, so do career opportunities. Today, it’s not uncommon to find high school athletic directors who began their careers as athletic trainers, and though fewer examples exist in collegiate athletics, that’s beginning to change, too. For some, like Jeff Cassella, MS, ATC, Athletic Director at Mentor (Ohio) High School, the door to athletic administration opened suddenly, when the previous athletic director retired. For others, like Stevie BakerWatson, MS, LAT, ATC, Assistant Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator at North Central College, landing a job in athletic administration was a ca-

TRAINING-CONDITIONING.COM

reer objective years in the making. Many of the necessary skills are already part of every athletic trainer’s toolbox. “As athletic trainers, we’re constantly thinking ahead, planning for upcoming events, and looking at the big picture,” says Cassella. “We’re always multitasking and communicating with a wide range of student-athletes, parents, coaches, administrators, and community members. Those organizational and people skills translate very well to work as an athletic director.” To build on that foundation, athletic trainers can attend administration workshops, create a network of mentors, and learn from colleagues and supervisors. And like most major changes, the process of shifting your career begins by asking the right questions. “First, you have to look at your journey as an athletic trainer,” says Cassella. “Are your greatest strengths in

rehabilitation and getting studentathletes back onto the field? Or are they in dealing with people and managing day-to-day operations? Which parts of athletic training excite you most? And if you really want to move into administration, are you ready to walk away from athletic training?” NEW CHALLENGES In the summer of 2007, as Chris Warden, ATC, was about to begin his seventh year as Athletic Trainer and Athletic Training Instructor at Ohlone College, his athletic director retired. A vice president asked Warden to consider the position, and after taking a week to weigh the pros and cons with his family, he decided to apply. Kenny Berkowitz is an Assistant Editor at Training & Conditioning. He can be reached at: kb@MomentumMedia.com. T&C april 2009

LEADERSHIP

The Leader in Sports Medicine Products For Over 40 Years

610 A R I Z O N A ANKLE BRACE

The next evolutionary step in ankle brace technology Heavy duty nylon construction designed to fit either right or left foot figure-eight lift straps provide lateral and medial support Hook-and-loop fasteners allow for easy adjustment neoprene tongue eliminates instep irritation Low profile design fits inside shoe

Toll Free: 800-523-5611 www.proorthopedic.com Circle No. 129

“I’m all about new challenges,” says Warden. “Like everyone else in this profession, I entered athletic training to help people. But even as an undergrad, I thought about getting a doctorate and going into curriculum development, program management, or athletic administration. I saw this as a chance to grow, extend myself, and help people in a very different way.” For Warden, there were too many plusses to pass up. Along with new challenges, the position would mean an increase in salary, greater flexibility in hours, and more time with his two-year-old son. But before landing the job, he needed to convince administrators that a background in sports medicine was an asset, not a disadvantage. “Some people assumed that as an athletic trainer, I would know a lot about sports medicine but hardly anything about coaching,” he says. “I had to help them realize that athletic trainers know the coaches in every sport on campus. The people who originally thought my focus might be too narrow learned that athletic trainers have a much wider perspective because we work so closely with everyone.” Even before he was hired, Warden made sure to enlist the support of administrators around him, including the previous athletic director and the vice president responsible for overseeing the athletic department, who committed to meet with Warden weekly during his first year on the job. “From the outset, I was confident I had the communication and management skills to do the job well,” he says. “But I also knew I didn’t have much experience looking at student enrollment and crunching the numbers. There’s no class called Athletic Directing 101, so I made sure my vice president was willing to train me on the job. “Having a boss who’s also willing to be a mentor has been a huge advantage,” he continues. “He’s been my sounding board since day one.” At the start, Warden had a dual appointment as Athletic Director and Curriculum Chair for the Athletic Training Education Program, with equal responsibility for each. A year later, he stepped down as chair to focus full-time on managing athletics, physical education, and kinesiology. Now in his third semester, he’s grown more proficient in the areas he was worried about, like creating budgets, organizing schedules, and setting department priorities. The job has come with some surprises, too. Warden is struck by the amount of time he spends on personnel issues, the challenge of responding to copious amounts of e-mail, the struggles of getting 13 varsity programs to share a single gym, and the variety of questions he’s called upon to answer in a single day. “All day long, people come to my office looking for answers—from students who were dropped by their teams to coaches who need new equipment,” he says. “It’s all part of being a middleman between the coaches I supervise and the administrators who supervise me. Having patience is the first key to doing this job well, and the second is empowering all those people to make decisions on their own. I want to help people solve problems for themselves.” Warden’s greatest concern—that he would have difficulty transitioning from peer to supervisor—has turned out to be a non-issue, and he’s now convinced he made the right decision. “I’ve had some tough moments, but I haven’t regretted the move for one day,” he says. “I needed a new challenge, and I found it.” TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

Circle No. 130

LEADERSHIP BLAZING A TRAIL Since arriving at the University of TexasArlington in 1981, Pete Carlon, MSEd, ATC, has filled several roles, including Head Athletic Trainer, Associate Athletic Director, Director of Sports Medicine, and since 1996, Athletic Director. A member of the NATA Hall of Fame, he has served on the NATA Board of Directors, the Southland Conference Executive Committee, and the NCAA Division I-AAA Athletic Directors Association Executive Committee. Carlon didn’t just learn about the path from athletic trainer to athletic director—he helped pioneer it. “I was one of the first, if not the first, to move from a certified athletic trainer position to an athletic administrator position,” he says. “When I started here, I was the only athletic trainer on staff, and I never dreamed of ending up in this role. It’s only because my institution started moving me into administration that I’ve spent the last 13 years as athletic director.” Carlon’s first promotion came in 1984, when he began working a dual role as Head Athletic Trainer and Assistant Athletic Director. He served as Interim Athletic Director from 1991 to 1993, when he was named Associ-

from everyone he met along the way. “My experiences as an athletic trainer taught me to practice good time management, be well-organized, deal with different kinds of people, build bridges, and work through problems in a non-confrontational manner,” he says. “Participation in SWATA taught me how to conduct meetings, speak to groups of people, and get comfortable in a leadership role. In making the transition to administration, I also needed to overcome my weaknesses, like fundraising and fiscal management, which I’ve done by working

6 3

T&C april 2009

BEATING BURNOUT By 2006, when Jeff Cassella was named Athletic Trainer of the Year by the Ohio Athletic Trainers’ Association, he had already begun thinking about athletic administration. In his 15th year as

Every day, Cassella spent time in the principal’s office, taking on a wide range of administrative tasks and working closely with his mentor ... When the athletic director suddenly retired, Cassella was the obvious choice to replace him. with good business managers and providing effective documentation for everything I do. “The first time I served as Interim Athletic Director, I thought I was ready, but I really wasn’t,” he continues. “The experience helped a lot in preparing me for the position, and after that first time, I had the opportunity to work

Without any academic training in athletic administration, Carlon credits fellow administrators for giving him the confidence to grow on the job. He learned to lead with his strengths, surround himself with people who were strong in areas where he was weak, and absorb as much as he could. ate Athletic Director/Director of Sports Medicine. In 1996, he began his second term as Interim Athletic Director, and was formally elevated to Athletic Director later that year, where he has remained ever since. Along the way, Carlon also moved up the ranks of the Southwest Athletic Trainers’ Association (SWATA), working as a task force member, committee co-chair, convention host, district director, and executive board president. Without any academic training in athletic administration, Carlon credits the support of fellow administrators for giving him the confidence to grow on the job. He learned to lead with his strengths, surround himself with people who were strong in areas where he was weak, and absorb as much as he could

es. “Before starting my move, I thought long and hard about the decision, because athletic training was my first love. I decided that this way, I could advance the respect people have for the profession of athletic training. I’ve tried to be a role model, and that’s what made me move in this direction full-time.”

closely with the new athletic director. I needed to continue maturing as an administrator and learn about making the best choices. After I served as interim AD for the second time, I felt much more comfortable. I felt prepared to take on the full responsibility.” In the 16 years since his last job as an athletic trainer, Carlon has maintained his certification and occasionally provides event coverage. He misses the interpersonal relationships athletic trainers have with players, but is proud to be on a first-name basis with all the university’s student-athletes, and encourages other athletic trainers to consider administration as a career goal. “If you have a passion for athletic training, you can carry that same passion over to administration,” he advis-

Head Athletic Trainer and Health and Physical Education Instructor at Mentor High, he was working long hours and the routines of the job had started getting old for him. He wondered whether he was burning out. He already had a master’s degree in sports management, so to expand his options, he finished his licensure in educational administration, which meant doing a semester-long internship with his principal. Every day, Cassella spent time in the principal’s office, taking on a wide range of administrative tasks and working closely with his mentor. One year later, when the athletic director suddenly retired, Cassella was the obvious choice to replace him. “I grew up around athletics—my father spent 30 years as a high school athletic director—and I felt pretty confident I’d enjoy the job,” he says. “Interning with my principal helped showcase my skills and develop my leadership style, and when the athletic director job opened up, the timing was right and I was ready. “The hours and the time commitment are close to what I expected, but after 17 years, to go from working alongside coaches to being their boss felt very different,” continues Cassella. “I still approach them as a co-worker— someone they can come to with questions, just like when I was an athletic trainer. But there’s no denying that I evaluate them, handle their budgets, and ultimately make decisions that affect their jobs. And the hardest part of TRAINING-CONDITIONING.COM

LEADERSHIP the transition is having to look somebody in the eye and tell them ‘no.’” In his toughest day on the job, Cassella had to fire a coach he’d worked with for years. It wasn’t easy, but he was as straightforward as possible, just as his mentors had advised. In two years at his new job, Cassella has relied on the support of past and present athletic directors in the region, along with his administrative assistants, coaches, the principal, and his father and family. “I took over at a very busy time of year, and those first two months were a blur,” says Cassella. “On my first full day, I walked into our league meeting and met a roomful of athletic directors for the first time. They began rattling off information while I filled up four pages with notes. “By the time I left, I knew I had the support of every other athletic director in my league,” he continues. “Whenever a question came up, I knew I had the principal’s ear, and that the previous athletic director was glad to be my lifeline.” Cassella expects many more challenges in the future, but the second

year on the job has proven much easier than the first. He added bowling as the school’s 22nd varsity sport, and though he doesn’t plan to make a lot of major changes, every day he works is another day the athletic program comes closer to his vision. “I miss having contact with studentathletes and the camaraderie of the athletic training room,” says Cassella, who continues to maintain his athletic training certification. “But I don’t miss the daily grind of working three or four hours after school every night. I’m running one of the biggest high school athletic departments in Ohio, and my goal is to make it the best I can. I love my job, and I can see myself staying here until I retire.” BEST OF BOTH WORLDS In 2004, Todd Fuhrmann, ATC, NASMPES, arrived at Indian River High School in Dagsboro, Del., as Head Athletic Trainer and Strength and Conditioning Coach. Three years later, when the athletic director stepped down, Fuhrmann proposed creating a new job that would allow him to keep his athletic training

responsibilities while also taking over as Athletic Director at Indian River and Selbyville Middle School, located nine miles away. It took five months for Fuhrmann and the school district to finalize the agreement, and in November 2007, he went to work juggling his new duties—plus teaching three sports medicine classes and a weightlifting class at the high school. “Combining athletic administration and athletic training is something I’ve always wanted to do,” says Fuhrmann. “When the position came open, I hardly had to think about it. The combination feels very natural to me.” The keys to wearing so many hats, says Fuhrmann, are time management and organization. He keeps a master schedule on his PDA, completes his athletic director responsibilities by 3 p.m., and focuses on athletic training for the rest of the afternoon and evening. He works about 15 hours a day, five days a week, and is helped by student athletic training aides and a former athletic trainer who teaches at the middle school. Now in his second year as athletic director and his sixth as athletic trainer,

Hamstring Support System New! Hammy Series Models 1530 & 1530S The traditional Stromgren 75% Nylon, 25% Lycra, Model 1550 compression shorts, but with a neoprene liner in the back of each leg. These products are designed to keep the athlete’s hamstring muscle warm during any athletic activity by holding their natural body heat next to the skin.

Hamstring Muscles Neoprene Prevents Heat Escape

The Model 1530S comes standard with two 6" wide, removable straps that can be pulled around the leg to give additional hamstring or groin support. The adjustable straps are held in place with a velcro fastening system.

1530 without straps

1530S with straps

Velcro fastener

Stock Colors: Black & White, 1530S straps are the same color as the compression pant. Custom Colors Not Available. Stock Sizes: Adult S-4XL Youth Not Available

Available exclusively at your team sporting goods dealer or sports medicine supplier.

(Patent pending)

For more information email info@stromgren.com or go to www.stromgren.com Circle No. 131

bial Anti-Micro Fabric

LEADERSHIP Fuhrmann is growing used to following district protocols, attending meetings, scheduling games, supervising coaches, responding to parents, and maintaining budgets. He’s spent much of the last year attending workshops, asking for help from other athletic directors in his region, and reading books and magazine articles about athletic directing. “The best advice I got on doing this job is to just be myself,” says Fuhrmann. “I’m very strong-willed and organized, and I know how to gain the respect of people around me. And when roadblocks come up, I’m creative enough to find ways around them.”

letic departments and athletic training rooms were male,” says Baker-Watson. “I had resigned myself to believe I just couldn’t do certain things in that environment. But when I became involved in NACWAA, I realized that working with a group of female administrators was about finding ways to support one another and help each other grow. “I had underestimated the idea of creating relationships with women in the workplace,” she continues. “I was convinced that men made all the decisions, so why network with women? Instead, I found the people who have become my greatest resources.”

“It’s rewarding in a different way from being an athletic trainer, because not only do you see kids succeed after injuries, you see them carry that success off the field, to the classroom, and into the rest of their lives.” To avoid burnout, he works out regularly and spends weekends and summers recharging with his wife, who is also an athletic trainer. Ultimately, he’d like to pursue an online graduate degree in sports management, which could lead to a collegiate position as either an athletic trainer or administrator. Until then, he’s happy to stay where he is. “If I keep a positive outlook about where I am and where I’m headed, I can keep this going for a good long while,” he says. “It’s rewarding in a different way from being an athletic trainer, because not only do you see kids succeed after injuries, you see them carry that success off the field, to the classroom, and into the rest of their lives.” BIG DECISIONS Back in high school, when Stevie BakerWatson worked as an athletic training student aide, no one suggested she look beyond athletic training for a career. At Ohio University, where she earned her bachelor’s in athletic training in 1996, Baker-Watson took just one course in sports administration to fulfill her major requirement. Then, after working in the profession for six years, she attended her first NCAA Gender Equity and Issues Forum, followed by her first National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) meeting. It changed her life. “I knew the ‘old boys network’ existed, because everywhere I looked, the people running ath 8 3

T&C april 2009

In 2002, her third year as Head Athletic Trainer at Aurora University, Baker-Watson took on a dual appointment as Senior Woman Administrator. She oversaw event management, coordinated the CHAMPS/Life Skills program, worked with the student-athlete advisory committee, handled gender

expertise in finance, personnel, facilities, and academics. She’s grown used to meeting people who are surprised to hear about her background in sports medicine, and after more than a year at North Central, Baker-Watson still feels the need to prove herself every day. “As athletic trainers, we’re judged by how student-athletes respond to our treatment,” she says. “As an administrator, I’m judged according to what I say and do, which is a change. It can be challenging, but I find that if I work through my decisions the way I always have—by gathering enough data and thinking through different points of view—people don’t care that I came from a sports medicine background.” Ultimately, Baker-Watson dreams of pursuing a law degree and becoming an athletic director, but at this point, she’s so pleased with her job and worklife balance that she’s happy to remain at North Central. “My family is in this area, so I don’t see myself moving away any time soon,” she says. “There are times when I’m on the road quite a bit, and I know my children struggle with that, but we make up for it in other ways. If you ask my daughter what she wants to be when she grows up, she’ll say, ‘An athletic trainer,’ which makes

“If there’s something you want, ask for it. Ask to do things that fall outside your usual routine. Ask if you can plan a project or be involved with initiatives that go beyond your current responsibilities as athletic trainer. In the end, it’s really about having confidence.” equity issues, and supervised athletic marketing and promotion. In 2007, Baker-Watson completed her transformation to full-time administrator at nearby North Central College in Naperville, Ill., where she currently serves as Assistant Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator. “I realized my passions extend beyond athletic training,” says BakerWatson. “I saw skills that would lend themselves to the athletic department in general, and even though I miss being an athletic trainer—especially the feeling of pride when you help a studentathlete return to the field—I love being in administration.” Today, Baker-Watson attends as many conferences as she can, where she actively seeks out mentors with

me feel I’ve been a good role model. So while I would love to be an athletic director, I’m willing to wait for just the right opportunity.” Her advice to other athletic trainers—especially women—who are considering the move to administration is simple: “If there’s something you want, ask for it,” she says. “Ask to do things that fall outside your usual routine. Ask if you can plan a project or be involved with initiatives that go beyond your current responsibilities as athletic trainer. “In the end, it’s really about having confidence,” she adds. “Even if 80 percent of the people you see around the table are white males, as a woman, you need to speak up and make clear that you’re ready to sit at the big table and make the big decisions.” n TRAINING-CONDITIONING.COM

Leading-Edge Training for the Sport and Tactical Athlete Mark D. Stephenson, MS, CSCS,*D, ATC Jay Dawes, MS, CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D Katie Krall, LMT, CSCS*D For elite athletes, cultivating peak functional fitness can mean the difference between winning and losing. The same is true for tactical athletes like Special Operations Forces (SOF) and elite law enforcement personnel (SWAT) where the stakes are substantially higher and failure is not an option. But whether we are training athletes to perform their best on the playing field or on the battlefield, at the NSCA’s Human Performance Center (HPC) we rely upon the same leading-edge training methodologies. One of these methodologies is Suspension Training®. With the athlete’s hands or feet “suspended” with equipment such as the TRX® Suspension Trainer TM, you can effectively build functional strength, core stability and enhance mobility with hundreds of ground-based, multi-joint movements. The TRX® allows us to leverage principles of physics such as gravity, fulcrums and force vectors, so we are able to program full body exercises and functional movement patterns that mimic those used during tactical operations or on the playing field. In addition, Suspension Training® exercises can easily be scaled to accommodate athletes at any level of ability or fitness. The user can precisely control resistance from between 5% and 100%+ of their body weight simply by shifting their body position and angle. And because there are no weights to change, transitioning between exercises is quick making for an incredibly time efficient workout. Not only is Suspension Training® effective, it is also very practical. The TRX® is highly portable weighing less than 2 lbs and sets up in under a minute. So now, even if our athletes can’t make it to the gym because they are on a road trip or on deployment, they can still complete a full strength and conditioning workout. At the NSCA’s HPC we apply Suspension Training® to a broad spectrum of workouts, ranging from high intensity circuits to recovery work. Below are several examples of the exercises we utilize with our athletes. All of these exercises can be applied to any athlete in any sport to improve core strength and high intensity endurance.

Atomic Pushups

START: In pushup position, both feet in straps. EXECUTION: Perform a pushup, immediately lift hips up and pull both knees toward chest then return to start. Repeat for desired number of repetitions

Figure 1 Atomic Pushups Beginning Position

Side Plank with Rotation

Figure 2 Atomic Pushup

START: In prone position with toes in straps, bridge into side plank using forearm for support, extend other arm upward. EXECUTION: Lift hips up, slowly reach the extended arm under body and “tap” ground then return to start keeping shoulders, hips and ankles aligned.

Figure 4: Side Plank Position

Figure 3 Atomic Pushups Knee Tuck

Split Squat with Chop

START: In split stance, place trail foot in TRX® straps (single handle mode). EXECUTION: While holding a medicine ball over the shoulder, perform a single leg squat and chop the medicine ball diagonally across the body. Repeat with each leg. Assume a split stance and place the trail foot in the straps of the TRX® (single handle mode).

Figure 5: Side Plank with Reach

Hamstring Curl

START: Push heels directly down into straps, bridge up with arms stretched to sides. EXECUTION: Bend knees, pull heels toward buttocks.

Figure 8: Split Squat with Chop Beginning Position

Figure 6: Hamstring Curl Beginning Position

Figure 9: Split Squat with Chop Ending Position

Figure 7: Hamstring Curl Ending Position

Mark D. Stephenson, MS, CSCS,*D, ATC is in his fifth year as the Director for the NSCA Human Performance Center. Coach Stephenson is responsible for and oversees all strength, conditioning, development, and program design of all resident and tactical athletes.

Jay Dawes, M.S., CSCS, NSCA-CPT*D, is currently the Education Director for the National Strength and Conditioning Association and assistant coach in the Human Performance Center

Katie Krall, CSCS, LMT, Katie is the Coordinator/ Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the NSCA Human Performance Center.

Circle No. 132

optimum performance

A Mat for All Seasons Athletes in any sport can benefit from the balance, flexibility, muscle control, and mindfulness developed through Pilates. With just a few basic supplies, you can implement a regimen that improves performance and overall health. By Kerrie Lee Brown

he growing popularity of Pilates as a tool for enhancing athletic performance is no accident. More and more athletes are adopting Pilates because it’s a versatile way to train without overstressing the body, the benefits are well documented by research, and, quite simply, users say the results speak for themselves. So why isn’t every athletic program taking advantage of what Pilates has to offer? One reason may be the belief that Pilates involves very intricate moves only dancers can execute, or that it requires large equipment that’s bulky, expensive, and hard to obtain. But in reality, while Pilates can involve complex movements and can be performed with the help of machines like a Reformer, neither is a necessity. Pilates is a holistic approach to movement, muscle development, and concentration, and it includes a broad Kerrie Lee Brown is the Vice President for Communications at STOTT PILATES ®®. She has written on health and fitness topics for more than 10 years, and can be reached at: kerrielee.brown@stottpilates.com. TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

STOTT PILATES® photography © Merrithew Corp. T&C APRIL 2009

optimum performance spectrum of activities—some of which require only a few basic props, such as toning balls, bands or straps, and mats. Pilates offers many physical and mental health and performance advantages. Once you see how easy it is to introduce basic Pilates exercises to your athletes, you might consider making it a part of

awareness, creating new insight into the connection between the physical and psychological components of movement, strength, and agility. Athletes achieve this through a focus on breathing, concentration during movement, and engaging multiple body systems simultaneously.

Pilates also complements weight training by enhancing functional movement through coordinated exercises that target both the core muscles and local stabilizers. These are key for promoting joint stability. their performance enhancement, injury prevention, and conditioning programs. If you do, I’m confident that before long, your athletes will thank you for it. WHY PILATES WORKS Athletic success depends on a unique balance of mental and physical skills. But how often does a traditional training program address the mental side of athletic performance? Part of the value of Pilates is that it enables athletes to develop greater mind-body

Pilates develops an athlete’s kinesthetic awareness, or where the body is in relation to itself and the world around it. That may sound like an abstract concept, but it’s an essential component of every move we make. Athletes with a greater understanding of how their body travels through planes of movement have an advantage over their opponents in efficiency, balance, and coordination. Pilates also complements weight training by enhancing function-

al movement through coordinated exercises that target both the core muscles and local stabilizers. These are key for promoting joint stability, which is often compromised by repetitive high-demand training. The coordination and awareness athletes gain through Pilates can improve their movement control, leading to enhanced performance. Furthermore, the focus on postural alignment in Pilates reduces unnecessary strain on the muscles and joints. Specific strengthening exercises help balance opposing pairs of muscles that support the joints, and once athletes incorporate these concepts into their training regimen, virtually every aspect of conditioning becomes more effective and healthier. John Garey, owner of John Garey Pilates in Los Angeles and a STOTT PILATES® Master Instructor Trainer, has worked with many competitive athletes, including members of the USA Rugby national team. He says athletes who start using Pilates often tell him it makes them think about the body and its function in a whole new way,

Intensify your Training Improve Performance and Results with STOTT PILATES

Our unique Athletic Conditioning programs include a series of DVDs and workshops designed for the elite athlete.

To view exclusive athletic conditioning clips visit: www.stottpilates.com/elitecoaching

To order your DVDs today: 42

visit www.stottpilates.com or call 1-800-910-0001 ext 250

Circle No. 133

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

optimum performance which translates into improved performance. “Whether they’re cyclists, golfers, or rugby players, athletes find they transfer what they’ve learned in the Pilates studio to their sport—often subconsciously,” Garey says. “They find themselves thinking more about their ‘center,’ or core. “Pilates makes athletes get back in touch with their basic training principles,” Garey continues. “The benefits are absolutely amazing—they experience increased power, strength, and mobility.” Another reason for implementing Pilates is the way it enhances injury rehabilitation protocols. Matt Nichol, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs, says Pilates teaches rehabbing athletes to be more mindful of their movements—integrating their pelvis, trunk, and shoulder girdle in a safe, progressive system. “Pilates can be a very effective supplement to an injury rehabilitation program,” Nichol says. “It provides athletes with a challenging workout without excessive impact or weight bearing.” Injuries such as torn ligaments or the breakdown of joint structures like the meniscus are normally caused by an extrinsic factor (a collision or sudden pivot) or an intrinsic factor (repetitive strain or overtraining). An athlete will often compensate for lost function in an injured area through movements that disrupt the proper sequencing of their neuromuscular system. If the deeper stabilizing systems do not fire properly, big muscles are recruited to do the work of small muscles. By emphasizing movement efficiency and stabilization, Pilates addresses this problem. Pilates can assist in injury prevention as well. The exercises in a Pilates workout develop core strength while promoting a controlled lengthening of the muscles. They enhance the overall flexibility of the lower back, hamstrings, and shoulders—three body areas where injury is often linked directly or indirectly to a deficit in range of motion. Finally, Pilates heavily emphasizes breathing, which provides athletes with a physical and mental edge. Whether it’s a basketball player preparing for a clutch free throw, a swimmer hoping to optimize the timing and depth of her breaths, or a golfer looking for an extra measure of focus and concentra-

tion while putting, greater awareness of breathing developed through Pilates can pay important dividends in virtually any activity. HITTING THE MAT Now, let’s get into some specific Pilates exercises that can benefit athletes. Each exercise described below requires no advanced Pilates training or knowledge, and the equipment can be found in almost any fitness or athlete development facility. Ab Prep. This exercise challenges all

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

three levels of abdominal muscles: the local stabilizers, global stabilizers, and global mobilizers. The athlete begins lying on their back with feet hip-distance apart and flat on the mat, with the spine in a neutral position. Toning balls, roughly the size of apples and weighing one, two, or three pounds, are placed under each hand with the palms facing down. (See Figure One on page 45.) As the athlete inhales, they nod their head forward slightly. As they exhale, they curl the upper body off

We provide the tools, you provide the results

Together we can... • Gain Strength • Increase Speed • Boost Power • Improve Quickness • Achieve Success • STOP the competition

www.spriproducts.com 800-222-7774

Circle No. 134 T&C APRIL 2009

Untitled-4 1

1/21/08 12:23:42 PM

optimum performance the mat until they can see their toes without pressing the lower back into the floor. They simultaneously let the toning balls roll toward their feet as their hands move forward. On the second inhalation they hold this position, then while exhaling, slowly lower the shoulders and head back to the mat and roll the toning balls back to their original position near the hips. In this exercise, the hands on the toning balls allow for a more neutral position of the shoulder joint, providing a proprioceptive tool to engage the shoulder musculature. It also challenges upper-body strength while relaxing the hip flexors, which are well developed in many athletes, but often too

base of support by creating instability. As the arm is challenged in extension, the upper spine extends, and the movement strengthens the latissimus dorsi and posterior deltoid. In addition, by observing the athlete during this exercise, you can easily see strength imbalances between the left and right sides of the body, since the base of support is unstable. Obliques Prep. This exercise focuses on strengthening the rectus abdominis to bring the upper body into flexion. The athlete begins lying on their back with knees up (femurs at roughly a 45degree angle from the ground) and feet flat on the mat. The spine is neutral, feet are hip-distance apart, and hands

As the arm is challenged in extension, the upper spine extends, and the movement strengthens the latissimus dorsi and posterior deltoid. In addition, by observing the athlete during this exercise, you can easily see strength imbalances between the left and right sides of the body.

Circle No. 135 Â4 4

T&C APRIL 2009

tight to support optimal movement. Breast Stroke Prep. This exercise strengthens the upper-back erector spinae without overworking the lowerback musculature. The athlete begins lying on their stomach, legs slightly apart, with the front of the hips flat on the mat and their nose hovering slightly off the ground. The elbows are bent so that the hands are near the shoulders on either side of the mat, with palms down. Once again, each hand is placed on a toning ball. (See Figure Two at right.) On the first inhalation, the athlete stabilizes their shoulder blades and contracts their abdominal muscles, creating a slight arch with the upper body while keeping the hands and toning balls still and the bottom ribs in contact with the floor. As they exhale, they maintain this spine position and move the hands forward and outward (rolling the toning balls underneath), away from the torso. On the second inhalation, they bring the hands and toning balls back in, still maintaining the upper-back arch and shoulder stability. While exhaling, they lower the upper body and return to the starting position. The toning ball under each hand challenges the shoulder girdle as the

are behind the head. A toning ball is held between the knees. (See Figure Three at right.) As the athlete inhales, they nod the head slightly forward. Then while exhaling, they curl their upper body off the mat, rotating the left shoulder toward the right knee. On the second inhalation, they lower the body to the starting position, then repeat the movement with the opposite shoulder while exhaling. The hands behind the head in this exercise create a longer lever, which increases the challenge to the abdominals while supporting the head and neck in a neutral position. The obliques are strengthened as the spine rotates, and the toning ball between the knees strengthens the adductor muscles at the same time. The upper spine is forced through two planes of motion while the pelvis is challenged to remain neutral, a movement pattern that increases biomechanical efficiency. Hip Rolls. In this exercise, sequential articulation of the spine begins at the spineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s base, thus challenging coordination and neuromuscular facilitation. Like in the Obliques Prep, the athlete begins with knees off the ground and feet hip-distance apart, but this time, a toning ball is placed under the arch TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

optimum performance of each foot. The spine is neutral and arms are at the sides, with the hands near each hip, palms down. (See Figure Four on page 46.) The athlete inhales without moving, then while exhaling, they start at the tailbone and slowly peel the spine off the mat until the torso is in line with the femurs and body weight is resting between the shoulder blades. On the second inhalation, the athlete keeps tight abdominals and holds the position. While exhaling, the spine slowly returns to the mat from the top down, as the athlete returns to

the start position. This exercise provides an excellent strength, mobility, and stability challenge by placing the toning ball under each foot—the muscles of the foot, ankle, knee, and hip must work to maintain a neutral position. Meanwhile, the back extensors lengthen, which trains balance in the posterior musculature. Side Bend Prep. To work the lateral musculature and strengthen the deltoids, obliques, and gluteus medius, side bends are invaluable. For this exercise, the athlete begins sitting on

Figure One: Ab Prep

Pilates EXO™ Chair The Perfect Athletic Training Tool Strength. Flexibility. Injury Prevention. The EXO Chair from Balanced Body is the only Pilates Chair that builds strength and provides a full-body Pilates workout, increasing flexibility and decreasing chance of injury. All within a small footprint.

Figure Two: Breast Stroke Prep

Keep your athletes on the field and out of the training room – add the EXO Chair to your conditioning program today.

Call 1-800-PILATES (800-745-2837) or visit www.pilates.com.

Figure Three: Obliques Prep TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

Circle No. 136 T&C APRIL 2009

optimum performance

finer points When putting athletes through the exercises described in this article, and any other Pilates exercises, remember these points of emphasis. • Breathing. Make sure your athletes breathe through each movement. In any exercise, holding one’s breath has detrimental effects. Breathing consistently increases oxygen supply to the muscle, reduces strain, and promotes fluid movement. • Alignment. No matter what part of the body is working, the entire body should maintain the best alignment possible. If body segments are misaligned, tension increases and individual joints and muscles are more susceptible to stress. • Visual focus. Keeping eyes focused forward helps ensure that the head and neck are properly aligned. This reduces neck and shoulder tension, improves mental focus, and can also help alleviate neural issues in the upper body.

Figure Four: Hip Rolls

• Less is more. Slow, controlled movements are sometimes harder to perform, but patience is a virtue and control is important. Performing exercises deliberately allows greater focus and helps ensure that each movement is executed correctly.

their right hip, with their right hand on the mat. The knees are bent and together, and the top forearm rests against the top thigh, with the hand holding a toning ball. While the spine feels out of alignment in this position, the shoulder blades should be held stable. (See Figure Five at right.) After inhaling without moving, the athlete exhales while lifting the lower hip off the mat, distributing their weight evenly between the hand on the mat and the lower knee. They contract the inner thighs, abs, and glutes, and extend the top arm (with the toning ball in-hand) over the head. Then, while inhaling, the athlete slowly lowers back to the starting position. This movement is performed an equal number of times on each side. Beyond the strength benefits, this exercise improves flexibility and range of motion. It also challenges the shoulder girdle, stabilizers, and mobilizers. IMPLEMENTATION Athletes new to Pilates may be surprised at how challenging these movements are, and you can adjust the number of reps in response to their feedback. A typical session might use the five exercises described above as a warmup routine, with the athlete completing five to eight repetitions of each. During Obliques Prep and Side Bend 46

T&C APRIL 2009

Prep, lateral symmetry is important, so be sure the athlete performs the same number of reps on each side. An ideal warmup prepares both the mind and body to act succinctly to create movement. A Pilates progression achieves this by activating all the major muscle groups, joint structures, and energy systems, while instilling a focus on controlled movement, breathing, and mental focus. It also lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow, which increases cardiac output. These and other Pilates exercises can be used beyond warmup as well, and the best guide is an athlete’s performance goals. For instance, if you’ve identified weak shoulder stabilizers as one athlete’s problem, you might prescribe the Side Bend Prep and similar variants that engage the shoulder musculature. Meanwhile, an athlete who struggles with balance and coordination might use a series of Pilates movements that, like Hip Rolls, emphasize overcoming instability. As a prelude to strength training, Pilates can target joint stabilization before loading begins. An athlete who trains eccentric strength in this way will have an easier time with deceleration movements during strength training, and enjoy better overall joint control.

Figure Five: Side Bend Prep When mind and body work in full coordination, athletes achieve large gains in strength, skill, neuromuscular balance, and biomechanical efficiency. In addition, the enhanced body awareness and mental acuity they develop through Pilates can provide a performance edge they never expected. By incorporating mat work into your athletes’ training regimens, they’ll find that even the simplest movements can have profound effects. n

To view full references for this article, go to: www.Training-Conditioning.com/ references. TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

Big Results, Small Footprint: Pilates Equipment for

Space-challenged Trainers The Pilates principles of core strength and increased flexibility have made it an invaluable conditioning tool for competitive athletes all over the world. The number of professional teams in the NBA, MLB, NFL, and NHL using Pilates as a critical adjunct to their strength and conditioning program continues to rapidly escalate. Pilates has been proven to increase agility and balance while also helping to correct muscle imbalances that frequently occur with athletes as they repeat the same moves over an over again. Therefore, it has become a “go-to” method of exercise for athletic trainers looking to keep an athlete on the field and performing at maximum efficiency. However, for trainers looking to implement Pilates-based strength and conditioning program there is a potential obstacle space. Do you have enough floor space to start an effective program? Five years ago that question might have been hard to answer. Nowadays there are several space saving pieces of equipment that make it easy (and in many cases more affordable) for a trainer to implement a Pilates training program. These include:

Reformer

This is the most popular piece of Pilates equipment. The Reformer is a gliding carriage attached to rails inside a rectangular frame. The carriage is connected to springs, with pulleys and ropes attached to the frame. Exercises are done lying supine or prone, or sitting or kneeling on the carriage. The client pushes off the footbar or pulls on the straps, using the arms, legs, wrists and ankles. Reformers are a fairly big piece of Plates equipment. Today, though, many manufacturers have developed Reformers that can stand on end or stack for easier storage. Some also have wheels on the foot-end of the Reformer to help facilitate portability.

Reformers can be stored stacked or standing on end.

Reformer Trapeze Combination

The Pilates Reformer / Trapeze Combination (RTC) is ideal for space-challenged fa-

cilities, as it combines a complete Reformer with a Trapeze Table (a.k.a. the Cadillac). The Trap Table allows athletes to challenge themselves with exercises done in multiple planes of motion.

Reformer with Tower

This piece of equipment is similar to the RTC, as it also combines the Reformer and the Trapeze Table. In this case, however, the “Cadillac” portion is limited to a single “tower” on one end. The Reformer is hidden underneath two remov- Towers can be added to Reformers and able tabletop then folded back onto the Reformer for easy storage. mats, and greatly increases the amount of exercises that can be done. In addition, on some Reformers the Tower component can be folded onto the Reformer frame, making for easier storage possibilities.

Pilates Chair

Chairs provide a challenging strength Pilates workout for athletes within a small floor space footprint. They resemble a stool with single or split steps at the bottom. Some manufacturers have now redesigned the Pilates Chair to include attachments for resistance bands, creating a workout that Pilates Chairs can provide a full-body touches evworkout within a small physical footprint. ery muscle group from every angle. This lets users do many of the exercises on the Chair that you could formerly do only on a Reformer or Cadillac but in a fraction of the space. Chairs are also lightweight and easy to stack and store.

Springboards

Springboards are an affordable, space-saving piece of Pilates equipment that can provide an invigorating full-body workout. The Springboard bolts to the wall, so it doesn’t take up floor space. You can mount several Springboards along a wall or you can move a Reformer against the Springboard, giving it the capabilities of a Tower.

Pilates Arc™

Also known as a Step Barrel, Arcs are a versatile, lightweight, and low-cost piece of equipment. Designed for personal training, or group exercise programs, the Pilates Arc is basically three durable, lightweight exercise tools in one:

Arcs are a versatile and space-saving piece of Pilates equipment.

A classic Spine Corrector. An exercise Arc. With a gentle curve on one side and a steeper curve on the other, its asymmetrical shape is extremely versatile for different uses and body types. A wedge for your Reformer. Slide it onto the shoulder rests, and use it to provide back support and stability for a variety of strength and mobility challenges.

Where to buy?

Here is a list of the major Pilates equipment manufacturers. Many also provide educational training for athletic trainers.

Balanced Body http://www.pilates.com Gratz Pilates http://www.gratzpilates.com Peak Pilates http://www.peakpilates.com Stott Pilates http://www.stottpilates.com

Daniel Wilson is a freelance writer specializing in fitness related articles.

Circle No. 137

sport specific

UNIV. OF OREGON MEDIA RELATIONS

TRENCH WARRIORS Players who man the line of scrimmage are a special breed requiring their own unique conditioning approach. At the University of Oregon, that means a year-round regimen focused on explosive power, strength, speed, and agility.

By James Radcliffe

hile the game of football seems to grow more complex every year, our philosophy for training high-level players at the University of Oregon remains basic and we stick to simple, time-tested principles. After all, selecting exercises and establishing schedules of sets and reps is important, but it’s the athletes’ commitment to training as elite competitors and maximizing their football ability that determines the success of our program. That said, we put immense effort and time into planning our strength and conditioning program to ensure that it TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

maximizes on-field results. Basic does not mean easy, and that is especially evident in our program for the players in the trenches—the linemen, tight ends, and linebackers. For these “big men,” our overarching goals are to build explosive power and maximize functional agility, and we use a broad range of strategies to achieve them. A successful strength program isn’t just about the exercises you choose, it’s also about making those exercises fit together like pieces of a puzzle. With that in mind, virtually all of our football strength and conditioning work utilizes a progressionbased model geared toward optimizing performance on game day.

GOALS AND CHALLENGES For the players in the trenches, being more powerful means getting out of a stance more quickly, accelerating, forcefully engaging an opponent, and finishing that engagement efficiently. We break our long-term goal of developing explosive power into three components: functional strength, directional speed, and transitional agility. When working with the big men up James Radcliffe, MS, is the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Oregon, where he works closely with the Ducks’ football team. He can be reached at: jradclif@uoregon.edu. T&C APRIL 2009

sport specific front, it is easy to focus on the functional strength element, but directional speed and transitional agility are equally important and often overlooked. Even linemen who are gifted with natural straight-ahead speed are extremely limited if they cannot apply that speed in any direction. Along the line of scrimmage, it’s essential to be able to accelerate from a dead stop, decelerate, change direction, and re-accelerate seamlessly. Before any player in the trenches can control an opponent, he must first know how to control himself. One major challenge to training our line players is their larger bone structure and greater body fat. Since athletes with leaner body mass tend to improve at a faster rate and with a lower volume of work, planning a schedule of activity, rest, and recovery days must be approached differently than for running backs, defensive backs, and other traditional skill positions. For instance, we have found that linemen adapt better to a two days on/one day off/two days on/ weekend off schedule, while skill position groups can handle five consecutive days of work.

T&C APRIL 2009

Big, long-limbed, top-heavy athletes also tend to have postural problems and limitations when it comes to “hinging” at the hip, so they often bend over from the lower back, rather than truly bending downward by flexing at the hip, knee, and ankle. Because players on the line must frequently move out of a down stance, this tendency leads to chronic problems with the hamstrings, groin, knees, and lower back, so it needs constant attention. In addition to postural and performance issues like these, the popularity of strength training in a lying or sitting position (for instance, bench presses and biceps curls) can hinder overall mobility by creating imbalances between the upper front of the body and the back and lower body. Therefore, proper progression may not always start from scratch, but rather, from some point further behind. Sometimes the first step is not training, but retraining. PLANNED PROGRESSIONS The bedrock of training for our players in the trenches is our progression of exercises that develop strength, speed,

Circle No. 138

and agility. We start with simple exercises, and once those are mastered, move on to more complex ones. Strength. Core: Stabilizing the core in a gymnastic manner helps prepare athletes to handle their own body weight. We make core work a component of almost all our workouts, utilizing exercises such as crawls, V-style torso flexions, rolls, pedestals, balances, walkovers, handstands, and twists. Pulls: Initially, we use exercises that emphasize range of motion at the hip and engage the low back and hamstrings, such as good mornings, back extensions, and deadlift progressions. Then we move to exercises utilizing more of the torso, including the hips and shoulders, such as clean and snatch progressions. These exercises are essential for producing greater force and center of gravity projection via extension and recovery, which is one of the most difficult athletic endeavors in any sport. Squats: We use squats as a form of technical and developmental work designed to increase mobility from the low-hip power position. Overhead progressions for squatting and lunging movements

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

sport specific

IN-SEASON SESSIONS The following schedule shows an example of a weekly training plan we might follow during the football season. Monday

Wednesday

Slide boards, 2x30 sec.

Pillar of Strength A (butterfly rolls, hurdler rolls, med ball walking twists, handstands, duck walks)

Pillar of Strength B (back walkovers, reversals, lean/pull/push, sickles, single-leg balance squats)

Speed hand/speed bag, 2x20 sec.

Hanging knee raises, 2x20

Hanging-leg crossovers, 2x12

DB row, curl, press, 2x5

Back extensions, 2x12

DB snatch and squat, 2x5 Snatch pulls from blocks, 4x5

RDL/military press/overhead lunge complex, 3x6

Front squats, 4x5

Power clean/front lunge complex, 5x2

Good mornings and behind neck, 2x5

Bench press/pull-up complex, 5x5

45-degree lunges, 2x6

Press and overhead squats

DB rows, 3x8

Push jerks, 4x3

Split snatch (high blocks), 3x4

Jump rope routine, 3x20

Incline-crossbar pull-ups, 3x6

Explosive step-ups, 3x4

Finger and grip work, 2x2

Lying posterior flies, 3x8

Split jerks, 3x2

Rotator flies, 2x8

Speed feet routine, 3x7 sec.

Friday Pillar of Strength C (flexions, extensions, rotations, pedestal progressions: prone, supine, side to side) Hanging jackknives, 2x10

Play Now. Pay Later. Play Now. Pay Later.

Get your team ready for the Get your team ready for the long season. Use Rogers long season. Use Rogers equipment now and pay on a equipment now best and pay on a schedule that’s for you. schedule that’s best for you. Call a Rogers representative Callmore a Rogers representative for information: for more information:

888-782-4302 888-782-4302 RogersAthletic.com RogersAthletic.com

TRED SLED TRED SLED

DRIVE SLED DRIVE SLED

POWER SQUAT PRO POWER SQUAT PRO

Circle No. 139

™ ™

sport specific move from front to back bar placement. Lunge progressions begin from straightstep repetitions and advance to reps at 45-degree angles and finally to a lateral position. Next in the progression are single-leg exercises, including squats and jumps that lead to truly elastic-reactive plyometric-style movements. For players in the trenches, the importance of single-leg power cannot be overstated. Offensive linemen in today’s offenses must be able to generate maximum power while engaging on the move over one foot (and thus a small base of support). The ability to maximize hip extension and projection, then re-accelerate by properly planting a leg back onto the ground, requires a degree of mobility and power that is best developed through single-leg squats, step-ups, lunges, and bounding. The culmination of our leg squat to jump to bound progression comes in the form of landings that serve as transitions to starts, cuts, and changes of direction. Pushes: The progression here begins with traditional presses, like the overhead, incline, and bench. Then, we make the exercises more functional from a mo-

T&C APRIL 2009

bility standpoint by involving the legs and hips in dynamic movements, such as the push press, push jerk, split jerk, and work with logs and medicine balls. Speed and Agility. Starts: The ability to turn and run is neglected in many drills that supposedly train agility, yet mainly just deal with footwork. For players on the line of scrimmage, putting the hips in a position that allows for efficient projection toward the area where a play is to be made, and then having the power to do so, are the keys. All footwork and agility work should enhance players’ ability to move, turn, and project the body to the point of attack. More specifically, any drill that involves projection of the hips in all directions is useful. Starting players from a variety of stances during these drills is especially important, so we use squared, staggered, open step (laterally), and drop step (in the backward direction) positions. The drills themselves include shuffles, skips, backpedaling, and kick-slides. Starting from an open or drop step and moving into a shuffle or kick-slide replicates the actual movement pattern a linebacker or lineman uses most of the time

Circle No. 140

on the field, making it an especially valuable element of this progression. Speed cuts: These are drills that train the ability to cut off of the inside leg at sharper and sharper angles. Eventually, speed cut breaks need to be reaction-oriented based on a stimulus over the inside step that requires the player to redirect his motion. We set up weave drills that imitate slalom courses, which teach the athletes to shift over the inside leg to maintain speed while changing direction, much like a 200-meter sprinter leans into a curve. This is an important skill for defensive linemen in pass rushes and tight ends on quick routes. Power cuts: Power cutting develops the ability to cut off of the outside foot. When making a power cut, some athletes are inclined to take a “false step,” stepping out away from the intended direction, which makes their movement less efficient. That pattern needs to be corrected, as it often indicates a lack of postural stability, balance, or functional leg strength. The goal of power cutting drills is to develop the ability to make cuts over the plant foot, in or-

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

sport specific der to truly distance the hips from the break point. For this type of work, we use shuttle runs, star drills (where the athlete has to run back and forth and out and back at sharp, hard angles), and more slalomstyle drills with cones, bags, or barrels. While cutting, an athlete must drop the hips, plant the outside foot, dip the inside shoulder, and drive the inside (lead) knee in the direction they’re heading. The final element of training players for work in the trenches is increasing their ability to win one-on-one engagements. This determines which side wins the line of scrimmage battle on each play, and usually who wins the game. We use series of movement sequences with certain constraints built in for added challenge, such as hands behind the back, restriction within a five-yard area, or inside a circle or ring. One good example is our “rag” drill, in which a rag or towel is thrown on the ground and one athlete has to keep an opponent from touching it. This can be done with or without boundaries, and with or without the use of hands. We’ll also use a large hoop to engage in sumostyle combat, with two players attempting to force one another outside the ring. Progressions begin without the use of hands, then the use of one arm, and finally more traditional sumo wrestling. This type of training is hard work and very technical, but it’s also fun for the players. They enjoy the unique challenge created by the restrictions and realize that the movement and power skills they develop in these drills will carry over to the field of play.

range of motion, muscular endurance, and hypertrophy. Start and acceleration training is also emphasized during this period, through technique work starting from a variety of stances. The accelerations from forward, lateral, and backward starting positions help to reinforce the proper techniques necessary for deceleration into speed and power cutting mechanics that will be performed in the agility portions of training. The spring period has a shorter muscular buildup phase, with a focus on maximum strength while continuing

SEASONAL PLANNING We split our training calendar into four main parts: the postseason (winter), the off-season (spring), the preseason (summer), and the season. During the first three training periods, we use three main guidelines in developing our workouts: • Exercises that are more dynamic and explosive should precede those geared toward absolute or relative strength. • Train with higher intensity early in the week, tapering to moderate or lighter percentages of load toward the end of the week. • General acceleration work starts the conditioning week, special speed work goes in the middle, and specific work capacities finish off the week. Our lifting through the winter includes longer buildup phases to increase joint

power development. This is also the time when we progress from acceleration to speed by extending the distances covered in our running drills, which also improves speed endurance. During the preseason summer session, we spend most of our conditioning time in power development, with speed and strength training tailored to specific priorities based on identified team needs and goals that change from year to year. This is when the training schedule, including work-to-rest ratios, should most closely reflect practice and game conditions.

Circle No. 141

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

T&C APRIL 2009 Untitled-5 1

9/2/08 3:55:04 PM

sport specific Once the season starts, we change our training guidelines to accommodate the demands players face from daily practices and weekly games. (See “In-Season Sessions” on page 51 for details.) Again we follow a few specific guidelines: • Strength work is performed early in the week, more dynamic work goes in the middle, and elastic-reactive work is saved for the day before a game to aid in “uploading” the nervous system. • We focus on work capacity early in the week, both to boost recovery from the previous week and to establish a base for the new week of training. • In the middle of the week, we focus on position-specific conditioning and high-quality change of direction. • We finish the week with an emphasis on efficient reactions and effective accelerations. Continuing power development and the maintenance of certain aspects of strength, speed, and agility is critical during the season. But it must be done in a way that complements the needs and objectives of practice and game performance, so we work closely with the football coaching staff to ensure that players are following a consistent workout schedule without risking overstress or injury. In all training periods, we begin every session with preparational warmup activities that are movement-oriented and emphasize core stability and mobility. Throughout the training year, we also include sets of position-specific sprints, sometimes called metabolics, at least once a week. These sprinting reps consist of a series of starts, accelerations, and movements that mimic game play for each individual position. For linemen and linebackers, they might include pulls, swims, spins, slants, and pursuit drops, while tight ends may focus on running the basic route tree. As part of our warmup, we also want to sharpen the athletes’ strength and mobility from the hips outward. A special dynamic warmup and core mobility unit, which we call the “Pillars of Strength,” starts our Monday, Wednesday, and Friday lifting sessions. The main goal of these game-week warmups is to continue improving posture, balance, stability, and mobility, especially through the hips and torso. Once the season starts, we use more single- and alternate-limb exercises to train with a good amount of load intensity without placing too much strain 54

T&C APRIL 2009

EFFECTIVE EVALUATION To assess our football players’ progress in a few high-priority areas of training, we perform targeted tests two or three times per year. This usually occurs at the end of our postseason, off-season, and preseason training. First and foremost, we evaluate development in overall joint mobility using the overhead squat with a bar or single-leg good morning with a bar, during which the foot of the non-support leg is placed against a wall, just barely off the ground. Both these exercises show us an athlete’s ability to “hinge” at the hip with the proper posture, balance, stability, and mobility—a vital skill for linemen. We assess power through single-rep scoring of the clean, vertical jump, and jerk, and test for strength gains through single, double, or triple repetitions of front or back squats and a bench press or incline press. We keep track of 10-, 20-, and 40-yard dash times to measure speed improvement, and 20-yard shuttles and five-yard three-cone “L” runs help us to see agility gains. After preseason training, we assess speed endurance with a series of 10 40-yard sprints with 20 seconds of rest in between. Each player’s objective is to perform at least eight of the 10 sprints within 0.55 seconds of his best 40 time for the year. We have used this form of “football fitness” evaluation for the past two decades and find it to be very reliable as a gauge of the athletes’ ability to handle game demands. I should add that some coaches feel uncomfortable having their athletes run high-speed 40s prior to the start of fall camp, but we have never experienced problems. Rarely have athletes been unprepared for the test, and those who are unprepared are unlikely to perform at an intensity great enough to risk injury.

on the body as a whole. Since linemen are constantly colliding with opponents, sleds, heavy bags, and each other, we use single-leg squats, angle lunges, dynamic step-ups, and squat jumps to strengthen the hips and legs without taking a major toll on the spine or torso. Complexes and combinations are used extensively during the in-season training regimen. Complexes combine two or three exercise sets, one right after the other—for instance, four cleans followed by four front lunges for one set, or four sets of one Russian deadlift followed by one military press followed by one overhead lunge. For elastic-reactive work, our inseason goal is to upload the nervous system with short, quick, elastic exercises that provide some load and tempo stimulus to an otherwise restful day while still allowing complete recovery before the next day’s game. Friday morning workouts for the trav-

eling squad are made up of exercises such as split snatches, squat jumps with sandbags, split jerks, dynamic or elastic step-up routines, and medicine ball tosses. All the exercises are done in two to four sets of two to six reps, for roughly a 20-minute workout. We finish our in-season sessions with footwork and handwork, both of which help translate weightroom gains to the playing field. Some of our favorite footwork routines include jumping rope, speed step-ups, and reaction-based games. Routines for the hands, fingers, and grip include competitive wrist rolls, assorted speed bag exercises, and speedhand medicine ball routines. This structure ensures that our players maintain the strength and power they developed during the off-season. At the same time, it does not overtax their bodies and leaves them ready to engage their opponents with maximum force and power every week. n TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

Fueling Performance Multi-Source Protein Muscle Milk Collegiate RTD (ready-todrink) formula from CytoSport provides a high-quality protein blend that helps promote recovery from exercise and is permissible under collegiate bylaw 16.5.2.2 for nutritional supplements. Due to its unique multi-source protein, maltodextrin carbohydrate, and healthy fat structure, this product is second to none for collegiate athletic programs. It is available in convenient ready-to-drink chocolate and vanilla flavors, and strawberry is coming soon. Visit CytoSport online to learn more. CytoSport, Inc. • 888-298-6629 www.cytosport.com • Circle No. 500

Effervescent Creatine A leading choice of many pro and college teams, Creatine Edge effectively enhances athletic performance without stomach discomfort. Two university studies show that Creatine Edge is up to 195 percent more effective than any other form of creatine. The patented effervescent formula allows the creatine molecules to break down in water for ease of digestion and almost immediate absorption into the bloodstream. There are five grams of creatine per serving, and orange and grape flavors are available. Eight-Ball Nutrition • 402-333-3532 www.8-ballnutrition.com • Circle No. 501

Ready-Made Protein MET-Rx’s Collegiate Series Nutrition Shake ready-to-drink provides 18 grams of protein and 240 calories with 0 grams of trans fat. The collegiate-compliant RTD supports recovery and provides energy. Student-athletes can use it post-workout to rapidly replenish glycogen and begin recovery. It is available in delicious chocolate and vanilla flavors. Call to save money by buying direct from MET-Rx, and to find out about the company’s collegiate-compliant protein bars. MET-Rx • 800-996-3879 www.metrx.com • Circle No. 502

Recover and Advance Critical Reload is a great-tasting recovery shake designed to infuse the muscle with growth-promoting proteins and carbohydrates so you can recover faster and kick start your next workout into high gear. It is NCAA-compliant, and tested and certified for banned and illegal substances in accordance with WADA, IOC, and USADA regulations. Contact ONS today for discount team pricing and to learn more about the comTR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

nutritional A ids

pany’s entire line of nutritional products. ONS Performance • 800-817-9808 www.onsperformance.com Circle No. 503

Healthier Pain Relief StayActiv, an all-natural pain reliever and anti-inflammatory alternative to over-thecounter NSAIDs, was formerly marketed as AminoActiv. StayActiv promotes healing and repair, and also addresses pain from lactic acid. Everyone is aware of the serious side effects of NSAIDs and their interference with muscle protein synthesis. Don’t mask pain—you need to promote healing and recovery. StayActiv, a proven product, is available in capsules and cream. If you want injured athletes back in the game, consider StayActiv as the healthy alternative. ProMera Health, LLC 888-878-9058 • www.stayactiv.com Circle No. 504

Superior Creatine CON-CRET, the only pure and concentrated creatine, is for athletes and people with active lifestyles. The CON-CRET molecule was proven in a medical university study to have superior uptake when compared to monohydrate. CON-CRET is the only creatine dosed on body weight, the only soluble creatine, and the only creatine with no side effects because there is no loading phase. Diets can restrict the body’s ability to synthesize creatine—CON-CRET is a healthy and effective alternative. ProMera Health, LLC • 888-878-9058 www.con-cret.com • Circle No. 505

Knowledge Is Power Informed-Choice is committed to helping ensure the purity of nutritional supplements, and it relies on HFL Sport Science to conduct product tests. HFL Sport Science has been testing supplements for banned substances against the World Anti-Doping Agency list to ISO17025 standards since 2002. The lab tests more than 3,000 products annually, and currently works with more than 90 companies worldwide, including 35 American and Canadian brands. HFL works closely with supplement manufacturers and suppliers to reduce the risk of contaminated products finding their way into sport, thus helping ensure that athletes know exactly what they are putting into their bodies. This track record has earned HFL the support of UK Sport, the United Kingdom’s equivalent to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Informed-Choice • 720-289-2401 www.informed-choice.org • Circle No. 506 T&C April 2009

nutr itional A ids

Fueling Performance

All About the Formula

The patented formula in Herculin MRF-4 attacks muscle growth from all possible angles: before, during, and after exercise, it delivers precise ratios of key nutrients with systematic timing. It’s not just a creatine, not just an amino acid complex, and not just a vitamin/mineral formula—it’s all of these and more. It contains vitamins C, B12, and E, zinc, magnesium, and a patented 13-gram amino/creatine blend to stimulate protein synthesis. Eight-Ball Nutrition • 888-331-6601 www.8-ballnutrition.com • Circle No. 507

Prolonged Peaks

Cytomax Collegiate Performance Drink is a blend of complex carbohydrates and electrolytes that optimizes hydration during exercise and keeps energy at peak levels longer to help improve stamina. Alpha L-polylactate acts to prevent acid buildup and minimizes post-exercise muscle soreness. Cytomax is available in convenient ready-to-drink or powder formulas. CytoSport, Inc. • 888-298-6629 www.cytosport.com • Circle No. 508

Nature’s Protein Source

100-percent pure Liquid Egg Whites are heat-pasteurized and salmonella-tested,

making them liquid but not “raw.” They are double-filtered to have the smooth consistency of milk, and are completely tasteless and odorless for making the perfect protein drink. Eight ounces supply 26 grams of protein with no fat, no cholesterol, two grams of carbs, 120 calories, and all the essential amino acids. For more info, call the company or go online. Egg Whites International • 877-EGG-WHITES www.eggwhitesint.com • Circle No. 509

Ideal Macronutrient Ratios

MET-Rx’s Collegiate Series METAMYOSYN XXL Blend drink mix provides 57 grams of protein and 770 calories (per four-scoop serving) for those who are serious about their training. The collegiate-compliant powder has a superior formula with excellent protein/fat and carb/protein ratios. The METAMYOSYN XXL Blend utilizes proteins with different physiological effects to maximize performance (whey and casein). MET-Rx products are made according to guidelines established by the most recognized governing body of collegiate athletics. Call to save money by buying direct from MET-Rx, and to find out about the company’s collegiate-compliant protein bars. MET-Rx • 800-996-3879 www.metrx.com • Circle No. 510

Looking for a fast, easy way to get CEUs?

You can now take CEU quizzes of T&C issues online! ➤ No pencil, envelope, or stamp needed. Just fill in the easy-to-use online form. ➤ Your results will be tabulated immediately, and your CEU certificate of credit will be made available as a PDF within minutes. ➤ You can also take CEU quizzes from back issues online. Read past issues and take the quiz all in one sitting!

Click on “CEUs & Courses”

on the toolbar at the top of the page at:

www.training-conditioning.com

T&C April 2009

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

New ProductS

Cho-Pat Dynamic Knee Compression Sleeve Unique features: • Silicone insert fits around the kneecap for added support • Flexible stays and knitting process keep the sleeve from rolling, bunching, or pinching • Manufactured in the USA • Latex- and neoprene-free

Pilates & Yoga Wedge

Benefits for the user: • Applies uniform dynamics and conforms to the configuration of the leg • Comfortable, lightweight, knitted support combines warmth, compression, and support to help reduce pain and promote healing Cho-Pat www.cho-pat.com 800-221-1601 Circle No. 515

N e w

Unique features: • Versatile exercise prop • Provides added comfort and alleviates overstretching and pressure on the joints Benefits for the user: • Use it under the heels or knees, or during exercises that require sitting in a forward-bending position to maintain proper alignment • Helps users achieve deeper stretches • Supports otherwise uncomfortable positions OPTP www.optp.com 800-367-7393 Circle No. 516

P r o d u c t s SpeedSac

Nocturnal Edge Unique features: • Formula synergistically works to stimulate a significant increase in a key hormone known to accelerate recovery, rebuild muscle, and metabolize fat Benefits for the user: • Used prior to sleep, this adaptogen formula promotes restful sleep, rebuilds muscle, improves cognitive function, supports immune function, and helps reduce anxiety • Anti-stress and anti-catabolic • Powerful antioxidant properties Eight-Ball Nutrition www.8-ballnutrition.com 888-331-6601 Circle No. 517 TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

Unique features: • Can be used indoors, outdoors, and on artificial surfaces • Rinses clean • Won’t rust • Team packages available • As many as 12 SpeedSacs and 36 weights can be moved around any field in the SpeedSac field cart Benefits for the user: • Increases explosiveness, leg power, and speed • Decreases 40-yard dash time

Strength Systems, Inc. www.strength-systems.com 504-818-1270 Circle No. 518 T&C April 2009

REHAB EQUIPMENT

Get Back In the Game

No More Chafing

Progressive Resistance

2Toms is the creator of BlisterShield and SportShield, which are anti-friction skin guards that eliminate the friction that causes blisters and chafing. BlisterShield is a powder for the feet and hands, while SportShield is a liquid for the rest of the body. BlisterShield and SportShield increase comfort and enhance performance and endurance. They’re odor-free, non-greasy, and last all day under the most extreme conditions. Go online to learn more. 2Toms, LLC • 866-924-7847 www.2toms.com • Circle No. 519

MediCordz® safety bungie products provide rehab and strengthening programs with the added safety and security of strong and durable high-grade bungie. This patented line of products offers seven progressive resistance levels to choose from. Unlike latex exercise bands, MediCordz safety bungie provides resistance in rehab and exercise without the fear of latex allergies and possible breakage. The best-selling Bungie Rehab Kit (item #M394, shown) is used in upperbody, lower-body, and core stabilization exercises. NZ Manufacturing, Inc. 800-886-6621 • www.nzmfg.com Circle No. 523

The Carbon Difference The Volt ankle brace provides the absolute highest level of protection and support without excess weight and bulk. It introduces carbon fiber to the reinforced polypropylene shell, providing lightweight protection along with the stability and support that Active Ankle is known for. Custom-cut and molded EVA foam pads give a comfy fit and durability that far exceeds the foam or neoprene pads found in other rigid braces. Integrated strengthening ribs create a lower overall profile that works with all types of footwear. Cramer Products, Inc. • 800-345-2231 www.cramersportsmed.com Circle No. 520

Put Weight to Work SoloStrength is the ultimate all-in-one body weight training system. By making simple adjustments to the bar, you can change the activity and resistance levels instantly. It is great for pull-ups, rows, abdominal work, stretching, and more. For more information on SoloStrength, visit Perform Better’s Web site or call to request your free copy of the 2009 catalog. Perform Better • 800-556-7464 www.performbetter.com • Circle No. 521

Stretch the Right Way While aiding in physical mobility and flexibility, the Stretch EZ’s cradle design encompasses the foot to allow for a comfortable stretch to the foot, heel, Achilles tendon, hamstring, quadriceps, inner/ outer thigh, and calf. This unique stretching aide assists in the treatment of plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, strains, and injuries to the calf, thigh, hip, and lower back. Call or go online to request a free catalog. OPTP 800-367-7393 • www.optp.com Circle No. 522 58

T&C April 2009

Solid Performer The Boss from Oakworks allows you to provide the home-field advantage atmosphere on the go. As one of the strongest and most durable portable tables on the market, the Boss is exceptional. Dedicated to helping athletes get back into the game fast, it is built for sideline treatments, evaluations, and other on-site interventions. With Tufflex upholstery, a water-resistant undercoating, and independently adjustable legs, expect a solid performance that withstands the harshest outdoor conditions. You can costeffectively personalize your Boss with your team’s color and embroidered logo or name. Oakworks • 800-558-8850 www.oakworks.com • Circle No. 524

Relief on the Go Spray pain away naturally. With new longerlasting and improved performance, Biofreeze pain-relieving spray contains MSM and delivers powerful relief even to those hardto-reach areas. Biofreeze now comes in an air travel-friendly two-ounce size. Use it to treat pain associated with sore or strained muscles, strains, sprains, and joint discomfort. Performance Health, Inc. • 800-246-3733 www.biofreeze.com • Circle No. 525

Choose Your Resistance Supplementing your rehab or conditioning program is easy with PRO 10 variableresistance latex tubing units. Available in three resistances, each unit has a handle/ foot stirrup attachment at each end with a moveable door jam attachment in the center, and comes with a webbed running belt, basic exercise booklet, and nylon travel bag. PRO Orthopedic Devices, Inc. 800-523-5611 • www.proorthopedic.com Circle No. 526 TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

Get Back In the Game

REHAB EQUIPMENT

Convertible Convenience

Cold Therapy and More

The model 4061 is the perfect taping station for any high school or college athletic training room. This two-seat taping station converts to a treatment table with the addition of a middle pad, so athletes can lie down on the 74” x 34” padded surface for treatment if needed. The unit has an oak laminate finish and is available in nine Pro-Form vinyl colors. It has one drawer and six doors for storing tape and supplies. PROTEAM by Hausmann • 888-428-7626 www.proteamtables.com Circle No. 527

The PolarPool™ cryotherapy spa offers cold water therapy, hot water therapy, and saltwater therapy—all in one. It’s completely portable, so you can provide athletes with state-of-the-art treatment and pain relief without installing new plumbing or redesigning your entire facility. Users can sit or kneel in the pool, and the purification and sanitization systems keep the water clean while the solid-state cooling system maintains the temperature you want. The PolarPool • 617-480-7683 www.thepolarpool.com • Circle No. 531

Cold Under Clothing

Portable Self-Care

Ultimate Ice Wraps offer a patented design that incorporates 100-percent natural Igloo ice products. Ultimate Ice targets eight specific muscle groups with a washable wrap design and reusable Igloo ice inserts. Ultimate Ice stays cold two times longer than gel. Ultimate Ice Wraps are designed to be worn under clothing and allow freedom of movement while being used. Ultimate Ice Wraps, Inc. • 888-678-8494 www.ultimateicewraps.com Circle No. 528

The Original Backnobber® II is constructed of fiberglass-reinforced nylon. Use it to apply deep pressure to trigger points to reduce muscle tension and pain and increase range of motion and overall function. A built-in locking device allows it to be taken apart for convenient storage and travel. This simple and effective self-care tool is lightweight, durable, compact, attractive, and versatile. A 35-page illustrated user guide is included. The Pressure Positive Co. • 800-603-5107 www.pressurepositive.com Circle No. 532

Bigger Is Better Wilson Case’s new SplitTopXL is a larger version of the company’s popular Athletic Trainer’s SplitTop Case. The SplitTopXL has twice as much inside height as the standard version and comes with six-inch turf tires that can go anywhere with ease and will never go flat. Just like the standard SplitTop case, the SplitTopXL is sold as a base unit with interior options available. Wilson Case • 800-322-5493 www.wilsoncase.com • Circle No. 529

Beauty and Function The Clinton Classic Wood Taping Station features the beauty of real wood in four popular finishes, famous Clinton durable construction, and desirable standard features—like leg extensions that save valuable space and comfortable adjustable back rests. With more than 14 available options, this product is sure to be on every athletic trainer’s wish list. Plus, Clinton’s modular design, available in four depths, allows the units to be configured to fit large or small sports training facilities. Clinton Industries, Inc. • 800-441-9131 www.clinton-ind.com • Circle No. 530

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

Unprecedented Control Active Ankle has introduced the Power Lacer ankle brace, with unique Y-shaped vertical stabilization straps that provide unprecedented control over both the forefoot and the heel. This lace-up brace offers control and stabilization without the complication of multiple straps. The Power Lacer is made of 840-denier nylon and is lined with neoprene for maximum comfort and fit. The four spring steel stays (two on each side of the ankle) provide extra support and aid in preventing heel release. Cramer Products, Inc. • 800-345-2231 www.cramersportsmed.com Circle No. 533

Ensure the Right Position The Oakworks Prone Pillow offers superior comfort while positioning injured athletes properly. Oakworks’ advanced lower-profile design reduces excessive cervical extension/flexion, while the resilient platform provides the optimal support needed for both prone and supine positioning. Oakworks • 800-558-8850 www.oakworks.com • Circle No. 534

T&C April 2009

REHAB EQUIPMENT

Get Back In the Game

Versatile Shoulder Support

Treatment Furniture that Excels

The Shoulder Spider is a professionally engineered, dynamic therapeutic support for the muscles that stabilize the shoulder. It uses advanced therapeutic tape technology to decrease pain and enhance support without any restriction of range of motion. Athletes who wear the Shoulder Spider experience improved performance and receive immediate feedback about their shoulder stability and muscle activation. It’s ideal for anyone dealing with arthritis, muscle spasms, joint strain, or post-surgery rehabilitation. NUCAP Medical 416-494-1444 • www.nucapmedical.com Circle No. 535

Unrestricted ROM

Cold Where You Want It

PRO ice wraps are the perfect method for applying cold therapy to most minor injuries. Made with quality neoprene for durability, these wraps are ideal for the treatment of pulls and strains. The wraps are quick and easy to use, allowing for adjustable compression to keep ice packs in place. They’re available in black for the shoulder (#439), knee (#103), and back (#208). PRO Orthopedic Devices, Inc. 800-523-5611 • www.proorthopedic.com Circle No. 536

Go Modular

Clinton’s Style Line Laminate Taping Station is packed with value for large and small athletic training rooms. With easyclean laminates in 15 standard colors and custom-laminates to match your school colors, Clinton’s Style Line Laminate Taping Station can complement any facility. Standard features include leg extensions and adjustable back rests. Units are available with 14 options, four depths, and a modular design allowing multiple stations to be joined in a row. Clinton Industries, Inc. • 800-441-9131 www.clinton-ind.com • Circle No. 537

Target Your Trigger Points

The Original Index Knobber II is a simple device designed to let you apply deep pressure to yourself or others. It’s the ideal instrument for clinic or home use, allowing for firm, sustained pressure on painful trigger points. Its unique patented design allows it to be used in several hand positions and by the right or left hands comfortably and interchangeably. It’s virtually indestructible and easily cleaned between uses. The Pressure Positive Co. • 800-603-5107 www.pressurepositive.com Circle No. 538 60

T&C April 2009

PROTEAM by Hausmann offers athletic trainers a complete line of laminate treatment furniture designed to enhance the functional capacity and appearance of the athletic training room. PROTEAM Modular Taping Stations are available in such a wide variety of sizes and with so many options, one is sure to meet your needs. The individual taping units are finished on all sides and can be easily re-positioned to adapt to any space. PROTEAM by Hausmann • 888-428-7626 www.proteamtables.com • Circle No. 539 efi Sports Medicine’s Total Gym PowerTower, a motorized incline resistance-training apparatus, lets users change resistance electronically during the range of motion of any exercise. The PowerTower facilitates high-performance, multi-plane functional sports training using body weight as resistance for unrestricted range of motion, core integration, and proprioception in most exercises. The Total Gym PowerTower includes a handheld control, allowing you to manage athletes’ load remotely and train at every level from rehab to high-performance work. efi Sports Medicine • 800-541-4900 www.efisportsmedicine.com Circle No. 540

What’s Your Foot Type?

The RX24 QuadraStep System offers an innovative approach to treating feet or preventing injuries. It uses a patent-pending clinical algorithm that classifies a patient’s foot into one of 24 congenital foot-types. These 24 foot types are subcategorized into six subgroups, or “quads,” each having its own specific foot and gait characteristics. The RX24 QuadraStep System offers six different prefabricated functional orthoses, each biomechanically tailored to meet the needs of the six foot types. Nolaro24, LLC • 877-RX24-NOW www.whatsmyfoottype.com Circle No. 541

Take It With You

The TablePRO is an athletic training room for the road. It can handle the largest athletes with ease and has ample room for supplies. There are no wobbly table legs, and the dual taping stations allow you to treat two players at once. The TablePRO folds to a compact size and includes turf tires that roll easily on any surface and will never go flat. Wilson Case • 800-322-5493 www.wilsoncase.com • Circle No. 542 TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

Get Back In the Game Heat for the Hamstring

REHAB EQUIPMENT

injury in the knee. It’s highly beneficial for athletes who suffer from arthritis, patellar tendinopathies, ligament strains, or meniscal degeneration. NUCAP Medical 416-494-1444 • www.nucapmedical.com Circle No. 544

The new Hammy Series models 1530 & 1530S are like traditional Stromgren 75-percent nylon/25-percent Lycra compression shorts, but with a neoprene liner in the back of each leg. They’re designed to keep the athlete’s hamstring muscles warm during athletic activity by holding body heat next to the skin. The model 1530S comes standard with two six-inch wide removable straps that can be pulled around the leg for additional hamstring or groin support, and the model 1530 has no straps. Stromgren Athletics • 800-527-1988 www.stromgren.com • Circle No. 543

Series of Progressive Resistance New Thera-Band resistance tubing with soft-grip handles provides a system of progression. The preferred quality of authentic Thera-Band bands and tubing with the convenience of attached handles makes for a perfect ready-to-use clinical or home solution. The tubing is supplied in six Thera-Band colors/resistances packaged in attractive retail kits for patient re-sale or economical bulks complete with usage and safety instructions. Thera-Band tubing is endorsed by the American Physical Therapy Association. Performance Health, Inc. 800-246-3733 • www.biofreeze.com Circle No. 545

Restore Knee Stability The Full Knee Spider is designed to promote the restoration of functional joint stability through neurosensory mechanisms. It provides athletes with feedback about the activation of muscles that control knee stability, and also decreases pain while improving performance and restoring normal muscle activation. The Full Knee Spider can even help prevent further

Yes! You Can Now...Call 800-556-7464. For Those Who Register Train or Rehab Clients, Athletes or Patients

Learn-By-Doing 2009 WorKSHoP Seminar SerieS All New TopiCs

One-Day Seminars

149

Only $

Jan. 24 Feb. 7 March 21 March 22

Los Angeles Orlando Boston Boston

With Mike Boyle, Gray Cook, Alwyn Cosgrove, Juan Carlos Santana, Todd Durkin, Anthony DiLuglio

3-Day Summits

349

Only $

May 8-10 Providence June 12-14 Chicago July 31-Aug 2 Long Beach With Over 30 Presenters Including: John Blievernicht, Mike Boyle, Don Chu, Gray Cook, Alwyn Cosgrove, Eric Cressey, Brian Grasso, Annette Lang, Ryan Lee, Stuart McGill, Bill Parisi, Robb Rogers, Mark Verstegen, Juan Carlos Santana, Chuck Wolf, Todd Wright

2-Day Functional Movement Workshop

349

Only $

Feb. 20-21 March 27-28 April 10-11 July 17-18 Aug. 14-15

Los Angeles New Jersey Orlando Indianapolis Boston

With Gray Cook and Lee Burton

Get details from our website performbetter.com or call toll-free 800-556-7464. 530-21078 PB_SEMINAR_AD_AM.indd 1

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM Untitled-3 1

Circle No. 143

12/12/08 3:46:21 PM

T&C April 2009

12/15/08 12:57:51 PM

KNEE PRODUCTS

Essential Protection

Support and Stability

Cho-Pat’s patented Dual Action Knee Strap provides an extra dimension of relief for painful and weakened knees. First, it applies pressure on the patellar tendon below the knee to reduce instability and improve patellar tracking and elevation. Then, it applies pressure on the patellar tendon above the knee to further strengthen and provide an additional level of support and stability for the joint. It is easy to apply, comfortable to wear, and the fabric-covered neoprene construction allows for full mobility. In addition, this American-made support is available in five sizes to provide more specific and effective results. Cho-Pat • 800-221-1601 www.cho-pat.com • Circle No. 547

Protection Without Restriction

The 190 series knee protectors are an excellent device that can help reduce the possibility of sustaining an MCL knee injury by a football lineman. They provide the athlete with affordable protection to help reduce injuries to the MCL ligament due to lateral pressure. Both models have been used continuously for 20 years by professional and major college teams. They’re designed to absorb and dissipate blows to the lateral side of the knee complex, helping reduce pressure on the MCL. The slotted pivot points allow full range of motion with no restriction to impair the athlete’s ability to run or move laterally. The Lycra straps with silicone are designed to hold the brace and prevent downward migration. Stromgren Athletics 800-527-1988 • www.stromgren.com Circle No. 548

Compliance By Design

Townsend Design’s Premier Series and Rebel Series functional knee braces can be ordered with a new patent-pending feature that enhances patient compliance and brace suspension. The new C/S package incorporates semi-rigid paddles into the thigh shell that compress into the leg to increase dynamic support and migration resistance. The C/S package helps guarantee that the brace will remain properly positioned on the limb for optimum protection and patient compliance. Townsend Design • 800-840-2722 www.townsenddesign.com • Circle No. 549

Three Levels of Care

McDavid’s new Multi-Action Knee Wrap (#4195) features adjustable medial and lateral condyle pads that provide compression to help relieve pain associated with cartilage (meniscus) problems. The thermal 100-percent neoprene sleeve retains warmth and promotes healing. The fully adjustable front-crossing straps allow for an optimal fit. McDavid offers sports medicine products in three levels of protection: Level 1 is general-purpose protection; Level 2 is 62

T&C April 2009

minor to moderate protection; and Level 3 is the ultimate degree of support and protection. McDavid • 800-237-8254 www.mcdavidusa.com • Circle No. 550

Bracing for Performance

TOPS manufactures a complete line of hinged knee braces, patellar stabilizing braces, and knee sleeves. There are many different buttresses available to stabilize the patella, or you can choose no buttress at all. TOPS hinge pockets completely cover the hinge and are designed to keep the hinges from poking through the ends. The braces are constructed with your choice of several materials in different thicknesses, and they feature superior stitching technology. Texas Orthopaedic Products & Services • 888-373-4009 www.topsproducts.com • Circle No. 551

Built Like a Jet

McDavid’s heavy-duty #428 Pro-Stabilizer knee brace features a geared polycentric hinge constructed of aircraft-grade aluminum with an exterior rubber protective pad. The #428 has padded buttresses to relieve pressure from the patella, and 3/16-inch thick, 100-percent latex-free neoprene (CR) that provides thermal therapy and firm compression. The pockets are reinforced for greater durability. McDavid also offers ankle, back, shoulder, thigh, calf, and wrist sports medicine products. McDavid • 800-237-8254 www.mcdavidusa.com • Circle No. 552

Engineered for Riders

Townsend Design has introduced the Web custom motocross knee brace, which offers superior functional support and protection for riders. The Web incorporates Townsend’s patented hinge motion with rider-inspired brace designs developed by EVS, a world leader in motocross protective gear. Townsend and EVS joined forces to provide motocross riders with a custommanufactured carbon-graphite brace that includes the EVS patella guard and other features that enhance rider comfort and safety. Townsend Design • 800-840-2722 www.townsenddesign.com • Circle No. 553

Non-Operative Knee Treatment

The Elite Seat by Kneebourne Therapeutic is a portable knee-extension device designed for the non-operative treatment of degenerative knee conditions. By evenly distributing force across the leg, the Elite Seat provides effective full-knee hyperextension and reduces pain in bent knees caused by any of these conditions: acute ACL injury; inadequate post-operative rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction; total-knee arthroplasty; arthrofibrosis; deconditioned knee with a flexion contracture; and arthritis. Kneebourne Therapeutic • 866-756-3706 www.eliteseat.com • Circle No. 554 TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

PIL ATES EQUIPMENT

Testimonial

No Reformer Needed Balanced Body has introduced the perfect athletic training tool: the EXO Chair. As the only Pilates chair in the industry with attachments for resistance bands, the EXO Chair lets your athletes do many exercises that used to be possible only on a Reformer, but in a fraction of the space. The EXO Chair improves strength, balance, flexibility, and agility—all of which are paramount to improving athletic performance and decreasing injury risk. Balanced Body, Inc. • 800-PILATES www.pilates.com • Circle No. 556

Created Specifically for Athletes The STOTT PILATES® Athletic Conditioning DVD series was developed for high-performance athletes. The ideal complement to any training program, each DVD provides a challenging totalbody workout that will enhance strength, stamina, mobility, and coordination. Exercises emphasize core stability, unilateral movement, torso rotation, and weight transference while increasing focus and body awareness. The exercises are designed to retrain muscles that may have become unbalanced, and they can aid in injury prevention. STOTT PILATES® • 800-910-0001 www.stottpilates.com • Circle No. 557

Three in One Balanced Body’s Allegro Tower of Power provides your athletes with a complete full-body Pilates workout, keeping them on the field and performing at the highest level. A three-in-one exercise system with a Reformer, mat station, and tower, it easily folds down for quick storage. Find out why the world’s top athletes have made the Allegro Tower of Power system a crucial part of their training regimen. Balanced Body, Inc. • 800-PILATES www.pilates.com • Circle No. 558

A Total-Body Focus Improve athletic performance and reduce the risk of sportsrelated injuries by incorporating the STOTT PILATES® SplitPedal Stability Chair into any athlete training program. This multi-function Pilates machine targets almost all muscle groups to build on the strength, power, and agility of the whole body. It enables athletes to condition both the core and periphery, and balance stability with mobility while improving focus, awareness, control, and coordination. STOTT PILATES® • 800-910-0001 www.stottpilates.com • Circle No. 559

Pro Bowl Player Praises Premium Fitness Equipment “Legend is a fantastic company that makes the best strength equipment I’ve seen. They build top-notch equipment but not at top-notch prices, and their equipment is completely American-made, which means a lot to people in this day and age, including me.”—Albert Haynesworth, Pro Bowl Defensive Tackle, Washington Redskins “After searching for the best equipment available for our new fieldhouse, we chose Legend Fitness. Legend Fitness not only manufactures the best equipment available, they conduct business with great integrity and professionalism. I would recommend Legend Fitness to everyone looking for great equipment from folks who care and people you can trust.”—Ken Sparks, CarsonNewman College, 2007 President of the American Football Coaches Association. Sparks has five national championships and four national runner-up finishes, and is third alltime in NCAA coaching victories. “Legend manufactures the strongest, smoothest, most durable equipment we have used, at a price we all can afford.” —Tom Myslinski, MS, CSCS, Cleveland Browns

By the Book OPTP has added a new book to its catalog. Stretch Out Strap® Pilates Essentials, by Angela Kneale, OTR, targets dynamic exercises that both lengthen and strengthen the body while challenging core stability and control. Using the Stretch Out Strap during exercise provides sensory feedback that helps develop better posture, flexibility, muscular balance, and body symmetry, as well as core strength and shoulder stability. These exercises heighten body awareness and relieve stress, focusing on deep breathing and quality, controlled movements. This book and others, including additional books by Angela Kneale, are available for purchase. OPTP 800-367-7393 • www.optp.com • Circle No. 560

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

Legend Fitness 140 Richardson Way Maynardville, TN 37807 866-7-LEGEND Fax: 865-992-7669 info@legendfitness.com www.legendfitness.com T&C April 2009

FOOTBALL CONDITIONING

For Gridiron Greatness

Pull Your Own Weight The Lebert Equalizer total-body strengthener is a simple, cost-effective, portable, multi-purpose, and versatile piece of strength training equipment that works the arms, chest, back, and core muscles like no other item can, using your own body weight as resistance. It comes complete with a free beginner/intermediate DVD and workout poster. It’s available online or through Power Systems and Perform Better. You can see it in action on YouTube by searching for Lebert Equalizer. Lebert Fitness, Inc. 905-785-0626 • www.lebertequalizer.com Circle No. 565

Safe and Easy to Use Legend Fitness’s Pro Series is the best of the best, and the Olympic shoulder bench doesn’t disappoint. Looking like a medieval throne, this bench has front and rear chrome plating and multi-racking systems for the ultimate in safety and convenience. Other features include plyo band pegs, standard chrome weight storage, and a diamond-plate spotting platform. The superrigid frame breaks down with only six bolts. Legend Fitness • 866-7-LEGEND www.legendfitness.com • Circle No. 566

Resisting and Assisting The GameSpeed 360 is new in Perform Better’s 2009 catalog. It is great for performing resisted and assisted speed and agility drills with 360 degrees of freedom to cut, spin, juke, and shake. This resistance trainer includes four different-size waist belts for the athletes, which connect to a coach’s belt using an eight-inch resistance cord. For more information on the GameSpeed 360, visit Perform Better’s Web site or call to request a free catalog. Perform Better • 800-556-7464 www.performbetter.com • Circle No. 567

Smart Design The Power Lift Collegiate Series Dumbbell Bench is designed to be used as a bench in the supplemental lift area or inside any of the Power Lift racks to create a multi-function lifting station. Unique features of the Collegiate Series Dumbbell Bench include: seven adjustable lifting angles for the back and seat (-10, 0, 15, 35, 60, and 80 degrees); “thermo cushion” rubber rear wheels that allow the bench to be wheeled among different stations; a no-tip feature when used in supplemental 64

T&C April 2009

areas; and two rubber floor bumpers on the front to protect all types of floor surfaces. Power Lift • 800-872-1543 www.power-lift.com • Circle No. 568

Shrugging for Power With its fully welded, counterbalanced frame, the new Mobile Shrug Bar from Power Systems provides a stable environment for athletes to safely perform shrug exercises. It holds up to 500 pounds of Olympic-size plates and adjusts to five positions from 24 to 32 inches for use as a spotter. The Mobile Shrug Bar has 10-inch sleeves and features chrome handles and knurled grips. Power Systems • 800-321-6975 www.power-systems.com • Circle No. 569

Lots of Options New York Barbell of Elmira offers power racks with standard chin-up bars, straight pull-up bars, and combo pull-up/chin-up units. There are also iron cross adjustable pull-up handles, along with two sets of Posi Lock jumbo hooks and two sets of Posi Lock jumbo catches. In addition, units feature four brackets for bar storage, and 2” x 4” weight storage beams with five pegs each. Bars and weights cost extra. Visit the company’s Web site today to learn more. New York Barbell of Elmira, Inc. • 800-446-1833 • www.newyorkbarbells.com • Circle No. 570

A Benchmark Bench The Samson Combo/Decline bench (100CD) is the newest and most comprehensive utility bench on the market today. This revolutionary new addition to Samson’s bench line gives your athletes the ability to perform a decline press by making a few simple adjustments. Perform the bench press, incline, military, decline, and even sit-ups all from the same bench. Optimize your weightroom with the best in quality and design from Samson Equipment. Samson Equipment • 800-472-6766 www.samsonequipment.com Circle No. 571

Lifelike Strength Tool This off-season, while your opponents are lifting, you will be putting the intensity of football into your workouts. MAXX provides a lifelike dummy and a durable weight machine with state-of-the-art computer technology. The LED boardgives your players instant feedback on TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

For Gridiron Greatness their speed off the ball and the power of their punch while they work to increase strength and perfect football technique. MAXX Football • 800-294-4654 www.maxxfootball.com • Circle No. 572

Three-Dimensional Training TRX Suspension Training is a highly functional category of physical conditioning that leverages body weight and gravity to develop strength, balance, flexibility, and stability simultaneously. Your athletes move in three dimensions—shouldn’t they train the same way? TRX Suspension Training encourages multi-planar movements that increase strength and muscular coordination to improve performance while reducing injury risk. Because suspension training can be done anywhere, your team will never have to miss a workout again. SPRI Products • 800-222-7774 www.spri.com • Circle No. 573

It Takes Two The Lebert Buddy System™ is a tandem resistance training product. It’s portable, cost-effective, flexible, and very dynamic, making it a must for personal trainers, boot camps, schools, and team training. This truly is a whole new way to train. The Lebert Buddy System is not a band or a suspension product. Made with ballistic nylon strapping with UV protection, durable handles, and heavy-duty stitching, this product can stand up to any workout. To see it in action on YouTube, search for Lebert Buddy System. Order online and use the coupon code 0902LBS to save $25. Lebert Fitness, Inc. • 905-785-0602 www.lebertbuddysystem.com Circle No. 574

Optimize Your Space Power Lift’s Free Standing Squat Stand can be used for all major lifts, including squats, push presses, bench presses, and the Olympic movements. Free Standing Squat Stands are ideal for facilities with minimal space or for those looking to combine a rack with an existing Olympic platform. The stands feature 10 different bar positions and wheels for easy movement. When combined with a Collegiate Series bench and the optional chin-up handle, a space-saving lifting station can be created. The bases are constructed from 2” x 3” seven-gauge steel and the uprights are constructed from 2” x 3” 11-gauge steel. Power Lift • 800-872-1543 www.power-lift.com • Circle No. 575 TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

FOOTBALL CONDITIONING

New Platforms, New Finish Improved for 2009, Legend Fitness’s new octagonal lifting platforms are constructed from 3” x 2” rectangular tubing for extra dent resistance and consist of only the left half, the right half, and the front ramp, which also covers the seam where the halves meet. Thick rubber mats flank tongue-and-groove hardwood with a brand new proprietary finish that will not flake or chip, no matter what is dropped on it. Legend Fitness • 866-7-LEGEND www.legendfitness.com • Circle No. 576

Updating a Classic The kettlebell is one of the most versatile tools for all-around athletic development, and competitive athletes everywhere are incorporating them into training programs. Because kettlebell training requires whole-body engagement, the Ultra Kettlebell from Power Systems can help increase power production and improve sport performance. This new-style kettlebell features a smooth, solid steel handle for a comfortable grip and a cast iron bell with a rubber-plated bottom to protect floors. Power Systems • 800-321-6975 www.power-systems.com • Circle No. 577

Choose Your Loading The Pendulum Power Squat Pro by Rogers Athletic builds incredible leg mass and strength. Users feel no shearing at the knee. Load the top to concentrate on the hips and glutes, load the bottom to concentrate on the quads, or load it equally to match a bar squat. You can even control the depth to squat from. It’s no wonder the most serious athletes, from pro football players to America’s elite military forces, train with the Pendulum. Rogers Athletic Co. 888-782-4302 • www.rogersathletic.com Circle No. 578

Chute to Win Looking to increase speed, explosiveness, and acceleration for your team? The SPRI Speed Parachute can help. SPRI offers four different sizes ranging from small to extralarge, to provide anywhere from 15 to 50 pounds of resistance depending on the athlete. It comes with an adjustable waist belt that fits 20- to 42-inch waists and allows for training in any direction. For an extra challenge, try combining parachutes. SPRI Products • 800-222-7774 www.spri.com • Circle No. 579

T&C April 2009

FOOTBALL CONDITIONING

For Gridiron Greatness

A Unique Workout The new Belt Squat is yet another way Samson Equipment is leading the way in custom, heavy-duty weight training equipment. The brand new design limits the amount of floor space needed for this unique piece, and it’s easy for athletes of all different sizes to use. It features adjustable handles, a unique load release that brings the athlete’s hands closer together while performing the exercise, an adjustable yoke that allows each athlete’s hips to stay in their natural range of motion, and an adjustable chain with three belts of different sizes. Samson Equipment • 800-472-6766 www.samsonequipment.com Circle No. 580

An Impressed Customer “Nebula makes some of the most hardcore free weight benches out there,” says Scott Sheily, owner of Ohio Fitness. “Our gym just got an incline power station and my members love it. It has a spotter’s stand on the back, along with 10 pegs for plate storage. The seat is adjustable with a

pop pin. But the thing we like best is the new, really cool look Nebula went to with the laser-cut frame. I can’t wait to get the new flat bench with the same look. You can’t beat the quality you get from Nebula, along with the biomechanical function they put into everything they do.” NK Sports Group • 800-763-2852 www.nebula-fitness.com Circle No. 581

Count the Benefits Rogers Athletics’ Tred Sled is the latest in weightroom automation, improving blocking, tackling, sprint acceleration, and power. The athlete drives the non-motorized tread while its braking system resists his movement. The Tred Sled allows players to exert maximal power on every repetition. This translates into three benefits on game day. First, the player is accustomed to applying large amounts of force in blocking and tackling positions. Second, the player improves his ability to recover quickly between plays. Third, technique becomes second-nature. Rogers Athletic Co. • 888-782-4302 www.rogersathletic.com • Circle No. 582

Work Hard, Train Smart

800,000 Teeth are Knocked Out Each Year During Sports! Protect Your Athletes!

Prevent Blisters & Chafing

SportShield & BlisterShield Save-A-Tooth gives you time to treat more serious injuries and get athletes to the dentist or emergency room.

2Toms www.2toms.com 866-924-7847 Circle No. 144

Call (888) 788-6684 or visit www.Save-A-Tooth.com for more information Circle No. 145

T&C April 2009

2tomTC1901.indd 1

The C-PRO91305-W Calf & Squat features heavy-duty steel deck plates and deluxe padding, along with 3" x 3", 11-gauge tube construction and one-inch solid steel pins. The weight arm is mounted on two heavy-duty pillow block bearings, making it great for “gripless” shoulder shrugs and for focusing on the trapezius. The unit can load up to 1,000 pounds, and the standard size is 58" x 48" x 60". It is protected by a lifetime warranty. New York Barbell of Elmira, Inc. 800-446-1833 www.newyorkbarbells.com Circle No. 583

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM 1/6/09 2:41:18 PM

Great Ideas, Great Value Never Stop Learning

California University of Pennsylvania has helped build the character and careers of its students for more than 150 years. Cal U’s dedication to providing high-quality, in-demand programs to its students continues through the University’s Global Online 100-percent online programs of study. Through an asynchronous format, Global Online allows students the opportunity to complete coursework anytime, anywhere. All that’s required is a computer with Internet access. Go online for more information. California University of Pennsylvania • 866-595-6348 www.cup.edu/go • Circle No. 586

Essential Information

Early intervention to rapidly and accurately assess core body temperature on the field is necessary for the proper prevention, evaluation, treatment, and management of exertional heat stroke. Research indicates that external methods of monitoring core temperature have not been proven valid under conditions of intense exercise in the heat. The CorTemp™ system, featuring the CorTemp ingestible temperature pill, provides an easy, affordable approach to monitoring core temperature on the field and gauging the effectiveness of cooling methods on the sidelines. This FDA-cleared product is used by professional and collegiate teams nationwide. HQ, Inc. • 941-723-4197 www.hqinc.net • Circle No. 587

Get Specialized

The NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist (NASM-CES) advanced specialization was developed in response to the growing need for professionals who can assist clients experiencing musculoskeletal impairments, muscle imbalances, or rehabilitation concerns. The NASM-CES integrates the science and the solutions for optimal injury prevention and recovery success. Develop injury prevention and recovery expertise to generate more revenue working with today’s deconditioned population. Earn the preferred injury prevention and recovery credential of professional athletes and teams. Con-Ed approved: NASM 1.9, ACE 1.5, NSCA 1.6, BOC 37 CEUs. National Academy of Sports Medicine 800-460-6276 • www.nasm.org Circle No. 588

Because Time Matters

Without proper care, a knocked-out tooth begins to die in 15 minutes. The Save-ATooth emergency tooth preserving system utilizes Hank’s Balanced Salt Solution TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

More PRoducts

(HBSS) to not only preserve, but also reconstitute many of the degenerated cells. The patented basket and net container are designed to protect tooth root cells. This is the only system that keeps tooth cells alive for up to 24 hours. Save-A-Tooth® 888-788-6684 • www.save-a-tooth.com Circle No. 589

Monitor From the Sidelines

HQ, Inc., manufactures the CorTemp ingestible temperature pill and has been a leader in core body temperature monitoring for more than 20 years. The CorTemp Long Range RF system accessories now feature Bluetooth technology, making it even easier to remotely monitor your athletes from the sidelines. CorTemp data recorders coupled with remote transceivers wirelessly transmit data from the field to the RF base station on the sidelines. The PDA software shows individual temperatures for each athlete and features built-in temperature alarms. The system transmits data over a line-of-sight distance of up to 300 feet. HQ, Inc. • 941-723-4197 www.hqinc.net • Circle No. 590

Measure Everything

Since 1976, Creative Health Products has been a leading discount supplier of rehabilitation, fitness, exercise, and athletic equipment, as well as health, medical, and fitness testing and measuring products, all available at reduced prices. Creative Health Products offers heart rate monitors; blood pressure testers; pulse oximeters; body fat calipers; scales; strength testers; flexibility testers; stethoscopes; pedometers; exercise bikes; ergometers; stopwatches; fitness books and software; exercise bands; step benches; hand and finger exercisers; heating pads; and more. Creative Health Products, Inc. 800-742-4478 • www.chponline.com Circle No. 591

Enhance Your Credentials

An elite training program for fitness and enhanced athletic performance, the NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist (NASM-PES) is designed for athletic trainers, chiropractors, physical therapists, coaches, and other sports professionals who want to work with players at all levels, from the secondary education and university tier to professional and Olympic-level athletes. Con-Ed approved: NASM 1.9, ACE 1.8, NSCA 1.6, BOC 27 CEUs. National Academy of Sports Medicine • 800-460-6276 www.nasm.org • Circle No. 592

T&C April 2009

Director ies Circle Company No.

Advertisers Directory Page No.

136. . . . Balanced Body. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 103. . . . Biofreeze速/Performance Health. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 144. . . . BlisterShield/2Toms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 115. . . . California University of Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 101. . . . Cho-Pat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 125. . . . Clinton Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 105. . . . Con-Cret (ProMera Health) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 128. . . . Cramer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 147. . . . CytoSport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC 135. . . . efi Sports Medicine/Total Gym . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 121. . . . Egg Whites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 111. . . . EightBall Nutrition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 127. . . . HQ, Inc. (CorTemp). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 116. . . . Informed-Choice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 126. . . . Kneebourne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 138. . . . Lebert Fitness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 106. . . . Legend Fitness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 140. . . . MAXX Football. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 102. . . . McDavid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 112. . . . MET-Rx. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 124. . . . NASM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 113. . . . Nebula/NK Sports Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 132. . . . New York Barbell of Elmira . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 100. . . . NUCAP Medical. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC

Circle Company No.

Page No.

T&C April 2009

58 63 63 67 62 57 60 59 59 58 67 56 55 60 56 55 56 57 67 67 55 62 65 64 65 64 64 62 62 56 55 67 67 66 66 64 61 60 58 58 59

Page No.

104. . . . Oakworks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 110. . . . OPTP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 108. . . . Perform Better (catalog) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 143. . . . Perform Better (seminars). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 130. . . . Polar Electro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 137. . . . Power Lift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 120. . . . Power Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 107. . . . Pressure Positive Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 129. . . . PRO Orthopedic Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 146. . . . PROTEAM by Hausmann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC 139. . . . Rogers Athletic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 122. . . . RX24 QuadraStep System (Nolaro24). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 141. . . . Samson Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 145. . . . Save-A-Tooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 134. . . . SPRI Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 133. . . . STOTT PILATES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 131. . . . Stromgren Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 119. . . . Texas Orthopaedic Products & Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 114. . . . The PolarPool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 123. . . . Townsend Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 118. . . . TurfCordz/NZ Mfg.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 117. . . . Ultimate Ice Wraps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 109. . . . Wilson Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Products Directory

519. . . . 2Toms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 558. . . . Balanced Body (Allegro Tower of Power). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556. . . . Balanced Body (EXO Chair). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 586. . . . California University of Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 547. . . . Cho-Pat (Dual Action Knee Strap). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515. . . . Cho-Pat (Knee Compression Sleeve). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 537. . . . Clinton Industries (Laminate Taping Station) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530. . . . Clinton Industries (Wood Taping Station) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533. . . . Cramer (Power Lacer ankle brace). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520. . . . Cramer (Volt ankle brace) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591. . . . Creative Health Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508. . . . CytoSport (Cytomax Collegiate). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500. . . . CytoSport (Muscle Milk Collegiate RTD). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 540. . . . efi Sports Medicine/Total Gym . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 509. . . . Egg Whites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501. . . . EightBall Nutrition (Creatine Edge). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507. . . . EightBall Nutrition (Herculin MRF-4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517. . . . EightBall Nutrition (Nocturnal Edge). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 587. . . . HQ, Inc. (CorTemp). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590. . . . HQ, Inc. (CorTemp Long Range RF System). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506. . . . Informed-Choice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 554. . . . Kneebourne (Elite Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574. . . . Lebert Fitness (Buddy System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 565. . . . Lebert Fitness (Equalizer). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 576. . . . Legend Fitness (lifting platforms). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 566. . . . Legend Fitness (Pro Series). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572. . . . MAXX Football . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552. . . . McDavid (428 Pro-Stabilizer knee brace). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550. . . . McDavid (Multi-Action Knee Wrap). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510. . . . MET-Rx (Metamyosyn XXL Blend) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 502. . . . MET-Rx (RTD Nutrition Shake). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588. . . . NASM (NASM-CES) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 592. . . . NASM (NASM-PES) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 581. . . . Nebula/NK Sports Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 583. . . . New York Barbell of Elmira (C-PRO91305-W). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 570. . . . New York Barbell of Elmira (power racks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 544. . . . NUCAP Medical (Full Knee Spider). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535. . . . NUCAP Medical (Shoulder Spider) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 523. . . . NZ Manufacturing, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524. . . . Oakworks (Boss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534. . . . Oakworks (Prone Pillow) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Circle Company No.

Page No.

503. . . . ONS Performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 516. . . . OPTP (Pilates & Yoga Wedge) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522. . . . OPTP (Stretch EZ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560. . . . OPTP (Stretch Out Strap Pilates Essentials). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567. . . . Perform Better (GameSpeed 360) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521. . . . Perform Better (SoloStrength) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525. . . . Performance Health (Biofreeze速) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 545. . . . Performance Health (Thera-Band) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 568. . . . Power Lift (Dumbbell Bench). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575. . . . Power Lift (Free Standing Squat Stand) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 569. . . . Power Systems (Mobile Shrug Bar). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577. . . . Power Systems (Ultra Kettlebell). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532. . . . Pressure Positive (Original Backnobber II) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 538. . . . Pressure Positive (Original Index Knobber II). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 536. . . . PRO Orthopedic (ice wraps). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526. . . . PRO Orthopedic (PRO 10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505. . . . ProMera Health (Con-Cret). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504. . . . ProMera Health (StayActiv) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527. . . . PROTEAM (model 4061). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539. . . . PROTEAM (Modular Taping Stations) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 578. . . . Rogers Athletic (Pendulum Power Squat Pro) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 582. . . . Rogers Athletic (Tred Sled) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541. . . . RX24 QuadraStep System (Nolaro24). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 580. . . . Samson (Belt Squat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 571. . . . Samson (Combo/Decline Bench) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 589. . . . Save-A-Tooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 579. . . . SPRI Products (Speed Parachute) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 573. . . . SPRI Products (TRX Suspension Training). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557. . . . STOTT PILATES (DVD series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 559. . . . STOTT PILATES (Split-Pedal Stability Chair) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518. . . . Strength Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548. . . . Stromgren (190 series knee protectors) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 543. . . . Stromgren (Hammy Series 1530/1530S). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551. . . . Texas Orthopaedic Products & Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 531. . . . The PolarPool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549. . . . Townsend Design (Premier/Rebel Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553. . . . Townsend Design (Web motocross). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 528. . . . Ultimate Ice Wraps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 529. . . . Wilson Case (SplitTopXL). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 542. . . . Wilson Case (TablePRO) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

55 57 58 63 64 58 58 61 64 65 64 65 59 60 60 58 55 55 59 60 65 66 60 66 64 67 65 65 63 63 57 62 61 62 59 62 62 59 59 60

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

CEU QUIZ

T&C April 2009 Volume XIX, No. 3

Training & Conditioning is pleased to provide NATA and NSCA members with the

icke You c a and g n now tak r & E a et yo e our ur C CEU q sier! uizze Click EU results s on www o a .train n “CEUs & C nd credit in line... s ourse ing-c s” at: tantly. ondi tio ning

opportunity to earn continuing education units through reading issues of the magazine. The following quiz is based on articles that appear in this issue of Training & Conditioning. By satisfactorily completing the quiz, readers can earn 2.0 BOC Athletic Training and 0.2 NSCA (two hours) continuing education units.

.com

Instructions: Go to www.training-conditioning.com and click on “CEUs & Courses” to take the quiz online. You may also mail your quiz to us: Fill in the circle on the answer form (on page 71) that represents the best answer for each of the questions below. Complete the form at the bottom of page 71, include a $25 payment to MAG, Inc., and mail it to the following address: MAG, Inc., ATTN: T&C 19.3 Quiz, 31 Dutch Mill Road, Ithaca, NY 14850. Readers who correctly answer 70 percent of the questions will be notified of their earned credit by mail within 30 days. Bulletin Boards (pages 5-6)

Objective: Read some of the latest news in sports medicine, including legal issues, research on supplements, anti-doping efforts, and athlete safety.

1. If active herpes lesions are present on a wrestler, NCAA guidelines call for: a) Three weeks of antiviral drug therapy. b) Five days of antiviral drug therapy. c) Three days of antiviral drug therapy. d) No use of antiviral drugs. 2. Herpes simplex 1 is the virus associated with: a) Prolonged muscular atrophy. b) Cold sores and genital herpes. c) Strabismus and macular degeneration. d) Several types of cancer.

7. Integrative Manual Therapy (IMT) incorporates varying levels of pressure to: a) Reverse bone and muscle tissue loss. b) Reduce muscle spasms and increase soft tissue flexibility. c) Alleviate pain associated with joint deterioration. d) Counteract nerve damage to an injured area. 8. In addition to FSHD, Duquette also suffers from: a) Iliotibial band syndrome. b) Increased susceptibility to ankle sprains. c) Plantar fasciitis. d) Scoliosis.

A Closer Look (pages 15-22)

Objective: Read experts’ take on the latest research and recommendations involving protein consumption and utilization by athletes.

3. The North Carolina High School Athletic Association now requires that athletes who have a suspected head injury be: a) Held out of games for two weeks. b) Evaluated on the sideline before returning to play. c) Sent to an emergency room for an EEG. d) Removed from play until released to return by a doctor.

9. Brian Roy believes the most important variable regarding protein consumption is: a) Whether protein comes from a natural or synthetic source. b) The chemical makeup of the protein. c) When the protein is consumed. d) What other nutrients accompany the protein.

4. The probiotic Lactobacillus fermentum RI-003 was found in a recent study to reduce ______ among distance runners. a) Running performance. b) Colds and respiratory ailments. c) Blood pressure. d) Peak heart rate during activity.

10. Stuart Phillips warns that too much protein may “steal” ______ from an athlete’s diet. a) Carbohydrates. b) Micronutrients. c) Electrolytes. d) Essential fatty acids.

5. Human growth hormone (HGH) shows up in blood tests for only ______ after use. a) 24 to 48 hours. b) One week. c) 10 to 12 hours. d) One month.

11. Brian Roy expresses worry that consuming excess protein during exercise could cause: a) Gastric distress. b) Slowed digestion of carbohydrates and electrolytes. c) Muscle cramping. d) Dehydration.

Comeback Athlete (pages 9-13)

12. Martin Gibala says that one major unanswered question is whether ingesting protein during or immediately after aerobic exercise: a) Increases hypertrophy. b) Hampers muscle glycogen replacement. c) Interferes with the absorption of essential amino acids. d) Attenuates skeletal muscle fiber disruption.

Objective: Follow the story of Kristin Duquette, a swimmer who is battling physical adversity with help from a specialized therapy modality.

6. Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) causes deterioration in the: a) Legs and feet. b) Face, shoulders, anterior torso, and hips. c) Eyes, mouth, shoulders, and upper arms. d) Connective tissue of all joints in the body.

Continued on page 70—with answer sheet on page 71...

Or take this quiz online and get instant results:

www.training-conditioning.com click on CEUs & Courses

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

T&C April 2009

CEU QUIZ 13. Stuart Phillips says that ______ is a “tired old method” for measuring protein requirements. a) Body composition analysis. b) Muscle biopsy. c) Nitrogen balance. d) Body mass index.

One Step Ahead (pages 24-31)

Objective: Learn about the cutting-edge athletic performance and injury prevention research being conducted at the Ohio State University Sports Biomechanics Laboratory.

14. OSU’s Sports Biomechanics Lab employs motion-capture technology similar to that used to develop: a) Flight simulators. b) Face-recognition software. c) Artificial intelligence programs. d) Video games and special effects for movies. 15. An upcoming study at the OSU lab will address the relationship between ______ and arm injuries among college pitchers. a) Trunk stability. b) Ulnar collateral ligament health. c) Hip flexors. d) Achilles tendon flexibility.

From ATC to AD (pages 33-38)

Objective: Learn about athletic trainers who have successfully made a career transition into the field of athletic administration.

16. Chris Warden says one of the biggest surprises of moving into athletic administration was: a) How big his new office was. b) How many hours athletic directors work. c) The variety of questions he has to answer each day. d) How difficult it is to communicate with colleagues at other schools. 17. Being active in his regional athletic trainers association helped Pete Carlon transition into an administrative career by: a) Helping him become comfortable in a leadership role. b) Teaching him how to handle finances. c) Increasing his networking contacts. d) Offering mentorship opportunities. 18. To prepare for a career in administration, Jeff Cassella completed a semester-long internship with his school’s: a) Athletic director. b) Principal. c) Superintendent. d) Director of Counseling. 19. Stevie Baker-Watson says that athletic trainers are typically judged by: a) How student-athletes respond to their treatment. b) How well they interact with coaches and parents. c) The costs they impose on the athletic department. d) The number of time-loss injuries sustained by athletes from year to year.

T&C April 2009

A Mat For All Seasons (pages 41-46)

Objective: Understand the principles of Pilates and how implementing basic Pilates exercises into a training regimen can improve athletes’ health and performance.

20. Kinesthetic awareness refers to: a) An athlete’s performance potential. b) Knowledge of specific muscle groups involved in movement. c) Improving movement efficiency. d) Knowing where the body is in relation to itself and the world around it. 21. The focus on ______ in Pilates reduces unnecessary strain on joints and muscles. a) Deep breathing. b) Deltoid strength. c) Visualization of movement. d) Postural alignment. 22. Athletes often compensate for lost function after injury through movements that disrupt: a) Proper sequencing of the neuromuscular system. b) Weightlifting mechanics. c) Running mechanics. d) The relationships between various stabilizer muscle groups. 23. The author states that Pilates exercises develop core strength while promoting a: a) Mental focus on sport-specific activity. b) Controlled lengthening of the muscles. c) Controlled lengthening of the ligaments. d) De-emphasis on competition. 24. When performing Oblique Preps and Side Bend Preps, athletes should: a) Perform more reps to their dominant side than their weaker side. b) Perform more reps to their weaker side than their dominant side. c) Perform an equal number of reps to each side. d) Perform no more than three reps to each side.

Trench Warriors (pages 49-54)

Objective: Learn about the conditioning program used to train offensive and defensive line players in the University of Oregon football program.

25. The author states that one major challenge of training line players is their: a) Lack of postural stability. b) Left-right strength imbalances. c) Larger bone structure and greater body fat. d) Chronic knee inflexibility.

TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

CEU QUIZ Answer Form Instructions: Go to www.training-conditioning.com and click on “CEUs & Courses” to take the quiz online. You may also mail your quiz to us: Fill in the circle on the answer form below that represents your selection of the best answer for each question. Complete the form at the bottom of this page, include a $25 payment to MAG, Inc., and mail it to the following address: MAG, Inc., ATTN: T&C 19.3 Quiz, 31 Dutch Mill Road, Ithaca, NY 14850. Readers who correctly answer 70 percent of the questions will receive 2.0 BOC Athletic Training and 0.2 NSCA (two hours) CEU’s, and will be notified of their earned credit by mail within 30 days. Questions? Problems? E-mail: CEU@MomentumMedia.com.

Bulletin Boards

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

m m m m m

m m m

m m m m m

A Closer Look

9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

m m

m m m m

m m m m m

One Step Ahead

Comeback Athlete

14. 15.

m m

From ATC to AD

16. 17. 18. 19.

m m m m

A Mat For All Seasons

20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

m m m m m

Trench Warriors

25.

Last Name ____________________________________ First Name _______________________________ MI______ Title ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Mailing Address ____________________________________________________________________________________ City ________________________________________________ State _________ Zip Code _____________________ Daytime Telephone ( _________ ) ________________________________________ E-Mail Address ____________________________________________________________________________________ Payment Information

❏ $25 check or money order (U.S. Funds only) payable to: MAG, Inc. (please note “T&C 19.3 Quiz” on check) ❏ Visa ❏ Mastercard ❏ Discover ❏ American Express (Please note: the charge will appear as “MomentumMedia” on your credit card statement)

Account Number _______________________________________________ Expiration Date ____________________ Name on Card _________________________________________________ Card Validation Code* _____________

*Card Validation Code: Visa/MC/Discover: 3-digit code on back after credit card number, Amex: 4-digit code on front above credit card number

Signature __________________________________________________________________________________________ TR AINING-CONDITIONING.COM

T&C April 2009

Next Stop: Web Site Our editorial continues on Here is a sampling of what’s posted right now:

Despite constant running, frequent stopping and starting, and vigorous upper- and lower-body movement requirements of tennis, many programs overlook strength and conditioning. But that’s not the case at Xavier University, where Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Rich Jacobs, MS, SCCC, CSCS, has the men’s team in great shape and sitting atop the Atlantic 10 conference standings, ready to defend their 2008 league championship. The athletic training room should be a place where athletes feel safe from homophobia. However, the majority of high school athletic trainers have witnessed homophobic behavior in their athletic training rooms, according to a study presented last month at the Ithaca College Sport, Sexuality, & Culture Conference. Wondering what it takes to break into the strength and conditioning coaching ranks at the NCAA Division I level? A recent study queried head strength and conditioning coaches across Division I to find out what they look for when filling job openings.

www.training-conditioning.com/blogs.php

Thanks to a new tennis-specific strength and conditioning program, Xavier University’s Doug Matthews is enjoying a strong season.

Nearly a year and a half after undergoing Birmingham Hip Resurfacing surgery, elite endurance athlete Robyn Benincasa is back at the top of her game. The procedure has helped Benincasa overcome a painful battle with osteoarthritis, and she is again conquering adventure racing and ultra marathon courses all over the world.

www.training-conditioning.com/features.php

PROTEAM

COMES TO PLAY PROTEAM is a new concept in athletic training tables and treatment furniture. Our Modular Taping Stations fit any space and any need. As versatile as the Option Play, you can add, change or relocate modules as necessary! TRAINING TABLES AS TOUGH AS YOUR TEAM PROTEAM products feature durable maintenance-free, laminate surfaces for years of heavy-duty use. Our rugged high-density foam tops and optional nylon reinforced vinyl ensure all the extra durability you need. And every piece of PROTEAM equipment - from our Split Leg Lift Tables, Taping Stations and Treatment Tables to Stools, Benches, Cabinets and Stadium Lockers - boasts another unbeatable statistic: More than 50 years of manufacturing experience by a proven winner, Hausmann Industries.

MODULAR TAPING STATION (A9520) Two upholstered taping modules, one storage module with laminate top. Durable dowel and glue laminated wood construction. Extra tough 3 mm protective edging on exposed edges. Removable 2” thick high-density foam upholstered tops. 450 lbs. weight capacity per seat.

TWO-PERSON TAPING TABLE / CONVERTIBLE TREATMENT TABLE (4061) Middle pad converts Taping Table into a Treatment Table. Three storage sections with Oak laminate interiors and shelf. Two padded taping sections. 2” High-Density urethane foam vinyl top. 500 lbs. weight capacity.

YOU’D BETTER COME TO PLAY.

1-888-HAUSMANN www.proteamtables.com sales@proteamtables.com 130 Union St Northvale, NJ USA Circle No. 146

TIMING IS EVERYTHING.

When it comes to sport nutrition, timing is crucial. Getting enough fuel to make it through another day of training, class, practice and studying can be difficult for today’s time-constrained student-athlete. That’s where Collegiate branded products from CytoSport can help. TM

PRE -FUEL with CYTOMAX ®

Providing a combination of glucose, fructose, Polylactate , and electrolytes – Cytomax fuels and hydrates like no other sport drink today. TM

RE-FUEL

with MUSCLE MILK

Complex carbohydrates • Multi-source proteins • Advanced lipid complex

Muscle Milk® Collegiate nutritional shakes, powders and bars help athletes re-fuel after grueling workouts, practices and games. Muscle Milk Collegiate taken immediately post-workout helps stimulate glycogen replenishment along with muscle recovery and repair.

GET SOME. 707-747-3377 performance@cytosport.com

Circle No. 147