Athletic Performance Toolbox

Variable Resistance

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How can you make the load heavier as the exercise gets easier? Variable loading with young athletes during early stages  can provide key benefits for not only strength development, but also for coordination, power and stability.
 

This article was provided by Training and Conditioning

By By Dan Hutchison, MS, ATC, CSCS

In relation to the last article on variable resistance and the squat (“Variable Resistance Applications for Young Athletes – The Squat”, Training & Conditioning, November 2016), the bench press movement is probably the second most popular exercise in the strength and conditioning field. Optimal development of upper body strength is dependent on high force production using pushing movements, and many will argue that optimal strength levels will not be reached if consistent and progressive pushing movements are not involved in the program.

The bench press movement, similar to the squat exercise, has generally been seen as the ‘all-purpose’ strengthening tool to optimize upper body power, typically being done with low loads at high velocities and with various types of loading – barbell, dumbbell, cables, etc. One method that often gets overlooked, especially with young athletes, is using variable resistance applications to not only develop strength, but also to improve power. Variable resistance involves some type of implement – band or chain – attached to the frame of the rack and the bar that “varies” the load throughout the range of motion of the movement. Typically, the variability occurs as a decrease in load during the descent phase, and an increased loading during the ascent. This concept essentially increases the load as the mechanical advantage of the lower body improves. Another words, as the exercise gets easier the load gets heavier!

Using variable loading with young athletes doesn’t traditionally occur, mainly because of the technique learning curve that may be longer with younger lifters, and safety concerns. But, once the technique is sufficient and traditional weight is assumed to be added, the coach should consider a light variable application. “Light” can be considered 5-15% of bodyweight since a repetition maximum (RM) has not been established. Some key advantages are bulleted below. The variable resistance mechanism in this article will be a strategically designed bench press cord with quantified loops for an easy determination of load during the barbell bench press exercise.

Key Advantages of Variable Loading the Bench Press:

    • Safety – The heavier loading occurs at the mechanically optimal position, i.e., full arm extension, which allows for not only learning technique through the descent, but also provides a stimulating load throughout the ascent. The safety issue also comes into play by not having as much ‘dead weight’ on the bar, which is better in an emergency and for the spotter.

 

    • Stability – Stabilizing the shoulder, especially under load, can be very difficult for younger athletes first learning the bench press movement. By incorporating a variable load, they learn to control the load by utilizing/activating additional muscles, thereby improving overall strength and coordination in the chest, shoulders and arms. Any balance and proprioception issues could be mitigated early by not over-loading the joint.

 

  • Explosiveness at the end of the movement – With traditional weight-loaded bench press movements, a deceleration occurs at the end-point of the range of motion due to the body’s anticipation of the end of the movement. By adding variable resistance to the movement, young athletes learn to push through that end range of motion, thus enhancing power at extension. This learning effect can carry over to specific sport movements.

Utilizing variable loading with young athletes during early stage bench press exercise, can provide key benefits for not only strength development, but also for coordination, power and stability. This change in stimulus will improve upper body strength throughout the full range of motion, and promote faster strength gains as they progress through the early phases of weight lifting.

Bi-Lateral Lower-Body Plyometrics

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This article was provided by Training and Conditioning

Rotational box jumps combine explosive vertical jumping with exceptional body control and coordination. This article details the advantages and offers coaching points on teaching rotational box jumps.

A discussion of plyometric exercises almost always implies explosive and elastic movements that involve the lower body. A visual of an athlete jumping or sprinting is the most common representation of plyometrics, with the muscles and tendons of the legs propelling the athlete up onto boxes, over hurdles, or across a field. Because the lower body is the primary means of locomotion for the majority of sporting pursuits, identifying optimal plyometric exercises for the specific demands of a sport is imperative for preparing the lower body for explosive and dynamic performances. In addition to locomotion, the muscles of the legs are required for landing, decelerating, and changing direction. Training of these muscles must reflect the demands of various sports while not creating a situation where overuse of specific muscles and joints can lead to acute or chronic injury. Awareness of the specific muscles involved in a given sport and the relative involvement of these muscles in lower body plyometric exercises is critical for the development of an effective exercise plan.

While many of the same muscles will be used in all of the lower body plyometric exercises, it is important to understand that the subtle differences between one exercise versus another can be the difference in not only improving overall performance but also minimizing the probability of injury. The gluteal muscles, hamstrings, and quadriceps are all involved to varying degrees in lower-body plyometric exercises. The quadriceps are involved in extending the knee in jumping and sprinting movements, but can also play a key role in decelerating an athlete on a jump landing or direction change movements.

The hamstrings play a significant role in powerfully extending the hip for explosive jumps and sprint acceleration but also flex and support the knee for many athletic movements. The gluteal muscles are powerful hip extensors for jumping and other explosive movements, and can play an important part in decelerating the body during landings and agility movements. Below the knee joint, muscles of the calf can be involved in both high-speed elastic movements (gastrocnemius) and postural stability (soleus). The well-coordinated involvement of all of these muscles is what produces exceptional athletic performances for both training and competition.

Plyometric jumps involving two legs provide a stable means of loading the lower body with high-intensity explosive movements. It is common to initiate a plyometric jumping program with two-footed jumps for this reason. Bilateral jumps equally distribute and share the force of takeoffs and landings over two legs, making such exercises relatively less stressful than single-leg jumps. Once a foundation of bilateral jumps is built over a phase of training, single-leg jumps can be added to provide more complex movements and greater loads on individual legs.

Rotational box jump
Rotational box jumps combine explosive vertical jumping with exceptional body control and coordination. The direction and magnitude of the rotational movement are determined by the actions and intent of the upper body. Simply turning the head and shoulders at the initiation of a jump can create a significant rotational effect. Training this skill is important for all aspects of athletic movement when direction changes and agility are required. The head and upper body act as the steering wheel or rudder of the body. A rotational box jump challenges rotational skill and body awareness. In some sports, such as figure skating and freestyle skiing, rotational box jumps are an important dryland training exercise for off-season preparation.

Execution

1. Select a box height that suits your jumping ability. This can be executed as a static start jump or a countermovement jump.
2. Initiate the jump with a strong upward motion delivered primarily by the lower body. An upward arm swing can accompany the lower-body push.
3. The arms, shoulders, and head, moving aggressively in the direction of the desired motion, initiate body rotation for the jump. As the upper body and torso rotate, the lower body follows.
4. The magnitude of rotation is determined by the orientation of the upper body. Rotation will be 90 to 360 degrees, depending on the specifics of the sport. On landing, the upper body faces the direction of the desired finishing position. Landing with the simultaneous contact of both feet on the top of the box provides a stable base of support.
Learn more about Plyometric Anatomy at www.HumanKinetics.com.

Muscle Collagen Synthesis

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Chris Beardsley  graduated from Durham University with a Masters Degree in 2001. He since contributed to the fields of sports science and sports medicine by working alongside researchers from Team GB boxing, the School of Sport and Recreation at Auckland University of Technology, the Faculty of Sport at the University of Ljubljana, the Department of Sport at Staffordshire University, and the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University. He is also a Director at Strength and Conditioning Research Limited 

For more great information regarding strength and conditioning follow Chris on Twitter and Instagram

Muscles are made up of individual muscle fibers, which are arranged into bundles of muscle fibers, called fascicles.

Each muscle fiber is surrounded by a layer of connective tissue made up of collagen proteins, called the endomysium. Muscle fascicles are surrounded by a layer called the perimysium, and the muscle itself is surrounded by a layer known as the epimysium.

Together, these collagen layers are known as the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the muscle. They provide support for the muscle fibers and muscle fascicles, and are also involved in the transmission of forces.

The endomysium, which surrounds single muscle fibers, is particularly important for force transmission. When muscle fibers contract, they transmit force laterally through structures that connect their basement membranes to the endomysium. The endomysium then transmits force laterally into the rest of the muscle and longitudinally to the tendon.

Since the ECM functions to provide support for the muscle, the collagen content of it should increase as muscle fibers increase in size after strength training. This suggests that we should observe an increase in collagen protein synthesis alongside the increase in muscle protein synthesis after a strength training workout.

And indeed, that is what happens.

As you can see from the above infographic, when matched for work done, eccentric and concentric training increase collagen protein synthesis similarly after strength training.

Since concentric training does not tend to cause very much muscle damage, this supports the idea that the post-workout increase in collagen content is mainly used for adapting the muscle structure in order to accommodate changes in muscle fiber size.

Even so, eccentric training leads to greater collagen protein synthesis than concentric training when using the same number of sets and reps (volume) and not the same work done, as you can see from the following infographic.

Together, these findings suggest that there is a dose-response effect for the increase in collagen content after strength training, such that greater work done leads to greater increases.

And interestingly, this further supports the idea that the collagen is being used to restructure the muscle to accommodate the greater muscle fiber size, because muscles also increase to a greater extent with higher training volumes.

It must be admitted that until recently, there was little evidence for increases in collagen content within a muscle after long-term strength training.

In the last few months however, it was discovered that a standard strength training program could produce increases in type IV collagen within the endomysium of human muscle fibers, and also displayed trends for increases in types I, VI, and XII.

As well as providing a larger structure for a larger muscle fiber, the increased collagen content of the endomysium could also increase muscle stiffness (which is a common adaptation to strength training).

In addition, it has been suggested that the increased collagen content in the endomysium could make the muscle more able to store elastic energy, potentially protecting it from future strain injury. However, this is still speculative, and we are still a long way away from understanding the interactions between increased collagen content, increased collagen cross-links, and changes in the lateral connections between the muscle fiber and the endomysium after various types of strength training.

Renegade Rows

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This article was provided by Training and Conditioning

When planning an athlete’s workout, most coaches try to find exercises that engage multiple muscle groups and more efficiently use weight room time. If you’re looking for a compound exercise that will fill many needs, the Renegade Row might be the perfect option as it works the core as well as the upper body.

In an article for Stack.com, Andy Haley, CSCS, explains that as an anti-extension core exercise, the Renegade Row is safer for your athletes than other similar movements. It reduces the chance of injury by training the athletes’ abs and other core muscles to prevent the lower back from extending.

“As soon as you lift a dumbbell off the ground, the exercise gets much more intense,” writes Haley. “It pulls down your shoulder, and your opposite hip wants to shoot up into the air to make it easier on your core.

“To perform the exercise properly in the plank position with your hips level and square to the ground, your core muscles work to keep you in the exact same position as when both dumbbells are on the ground—but now you only have one arm for support,” he continues. “In addition to the anti-extension component discussed above, it also works anti-rotation, meaning your core muscles prevent your torso from rotating.”

While the core is working, so are the shoulders, back, chest, hips, and quads. Each of these muscle groups are utilized and strengthened while helping your athlete stay in the right position throughout the exercise. The unilateral nature of this exercise in strengthening each of these components makes it a useful workout for athletes in any sport.

“This exercise is particularly beneficial for athletes, or anyone, for that matter, because we rarely ever work with both arms and legs at the same time in sports or everyday life,” writes Haley. “There’s usually some sort of asymmetrical force or movement, such as what occurs when you throw a ball, push off against someone with one hand or even open a heavy door.”

While the Renegade Row can be very beneficial to athletes, it can also be harmful if done incorrectly. In an article for the National Federation of Professional Trainers, Ian Nimblett, CFCS, CSCS, CPT, recommends that athletes be able to master the regular plank for 60 seconds before moving on to this type of exercise. He then lays out the steps to completing it correctly:

  1. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand and get into pushup position, balancing on the handles.
  2. Shift your body weight to your right side so your left arm feels light.
  3. Row the left-hand dumbbell to your ribs, bring back down to the starting position, and repeat.
  4. Keep your body in a straight line and your abs braced throughout. Do not move your hips.
  5. Repeat on the opposite side of your body.

If your athlete is struggling to do this exercise, Nimblett suggests moving the feet into a wider stance, which gives a more stable base. Once the athlete begins to build strength and becomes more used to the exercise, the feet can be gradually brought back together. However, make sure that while this change is being made their body stays in alignment throughout.

When implementing this exercise into your athlete’s workout, it is important to not overdo it. Haley suggests starting with a lighter weight, and gradually moving up as strength increases. He also recommends not utilizing the Renegade Row too often. Instead, integrate it one or two times per week into the core workout, with 3-4 sets of 5 reps on each side. Nimblett echoes this sentiment, suggesting that athletes focus on quality repetitions over quantity.

To see the Renegade Row in action, check out this YouTube video from Nimblett. The video has audio, so please make sure that your sound is turned on.

Push-Up Complex

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This article was provided by Coaches Network

There’s nothing fancy about push-ups. They can be done anywhere by any athlete with no equipment or complex instructions. That may be the reason they are sometimes overlooked in a training program. However, they should be perfected by all athletes and then used as a starting point for progress.

According to a blog by Ryan J. Faer, CSCS, former Director of Strength & Conditioning at DeLand (Fla.) High School, the push-up can be made into much more than an entry-level exercise. The positioning of an athlete during push-ups allows easy transitions into other movements, creating what Faer calls a push-up complex.

“The hands and feet position (the High Plank) puts the athlete in a great set-up to execute a variety of movements to accomplish many different training goals,” he writes. “And, string movements in succession and you will yield a physical challenge to the whole system as well – much more challenging than the traditional Push-Up

The number of exercises that can be used in a push-up complex is almost endless, and depends on what you want your athletes to focus on: mobility, stability, or posture. Here is an example of a complex from Faer:

  • Begin in push up position.
  • Push Up x1
  • Shoulder Taps x1 each (Stability)
    • In push up position raise left hand and tap right shoulder.
    • Return hand to ground.
    • Raise right hand and tap left shoulder.
    • Return hand to ground.
  • Leg Lifts x1 (Stability)
    • Raise right leg almost parallel to ground.
    • Return to ground.
    • Raise left leg almost parallel to ground.
    • Return to ground.
  • Downward Dog x1 (Mobility)
    • Keep hands and feet in place.
    • Push backwards, hips rising until you create a triangle with the ground, heels almost touching the ground.
  • Return to push-up position and repeat from the beginning.

With any push-up complex, each movement should flow straight into the next. Faer suggests going through all of the motions five times without stopping, and counting this as one set. He recommends athletes do three sets, but continuously change the chosen movements or amount of repetitions depending on the athlete’s ability level.

“One set may only require 5 push-ups, but the result is a strenuous complex or flow that challenges shoulder and trunk stability, hip mobility, posture, and hamstring flexibility,” he writes. “Not challenging enough? Simply make each Push-Up x 2 (10 push-ups per set) or x 3 (15 per set)… you get the idea. Or, you can add more movements to challenge other aspects of mobility, stability, or posture.”

No matter what movements you choose, one major benefit of the complex is that it constantly strengthens posture.

“What’s great is that, by simply reinforcing the importance of the High Plank position and reminding the athlete to move consciously and with purpose, posture is greatly emphasized in every Push-Up Complex,” writes Faer. “That is because every time we leave the High Plank position, we must eventually return to it and re-establish proper alignment, thus getting great kinesthetic exposure each set.”

Another benefit of the push-up complex is efficiency. Because your athlete is going through multiple motions, they are engaging various areas of their body all within one exercise. This also adds variety and keeps athletes from becoming bored by the monotony of regular push-ups.

To see the above complex in action, check out this video from Faer.

The YouTube video does not have audio. Click the arrow to play. Note some schools block access to YouTube.