Should we train movements or muscles?
providing useful and insightful science based training material
This week, we explored arguably one of the most significant areas of the body when it comes to contributing to pathology.
The thoracic spine is 12 segments (vertebrae) that are the bridge between the cervical spine and lumbar spine. On top of that, the ribs/ribcage articulate with the thoracic spine, and that scapula articulates with the ribcage…this creates a pivotal relationship with the thoracic spine and the shoulders.
Continue reading “KINETIC HYGIENE: THORACIC MOBILITY SUMMARY”
Being “elastic” or “reactive” refers to being able to have a good ability to quickly develop force and transfer one movement’s energy into another. The reactive strength index (RSI) is one of the most commonly used field tests for assessing these qualities. The RSI is the jump height of the movement divided by ground contact time. In other words, the higher you jump and faster you get off the ground the better your RSI will be.
Assessing athletic development can be done in an assortment of ways. Typically, such assessment is done by testing maximal strength in a movement, dynamic strength in a movement, and possibly some other type of “sport specific” movement. There is nothing wrong with this type of testing, but it can leave the coach asking some questions.
One of the issues with this style of testing is that it may not give enough “insight” to the development of the athlete. Every movement has many variables that influence its performance and it is hard to discern whether or not those variables are influencing the outcomes of the tests. Typically, such variables arise most often in a “dynamic” style of testing.
It is important to understand why testing is done. Testing is done to help guide a training program, which means the more accurate the testing is, the better of an idea the coach will have at pinpointing areas of improvement. Granted, any form of barbell/weight room testing is relatively non-specific, it can still provide insights into possible “general” physiological and neurological qualities that influence performance.
This piece is purely opinion, however I think it can be very helpful. More now than ever, people are searching for evidence-based practices. This article is made to help you not only ingest (read) more research, but also help you digest (understand) the research you are reading.
The stretch shortening cycle (SSC) is the physiological mechanism involving an eccentric muscular and tissue stretch, followed by an amplified concentric contraction. There are several physiological properties that play a role in the SSC. There is the muscle spindle (wants to speed up contraction), the Golgi Tendon (wants to slow down contraction), the muscular pre-stretch (puts muscles in better length for contraction forces and increases tension), there is an increase in neural output, neural facilitation, and many more possible unexplored physiological mechanisms (fascia, tendons, proprioception, intra-fiber proteins, intramuscular timing etc…)
Strength is not as simple as some might make it out to be. Strength is highly contextual. Being strong at faster velocities compared to slower velocities may be a more desirable trait to have for your specific sport. Researchers and coaches over the years have sought out ways to quantify different training zones to pinpoint specific strength qualities. Traditionally, these training zones have been looked at from the standpoint of the force velocity curve. However, I think it might be a little more applicable and easier to understand these qualities when extrapolating the findings from a power-velocity curve.
Accommodating resistance (Why it works)
Accommodating resistance involves the usage of an added piece of equipment (bands or chains) to increase the resistance of the load throughout the range of motion.
Author: Dr. Gregg Mallett
I often hear from those who train I wish I had a GPS device to monitor my workouts and progress. Well, expensive GPS devices may not be needed to do so. Also, I often see people simply write down what they lifted after a particular set. This is good and all, but what does it mean? What do you do with this information? How do you measure progress? Are you weaker if you do not lift the same weight the next time around? Let us take a look at the metrics of volume (V) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE). This commentary will provide methods to use that can assist in the quantification a workout session and provide meaning.
Peak Velocity can be used to determine whether an olympic lift is missed due to bar height or technical error. However, you first have to understand what peak velocity is.
Peak velocity is a specific point in the movement at which velocity of the measured object (center of mass, barbell, projectile…) is at its highest. Depending on the type of movement being performed, peak velocity will occur at different regions within the movement.
Potential energy is the possible energy an object has based on its position.
Formula
Potential Energy (PE) = Mass * Gravity * Height
Continue reading “Physics (Potential Energy and Kinetic Energy)”