Isabelle Dehring & Kendra Miller

Mission: To promote physical health in retired

football lineman through education.
DV: Physical Health
TP: Retired Football Lineman
IV: Education
Agency: Northern Michigan University Athletic
Department
Agency Mission: To create an environment that promotes
academic excellence, interpersonal growth and social
development; embraces diversity; teaches lifetime
leisure skills; fosters spirit and tradition; and builds a
lifelong connection to NMU.
Job: Strength and Conditioning Coach

Isabelle Dehring &
Kendra Miller
A few years ago, as he swelled to nearly 500 pounds, they visited Davis constantly, relentlessly.
They were all from the same generation of Volunteers linemen -- and weighed less than he did at
the time of their death, mostly due to heart-related issues. The retired seven-year NFL offensive
lineman always carried aspirin in his pocket because, every day, he was convinced his heart was
going to stop. (Garber, 2013)

The body mass of college football lineman has increased markedly and places them at a higher risk
for a number of post competitive pathologic chronic health consequences. (Judge, 2012)

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health mortality study of National Football
League (NFL) players concluded that retired NFL linemen have an increased risk of cardiovascular
death compared with both nonlinemen and the general population. (Marc, 2007)

Many former athletes find themselves in medical crisis and with no means to get the assistance
they need. (Past)

The National Football League came under fire last year for the harrowing long-term effects of head
injuries among many of its former players (Sander 2010)

The day-to-day struggle of men who once reached the pinnacle of athletic accomplishment and
now, as a result of their injuries on the football field, have become homeless, drug addicted, suicidal
and isolated (Smith, 2013)

The National Football League braced for lawsuits by 4,000 former players alleging the league failed
to protect them from the long-term consequences of concussions (Sports Concussions, 2013)

Theoretical definition of physical health: A set
of attributes that people have or achieve
relating to their ability to perform physical
activity. These attributes include
physiological (metabolism,morphological,
bone integrity, motor skills), health-related
(body composition, cardiovascular, flexibility,
muscular endurance, muscle strength), and
skill-related (agility, balance, coordination,
power, speed, reaction time) aspects of
overall health.(Clark, 2014)


The test reflecting the theoretical definition is valid
when it measures what it purports to measure.
Tests that measure DV (physical health):
o Body Composition: Skin Caliper Test
7 Site Male: Chest, Ab, Tri, Subscap, Suprailiac, midaxilla,
thigh
o Cardiovascular: VO2 Max
o Flexibility: Sit and Reach
o Muscular Endurance: 2 Min Push-up test (Army)
o Muscular Strength: One RM Back Squat
National Strength and Conditioning
Association Guidelines: (Baechle, 2008)
(Baechle, 2008)
Poor Bad Good Great Excellent
Body
Comp
25.9 22.4 19.5% 15.9 11.8
Tony: X
VO2 Max 40 41 42ml*kg*min 47 51
X
Sit &
Reach
15.5 16.5 17.5
Inches
19.5 21.75
X
Push-Ups 20 25 30 Reps 40 50
X
Back Squat 355 375 395 Lbs 430 500
X
Tony will decrease his body composition to the 30
th
percentile rank of 19.5%
body fat by the end of the 12 week program.

Tony will increase his cardiovascular abilities by scoring within the 50
th

percentile rank of 42 ml x kg
-1
x min
-1
in VO
2
maximal intake by the end of
the 12 week program.

Tony will increase will increase his flexibility to the 50
th
percentile rank on the
sit and reach test by achieving 17.5 inches by the end of the 12 week
program.

Tony will increase his muscular endurance to reach the 50
th
percentile rank
by completing 30 push-ups in 2 minutes by the end of the 12 week program.

Tony will improve his muscular strength to score in the 50% percentile rank
in the 1 RM of a back squat by completing a lift of 395 lbs by the end of the
12 week program.
o (Baechle, 2008)
Health
Benefit
Variables Variables Variables Variables
F I T T
Body Composition 5 to 7 times per
week
Combination of
intensities
Dependent on
intensity
Aerobic, anaerobic,
resistance
Cardiovascular
(VO2 Max)
3 to 5 times a week Moderate to
vigorous intensity
(60% to 85% of max
heart rate)
Minimum of 20
minutes
Continuous motion
of large muscle
groups such as
running
Flexibility
(Sit and Reach)
Daily Slow and controlled
movement
20 to 30 seconds Static
Muscular
Endurance (Push
Ups)
Alternate days 3
times per week
Low to moderate
resistance
3 sets of 10 to 20
repetitions
Free weights,
universal gym,
tubing, body weight
Muscular Strength
(Squat 1RM)
Alternate days 3
times per week
High resistance
(sets to maximum
capability)
1 to 3 sets of 8 to 12
repetitions
Free weights,
universal gym,
tubing, body weight
Anaerobic Alternate days 2 or 3
times per week
90% of maximum
heart rate
2 to 3 minutes per
bout
Sprinting, jumping
Active Daily
Living/Health
Daily Low to moderate
intensity
30 to 60 minutes Gardening, walking,
bowling
(Manitoba Fitness Council, n.d.)
For Safety Purposes:
Lineman Reconditioning Program
Before any tests are given, an injury-illness
questionnaire will be given to all athletes to
fill out and have examined by an athletic
trainer and/or doctor.
o Injury-illness questionnaire
Training for Coaches/Athletic Trainers:
o There will be an initial meeting with all
coaches and athletic trainers that will
be involved to make sure all are aware
of the correct procedures to follow
throughout the testing period.
Orientation day
o Demonstrations on technique will be
given on orientation day where each
athlete will be encouraged to ask
questions and will have to prove they
can perform each movement properly
and safely.

Our Program:
This will be a 12 week program in
which athletes will follow a set
workout program based off of the
FITT Principle (Manitoba Fitness
Counseled, n.d.). Athletes will be
tested at the end of the 12 week
program and must pass four out of
the five tests. If an athlete does
not pass they will be required to
return every four weeks for further
testing until they have passed at
least of the four out of the five
tests.
To develop these five
aspects their workout plan
will consist of the following:
Health
Benefit
Variables Variables Variables Variables
F I T T
Body Composition
(Skinfold 7 sites)
5 to 7 times per week Combination of
intensities
Dependent on
intensity
Aerobic, anaerobic,
resistance
Cardiovascular
(VO2 Max)
3 to 5 times a week Moderate to vigorous
intensity (60% to
85% of max heart
rate)
Minimum of 20
minutes
Running, Biking,
Swimming
Flexibility
(Sit and Reach)
Daily Slow and controlled
movement
20 to 30 seconds Static, PNF, Dynamic
Muscular Endurance
(Push Ups)
Alternate days 3
times per week
Low to moderate
resistance
3 sets of 10 to 20
repetitions
Push ups, Bench
Press, Shoulder
Press, Rows, Flys
(Baechle, 2008)
Muscular Strength
(Squat 1RM)
Alternate days 3
times per week
High resistance (sets
to maximum
capability)
1 to 3 sets of 8 to 12
repetitions
Back Squat,
Deadlifts,
Goodmornings,
Lunges, Core
(Baechle, 2008)
The retired football lineman know what to do?
o We will provide clear instructions within the handbook for the proper protocols as
well as a workout online for the volume load.

The retired football lineman know how to do it?
o There will be clear demonstrations at the initial testing session where athletes will
be encouraged to ask questions on correct technique and each athlete will be
required to prove that they can safely perform each exercise.

The retired football lineman want to do it (are motivated)?
o The retired football lineman will be motivated to complete the program to improve
their overall physical health and to gain basic knowledge for future independent
workout plans.

The retired football lineman believe they can do it (self-efficacy)?
o The retired football lineman will gain self-efficacy by using their apps to track their
progress as well as by seeing gradual results as they work through the training
program.

The retired football lineman have a supportive environment?
o The retired lineman will have a supportive environment because they will be
encouraged during testing by other teammates to reach their goals. Athletes will
also be encouraged to complete program with other teammates.

Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design:
Northern Michigan University (Program Group):
O X O
Pretest Intervention Posttest
(Skin Fold (Skin Fold
VO
2
Max VO
2
Max
Sit and Reach Sit and Reach
Push-Ups Push-Ups
Back Squat) Back
Squat)
(Lineman Reconditioning Program
based off of FITT Principle
(Manitoba Fitness Council, n.d.)
Michigan Tech (Control Group):
O O
Pretest Posttest
(Skin Fold (Skin Fold
VO
2
Max VO
2
Max
Sit and Reach Sit and Reach
Push-Ups Push-Ups
Back Squat) Back
Squat)

Threats to internal validity include: testing instrumentation, regression, mortality.



Did we promote physical health in retired
football lineman through education?
We will know we met our mission per the
improved posttest scores of the group who
received the intervention where as the
control group scores will not improve.

To market our program we will use
Facebook. This will allow not just those
participating in the program but those
within the university, athletic department,
boosters, community members and
granting agency to follow the progress of
the program and athletes.

To communicate with our members participating in
the Lineman Reconditioning Program we created a
Facebook page. Facebook is such a widely used
social media that makes it a great place to keep
members up to date on their workouts, post
weekly reminders about meetings, how they
should be progressing as well as creating a place
for athletes to post if they have questions about
technique or other things regarding the program.
Facebook will be a helpful tool to keep everyone
on the same page and focused on the same goals.
https://www.facebook.com/linemanreconditioningpr
ogram?ref=hl

To track their overall progresses some athletes
may use the PumpNLog App. This app allows
one to check their performance against their
previous results, and they will receive notifications
every time they improve their performance. This
positive reinforcement will improve their self-
efficacy as their weeks progress.
To help the athletes improve their flexibility in an
alternative interactive manner they may wish to
use the Touch Your Toes in 10 Days app. This
app includes features such as step by step
training, as well as instructions from nationally
certified personal fitness trainer.

To increase ones number of push-ups the PushUps Trainer
Free app will also be available to the athletes. This app
includes pre-set workouts that will give athletes an opportunity
to mix up their workouts from those provided in the handbook.
It offers short workouts from 5-10 minutes, and can connect
with Facebook and Twitter communities, this allows for
athletes to communicate and share their progress with other
athletes in the training program.
Finally, for athletes to improve their back squat progression
there is the Squats Coach Free app. This app provides
additional workout plans, custom squat reminders, track squat
progression, and allows one to share their training with their
friends. Much like the PushUps Trainer Free app this type of
interaction with other athletes will increase the positive
environment for the athletes to continue to their training.
To fund the Lineman Reconditioning Program we will be using a grant given
out by the NCAA.
NCAA Mission: The mission of the National CollegiateAthletic Association
Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is to enhance the total student-athlete
experience by promoting opportunity, protecting student-athlete well-being
and fostering a positive student-athlete image. (NCAA,2014)
The grant the NCAA is providing is called the NCAA Innovations in
Research and Practice Grant Program. This program will award $100,000
in grants to scholars or practitioners conducting studies or piloting on-
campus programs that benefit student-athletes and NCAA member
institutions. To receive this grant topics include, but are not limited to,
managing transitions, identity development, stress management, substance
use, bystander intervention, cultivating healthy relationships, career
exploration, and sport exit strategies. (NCAA,2014)
This grant would be suitable for the Lineman Reconditioning Program for
our program is based around both a transition, lineman transitioning from
working out in a very supportive environment to becoming an independent
individual and our program works to ease this dramatic transition through an
exit sport program.

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