Baseball specific training program

I often have parents of young baseball players in Las Vegas ask me about training their child in a “baseball specific” program and working on the shoulder or rotator cuff.

A “baseball specific” program…mmm….really.

Ok you want your son to:

1. Run fast? (That’s important in every sport!!)
2. Have superior hand eye coordination for catching? (Again all sports)
3. Have a strong core and rotational strength for hitting? (EVERY sport)
4. Be able to decelerate and change direction on a dime! (mmmm…..do I really have to say it?)
5. Ok….last but not least, “strengthen the shoulder/rotator cuff” (A strong AND stable shoulder is important for everyone, not just athletes!!!)

Ok so you think that’s a “baseball specific workout” if he just works on the rotator cuff?

So some may ask, why should the baseball player be working on the rotator cuff? Is it because baseball is an overhead sport, like a swimmer, tennis player or a QB in football, and more demand is placed on the rotator cuff (and the entire shoulder joint for that matter)?

Well the answer is yes!! But would that make it a tennis or swimming program also?

Why not just make it a “build a healthy superior athlete” program?

What a player or parent must relies is that there is more to a strength and conditioning program for baseball players that just a healthy shoulder or rotator cuff!
OK…now on to the boring science stuff!

The two main bones of the shoulder are the Humerus and the Scapula.

Let’s talk about the scapula and consider why the scapula is important? Normal shoulder motion involves a coordinated rhythm between movement of the shoulder blade on the chest wall and movement of the ball in the shoulder socket. This is called the “scapulohumeral rhythm.” Because the shoulder socket is part of the scapula, many conditions involving the shoulder joint cause secondary problems related to scapular motion and position. These secondary problems can, in turn, worsen the primary condition.

Next let’s take a look at the scapulothoracic joint, it is one of the least congruent joints in the body. No actual bony articulation exists between the scapula and the thorax, which allows tremendous mobility in many directions, including protraction, retraction, elevation, depression, and rotation. The lack of bony attachment predisposes this joint to pathologic movement, and, consequently, makes the glenohumeral joint highly dependent on the surrounding musculature for stability and normal motion.

The scapula is attached to the thorax by ligamentous attachments at the acromioclavicular joint and through a suction mechanism provided by the muscular attachments of the serratus anterior and subscapularis. This suction mechanism holds the scapula in close proximity to the thorax and allows it to glide during movements of the joint. While many muscles serve to stabilize the scapula, the main stabilizers are the levator scapulae, rhomboids major and minor, serratus anterior, and trapezii.

The glenohumeral “protectors” include the muscles of the rotator cuff: the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis.

These muscle groups function through synergistic cocontraction to anchor the scapula and guide movement. The scapula moves through a gliding mechanism in which the concave anterior surface of the scapula moves on the convex posterolateral surface of the thoracic cage. These muscles work together to coordinate the balance of movement between the shoulder joints, thereby maintaining scapulohumeral rhythm. When the muscles are weak or fatigued, scapulohumeral rhythm is compromised, and shoulder dysfunction results. This dysfunction can cause microtrauma in the shoulder muscles, capsule, and ligamentous tissue and lead to impingement. During all movements of the glenohumeral joint (especially movements involving more than 90° of flexion or abduction), it is of paramount importance that the scapular-stabilizing musculature be strong enough to properly position the scapula.

So is it really just about the rotator cuff when training a baseball player? Think about it, this is just a little piece of the puzzle. What about the rest of the body?

Brian Van Hook MS CSCS
Van Hook Sports Performance Training Las Vegas, Nevada

Lifting heavy weight will make you big and bulky!

OK, there is only a handful of things in this world that really aggravate me and the statement of “Lifting heavy weight will make you big and bulky” is one of them.

I often have female clients (and some uninformed personal trainers for that matter) tell me that lifting heavy weight will make you big and bulky.

This is called steroids!

Ok, first off you need to remember the following points when working with female clients (or any clients for that matter), that want to “tone up”:

1. Learn why the terms “toning, shaping, and sculpting” need to be banned from your vocabulary.

2. The treadmill is probably the last thing you need to be doing. While it is a tool, it’s not a necessity for fat loss.

3. No, you won’t become “big and bulky” just because you’re lifting weights.

Seriously, let's get down to the truth. No one should ever worry about getting too big. The reality is that the hardest thing to do as a personal trainer or strength and conditioning coach is to get someone to gain muscle mass. Strength is easy, muscle mass is much more difficult. If we acknowledge that the fear of "getting too big" is ridiculous, it is much easier to move on to the real process of training.

Legendary strength and conditioning coach Mike Boyle once said “getting too big should be put to rest with other foolish statements. For example, imagine a client telling you:

"I'm not going to concentrate on nutrition. I'm concerned I'll get too lean."

"I'm not going to exercise regularly, I'm afraid that I'll develop too much consistency."

"I'm not going to do any cardiovascular work; I don't really want to live past 50 anyway."

All of these statements are as foolish and inane as "I don't want to lift heavy weights, I don't want to get too big".

Seriously, stop and think about it. For many women, it’s not uncommon to carry around a purse that weighs more than a tank on a daily basis. Likewise, they carry groceries, move furniture around, carry their children, or any number of daily “life” stuff that requires them to lift heavy things. However, when asked to lift a barbell, and label it “exercise,” they immediately protest that it will turn into some she-man or something. It’s crazy.

Don’t believe me? Ok let’s look at some research:

1. In a 2002 study, for example, scientists looked at what happened when women performed various resistance exercises at different weights and repetitions (85 percent of their maximum ability for 8 reps, versus 45 percent for 15). Subjects lifting more weight fewer times burned more energy and had a greater metabolic boost after exercise.

2. In another study published in July 2010, scientists followed 122 women for six years. They found that those who were assigned to do resistance exercises three times a week — sets of 8 reps at 70 to 80 percent of their ability — lost the most weight and body fat.

3. In 2007 a similar two-year study of women who did strength training with challenging weight twice weekly found similar effects on body and “intra-abdominal” fat

Seriously, I could go on forever! Do yourself a favor and do a little research on your own!

Soooo many times I have gotten the statement from female clients that they are looking to lose that extra 10-20 lbs of fat they gained in the past and that they want to “tone up” and they are very adamant that high reps is where it’s at because that’s what their last trainer did.

For the last few days I have been training a women that has finally broken down and started to listen to what I have to say. I can only hope she sticks with it! Now she is in good shape, but she wants to “tone up” more and get a little “leaner”, in the past she has spent 2 to 2 1/2 hours on the treadmill or elliptical machine every day while lifting the little pink dumbbells to work on her strength. OMG, that’s like a 3 hour workout! She is skeptical because of the lack of volume I give her. She want to do everything 25 times.

If you would like to learn more I urge you to read a great book called “The New Rules of Lifting for Women” you can get in on Amazon for less than 20.00! The book goes into much more detail on the subject than I can post on the blog.


A few more key point to take home: From a article by Tim Kontos, David Adamson, and Sarah Walls from elitefts.com

1. For women, toning is what happens when the muscle is developed through training. This is essentially bodybuilding without testosterone. Since the testosterone is not present in sufficient amounts, the muscle will develop, but it won’t gain a large amount of mass. The “toned” appearance comes from removing the fat that is covering a well-developed muscle.

2. Muscle bulk comes from a high volume of work. The repetition range that most women would prefer to do (8–20 reps) promotes hypertrophy (muscle growth). For example, a bodybuilding program will have three exercises per body part. For the chest, they will do flat bench for three sets of 12, incline for three sets of 12, and decline bench for three sets of 12. This adds up to 108 total repetitions. A program geared towards strength will have one exercise for the chest—flat bench for six sets of three with progressively heavier weight. This equals 18 total repetitions. High volume (108 reps) causes considerable muscle damage, which in turn, results in hypertrophy. The considerably lower volume (18 reps) will build more strength and cause minimal bulking.

3. Heavy weights will promote strength not size. This has been proven time and time again. When lifting weights over 85 percent, the primary stress imposed upon the body is placed on the nervous system, not on the muscles. Therefore, strength will improve by a neurological effect while not increasing the size of the muscles.

4. Bulking up is not an overnight process. Many women think they will start lifting weights, wake up one morning, and say “Holy shit! I’m huge!” This doesn’t happen. The men that you see who have more muscle than the average person have worked hard for years to get that way.

5. What the personal trainer is prescribing is not working. Many female athletes come into a new program and say they want to do body weight step-ups, body weight lunges, and leg extensions because it’s what their personal trainer back home had them do. However, many of these girls need to look in a mirror and have a reality check because their trainer’s so-called magical toning exercises are not working. Trainers will hand out easy workouts and tell people they work because they know that if they make the program too hard the client will complain. And, if the client is complaining, there’s a good chance the trainer might lose that client (a client to trainer equals money).

6. Bulking up is calorie dependant. This means if you eat more than you are burning, you will gain weight. If you eat less than you are burning, you will lose weight. Unfortunately, most female athletes perceive any weight gain as “bulking up” and do not give attention to the fact that they are simply getting fatter. As Todd Hamer, a strength and conditioning coach at George Mason University said, “Squats don’t bulk you up. It’s the ten beers a night that bulk you up.” This cannot be emphasized enough.

7. Most of the so-called experts are only experts on how to sound like they know what they are talking about. The people who “educate” female athletes on training and nutrition have no idea what they’re talking about. Let’s face it—how many people do you know who claim to “know a thing or two about lifting and nutrition?” These so-called experts are the reason you see so many women doing sets of 10 with a weight they could do 20 or 30 times. They are being told by the experts that this is what it takes to “tone” the muscles. Instead, they are only wasting their time doing an exercise with a weight that is making no contribution to the fitness levels or the development of the muscle.


Brian Van Hook MS CSCS
Van Hook Sports Performance Las Vegas

Shoulder exercise rant, “Empty Can” (EC) exercise

One of my D1 baseball players recently came into the training center today after his first workout with the team strength and conditioning coach and told me about an exercise that got me steamed! (Honestly the whole workout he described was seriously lacking, but this really stuck out). The particular shoulder exercise was the “Empty Can” (EC) exercise. Now I should say the empty can has long been a basis in physical therapy circles when it comes to shoulder rehabilitation. Dr Frank Jobe (the Dr. who performed the first Tommy John surgery in 1974), a well known shoulder specialist, was the first to come up with this exercise. Since then it has become widely known as an isolation exercise for the supraspinatus, even though recent research has show otherwise (3,4,5).

Well with the little history lesson over I wanted to get back to my main concern which was the fact that the strength coach was having the baseball players perform the EC exercise with their arm elevation above a 60 degree angle. (All the way overhead for that matter). Now I have to say I am not a fan of the EC but if you’re going to do them, you need to stay below 60 degrees to prevent impingement of the rotator cuff tendon (2) between its insertion on the greater tuberosity of the humerus and the acromion process.

So why don't I like the EC exercise? Well, according to a study by Reinold et al, the EMG activity of the supraspinatus in the empty can (thumbs down) vs. the full can (thumbs up) is the same. The difference lies in the activity of the deltoid. The empty can produces high levels of activity in the middle deltoid when compared to the full can. So why is this problem? The strong pull of the deltoid pulls the head of the humerus superiorly. It overpowers the supraspinatus and rotator cuff muscles that act to depress and stabilize the head of the humerus. It basically creates forced impingement. Mmmm...Not a good thing for an athlete!

Mike Reinold states in his article, “If the deltoid overpowers the supraspinatus, the rotator cuff cannot keep the humeral head centered within the glenoid fossa and superior migration occurs. Superior humeral head migration = impingement. Not good, and that is why it hurts. There are numerous other anatomical and biomechanical reasons to not use the empty can exercise, but if the full can has the same EMG activity I don’t see the controversy.” Yep, thats why I read his stuff!! (BTW, Mike Reinold is the Head Athletic Trainer and Assistant Director of Medical Services of the Boston Red Sox Baseball Club, check him out at http://www.mikereinold.com/)

Ok, back the the science stuff.....the full can (thumbs up) offers the same benefits for the supraspinatus but produces much less surrounding musculature activity in the deltoid. This allows the humerus to stay nice and comfy in the glenoid fossa in a neutral position. By not forcefully internally rotating the humerus, we don’t re-create impingement in the sub-acromial space. Along with internally rotating an abducted arm we can also get scapular protraction, and anterior tilt. The combination decreases the sub-acromial space resulting in the possibility of more impingement.

The problem with this exercise is simple. When you maximally internally rotate your Humerus (shoulder) the sub-acromial space is greatly decreased when compared to a neutral or externally rotated position. So, when you raise your arm towards shoulder height or higher you are most likely going to impinge the Infraspinatus tendon or other tissues.

Now that you know I’m not a fan of the EC exercise, but you chose to do them yourself you should perform them with proper technique. This requires individuals to internally rotate their shoulder as a means of increasing tension and maximizing activation of the supraspinatus. When raising the arm overhead in the scapular plane, the humerus is required to externally rotate at approximately 60 degrees to prevent impingement of the rotator cuff tendon (2) between its insertion on the greater tuberosity of the humerus and the acromion process. Internal rotation of the arm as required during the EC technique provides a means to improve activation of the supraspinatus, however it prevents the necessary external rotation required to raise the arm overhead without impingement.

Individuals who exceed 60 degrees of elevation during the EC may place themselves at risk for shoulder impingement (1,2). This risk may be avoided by strict adherence to proper form, particularly by avoiding arm elevation above the 60 degree angle. Although the EC may be prescribed for an individual with a shoulder disorder, those previously diagnosed with shoulder impingement have a tendency towards worsening their condition when performing movements similar to the EC, therefore the risk of impingement may outweigh the benefit.

Brian Van Hook, MS, CSCS
Van Hook Sports Performance Las Vegas, NV


References

1. Norkin CC and Levangie PK. Joint Structure and Function. A Comprehensive Analysis. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company, 1992. pp. 207–238.

2. Brossmann J, Preidler KW, Pedowitz RA, White LM, Trudell D, and Resnick D. Shoulder impingement syndrome: Influence of shoulder position on rotator cuff impingement—an anatomic study. AJR Am J Roentgenol 167: 1511–1515, 1996.

3. Boettcher CE, Ginn KA & Cathers I. Which is the Optimal Exercise to Strengthen Supraspinatus? Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 2009; March: p 1979-1983

4. Escamilla RF, Yamashiro K, Paulos L & James R. Andrews JR. Shoulder Muscle Activity and Function in Common Shoulder Rehabilitation Exercises. Sports Med 2009; 39 (8): 663-685

5. Reinold MM, Macrina LC, Wilk KE, Fleisig GS, Dun S, Barrentine SW, Ellerbusch SW, Andrews JR. Electromyographic Analysis of the Supraspinatus & Deltoid Muscles During 3 Common Rehabilitation Exercises. Journal of Athletic Training 2007;42(4):464–469. (Download full research article in PDF format)

6. The Empty Can Exercise: Considerations for Strengthening the Supraspinatus Strength & Conditioning Journal: April 2009 - Volume 31 - Issue 2 - pp 38-40

Shoulder Impingement?

Hey Hook, my shoulder hurts when I raise my arm above my head!

I have gotten this from several athletes that come in to train and are coming off of a season of playing sports (mostly baseball and football) that often complain of this problem. So I thought I would make a quick post on the subject.

Shoulder impingement is one of the leading causes of chronic shoulder pain in athletes and adults who perform constant or repetitive movements involving raising the arm at shoulder height or above. It is not that uncommon; I had shoulder pain in college when playing football, and if I don’t take care of my shoulder, all of the old pains come rushing back even after all these years.

The rotator cuff is a tendon linking four muscles: the supraspinatus, the infraspinatus, the subscapularis, and the teres minor. These muscles cover the "ball" of the shoulder (head of the humerus). The muscles work together to lift and rotate the shoulder.

The acromion is the front edge of the shoulder blade. It sits over and in front of the humeral head. As the arm is lifted, the acromion rubs, or "impinges" on the structures within the subacromial space, a limited space found between the head of the humerus and the acromion, the curved bony prominence from the top of the shoulder blade. The structures most commonly involved in shoulder impingement are the supraspinatus tendon of the rotator cuff, subacromial bursa and the long biceps tendon.

By building stronger shoulders, the signs and symptoms caused by shoulder impingement will be eliminated. To understand how shoulder impingement is caused, it is essential to start with the basic anatomy of the shoulder joint complex.

The Shoulder?

The shoulder has the largest range of motion of any joint in the human body. It is especially designed to allow great degrees of mobility without difficulty and pain. However, because of its ability to move in a wide plane of motions, the shoulder is the least stable joint in the body, making it highly susceptible to injuries during overhead and rotational arm movements. (one of the reasons I am NOT a fan of overhead lifting with any type of overhead athlete like a pitcher, swimmer or QB)

Each shoulder girdle is formed by a clavicle (collarbone) and a scapula (shoulder blade). The clavicle attaches to the breastbone to form the sternoclavicular joint, whereas the head of the humerus attaches to the scapula’s shallow socket called the glenoid fossa to form the glenohumeral joint, the major shoulder joint.

The rotator cuff muscles, consisting of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis, fuse together and form a cuff or band surrounding the top of the humerus to hold it securely in place and to lift rotate the shoulder. Without an intact rotator cuff, the head of the humerus would move excessively off the center of the glenoid fossa, possibly resulting in impingement.

The subacromial space is frequently involved in shoulder impingement. Located below the acromion process and above the humeral head, the subacromial space contains the tendons of the rotator cuff, the long heads of the biceps and the subacromial bursa.

The bursae function as the gliding forces that reduce friction between tendons and bones. In a relaxed and neutral position, the size of the space is fairly wide; however, on arm elevation and inward rotation, the space narrows, consequently pinching on the structures within the subcromial space. To protect the structures from the squeezing effect, the subacromial bursa reduces the pressure.

If the impingement becomes too repetitive or too forceful, the involved structures are injured, leading to shoulder pain, weakness and reduced range of motion.


If you’re having problems I would suggest you speak with your sport coach or contact your doctor to refer you to a qualified specialist to address this problem.

Brian Van Hook MS, CSCS

Strength Training in Las Vegas

The importance of a quality Strength and Conditioning Coach

I wanted to repost this article from a great Strength Coach by the name of Mike Boyle! In my mind he is one of the smartest guys in the business! This really is a good read and discuses the importance of a quality Strength and Conditioning Coach!

By, Mike Boyle

I wrote it a few years ago but, the debate continues regarding the value and impact of the strength and conditioning coach. Football is the best example as football has employed the strength and conditioning coach the longest, and generally employs organized off-season programs.


I'm going to give you a few surprising stats.

1- Do you know that the person in the NFL with the most Super bowl rings is not a player and did not even play college football?

2- Do you know that only one man in history has coached world championship teams in two sports and in fact has coached nine world championship teams?

3- Did you know that only four strength and conditioning coaches have coached nearly half of the teams that have played in the Super Bowl in the last 19 years?


Before I go on, let me state my bias.

I am also a strength and conditioning coach, although not as accomplished as those I'm writing about. Also three of the men I'm discussing I consider to be both friend and mentors.

The man with the most Super bowl rings in NFL history is current New England Patriots Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Woicek, with six. In 2005 Woicek passed Charles Haley, one of his former players.

Coincidence, I don't believe so.

Another interesting statistic: Since 1987 thirty eight teams have played in the Super Bowl. Four strength and conditioning coaches have coached 18 of the thirty-eight, nearly half. Mike Woicek obviously leads the way with six Super Bowl appearances and six wins.

Current Chicago Bear Strength and Conditioning Coach, current San Francisco 49'ers Strength and Conditioning Coach Johnnie Parker and recently retired Atlanta Falcons Strength and Conditioning Coach Al Miller have both been to four each. Parker has the distinction of doing it with three different teams.
An interesting trend or a correlation?

Knowing most of these men I'll vote for correlation. All four are among the most committed in our industry. It is a coincidence that Tampa Bay declined after Parker left in 2003? Is it a coincidence that Chicago was in the second round of the playoffs in 2006 after adding Jones to their staff?

The relationships of strength and conditioning coaches to team success can be hard to measure. Injuries happen, personnel changes. However in these days of Moneyball and statistical analysis, there seems to be a correlation between good strength and conditioning coaches and NFL success.

Parker has been to Super Bowls with the Giants, Patriots and Buccaneers. Woicek with the Cowboys and Patriots. Jones spent his entire career in Buffalo prior to taking over in Chicago. Al Miller's appearances were all with Denver. The head coaches have varied and have obviously been outstanding. Assistant coaches may have also had a similar level success, although I am not aware.

The key is that this is probably more than coincidence. With Parker helping to rebuild the 49er's and Jones in Chicago, the theory will be put to the test. My bet: Within two years you will see either San Francisco or Chicago appear in a Super Bowl.

The answer to my second question is Al Vermeil. Al coached a Super Bowl team in San Francisco before moving on to the Chicago Bulls and I believe 7 more World Championships.

Coincidence? I don't think so.
FYI- Since this article was initially published the Bears and Rusty Jones went to the 2007 Superbowl and, in 2008 the Patriots in Mike Woicek also appeared in the Superbowl.


Mike Boyle website

http://www.FunctionalStrengthCoach3.com

Congratulations to Van Hook training alumni E.J. Reid

I am just finishing up with finals and just wanted to give Congratulations to Van Hook training alumni E.J. Reid for signing with the Rams as a free agent! Trust me what I say he put in a lot of work and he deserves it! It was a real pleasure working with E.J., he is a hard worker and I expect great things from him in the future!

UNLV Pro-Day today

Well it’s been a long time since my last post and boy have I been busy! Thinks are going good, classes are coming along and the Masters program is not as hard as I thought it would be (but VERY time consuming) and I will finish up his July!!


On a training note, congratulations to Martin Tevaseu, DT from UNLV on his Pro-Day today! He did a great job! Our biggest task was dropping his weight from 346lbs in January to an impressive 308 on test day (March 25th)! That’s an impressive 38 lbs on just over 2 months! Great job Martin, all while gaining 8 reps on his 225 Bench Press. Intense training twice a day is not an easy task, but Martin put in work and it will all pay off come draft day!

Martin Tevaseu, DT from UNLV at his 2010 NFL Pro-Day

I also wanted to wish E.J. Reid the best of luck at the Hawaii Pro-Day next Thursday (April 1st) at the Home Depot center in southern California. He is a great athlete that has been working his tail off for the last few months. He is another defensive lineman that needed to trim down while still testing better in all of his drills. I will be making the trip down to So Cal next week to watch all of his hard work pay off! So far his weight is down and he has gained reps on his 225 bench press and has really done a great job with his lateral movement drills.

Kudos to the both of you! And I want tickets next year!!

Now that the big guys are almost done I plan on getting back to work on the Offensive Lineman strength and technique manual! I will be posting more on this blog, as well as the Offensive Lineman Blog


Brian Van Hook

VH Sports Performance in finally on You Tube!!

Van Hook Sports Performance in finally on You Tube, I’m hoping to add videos weekly. I will try to include a lot of the stuff we do with our athletes.

http://www.youtube.com/user/VHSportsPerformance



Brian

Drills for Offensive Lineman

Drills for Offensive Lineman,!

Yes if your looking for Offensive Lineman drills, technique, workouts...etc. Please check out my blog about the big guys! http://www.offensivelinemanworkout.com/

Exercises of the week! Single leg bench squat

One leg bench squat (AKA rear foot elevated split squat, AKA Bulgarian lunge)

Brian Van Hook MS CSCS
VH Sports Performance

We have all heard of the infamous back squat: "The squat is the King of all exercises." The honest truth is you do not need barbell squats in your program to build strong muscular legs. Now I am not saying you should not squat, what I am saying is the squat is not the end all of all exercises. I am a huge fan of Mike Boyle, and I have learned a lot from this man, I believe he is one of the best in the business, but he is not a fan of squatting, if you have had the change to read some of his information he is almost dropping all back squats from his training programs. Now I have to say I am not totally sold on his idea, but I am not far off. I personally never like squats when I was playing football, I am a tall guy (6’7) and the squat is a killer exercises for tall guys like myself. It’s a killer on the lower back and every time I did them I felt like my Lumbar spine was about to snap. I have also worked with several athletes with similar concerns and nagging back pain. At this point in my training career I will not have any clients with even a little back pain or a history of pain, perform to the normal back squat (front squat yes) but not back squat!! So what other options do you have? Well a favorite of mine is the Single leg bench squat (AKA rear foot elevated split squat, AKA Bulgarian lunge)

Single leg squats are an excellent alternative to barbell squats. Talk about an exercise that builds strength and size along with stability! Single leg squats incorporate the need for balance more than any other leg exercise. The more unstable the environment the more the muscles have to work at performing the task. Because you have the added factor of balance, the single leg bench squat is much more difficult to perform than the normal barbell squat, just as the barbell squat is much more difficult than the leg press. I do not want to go into the numbers and percentages, but like the great Mike Boyle once said, why not get the same exercises at half off! You can load you barbell with less weight (I have my guys hold dumbbells in each hand, just seems a little safer to me).

The single leg bench squat is considered somewhat of an advanced exercise. And should only be used after a proper progression is built up and the athlete has the correct amount of single leg strength. You should not be loading up the weight on the first go at this lift. Every athlete I have will start out with bodyweight lunges then weighted (dumbbell) lunges, even with the strongest of kids I will have them start with holding 10-15 pound dumbbells in each hand. At his point it’s not about the weight, it’s about them getting used to this exercises.

I wanted to quote something Mike Boyle said on one of his articles because he says its best:

“Single leg supported exercises is a great introduction to single leg training and should always precede the dynamic variations. In other words split squats should precede lunges, lateral squats should precede lateral lunges, and rotational squats should precede rotational or transverse lunges. Failure to do this will result in exceptional soreness, possible disruption of the training program, and often a loss of confidence in the coach or trainer by the athlete or trainee”.

Bobby (6'3 205) is a local HS baseball player with tree trunks for legs! I expect great things from him this year!! With a GPA of 4.6 and athletic ability, coaches are starting to take notice. You can also see him here doing some “curls for the girls”....lol...told him I would post that pic:)

Preparation

Stand with dumbbells grasped at your side, facing away from bench. Extend leg back and place top of foot on bench.

Execution

Squat down by flexing knee and hip of front leg until knee of rear leg is almost in contact with floor. Return to original standing position by extending hip and knee of forward leg. Repeat. Continue with opposite leg. Keep torso upright during squat; flexible hip flexors are important. Forward knee should point same direction as foot throughout movement.

Muscles involved:

Target

• Gluteus Maximus

Synergists

• Quadriceps

• Adductor Magnus

• Soleus

Dynamic Stabilizers

• Hamstrings

• Gastrocnemius

Stabilizers

• Erector Spinae

• Trapezius, Upper

• Trapezius, Lower

• Levator Scapulae

• Gluteus Medius Gluteus Minimus

Cal Lutheran, Undisputed SCIAC Champions

I Just received an email from Michael's dad and wanted to give some props to Michael Marusa's football team. He is a great kid!!

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Cal Lutheran earned its first ever outright conference title following Saturday's home victory over Redlands. The 30-21 win over the Bulldogs capped off an undefeated run through the conference and secured the program's first NCAA tournament appearance in school history

Read the full story here>>

Resistance training on a stability ball such a good idea?

mmm…is lifting weights on a stability ball such a good idea? I was just reading a blog post from Mike Boyle’s blog that talked about this potential hazard!


I have personally never used Dumbbell’s while lying or standing on a stability ball, I just see it as an accident waiting to happen. I understand why trainers are using this method (stabilizers, synergistic muscles…etc) I just think there are better ways of going about it! I understand why coaches/trainers that work with athletes like to perform several lifts while standing on a “Buso Ball” or laying on a “Swiss ball/stability ball” but THEY need to understand why they are doing it and the positional hazards that come along with such exercises. My main question for you: are you really making your athletes stronger? Are you working the prime movers, or just the stabilizers? How are you increasing force production?


Well that’s just my 2 cents!

The following is a quote from the article: Spurs alter workouts after Garcia injury

“The bizarre weightlifting accident that resulted in a fractured forearm for Sacramento Kings guard-forward Francisco Garcia has prompted a change in some of the Spurs' workout procedures.

Garcia suffered the injury when an inflatable exercise ball exploded. Garcia reportedly was lying on his back across a “physio ball” while lifting dumbbells. When the ball exploded, the player fell backwards, fracturing the radius in his right wrist. He also suffered ligament damage”

5-year-old bodybuilder from Romania

Guiliano Stroe, the 5-year-old bodybuilder from Romania.

Watch this Video! There has been much debate about resistance training at such a young age. No matter what you or I may think, this kid is doing some incredible feats of strength.

Exercises After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Open or Closed Kinetic Chain Exercises After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction


I wanted to post about a recent research paper I was reading titled “Open- or Closed-Kinetic Chain Exercises After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction”.

I was reading this research paper because from strength and conditioning/sports performance point of view I believe in Closed-Kinetic Chain exercises, but I also work with several client that have had past ACL injuries and I am open to anything that will make them a better athlete! The most interesting thing I found was that “OKC and CKC exercises for rehabilitation of the ACL-reconstructed was the load differences may not be clinically significant and that both exercise types, in combination, may be important for ACL rehabilitation. Additional prospective randomized clinical trials must be performed to determine the optimal time to introduce these exercises”

I would have to say that within the last year I have come across more athletes/ clients looking for guidance and training after coming out of physical therapy and wanting to get back into playing full speed. And more and more I am seeing major problems with the athlete being told they are “cleared to play at full speed”. Most of the athletes that have come to me from a port rehab setting have only performed minimal OKC exercises at the least. I have found that no balance or stability drills have been incorporated into the rehab program. I think this is where most athletes do not understand just because they are cleared from a PT that they are ready to go running full speed on the field! This is where a quality performance specialist should come into play! This is not to say all PT's are not adequately providing their clients with the necessary exercises for proper rehabilitation, but most rehab centers are not designed to develop the athletic ability needed to perform at a high level. The job of a PT is to get you back into normal everyday living.

**OKC exercises as those in which the foot is not in contact with a solid surface (Leg extensions)

**CKC exercises as those in which the foot is in contact with a solid surface. (Squat, Lunge)


Brian Van Hook
VH Sports Performance – Las Vegas, NV


1. Braden C. Fleming, Heidi Oksendahl, Bruce D. Beynnon. Open or Closed Kinetic Chain Exercises After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction. Exerc. Sport Sci. Rev. 2005. Vol. 33, No. 3, pp. 134–140

Exercises of the week: Single Leg Romanian Deadlift

Single Leg-Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

Muscles Used: Hamstrings, gluteals, adductors

Most people know about RDL (Romanian Deadlift), but have you ever tried them single leg? Not only does it strengthen the hamstrings to a high degree, but it works on dynamic balance, dynamic flexibility and strengthens your adductors as well. Just don’t get too crazy with the weight, because this exercise is way harder than it looks! Every time I show one of my athletes how to perform this exercise they always want to use a heaver weight, I tell them to keep it light and tell me how your butt feels tomorrow, every time they come in the day after they are complaining how they hurt every time they sit on the toilet! So remember to start out with light weights (5-10lbs BD in each hand to start) balance will be the hardest thing at first!

Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your body and raise one of your legs. The weight should be on the heel and the chest elevated. From this position, keep your free leg straight and swing it back while lowering the dumbbells down to the top of your opposite foot. Return to the top and repeat.

When you get good at these, try to keep your swing leg off the ground throughout the entire set.

Tips:

-Don't stand on a platform for this exercise in an effort to increase your range of motion. If you bend over too far or if the dumbbells hit the ground, you could alter your form.

-This exercises is very awkward at first. If you can't use heavy weight initially, just focus on form and the poundage will increase with time.

-Vary the amount of bend in your front leg. Varying the knee angle will place slightly different emphasis on certain areas of the legs and glutes. Just keep that bend consistent throughout the motion.

-Allow the front leg to "split the uprights" with your arms. The dumbbells should remain an inch or two away from the sides of the working leg. Your upper body will be slightly turned toward this leg.


***Single Leg exercises are a great addition to an athletic performance training program when done correctly. Being a past offensive lineman myself I can reassure you singe leg strength is key for lateral movement on the line of scrimmage!!

Brian Van Hook
Las Vegas Strength Training

Bosu ball, unbalanced surface training

I wanted to write about something that has been bothering me for a couple of weeks now, it’s kind of my little rant!

I see trainers around town doing squats, lunges, curls, and anything else you can manage while teetering hazardously on a stability (or Swiss) ball, balance disc, Bosu ball or wobble board. So why do they think this is a fabulous idea, the main being that such exercises add a balance component and not only engage the target muscles, but also engage lots and lots of small stabilizing muscles. Meaning, you get the extra benefit of improved proprioception (awareness of your body in space), so why not?

Yes the Bosu balls and balance discs do work for those of us who've suffered ankle sprains!

The most common type is a lateral/inversion sprain (shown below), in which your foot twists to the inside, stretching or tearing the ligaments on your outer shin. The telltale signs of an inversion sprain are pain, swelling, and eventually discoloration on the outside of the ankle.

Your peroneals, muscles on the outside of your shin, are in charge of preventing inversion. If they're working properly, they'll contract fast enough and powerfully enough to straighten the foot before the ankle rolls and your ligaments stretch or tear.

Once you've suffered an ankle sprain, you're going to have functional ankle instability unless you follow a good rehabilitation program. In this area, the research has shown over and over again that training on unstable surfaces, wobble boards, Bosu balls, balance discs can correct this proprioceptive delay and get rid of functional ankle instability. That's why unstable surface training is a great rehabilitation tool.

Yes, unstable surface training works for people in the rehab setting, BUT a lot of trainers assume they can apply the same techniques to healthy athletes and prevent ankle sprains, improve balance, and enhance performance. This makes perfect sense right?

The problem is the latest research shows that while doing such exercises are great for rehabbing ankle injuries, they can actually de-power healthy athletes. Now if you're healthy, and your goals have anything at all to do with getting stronger, faster and more powerful, you actually don't want to wobble. (That's not to say you should cut out abs and upper-body exercises like pushups on the ball -- I'm just talking about exercises that involve standing or kneeling on unstable surfaces (especially on the “Buso ball” with the dome facing up)

While researching the subject I came across a study that showed replacing 2 to 3 percent of overall training volume with unstable surface training didn't improve performance, and even more important: unstable surface training minimized improvements in jumping, sprinting, and agility tests. Put another way, the subjects who weren't doing unstable surface training made bigger gains in power, speed, and agility (1). The study explains that one existing criticism of unstable surface training is that such training does not allow for sufficient loading to induce strength gains; the results of this study not only verify that assertion but also demonstrate that unstable surface training actually reduces power (and presumably strength) gains derived from concurrent stable surface training. As such, trainers/coaches applying unstable surface training with a proprioceptive training effect in mind may in fact be impairing the development of important athletic qualities; this finding demonstrates that proprioception is likely best trained in a specific sense with stable surface initiatives.

So just because something works in rehab doesn't mean it's useful for healthy athletes. In fact, if it takes the place of something else in their training, the opportunity cost seems to make things worse.

I would like to note that the study did point out that there may be certain sports (e.g., surfing, snowboarding) for which unstable surface training may offer appreciable carryover to performance, the results of the present study suggest that for most athletes, instability should be applied to training in more sport-specific contexts. These contexts include the application of destabilizing torques applied further up the kinetic chain, just as athletes would encounter in sporting environments where they move on fixed contact surfaces (1).



VH Sports Performance Las Vegas, NV



Information on this article was taken from a study that was done by Eric Cressey for the NSCA Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Eric is full of great info; he is known for his work with baseball players and really is a go-to guy for all types of quality information.


1. ERIC M. CRESSEY, CHRIS A. WEST, DAVID P. TIBERIO, WILLIAM J. KRAEMER, AND CARL M. MARESH. THE EFFECTS OF TEN WEEKS OF LOWER-BODY UNSTABLE SURFACE TRAINING ON MARKERS OF ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2007, 21(2), 561–567



2. CRAIG A. GOODMAn, ALAN J. PEARCE, CALEB J. NICHOLES, BRAD M. GATT, AND IAN H. FAIRWEATHER. NO DIFFERENCE IN 1RM STRENGTH AND MUSCLE ACTIVATION DURING THE BARBELL CHEST PRESS ON A STABLE AND UNSTABLE SURFACE. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 22(1):88-94, January 2008

Flexibility

Among the different aspects of training, flexibility may be one of the most lacking in programs. Back when I went to High School, pulling your arm across your chest and bending over to touch your toes was considered a good way to warm up before training. Not because it was the best way, but because that’s how my coaches were taught to stretch so it’s the way they taught me. It seems like it is the same way today! When I go out to meet with new coaches/clients the first thing I like to show them is a proper warm up, it’s easy and takes little time. I always ask the coaches why they do their specific warm up, and the answer is always the same, “because that’s what I did when I was playing sports”. I try to explain that both cases, static and dynamic stretching, the purpose is to take the muscles though a greater than normal range of motion. Static means that the stretch is being held and the muscles are at a constant length. Dynamic stretching implies that the muscles and joints are moving as you stretch. During dynamic stretching, we are steadily loading and unloading the muscles across multiple joints. I want them to understand that his method assists with increase ROM of the joints while also warming up the neuromuscular system. When first starting with some teams the dynamic warm up will feel like a regular workout to them! I remember running a baseball team through a dynamic warm up and they were all complaining their legs where sore and felt like they just did a workout! I was in total shock of how tight and immobile this team was (they are a great baseball team too). If there is one bit if info I can share with you it is to perform a proper warm up. If you have questions about proper warm ups or dynamic stretching please take a look at our main website to see what we can offer you. Sports Performance Training

Caffeine's neural effects

Caffeine is one of the most extensively consumed stimulants in the world. (3) However, compared to short-term effects of caffeine, the long-term effects of caffeine consumption on learning and memory are poorly characterized. Several studies have shown the positive and negative effects of caffeine use. One study found that long-term consumption of low dose caffeine (0.3 g/L) slowed hippocampus-dependent learning and impaired long-term memory (1). The study concluded that long-term consumption of caffeine could inhibit hippocampus-dependent learning and memory partially through inhibition of hippocampal neurogenesis. On the other side of the coin a study done with US navy seals showed that in the most adverse circumstances, moderate doses of caffeine can improve cognitive function, including vigilance, learning, memory, and mood state. The study stated that at doses of 200 mg administration of caffeine may provide a significant advantage (2).

If you look at the science behind caffeine use you will find that Caffeine promotes wakefulness by opposing all of the actions of adenosine, by blocking the adenosine receptors (4). Adenosine acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain (technically a neuromodulator) (5) , the caffeine molecule is similar enough to adenine to fit into adenosine receptors, but is not similar enough to stimulate those receptors. So the main action of caffeine is to block adenosine receptors. What interested me the most was how caffeine affected the adenosine receptors; I believe I could write all day on just this subject, but I will stick to the question at hand. I would like to note that adenosine stimulates and caffeine blocks all classes of adenosine receptors non-selectively (6). The general effect of adenosine in the brain is to inhibit neural activity, and the general effect of caffeine is to increase neural activity. If you think about it, a general increase in neural activity is not always a good thing, in a worst case scenario, general stimulation may result in an epileptic spasm, rather than the controlled activity of thought & learning. Neurons need to rest to work effectively. Caffeine disrupts the time neurons work and rest. This is something I would enjoy learning/discussing more, if anyone has thoughts on the subject?

On another note regarding performance enhancement, there was a study done in regards to the effect of caffeine and aspirin done on college aged men that indicated ingesting caffeine before light exercise significantly increase the leg extension and arm curls exercises. However, the current evidence showed that these benefits are limited to a large relative dose of a caffeine supplement, and at this large dose of caffeine they did have some overall unfavorable effects such as increased stomach distress and increased tremors.

In the non athletic population there have been studies done in regards to caffeine use, as stated earlier caffeine can disrupt neural receptors as well as increased stomach distress and increased tremors. Several studies done on the effect of caffeine as a diuretic, of the studies I have found, there would appear to be no situations where fluid balance might be compromised with caffeine consumption (8,9). Caffeine consumption also appears to be a slight risk factor for chronic daily headaches (10).




1. Myoung-Eun Han, Kyu-Hyun Park, Sun-Yong Baek, et al. Inhibitory effects of caffeine on hippocampal neurogenesis and function. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications Volume 356, Issue 4, 18 May 2007, Pages 976-980
2. Harris R. Lieberman, William J. Tharion, Barbara Shukitt-Hale, et al. Effects of caffeine, sleep loss, and stress on cognitive performance and mood during U.S. Navy SEAL training. Psychopharmacology. (2002) 164:250-261
3. Kenneth S. Kendler, M.D., and Carol A. Prescott, Ph.D. Caffeine Intake, Tolerance, and Withdrawal in Women: A Population-Based Twin Study. Am J Psychiatry 156:223-228, February 1999.
4. Nehlig A, Boyet S: Dose-response study of caffeine effects on cerebral functional activity with a specific focus on dependence. Brain Res 2000, 858:71-77
5. R. A. Cunha. Adenosine as a neuromodulator and as a homeostatic regulator in the nervous system: different roles, different sources and different receptors. Neurochemistry International Volume 38, Issue 2, February 2001, Pages 107-125
6. L. V. Lopes, R. A. Cunha, B. Kull, et al. Adenosine A2A receptor facilitation of hippocampal synaptic transmission is dependent on tonic A1 receptor inhibition. Neuroscience
Volume 112, Issue 2, 18 June 2002, Pages 319-329
7. Hudson, Geoffrey M., Matt J. Green, Phillip A. Bishop, and Mark T. Richardson. "Effects of Caffeine and Aspirin on Light Resistance Training Performance, Perceived Exertion, and Pain Perception." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 22 (6) (2008): 1950-1957
8. Maughan, R. J., Griffin, J. Caffeine ingestion and fluid balance: a review. Journal of Human Nutrition & Dietetics. (2008) 16(6):411-420.
9. SARAH M. CREIGHTON, S. L. STANTON. Caffeine: Does it affect your Bladder? British Journal of Urology (2008) Volume 66 Issue 6, Pages 613 – 614
10. Ann I. Scher, PhD, Walter F. Stewart, PhD and Richard B. Lipton, M.D. Caffeine as a risk factor for chronic daily headache. NEUROLOGY 2004;63:2022-2027

The biggest loser!

I was reading a blog post by Coach Dos about the TV show “the biggest loser” and wanted to share it with all of you.


It was kind of funny to see he posted this, because I just had one of the girls I train ask me about the show this week. I basically told her I hate that show!!! The main reason is I am not a fan of trainers or coaches screaming and belittling athletes or people in general. And secondly the trainers are morons, having morbidly obese people clients performing plyos, pushing sleds and running ladders is not the way to go. It’s like they go from 0 to 60 on the first day of training?

Anyway if you are interested I believe Coach Dos’s blog post sums it up great.

Good post by Alwyn Cosgrove

I was reading Alwyn Cosgrove’s blog and I wanted to share one of his posts “September Q&A”, I really liked his comments to the “computer programmer” question.

Did you ever stop to think WHY you are doing a body part split?