Fuel for the athlete

A good strength training program will keep you injury free. Let’s say you have a great strength coach, but are you eating the right foods and at the right time? Young athletes will perform better if they learn what, when, and how much to eat. Let’s start with carbohydrates. Being an athlete is like being a high performance sports car. Cars need fuel, so do athletes. The fuel of choice for the athlete is carbohydrates. At least 50 percent of the calories an athlete eats should be from carbohydrates. This is what your muscles prefer to use as fuel to keep you running at peak performance. 1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories and is the fuel of choice before, during, and after activity.

There are two forms of carbohydrates: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates (also know as empty calories) are found in sweets like fruits, candy, cookies, and soda. They digest quickly and are a good source of immediate fuel. They are not the preferred choice of carbohydrates while playing sports because they affect energy levels.
Complex carbohydrates are found in bread, cereal, pasta, and other starchy foods. Complex carbohydrates are digested and absorbed a bit slower than simple carbohydrates and provide the athlete with a longer lasting type of fuel. When glucose is not used immediately for energy, it is then converted to glycogen that is stored in the muscles and liver. Glycogen is the fuel that allows an athlete’s engine to keep running on all eight cylinders during sports activity.
Protein is made up of small building blocks called amino acids. The body uses 20 amino acids. Of the 20, the body can make 11 on its own. These are called nonessential amino acids. The remaining 9 amino acids are called essential amino acids because the body cannot make them and they must be supplied through the foods we eat. Just like carbohydrates, 1 gram of protein = 4 calories and can be used as fuel for the body.

Protein is only used if there are no carbohydrates available to be used as fuel. Protein is used for building muscle and repairing the body, not for fueling sport activities. A growing teenage athlete needs about 0.8-0.9 grams of protein per pound of body weight. To determine protein requirement of an athlete, multiply weight x 0.8 or 0.9 Example 160x0.8=128 or 160x0.9=144 grams of protein per day.

You want to eat your protein and carbohydrates within 1 hour after your workout or competition to start the rebuilding process of muscle and to restore glycogen levels for your next sporting event.

Posted by: Christopher Sarver, NSCA-CPT

Fluid Replacement

Fluid replacement is a vital component and must be addressed in a diligent manner. The following fluid recomendations are as followed:

480-600 cc fluid: 1-2 hrs before exercise
300-480 cc fluid: 15 minutes before exercise
120-180 cc fluid: every 10-15 minutes during exercise

*Start fluid intake 24 hours before an exercise event

Hydration in the postexercise recovery is best achieved by the ingestion of either the typical glucose-electrolyte solution or a carbohydrate-protein mixture. Howwver if the exercise duration is less than 60-75 minutes, then plain water is recommended.

In closing, maintaining fluid balance reduces the effects of climate and/ or blood volume on hydration status.

Strength for Baseball the Functional Way

What every baseball player should know? Strength training is essential to any ball players program. The game of baseball requires you to use all the major muscles of the body to perform baseball tasks such as hitting, throwing, catching, and running. Unlike bodybuilders who train in single joint movement, baseball players need to train like the athletes they are. Not by using isolation exercises or machines you need to train like the body moves in multi-joint movements. Functional strength training should be thought of in terms of a movement continum. As athletes we are constantly using movements such as pushing, pulling, lifting, bending, extending, jumping, and running. The primary goal of functional strength training is to have improvements in strength from one movement to another. In functional training it is important to train specific movements, not muscles.

Muscles of interest for the throwing athlete: Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor, Subscapularis. These muscles are also known as the rotator cuff muscles. These muscles guard the glenohumeral joint of the shoulder and help to stabilize the head of the humerus.

Functional Exercises to strengthen your Shoulder and increase your Fastball

Pull-Ups overhand, underhand, wide grip, close grip, over under grip, Inverted row, Push-Ups, Staggered Push-Ups, Stability-Ball Push-Up, Dumbbell Rotational Push-Up, Upside down Bosu push-ups, Feet-Elevated Push-Up, Push-Up Bridge, Shoulder Bridge, Side Bridge, Back Bridge.

Leg Exercises

Squats, Dead Lifts, Lunges, One-leg Box Squat, Front and Lateral Step-Up, Lateral Squat

Pre-hab Shoulder Exercises

Y, T, W, L

These letters are used to describe the prone position in which to perform scapula retraction or elevation movements. Begin with 8 reps in each position with no weight without resting between exercises. These must be done in the order Y-T-W-L, for a total of 32 reps per set. Do two sets. Add 2 reps per week, up to sets of 16 reps in each position (64 reps total). When 64 reps can be done, go back to sets of 8 with one- to two-pound dumbbells.

For optimal results, repeated practice of these precise movements is required.

Posted by, Christopher Sarver, NPTI, NSCA-CPT

& Joe Hos, NSCA-CPT

Day 50 of Tough Mudder

Core-Flexibility

Total Time

Exercise Time/Reps Sets/Rest 30

1. Opposite Arm & Leg 45 sec 3/30 sec

2. Straight Leg Overs 8 ea.

3. BOSU Side Bridge R-L 20 sec

4. BOSU Birddog 15 sec

5. 1 L Calf Stretch 6-8 ea.

6. Figure 4 Crossover Stretch 15 sec

7. SB Jacknife 15

8. SB Crunch 25

Workout of the Week

Basketball SAQ Training



Dynamic Warm-Up 5-10 min 20 yards
Power slides, Carioca, Back pedals turn to jog, High knees, Butt kicks, Power skips.

Line drills: Two feet 30 sec on 30 off, work on foot speed. After you complete all four patterns then go to one foot and repeat the patterns.
Side to side, front to back, crisscross, zigzags

Ladder drills: Two feet quick feet forward and lateral, hop scotch two feet in two feet out of the box, hop scotch alternate landing on Right foot in right foot out then left foot in left foot out, in-in out-out forward and lateral, Stack outs, one foot hops forward and lateral. Advanced athletes can use a basketball for theses drills

Hurdles: Take (6) six inch hurdles, line them up space approx. 1 foot apart enough for adequate landing space.
One foot run through forward one foot between each hurdle, two foot run through forward and lateral two feet between each hurdle, two feet jumps forward, two feet jumps lateral, right/left foot jumps forward and lateral
After you complete above workout go to (6) 12 inch hurdles and repeat drills remember to maintain proper form and technique absorb the landing with the muscles not the joint. Bend your knees and hips when you land keep torso upright. Advanced players can use a weight vest for these drills.

Power slides with med ball pass: Against wall or with a partner. Place two cones approx. 10 yards apart start slides while making two passes to a partner or against a wall. Up and back counts as 1 rep. Try to work for a set time or for reps. Advanced players can use a weight vest or ankle bands. This drill will develop muscular strength, and endurance.

Resistance rubber bands: Place a cone approx. 10 yards away step into band place around hips keep band tight. Sprint out to cone and back to start position. Continue for desired reps .3 sets forward sprints, backpedals and power slides (D-slides) both directions. Advanced players can use basketball for these drills. While going backpedal have a partner pass you a ball as you go out receive the pass as you come in return the pass. While doing power slides make passes to your partner. When going forward work on dribbling like you’re charging up the court. Advanced players use a green band all other players use purple.


Finish each workout with a cool down and stretch.

Posted by: Christopher Sarver, NPTI, NSCA-CPT

Good flexibility is known to bring positive benefits !

Good flexibility is known to bring positive benefits in the muscles and joints. It aids with injury prevention, helps to minimize muscle soreness, and improves efficiency in all physical activities. Few people realize that flexible joints and regular stretching are also essential for optimum health and activity.

Benefits of Stretching

Good muscular and joint mobility, range of motion (ROM)
Reduced muscle soreness
Improved posture
Increased blood and nutrients to tissues
Improved muscle coordination

Types of stretching

There are four major types’ of stretches:
1. Static
2. Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)
3. Ballistic
4. Dynamic

We will go over two of the most common stretches.
Static and Dynamic stretching

Static stretch is used most often. In static stretching, one stretches a particular muscle or group of muscles by slowly moving the body into position and then holding the stretch for a set time. Example: bending over to touch your toes and holding that position for a set time.

Dynamic Stretch: Dynamic stretching refers to the stretching that occurs while performing sport-specific movements. Example: High knees and Butt kicks.

Connective Tissue

Elasticity: The ability to return to original resting length after a passive stretch.

Plasticity: The tendency to assume a new and greater length after a passive stretch.

Improvements in range of motion as a result of a stretching program are mainly due to the connective tissue adaptations.




Warm-Up

5 to 10 min of slow activity such as using the elliptical, stationary bike and treadmill will help warm up the body’s internal temperature.

Frequency and Duration

Stretching 2 to 3 times per week is shown to improve flexibility.
Stretches should be held to the point of mild discomfort, but not pain, for 30 sec
Duration should be 15 to 20 min for your stretching routine.

When Should You Stretch?

Before practice and competition and following practice and competition

References: Arnold G. Nelson and Johko Kokkonen 2007. Stretching Anatomy
Baechle, T.R., R.W. Earle 2000. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 2nd ed.



Posted by, Christopher Sarver, NPTI, NSCA-CPT

How much protein?

Depending on your goals, you should aim to consume 0.6 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. If you weigh, say, 180 pounds, you would want to shoot for between 108 to 144 grams of protein per day. Generally speaking, the leaner and more active you are, the higher your protein intake should be on that scale. That might sound like a lot, but consider how much protein is in common foods such as the ones listed below:

■Chicken (4 ounces, skinless, size of a deck of cards): 35 grams
■Tuna (6 ounces, packed in water): 40 grams
■Fish (6 ounces of cod or salmon): 40 grams
■Lean red meat (4 ounces): 35 grams
■Lean pork (4 ounces): 35 grams
■Reduced-fat tofu: 30 grams
■Cottage cheese (1 cup, 1% or 2% fat): 28 grams
■Milk (1 cup of 1%, 2%, or fat-free): 8 grams