QUOTE OF THE DAY "WE CAN SEE FARTHER WHEN WE STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS"

Dr. Jack C. Hughston (4/17/07-9/6/04) was an orthopaedist and "Pioneer" of Sports Medicine. He was one of the earliest team physicians in sports. He was the team physician for Auburn Football in 1952. His writing, research, and passion helped create the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA). He is responsible for so many things related to sports injury rehabilitation, strength coaches should also be tremendously indebted to him. For a nice biography of Dr. Hughston go to journal.ajsm.org/cgi/content/full/32/8/1816
One of Dr. Hughston's many contributions revolved around the area of shoulder rehabilitation and stabilization. The Hughston series are eight sequential exercises I use with many of my athletes, including myself. You can use it for all sports, but especially sports where throwing occurs, or what I call the "stick" sports. This would include baseball, basketball, football (QB's), ice hockey, field hockey, volleyball, archery, tennis, and hey you get the story!!!
The eight exercise are:
1) Stand up (like ludacris) have your arms at your sides. Raise your hands straight ahead until they are above your head. Keep your arms straight. Have the thumb up as if you were Fonzi from the TV show "Happy Days".
2) Repeat except have your thumbs down to the ground.
3) Have your arms come out to the side as if doing jumping jacks. Have the thumb up again. Keep the arms straight.
4) Repeat the jumping jack type movement except have the thumbs down.
5) Repeat exercise number 1, except do it in a skier position. This is similar to the tucked position a skier would have while competed in the downhill (Alberto Tomba was the man). Have the thumbs up.
6) Stay in the tucked skier position and have your thumbs down.
7) Stay in the skier tucked position, with the arms going out to the sides, and have the thumb up.
8) O.K. you alter the thumb position with each exercise. The last exercise was thumbs up, so this must be thumbs down. Very Good!!
You do all exercises without a rest. Start somewhere between eight and twelve reps. You will need no weights. Yes, that's correct, no weights. When you can get twenty reps, then proceed to start the sequence with 2.5 pounds or smaller. This is demanding but a great prehab/rehab exercise. Dr. Hughston, Thank You!!!

NUTRITION BASICS PART FOUR ED'S SON

The breakfast is the most abused meal in America. I'm trying to figure out why, but have come up with no answer. For athletes the second most abused is a combination of the pre/during/post workout drinks. But that is a future article.
All right! Attention!! Let's start referring the first meal of the day as buildfast, not breakfast. I give full credit to Karl V. of regenerationlab.com for that. We will talk about that a little later. My breakfast is usually oatmeal, with protein powder and vitamin C sprinkled on the top. I like Emergen C because of its tart kind of taste. I bet you had cereal with a ton of sugar, or a bagel. You will never remotely achieve your potential as an athlete with a lousy diet like that!!!
Here are a few thoughts to ponder:
1) Better Performance. Breakfast eaters have a more positive attitude toward school and work. A Boston Study showed that kids who started eating breakfast raised their test scores significantly and were late or absent from school less frequently.
2) Better Overall Nutrition. People who eat breakfast are more likely to get the nutrients their bodies need. A Louisiana study found that children who skipped breakfast rarely met even two-thirds of the daily requirements for most minerals and vitamins.
3) Better Weight Control. Breakfast revs up the body's metabolic rate. First thing in the morning, burning calories faster than if the morning meal has been skipped. Thus breakfast eaters maintain their weight more easily than skippers.
4) Improved Strength and Endurance. Studies have shown that eating breakfast is associated with improved strength and endurance in the late morning, along with a better attitude toward school or work.
5) Improved Glucose Levels. Breakfast helps to replenish blood glucose levels, which is important since the brain itself has no reserve of glucose. This is the brains main energy source, and constantly must be replenished. Studies have also shown that sustained mental work requires large turnover of brain glucose and its metabolic components. Glucose is the energy we derive or get from carbohydrates. It is necessary for us to exist.

Hey, I'm on number 5 and you are still not convinced! Well then on to number 6!

6) Important Refueling Period. Breakfast is refueling after an 8 to 9 hour period at least since your previous meal. If you analyze most athletic/bodybuilding diets you will note that they consume a meal every two and a half to three hours. Because of that large lapse in time, a good breakfast will have you start your day feeling and performing better.
7) Catabolic Phase of Sleep. During sleep, your body will enter a catabolic phase, or breaking down of muscle. Anabolic refers to a building up of muscle. Any thing catabolic is a huge no-no for athletes attempting to put on muscle mass, or decreasing body fat levels. With out a buildfast, or a feeble attempt as I mentioned earlier, this catabolic phase could extend to lunch. That is twelve hours! You have to be a freshman or a knucklehead if you think that is good!
8) Skipping Breakfast. Americans who regularly skip breakfast are four and a half times more likely to be fat (healthfinder.gov).
9) Websites. There was a website called regenerationlab.com that unfortunately no longer exists. Karl V. is on the east coast and is a very talented coach with sprinters, and especially with swimmers. His April 18th, 2004 article is entitled "Buildfast". This article covers a lot more information for an athlete who really wants to make a change in their breakfast habits. Pay special attention to the area about slow and gradual glycogen debt, which can lead to muscle wasting, mild anemia, and poor concentration issues. I can't validate this scientifically, but I have seen a very few instances of athletes that suffer from mild forms of depression. I personally believe there could be a relationship between poor eating habits at this mildly depressed state. I have a copy of this article if anyone is unable to find it. I believe you can easily find it on yahoo.com under regenerationlab "Buildfast".

Ed, I hope this of interest, and will talk to you soon about a complete template with rules, on adding muscle mass to your son.
If anyone else has questions on gaining lean muscle mass, intelligently, or any other related topics, I can be reached at acudave@yahoo.com
Have a good Memorial Day everyone. I will see you on Tuesday.

OVERTRAINING 101

On Thursdays I usually do an article related to flexibility. I've had questions, mostly from football and basketball players that ask about overtraining, so I thought I would answer some of them.
Your heart rate is one thing that can help you in this area. The Karvonen Formula was first published in 1959 by an exercise physiologist. Dr. Karvonen has done a lot of work in many related areas. His formula goes like this:
1) Measure your resting heart rate (RHR). The best time to do this is first thing in the morning when you wake up. If your sleep was not as restful as usual (lots of wild dreams) your heart rate could be artificially high. There is a blood vessel in your neck called the carotid artery. Gently place two fingers on it. Don't press super hard. That is an important blood vessel. Other blood vessels are the ulnar artery, which is just below the thumb in your wrist. Between the big toe and second toe, about an inch back, and another located in front of the ear can also be used. The one in your neck and wrist are the best.
2) If you are a male, subtract your age from 220. If you are a female subtract your age from 226. Hey guys, females are better in this area! This number represents the maximum heart rate (MHR). For example, a female who is 25 would have a maximum heart rate of 201. For a male of 25, the maximum heart rate would be 195.
3) If your heart rate in the morning is 72 and your max heart rate is 201, as in the female example, your heart rate will be somewhere between these 2 numbers during exercise. I like to use the word heart rate capacity (HRC) to describe the difference between these two numbers. In this case the HRC is 201 minus 72 or 129.
4) If you are told to exercise at 40-50% of your HRC, then you take 40% of 129 or 52, and 50% of 129 or 65, and add them to your RHR. 52 (40% number)plus 65 equals 117. 65 (50% number) plus 65 equals 130. Thus, you should keep your heart rate in between 117 and 130.
5) As an athlete, regardless of your age, start at the 40-50% area and work up. Once you are comfortable in the 70-80% range, you are in good cardiovascular shape. There are precautions for people who either have a history of heart disease or are over the age of 55. Please consult your Doctor on the specifics.

If you have suffered from certain muscle strains, like shin splints, hamstring problems while being overweight, you have done to much to soon. That is an indirect example of the importance of monitoring your heart rate. The heart is an excellent indicator of to much to soon.

As is always the case, consult a Doctor before performing a high intensity program!

THE IMPINGEMENT ZONE

In my early 30's I started to experience pain in my shoulder that was very bad. I decided to investigate the root of the problem, instead of taking drugs to mask it. I first found my technique in the bench press sucked. Yes, sucked. I adopted a few changes, that I have mentioned in previous articles. Secondly, I started doing specific exercises to rehab my shoulders. This has progressed into the Hughston Series. I will cover the Hughston Series in an article next week. The most important step is eliminating exercises that aggravated the area.
The exercises that I eliminated fall into "the Impingement Zone". This is when the elbow is even with the shoulder or slightly behind and above it. This is a question I asked on the elitefitnesssystems.com web site on May 20th, 2005.
Coach X or #62,
What are your experiences with kettleballs? Coach X, would they not work within your philosophy of overhead shoulder work? Any pros and cons? As always, thanks to both of you for sharing your insight!
Dave,
Limited, but not for many programs, kettleballs are definitely a luxury item. There is no question they work, especially in an extensive phase and restoration periods, but are they feasible for a budget tight programs? Probably not. As I told Louie one day (because Dave Tate told me to) when he was showing X and I a couple of his new kettleball drills, "They're medicine balls with handles." Needless to say, the statement didn't go over well but in actuality we are right. For practical purposes, use dumbbells and med balls to substitute. Then if you inherit some $$$ for your weightroom, buy some sets of the lighter kettleballs.
As for you shoulder, still stay out of the impingement zone (90-120 degrees)
Just an Opinion,
#62
When #62 is talking about impingement, what does he mean? Impingement is when two bones move toward each other and squeeze the soft tissue in between them. In this case, the soft tissue is the Long Head of the Bicep, and the Supraspinatus. By the way, #62 is an alias for an individual who played in the NFL and was formerly a strength coach in the NFL. Coach X was his boss, and he to was formerly a strength coach in the NFL.
OK, here comes more of that science stuff, so if you want to listen to Eminem, this is the time.
The Supraspinatus is one of the four muscles that make up the rotator cuff. The origin of the Supraspinatus is the medial 2/3rd's of the supraspinatus fossa of the scapula and deep fascia that covers the muscle. The scapula is in the back of your shoulders. The insertion is the most superior facet on the greater tubercle of the humerus. The humerus is the bone that connects the shoulder to the elbow. The Supraspinatus abducts or moves the shoulders the first 15 degrees (some books say the first ten degrees, but what's a few degrees among friends) when the arm is hanging on the side of the body. In Gray's Anatomy for Students (2005) there is a good picture of the humerus on page 625 (figure 7.22 bottom), and the Supraspinatus on page 624 (plate A).
The Long Head of the Biceps Brachii has its origin on the Supraglenoid tubercle of the Scapula. There is a hole at the one end of the scapula where the humerus fits. At the top of that hole is the supraglenoid tubercle of the scapula. The insertion is on the tuberosity or protrusion (it sticks out) of the scapula. The scapula is the collar bone. In Gray's Anatomy, there is a good picture of the radius on page 670, and the supraglenoid tubercle of the scapula on page 624 (picture C).
By the way, if you look in the book Atlas of Human Anatomy (2003, 3rd edition), by Frank Netter, M.D. (1906-1991) you can find great illustrations of all of the things mentioned in this article. He was the King of medical illustrators. I believe he lived in Newport Beach during at least the latter part of his life. His picture are great, and at many angles. Check out page 409 for an excellent picture of the hook of the acromion, or part of the scapula, and how it could potentially dig into the supraspinatus, causing rotator cuff problems. The digging effect is worse when the elbow is even or above the shoulder when doing bench presses.
OK, you can come back now. What about those exercise that if repeatedly used, can cause impingement. Lat pulldowns behind the neck is possibly number one. Upright rows, or pulling a barbell from the waist to the chin can be bad. Behind the neck presses, especially it a history of shoulder problems is present. Heavy snatches where the athlete is handling more weight than they are capable of doing in correct form (a lockout at the top would be an example of this). Presses, seated or standing, where the athlete maintains an upright style. Some derivatives of olympic lifts were the dumbbell is used can also be included in this category. The squat snatch lift is great for evaluating athletes weakness in flexibility, balance, and strength, but could also be put into this category. A lot of Olympic lifters do not have shoulder problems, but if you have a history of problems, why fight the inevitable.
If you play a sport like football, various stick sports, or throwing sports, beware of the Impingment Zone!!
Any questions, I can be contacted at acudave@yahoo.com

QUOTE OF THE DAY "You are Russian, right?"

You are Russian, right?
Coach Abadzhiev, ex-Bulgarian Olympic weightlifting coach talking with a reporter

It is a shame that this is even being considered. The schools in California need the bucks. We don't need to be spending money in other areas like drug testing. I'm talking about steroid testing. I don't even talk about these things, but with the topic being discussed, I thought that we may want to examine testing in this area. Hey, why not start at the top, like the Olympics! Here is a part of the article.

"The Dark Side of the Olympics"

I knew about the Soviet lifters' training, -says Abadzhiev. I knew that they were not as well prepared as we were. Of course, your experts knew what was going on in our team. With all these said, the IWF was helping the Russians. No one helped us. But even I couldn't understand why your officials predicted five gold medals for the Russian team.
For the whole world, the Olympics in Seoul were associated with the weightlifting scandal. Bulgarian lifters were disqualified and the whole team left for Bulgaria before the end of the competitions.
It was a very strange story. In Bulgaria as well as in the USSR, we had local doping control tests before competitions. We made over 50 tests. And despite this, they began to catch our lifters with the furocemide. It belongs to the diuretics. At that time we studied how it worked. We did research how it shows in test results by hours. It was practically impossible to detect it 72 hours after you took it. However, according to the Seoul tests we had a monster load detected via those tests. Needless to say that positive tests were shown in the weight classes where we were competing against the Soviet athletes. For example, Mitko Grablev was disqualified and Oxen Mirzoyan got the gold medal. After Angel Genchev tested positive, Israel Militosyan got the first place. And their lifters were weaker. And in the classes where the Soviet lifters didn't compete, Bulgarian tests were clean.
When the scandal just started to take place, we decided to set up a meeting with the Soviet delegation. We met in the park-we were afraid of microphones and that someone will tape the conversation. Bulgarian chairman asked Marat Gramov to help and to do the tests of Bulgarians in the Russian lab. They lied to us. They said there was no Soviet lab there. It was there. It was on the boat. I knew it for sure."
If you would like to read the article in its entirety, it is at http://www.chidlovski.net/liftup/a_interview_Abadzhiev_111999.asp
I don't drink, smoke, or do drugs. Yes, I do like Ghiradelli's chocolate. So I am no angel. Education starts at home. As a coach, and or parent you need to lead by example. Players, with a good coach (like me), good diet, and nutritional supplementation you can become an excellent athlete. Hopefully I won't have to write to many articles like this. If you have any questions, e-mail me at acudave@yahoo.com

USING CHAINS

I remember walking into Met-Rx gym with my chains for the first time. I have never seen more bizarre looks from fellow gym members. For the next few months I would get a variety of comments. I usually told people one of three things:
A) My boat had been rented to a guy name "Gilligan"for a "three hour tour", and "the tiny ship was lost". I would never give up until I found it.
B) I was an actor rehearsing for a new version the ghost of Christmas past. Sometimes it was the Grinch who stole Christmas, I think.
C) Yes, I forgot my whips.
Hey, in California you can get away with things like that.
What I did is attach the chains to the ends of the bar while squatting and benching. Eventually I used them while doing power cleans and hang cleans. The idea is called accommodating resistance. Louis Simmons will use that phrase in his explanations but a famous strength and conditioning researcher, Dr. Zatsiorski of Penn State University, I believe initially popularized the phrase. What it means is as you examine a lift, you will notice that the weight will either lighten, or get heavier as you go through the range of motion.
For example in the bench press, as the weight is lowered to the chest, the weight is actually lessening. When the weight goes from the chest to full extension of the arms, the weight is increasing. It is possible to load on more weight, at the top of the bench, than the lifter is capable of lifting under normal circumstances. The lifter might only be capable of benching 200 for 5 reps. With the proper use of chains, the bar could weigh 190 on the chest and 205 at full extension. Thus exposing the lifter to a heavier load than he/she is capable of. A combination of more chain and manipulation of less traditional style weights on the bar can increase the overall strength of the athlete. The range of motion (ROM) that an athlete has in a lift, and the variances of strength along that ROM is referred to as the strength curve. There is also a velocity curve, or the rate of speed at which the bar accelerates, decelerates, and so on, but that is to be discussed in a future article on rate of force development (RFD).
So what the hell is got to do with any thing Coach B? There have been studies, and coaches have seen bar speed decrease as a lift is near completion. When you have viewed enough lifts, you know when a person will successfully complete a lift because they have gone through the hardest part of the lift. This is known as the "sticking point"(SP). After the SP has been crossed the bar speed will decrease. In sports we want acceleration, and the ability to control deceleration. We don't want deceleration to control us. The use of chains creates an atmosphere of more hurdles to overcome throughout the entire range of the lift. Another common way to develop explosiveness in this portion of the lift is to release the bar or object. Medicine balls is a common example. There are others, but they are typically not used in commercial gyms, or high schools. Yes, I use some of these other things in my personal training.
For a demonstration on the various uses of chains, I can be contacted at acudave@yahoo.com

NUTRITION BASICS PART TRE

What can we do with our diet, at this very moment, to improve athletic performance. With all the restaurants, TV adds, and marketing, living in a Buddhist temple might be your best bet. But, if you are not interested in that, try looking at these three areas. Saturated fats, excessive carbs, and sugar would be a real good place to start.
Saturated fats has been under the microscope over the last ten years. With the buzz words arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and coronary heart disease frequently flying in the news it makes sense. Saturated fats can be solid at room temperature. This includes butter, coconut oil, cottenseed oil, and cheese. You must also remember that essential fatty acids (EFA), as mentioned in last weeks article, need to be acquired through the diet. So you may have to eat saturated fats for that reason. Wait a minute, did he just contradict himself? You are correct. What research is finding out that trans fats are the real culprits.
Harvard University has done some excellent research and found that saturated fats raise both the HDL and LDL cholesterol levels. Just remember HDL is happy and LDL is lousy. That is a win and lose situation. What trans fats do is raise LDL, and don't effect HDL. Whoops, that is no good. Examples of trans fats include margarine, vegetable shortening partially hydrogenated, deep fried anything, much fast food (but they are improving on this), and many commonly baked goods (they are also trying to improve on this). This is only a thumbnail sketch on this topic, but trans fat adios.
Excessive carbs are supersizing, buy this size and save, and all the things that we as consumers must face every time we shop. Generally speaking, compare the total carbs to total protein. Both protein and carbs have 4 calories per gram. So you don't need to figure out the calories of each, just compare the number of grams of carbs to the number of grams of protein. If this ratio is more than roughly 4 to 1 , there are to many carbs in your meal. Of course, there are exceptions. If you are a long distance runner who is about to run in a marathon, those numbers are to low. Ultra-marathoners could pound away a cake in the middle of a 40 mile training run, no lie! The number needs to be adjusted per the sport, training intensity, and present body fat levels. For example I've read a two to one ratio diet could be used for individuals who are ectomorphs (little muscle, little fat) who are attempting to put on muscle mass. If you want to thin out, a three to one goal, could be used. It is all individual. Nevertheless, stay away from the excessive carbs.
Lastly, sugars are flooding us. Sodas have little use. So many drinks are high in sugar, it is ridiculous. I myself have gotten into green tea, as a replacement for my sugar rush. That will be discussed at a later date. I see a lot of kids have mood swings, that I believe are due to sugar intake. I wouldn't doubt if it contributes to depression and anger issues. There is an acid in sodas that leaches or takes calcium out of the body. If you are a woman, maybe entering menopause, this should hit home with you. I won't say eliminate, that is not realistic, but try to lessen your intake of sugar. You will be surprised. See you next week! acudave@yahoo.com

FLEXIBILITY "RECTUS FEMORIS"

In a continuation of this series today's muscle, the Rectus Femoris (RF), it is important to review last Thursdays flexibility article on the Thomas Test. The RF is a muscle that is part of 4 muscles that are in the front of the leg, usually referred to as the thigh.
The RF is in the middle of the high, and can be dramatically affected by bruises in the thigh area. If you have been watching the NBA playoffs, you know that Shaq has not played as much as he would like. The Miami Heat Swept the New Jersey Nets in the first round three games to none. The Heat also swept the Washington Wizards four games to none in the second round. But Shaq did not play in the last two games of the Wizards series. His injury is a thigh bruise that needs time to heal. I believe he was injured toward the tail end of the season, and this is the type of injury that requires rest. In football, injuries like this can also occur. They are usually helmet to thigh, and can be a lot nastier. There is a present day example to all you basketball fans.
Now for the science stuff. The origin of the RF is the ilium portion of the hip. It is referred to as the iliac spine. It connects to the anterior and inferior portion of the ilium. The RF is also attached to the lateral, anterior, and medial portion of the femur. The femur is that big bone between the hip and knee. The insertion is the tibial tuberosity. For the people that have Osgood-Schlatter's Syndrome, that is where you experience the most pain. The tibia is the larger of the two bones that runs from the knee to the ankle. The tibial tuberosity is just below the knee (patella) and is that bump that everyone has. Wake up! Wake up! Repeat after me! He lives in a pineapple under the sea. Sponge Bob square pants. He's bald, has grey hair and a....! Wait that's not part of the song. Anyway.
OK, lets get to the test all ready. Lie flat on a bench. You may need a wide table that can be used by a doctor to examine a patient. Have your legs, from the knee to the ankles, dangle off the side of the table or bench. Grab one leg, like the Thomas Test, and pull toward the chest. Watch the leg that is still dangling off the table. If the leg continues to dangle straight down, then that is good. If the leg starts to straighten out, then the flexibility in the RF is not good. The RF draws the knee toward the chest, or causes hip flexion. The RF also cause the lower leg, between the knee and ankle, to straighten out. If you are standing, and grab your ankle to stretch the front part of your leg, this is your problem area. If the RF is tight, you will have a higher chance of muscle pulls in the thigh or quad area. Your running mechanics will also be hampered, especially linear/forward/backward, because of the slightly less motion this muscle is able to provide.
Next week we will talk about the back of the leg, or the biceps femoris. I'll try to include some Nelly next week. Sorry, you won't find much country music here! Any questions, contact me at acudave@yahoo.com

THE SQUAT

The squat is considered the most important exercise in any strength and conditioning program. Relative strength is the comparison of a lift or lifted to their bodyweight. The squat is the lift I do a lot of comparisons to. Usually, but not all the time, an individuals relative strength in the squat, is a predictor of speed both linear and vertical. Even with this in mind, there still seems to be disagreement in the area of technique and depth. Let's take a look at some specifics.
Ian King, an excellent strength coach from Australia, said it best, "there are 2 types of squats". " One is the quad dominant, or Olympic style (QDOS), and hip dominant, or powerlifting style (HDPS)". The major differences in the two styles, in my mind, are huge. The position of the knee will dictate the style and which muscle groups are used.
QDOS squats have the knees go past the toes. The hips will stay over the ankles, and the back will stay more upright than the HDPS squat. Ideally, depth should be rock bottom. Rock bottom is defined as the hamstrings, or back of the legs, touching the calves. I say ideally, because in many weight rooms, that is not what happens. The butt (the lifter's ass) will not go lower than the knees. This is a high squat. The upper torso usually leans to far forward, and the upper back may slightly round. My neck hurts just writing about this. Usually the core, or lower back and abs, are unable to properly maintain an upright position. This is a classical example of too much too soon. The glutes and quads, especially around the knees, take the brunt of this movement. If the bar is placed to high on the neck, to much stress is placed on the knees. Over time this is not good. If the athlete is not wearing solid lifting shoes, instead of his or hers cross training shoes, the knees will never get a break. Most sneakers are made for the foot and knee to roll forward, not statically maintaining a position. You need to do some front squats and QDOS squats, but not every time you squat.
HDPS squats will typically take a wider stance. The bar is placed in a groove in the upper back. If you attempt to touch your shoulder blades, or what is called your scalpulae, the bunching of the trapezius, levator scalpae, and rhomboids (all upper back muscles) create an area where the bar sits snugly. Rotating the shoulders backward, slightly throwing the chest forward, while slightly elevating the scalpulae create a nice solid natural valley for the bar to sit in. Shrugs, lat exercises, and rear delt work will help to develop the proper musculature in that area. Practice with a broom, with no shirt, in front of a mirror, with a good coach, and you will see what I mean.
OK, sorry for the detailed explanation on bar placement, but back to HDPS. The knees are the major difference between the QDOS and HDPS squats. In the HDPS squat the knee should be over the ankles. Not sort of close but directly over the ankles, freshman!!! You will find that this needs to be done on to a box. A box, sacrareligious, to some, but great to me. If a box is not used, the athlete will usually fall backwards. That is because the lift is emphasizing something the lifter is massively weak in, the hamstrings and posterior chain. The posterior chain is defined as lower back or erectors, glutes or ass to some, and hamstrings. Since these muscle groups are responsible for roughly 65% of an athletes ability to run fast, it makes a lot of sense to me. Parallel would be defined as the top of the knee cap is even with the hip were hip flexion occurs. This is probably 6 inches or more lower than the previous bad example in the QDOS squat. The box can also be adjusted to various heights to address various weaknesses the coach sees in a lifter.
Let's take a look at some similarities between the two styles.
*Feet should always remain flat on the ground at all times. Usually this indicates a flexibility problem in the Achilles tendon, but could possibly be problems in other areas.
*Do not put the elbows excessively behind the head. This will place undo stress on the shoulders. It can also reck havoc on the elbows and forearms. I had soft tissue work done on my forearms, that proved to be very effective, because of this technique flaw.
*Keep your wrists relatively straight. If the bar is not in a solid valley, it will slide. An injured wrist could be the result.
*Maintain a superman back. I use to love that show when I was a kid. "Look up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane, it's superman". "Clark Kent a mild mannered..... Great stuff. Anyway, when you don't see a flat back, particularly between thoracic vertabrae 5 (T5) through T11, then an injury will eventually come to town.
*Avoid torque or what I call helcoptering. This is when the bar moves like blades of a copter. The bar needs to stay parallel with the hips.
*Desend under control. This not real slow, and this is not crashing down like a house of bricks. Once you get the feel of it, you will know what I mean. And ascend explosively, freshman!!! Why are you doing all this lifting. To get slower? Think explosiveness, always!!
*Bunch the muscles together in the upper back, for proper bar placement. If not the cervical 7 (C7) disc will not like you.
I will cover the differences and other interesting info next Monday. For answers to your questions I can be contacted at acudave@yahoo.com

NUTRITION BASICS PART 2

Today's topic is what is protein, fats and carbohydrates. I know this seems like basic stuff, but we are becoming so much of a malnourished country, I think the basics may be a good place to start.
Protein replaces a large variety of tissue in the body. The building blocks of protein are amino acids(AA). To date, their are 22 AA. Eight are considered essential amino acids (EAA). EAA are amino acids that can not be produced in the human body. They include tryptophan, lysine, methionine, phenyalanine, threonine, valine, leucine, and isoleucine. In children, histidine and arginine are also considered EAA. The different combinations of AA are how proteins are made. Their are literally thousands of different types of proteins. If you don't eat them the body has to break down other parts of the body to make them. It is sort of like stealing from someone to pay someone else. The result is malnutrition and disease.
Carbohydrates are the energy that runs the body, and the production of fats. Examples include sugars, starches, and cellulose. There are three types of carbohydrates. They include monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides. I won't go into detail on these, except certain aspects as related to athletic development.
Fats are lipids that come in three types. These include polyunsaturated, monunsaturated, and saturated. Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature. That is the type of fat that needs to be limited in one's diet. Overall, fats are for energy stores, source of tissues in the body, protects the organs, provides insulation, and transports the fat soluble vitamins A,D,E,and K. As in proteins there are essential fatty acids (EFA). There are two EFA, linolenic acid, and linoleic acid.
I know, I hope I haven't lost to many people. I am only giving an overview and will review things more in detail when necessary.
The calories in a gram of each of these very important areas of our existence are:
1)Protein 4 calories
2)Carbohydrates 4 calories
3)Fat 9 calories
When initially writing out a diet, I recommend people getting a simple book to look things up. Especially when they eat out at fast food restaurants. The book I use, but there are others, is "The Doctor's Pocket Calorie Fat and Carbohydrate Counter". There is a large section on over 100 different chain restaurants. Each of these probably has their own websites. I will be discussing this, and examples in next Friday's Nutrition Basics article.

TEAM RESULTS

To all interested parties,
This is my third year as a freshman strength and conditioning coach at Fountain Valley High School. I am very fortunate to work with a coaching staff that allows me to do whatever I want. Of course, results are what we are all about. I would like to thank John Shipp, the Head Coach and Corey Dickson, the Varsity Strength Coach for their support.
I would also like to thank the freshman class of 2005, for doing an absolutely great job. Your ability to tolerate me (yeah,yeah,yeah!) and your desire to get better will take you places you have never gone to before. This will probably be the class that I will compare others to for some time to come.
I am a technique junkie because I believe it lessens the possibilities of injuries, increases the athletes strengths, and potentially will make them a better athlete regardless of the sport they compete in. Because of that I believe the athlete will also make better progress. Because of that, I do not accept high squats, puffed numbers, or numbers from people I'm not responsible for their success. In the following data, I have not included three groups of people:
1) Athletes that have natural talent, and did not lift with the group. I just had 2 volleyball players do great vertical jumps (VJ) and great standing long jumps (LJ).
2) I also get sophomores or juniors that are being introduced to weight training for the first time. Even though they are going through the same learning curve, they are not freshman.
3) Athletes that compete in multiple sports (3) and put next to no effort in the weight room.

With that in mind here are the results:
*Box Squat at or below parallel Team Average 152%
130% or more 22 each
*Power Clean Team Average 101%
110% or more 8 each
*Hang Clean Team Average 97%
100% or more 9 each
*Bench Press Team Average 111%
110% or more 15 each
*Incline Bench Press Team Average 97%
100% or more 12 each
*Long Jump Team Average 86"
90" or more 10 each
*Vertical Jump Team Average 23.5"
24" or more 8 each
*3 consecutive hops Team Average 264.6"
265" or more 9 each

When it reads 110% of a paricular lift, that is a comparison of bodyweight versus the amount being lifted. If an athlete weighs 150 pounds and power cleans 150 pounds that athlete did 100% of their bodyweight. The power snatch from the hang, was introduced in the last 6 weeks prior to spring ball. We also use a series of medicine ball throws and speed lifts in the squat and bench press. Whenever I train a large team like football, I base these numbers on the 25 best athletes. With other sports, like basketball, the numbers would be smaller. If this were a varsity football team, I would base it on 50 because of juniors and seniors on the same team.
I am an evaluation and research guy, that constantly reviews things. That is why the athletes that are there the most, do the best. I am able to evaluate their weaknesses, and thus fine tune things per their weaknesses. We also have four sub 4.8 40's and 4 sub 4.8 pro agility times. I will be working that more at length in the next few months. I am in the process of evaluating some new concepts that I will be using with the next class and other programs. These programs include basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, and possibly tennis. If you have any questions I can be reached at acudave@yahoo.com

QUOTE OF THE DAY "How to, How fast, How Much"

"How to!"
"How fast!"
"How much!"

Chris Carlisle USC Strength Coach

I have been fortunate enough to meet many good strength coaches. Coach Carlisle is a very smart and hard working speed, agility and strength coach. He has an open door policy at USC, and makes himself accessible to just about anyone. His quote is one I share with all of the athletes I work with. It probably goes over the head of a large majority of them , but nevertheless I try.
When I say this to kids I sometimes think they are saying to themselves "No shoes, no shirt, no service" from the character Jeffrey Spiccoli in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High". I hope that is not the case. You can only give them the knowledge. What they do with it is an entirely different matter.
Technique should always be first priority in the coaches and hopefully the athletes mind. Most kids always ask each other how much they can do in a particular lift. As I mentioned in my Monday May 9th article "Dynamic Lifting", I'm trying to stress that bar speed is actually the most important thing, after they have mastered technique. If the technique is poor, they will end up having more injuries due to muscle imbalances, achieve slower bar speed, and progress at a slower rate.
How fast is the most important thing if you compete in the sports of football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, swimming, volleyball, rugby, etc. It is nice to be strong, but if you can not convert it into speed-strength then you are not doing yourself any good. There are many ways to achieve this. They will be discussed at length in future articles. A stopwatch is needed to measure the progress in this area.
How much is sometimes the most overrated question. If you are in Powerlifting, Olympic Weightlifting, and other super strength oriented sports, that is the only question. But in sports where the big 5 are involved, then absolute strength has to take a back seat to the ability of the athlete to develop their explosiveness. In Chinese philosophy, it would be considered a yin and yang relationship. Buy the way, the "Big 5" are:
1) Linear speed both forward and backward
2) Lateral speed both left and right
3) Vertical explosiveness for both a single and multiple efforts (stationary and moving)
4) Change of direction speed in any of the 3 previous categories
5) Stop and go speed in any of the 4 previous categories.
These will be covered in an article next week.
Remember "How to, How fast, How much"!!!! Thank you Coach Carlisle.

If you have any questions I can be emailed at acudave@yahoo.com

DYNAMIC EFFORT LIFTING

In 1997, I started reading articles about Louis Simmons in the magazine Powerlifting USA. I was familiar with Louie. He was in a famous picture of Don Reinhoudt squatting 903, while Louie was on the side watching. This lift was in 1979, I believe. Louie is an extremely smart researcher when it comes to strength and explosive development. I'm actually selling him short because he has also written on a variety of interesting topics while squatting over 900, and benching 600, at the age of 50 plus. He has done consulting work with the Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, many colleges, and worked with Butch Reynolds a 400 meter world record holder. He is an amazing person!
One topic he has written on extensively is dynamic effort lifting. The athlete's goal is to use a specific percentage on their one-rep maximum (1RM) and do the lift as explosively as possible. For example, if your 1RM in the bench press is 250 and the goal is to do 8 sets of three with 50%, then 125 pounds for 8 sets of three would be part of the workout. Each week a slightly different percentage is used, and the reps and sets can be slightly changed. This application is for powerlifting. But can it be used in other sports? The answer is yes!!
The idea can be used in a variety of different lifts and a variety of different sports. The key is the word variety. In football, the average play lasts from 5 to 10 seconds, with roughly 7 being an average. With that in mind, sets should last 7 to 12 seconds. In the off season program I used at Fountain Valley High School, we used 5 reps in 7 seconds in the squat, and 5 reps in 6 seconds in the bench. In the squat we use a box with a pad on the top. There will be an article in the next week talking about the squat and its variations. I apologize for jumping the gun on that. After roughly six sessions, the players established maxes in those lifts. There are 3 criteria that I stress. These are the following:
1) The technique of the exercise must permit performing the movement with extreme velocity.
2) Exercises must be mastered so well that an athlete can focus attention solely on the velocity of movement, and not its form.
3) The time of an exercise or the number of repititions (for example, takeoffs) per set has to be established such that velocity does not diminish before the end of a set because of fatigue.

This information and more is from the book Explosive Power and Jumping Ability for All Sports.
As time went by, I increased the amount of reps but maintained the same time frames. For example, an athlete will have to do 6 reps in 6 seconds in the bench and 6 reps in 7 seconds in the squat. Remember, good form. Don't cheat to inflate your little egos. The only person you cheat is yourself.
The results were interesting. We are in the last week of our maxes, so I can't print my final results until Friday May 13th, 2005. I do have 2 athletes that speed bench 80% of their bodyweight. I also have at least two athletes that speed squat 100% of their bodyweight. The best athletes are the most explosive. I will be talking more about this topic in future articles. If you have any questions with this or any other articles, e-mail me at acudave@yahoo.com

NUTRITION BASICS PART 1

Because I deal with so many teenagers that want to improve athletically, I thought I would devote at least two articles a month on nutrition. I believe this is the number one weakness in athletes. I would like to say that when I was a teenager in the 1970's, that we all had a good diet. I would be telling a huge fib if I did that. But, I do see so many kids that are losing out on the tremendous improvements that have been made in the area of nutrition.
The first step is what kind of body type are you? There are basically four body types. You will find that many people overlap two different types. These body types are also applicable to males and females alike. Here goes nothing:

1)Ectomorphs- Carry little muscle and little fat
2)Mesomorphs- Carry a lot of muscle and little fat
3)Endomorphs- Carry little muscle and a lot of fat

4)Endomesomorphs- Carry a lot of muscle and a lot of fat

If you go to a freshman basketball game, and see a player who is much taller than everyone else, and is very thin, that is a classic example of an ectomorph. But not all ectomorphs are 6'6" 160. Height is not always a major determining factor. Just remember little muscle and fat.

Mesomorphs are the bodybuilder types that are huge lean and muscular. Pick up copies or various magazines and you will know what I'm talking about. And yes, ectomorphs can turn into mesomorphs. Matter of fact any body type can turn into another body type. It comes down to diet.

Endomorphs are like the fat Albert cartoon/movie character, the comedian John Candy, Jackie Gleason, and the rapper Biggie Smalls. This is the least healthy of the categories to be in. Unfortunately you see more kids weighing over 300 pounds, that long term will have to deal with hypertension, diabetes, various cardiovascular disorders, and arteriosclerosis.

Endomesomorphs are a relatively knew phenomenon. If you see some of the offensive tackles in the NFL, and World's Strongest Man competitors you will see truly huge men. Unfortunately, the excessive body weight is very demanding on the heart. I wouldn't be surprised that the Pandora's box of anabolics has created this category. Modern science!

The sport and goals of the athlete in all of these categories will determine what nutritional strategy should be undertaken. These topics will be discussed in future articles.

GIRLS AND STRENGTH

" Measured in strength per square centimeter of cross-sectional area, the female muscle can achieve almost exactly the same maximal force of contraction as that of the male- between 3 and 4 KG/cm2. Therefore, most of the difference in total muscle performance lies in the extra percentage of the male body that is muscle, caused by endocrine differences".

Dr. Arthur C. Guyton and Dr. John E. Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology (10th edition).
Dr. Guyton has probably forgotten more on the topic of physiology than I know. He and Dr. Hall have worked on this book for at least the last 25 years. Anything in Science that is in a 10th edition is considered very good. What can be derived from this is women can benefit tremendously from weight training in development of explosiveness in a variety of sports. This includes basketball, soccer, tennis, softball, field hockey, various track and field events, swimming, etc.

QUOTE OF THE DAY "Maximum strength is well preserved, but speed is not!

"Maximum strength is well preserved, but speed is not".
Anatoly Bondarchuk, Russian throws coach.

If you do not transfer the strength you have gained in the weightroom to speed, you won't run faster. It you do not train explosively in the weightroom, you will have a much harder time transferring that strength into speed on the field. Why get stronger if their is no speed emphasis placed on it. Even in Powerlifting, they have a dynamic (DE) squat and bench day. That should be the case in all sports where strength plays a role.