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com

WARM-UP TO SPEED UP
PREPARING THE BODY FOR THE DEMANDS OF TRAINING
Allan Johnson, MS, CSCS, MSCC Sports Performance Director, Velocity Sports Performance To run faster with any efficiency it is important to do warm-up movements. It is something that you must do before each training session. The warm-up is pre-activity movements that have a very specific objective of preparing the body for the demand of the training session to come. Warm-up is the bridge from the normal daily activity to the training session. Based on scientific research, the warm-up is designed to boost body temperature, increase blood flow to working muscles, activate muscle groups, stimulate the nervous system and enhance joint mobility. Performing the warm-up correctly prepares the athlete for success while decreasing the potential for injury when doing explosive running activities. warm-up when the movements being utilized duplicate or are similar to those learned or practiced in prior training sessions. In this scenario, valuable motor skills are rehearsed while serving as a warm-up.

INJURY PREVENTION
While there are various intrinsic and extrinsic factors that contribute to sport-related injury, proper warm-up can considerably reduce the chance of injury. A well planned out warm-up activity can result in increased range of motion. The goal of any exercise program should be to aid in injury prevention.

PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT
The physiological responses elicited by warm-up activity not only prepare the body for movement, but also carry out significant functions in enhancing the athletic performance to follow. One response to warm-up is the elevation of core body temperature. This rise in temperature should be exhibited by a mild perspiration. From a performance aspect, an increased range of motion in the muscles, tendons and ligaments allows for improvements in movement mechanics as well as force production.

SAMPLE DYNAMIC WARM-UP DRILLS

Jumping Jacks ....................................1 x 15 Run In Place .............................. 15 seconds Walking Knee Hugs ................1 x 10 yds. Skip Forward ............................. 1 x 10 yds. Straight Leg March ................ 1 x 10 yds. Forward Lunge Walking ..... 1 x 10 yds. Shuffle Right ............1 x 10 yds. Shuffle Left ...............1 x 10 yds. Backpedal Run .......1 x 10 yds. Carioca Right ...........1 x 10 yds. Carioca Left............... 1 x 10 yds.

If an athlete executes a static stretching routine and then attempts a maximal vertical jump, chances are they would jump below their normal or optimal performance.
In addition to core body temperature, the temperature of working muscles also increases as a response to warm-up. Compared to cold muscles, a warm muscle contracts with more force and relaxes in a shorter amount of time. The ability of muscles to contract more forcefully and relax more quickly enhances both strength and speed during training or competition. Another goal of warm-up is to increase oxygen delivery to working muscles via increased blood flow. A proper warm-up utilizes movements that progress from simple to complex. As a warm-up becomes more physically and mentally demanding, the muscular and neuromuscular systems are provided the opportunity to gradually reach training intensity without under working or over-fatiguing the athlete. When a warm-up contains challenging and unique movements, the neuromuscular system is activated and progressively reaches a peak arousal level at the onset of training or competition. Performance is further enhanced by 1

ACTIVE DYNAMIC WARM-UP

Active dynamic warm-up consists of multi-joint, multi-muscle movements that are functional, similar to sport movements and extend the dynamic range of motion of joints. Warm-up patterns contribute to improved balance, coordination, concentration levels and prepares flexibility and mobility necessary to perform sport skills. When compared to static stretching, dynamic warm-up appears to be a more appropriate method for performance training preparation. Static stretching is the most basic form of stretching. Static stretching is a slow, controlled type of stretch that involves no bouncy or ballistic tight movements. The stretch is held for anywhere between five and 30 seconds. Research has shown that static stretching can reduce strength and power by as much as 20% per training session. The warm-up prior to a training session or sports activity or game is a key component to improving performance. Once muscles are warmed-up properly the athlete can now focus on moving more efficiently at a much higher level. A properly warmed-up muscle correlates to a more explosive and faster athlete.

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SLEDGEHAMMER TRAINING BASICS

POWERFUL, INEXPENSIVE AND FUN!
Joe Hashey, CSCS Sledgehammer work is nothing new in the strength training world. It has been used by combat athletes for years to develop punching power. However, only recently strength and conditioning coaches have started to integrate this intense training with athletes of multiple sports. These coaches have begun to realize the many benefits of sledgehammer training, including increased grip and forearm strength, improved torso strength, enhanced coordination and greater explosive power. An additional advantage is that sledgehammer training is inexpensive to initiate. Simply take a trip to your local hardware store and buy a sledgehammer, making sure to start small. It is better to have a lighter sledge so that your athletes can generate a greater amount of force. Locate a tire store to obtain an old tire, usually for free. We use our large 500 lb tractor tire, but something that big is not necessary. There are many techniques used to swing the hammer. Regardless of which method is used, sledgehammer work must be explosive! Here are the most popular swings:

1. DIAGONAL SLAMS
Start with an slightly offset base and swing the hammer from your right side. Strike the tire in front of your body. Repeat from the left side. Diagonal slams are great for developing strength, explosion, and coordination in your weak side.
Diagonal Slam

2. OVERHEAD SLAMS
Start with your feet square to the tire. Bring the sledgehammer straight over your head and explode it down into the tire. Reset the hammer by bringing it back on the same path as the swing.

3. ROTATIONAL SLAMS
These can be accomplished by standing a larger tire upright or fastening a small tire to a wall. Stand perpendicular to the tire and swing the hammer like a baseball bat. Strike the tire on the flat area and repeat from both sides. This will help develop coordination and strength on both sides of the body. Each style of swing can also be done with one hand to increase difficulty. A successful sledgehammer training program should also include deceleration work. In this form, start each movement as described above, exploding as if to hit the tire. As the hammer passes the halfway portion of the movement, decelerate the motion and attempt Continued on page 3 2
One-Hand Diagonal Slam

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Sledgehammer - Continued from page 2 to stop the hammer before it hits the tire. Deceleration swings build coordination, develop synergist and antagonist strength, improve dynamic grip power and strengthen the rotator cuffs.

SAMPLE SLEDGEHAMMER ROUTINE

This is a larger routine and can be shortened to add to the end of a workout. 2 x 10 One Hand Diagonal Slams 2 x 10 Two Hand Overhead Slams 2 x 8 Overhead and Diagonal Deceleration Slams 2 x 10 Rotational Slams 2 x 8 Rotational Deceleration Slams 4 minute Diagonal Slam Tabata Sledgehammer Conditioning

For those who are unfamiliar with Tabata conditioning, it is a type of training that involves 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. In the above example, the athlete would diagonally slam the tire as many times as he could in 20 seconds from his right side. Then he would rest for 10 seconds before swinging from the left side. The training would continue for four consecutive minutes. This is a good way to condition the athletes type II muscle fibers by using an explosive activity. Tabata training can be used with overhead and rotational slams as well. Also, for many athletes it is much more fun form of cardio than running!

Overhead Slam

Be creative in how you use sledgehammer training to suit the individualized needs of your athletes
In conclusion, sledgehammer training is a great activity with numerous benefits. It can strengthen the rotator cuffs of your baseball players, increase shot speed for your hockey and lacrosse players, act as a fun way for your offensive linemen to condition, etc, etc!

Rotational Slam

ALPHA DOG SPORTS ADVISORY BOARD

USC TROJANS LSU TIGERS UT VOLS FLORIDA GATORS

CHRIS CARLISLE
Head Strength & Conditioning Coach University of Southern California

TOM MOFFITT
Head Strength & Conditioning Coach Louisiana State University

JOHNNY LONG
Head Strength & Conditioning Coach University of Tennessee

MICKEY MAROTTI
Director of Strength & Conditioning University of Florida

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UNILATERAL TRAINING:

IMPLICATIONS & APPLICATIONS

Joel Raether Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach, University of Denver In todays world of functional training, commercialized core training tactics, innovative program design schemes and a multitude of resistance training implements such as kettle bells, sandbags, balls and bands; there lies a variable often overlooked and many times under-utilized within these parameters that can add new stimulus to your program. Unilateral training is often used within programs. Sometimes incorporated for the purpose of variety, sometimes utilized for sport specific means, but probably under-emphasized in its actual functional trainability. Part one of this article will discuss the implications of unilateral training, the factors and variables that can be assessed to better recognize and adjust your current program to address asymmetries, deficiencies and any other compensation factors seen in training and play. function, visual and kinesthetic cues, bone and connective tissues and also muscle stability factors. All of these coordinative variables establish awareness in and around the body, especially as it pertains to how we interpret and process information. For instance, in baseball, a batter must be able to use the eyes to see a pitched ball, interpret how quickly the ball is moving and the path the ball is traveling as it approaches. In this short time the athlete must decide if this pitch will be within the strike zone and if so, attempt to use the hands, arms and body to initiate contacting the ball with their bat. This is a very complex and difficultly orchestrated level of coordination and awareness that athlete must possess in order to be successful. There are seven levels of awareness that are influenced and controlled by different parts of the body. The seven awareness variables as described by Gambetta in Training and Conditioning include: spatial, rhythmic, directional, vestibular, temporal, auditory and tactile. Spatial awareness refers to the orientation of objects in space as well as our body. Rhythmic awareness is the ability to make repetitive movements that result in balanced movement. The ability to discern size and laterality (L/R) (Up/Down) is how directional awareness is described. Vestibular awareness aids the body in maintaining balance and body positioning. The timing system of the body is referred to as temporal awareness. Temporal awareness is (more plainly) how we judge things around us are moving, how quickly and how long (from a time perspective) an object may be away from us. This is much like the baseball scenario where the athlete must interpret how quickly the Continued on page 5

Unilateral training is often overlooked and many times under-utilized, but can add new stimulus to your program.
In sports such as hockey, basketball, boxing and soccer lies a high level of bilateral demands. Likewise sports such as tennis, golf and baseball favor a more unilateral dominant pattern. The unilateral, bilateral, dominant and non-dominant variables refer to the use of arms, legs, eyes, ears, etc. in athletics and how we as strength and conditioning professionals can account for many deficiencies and trainable characteristics within these variables to enhance our programs. Within these variables there are congruency comparisons that equate very closely to specific sports such as baseball and gymnastics. Congruency factors are classified by an athletes preference with hand, eye, leg and even ear dominance and which of these the athlete tend to use when cued or asked to perform tasks. For example, an athlete that is clearly congruent tends to display a consistent right or left preference to all variables (hand, eye, etc). Likewise if an athlete displays cross-congruency they will display a mixture of preferences. This would mean that an athlete may by dominant with their left eye yet be predominantly right handed. How these relate to sport relevance is where these characteristics begin to shape up. The hands and feet are both motor dominant characteristics, meaning that you have awareness not only to each independently but also which appendage is dominant when compared to the other. However your eyes are sensory organs and have no conscious proprioception. In short, you do not see the world from the left or right eye as you consciously discern between your right and left hand. During the maturational and developmental stages of life, coordination in the body is determinate upon such factors as vestibular (inner ear) 4

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Figure 1: Balance Control System: NueroCom Inter. Internal processing of external information Kinetic Chain: Compensations - www.onbalance.com/clinical_info/balancecontrol.aspx

Unilateral Training - Continued from page 4 ball is approaching them. The remaining two awareness factors are the auditory and tactile components such as sound, touch and feel. With all of the aforementioned factors how does information equate to athletic performance? It is no secret that the most elite levels of athletes in a respective sport usually display the highest levels of balance, coordination, vision and reactability. To take this a step further Wilson and Falkel in Sports Vision demonstrated that twenty percent of the optic nerve goes to the brain center and regulates balance. This is an example of internal processing of external information. Below is a flow chart that begins to develop a picture of how the body utilizes stimuli and processes information in an attempt to coordinate movement. The awareness factors should be taught through the maturation stages of life. For example, balance is best developed at ages 10-11 for boys and 9-12 for girls (Gambetta. Tr. & Cond). The approach to this should follow a pattern of non-structured activity then progressing to more focused activities. The highest level of proficiency should be sport specific activity. By implicating this type of approach one would suggest that the ability to process stimuli and in turn generate the correct type of movement or reaction within a given amount of time would increase greatly and warrant higher levels of skill acquisition and/or athletic potential. 5

With this in mind, motor development and neural factors become very important parts of this discussion. Coordination, agility and mobility with regard to spatial positioning and static and dynamic temporal movements are directly related. A logical sequence of motor unit firing must be present to produce the most effective forces necessary for proper technique (Haywood, Getchel, 2001). Within this realm of coordination and proper technique, the subject of rate coding, recruitment and synchronization of motor units often is a determining factor. However, one factor that becomes paramount when discussing unilateral training and incorporating these principles is the concept of bilateral deficits. If an athlete simultaneously exerts maximal force with two extremities, the force for each is lower than it is in unilateral force development (Sc. & Pr. of Strength Tr.). Basically speaking a bilateral deficit is where one extremity displays a higher level of strength and coordination than the other. Fleck and Kraemer stated that this deficit may range anywhere from 3-25%. Repeated ANOVA revealed that independent unilateral exertions elicited significantly higher forces than simultaneous bilateral exertions (Vint, Hinrichs. 1997). This really begins to paint a very compelling argument for unilateral training and addressing non-dominant asymmetries. If the amount of force exerted by a unilateral exertion exceeds that of similar bilateral movement, it seems plausible that the non-dominant side should benefit greatly from this type of training.