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Detraining – why a change really is better than a rest
The old adage that ‘what goes up must come down’ applies just as much to fitness as to gravity. But although athletes have come to accept detraining as a depressing but inevitable consequence of an injury or illness, few are aware of just how profound and rapid these changes are. And according to Richard Godfrey, new evidence suggests that the magnitude of these changes means that elite athletes need to plan their return to full fitness after a lay-off very carefully indeed.
 | Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
 | Posted On: | Fri, 2006-12-01 17:54 |
 | Tags: | Sports and Training Techniques |
 | Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Who, how and what gets injured?
Snowboarding
Forward falls commonly result in shoulder-girdle injuries: anything from rotator cuff (shoulder) strains to collar bone fractures. Falls backwards more commonly produce wrist fractures or strains, spinal injuries (low back and/or neck area) and head injuries, usually from a direct blow to the back of the skull during a fall. All can happen at any ability level.
Skiing
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Fri, 2006-11-10 15:25 |
| Tags: | injury, Sports, Sports Medicine and Treatment, Sports Rehabilitation and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Marathon Tips
Dear editor
As a 56 year old recreational athlete for some 30 years with a marathon personal best of 2hrs 44min and a personal worst of 3hrs 29min, I found Sean Fyfe’s tale of marathon woe somewhat amusing (SIB50, June 2005). An unimaginable number of athletes have run good marathons over careers spanning decades without knowing what hyponatraemia is.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Wed, 2006-11-08 18:55 |
| Tags: | running, endurance, Sports and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Dumbbell Exercises : Supine dumbbell straight arm pullover
Muscles involved: sides of upper back (latissimus dorsi), backs of shoulders (posterior deltoids), backs of upper arms (triceps).
Joint motion: shoulder extension.
Sports applicability: sports involving an overhead hitting/throwing motion, eg tennis, the javelin and football throw-in.
Conditioning benefits
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Mon, 2006-11-06 20:30 |
| Tags: | Sports, Strength and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Resistance Training Exercise : For that extra edge all you need is variety
Most athletes in search of that elusive extra edge in strength and power look to resistance training in one form or another. Often they think they need a new exercise to sharpen them up. But what they may not realise is that considerable improvements in training outcomes can be achieved without changing the content of their routines but simply by altering the sequence of exercises and varying the rest times between exercises.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Mon, 2006-10-09 18:22 |
| Tags: | Sports, Strength and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Vibration Platform: New training aids Good vibrations?
Move over, wobble board – the vibration platform is here. In the past 10 years there has been an increasing interest in the somewhat strange concept of vibration training and its potentially positive impact on athletic performance. Can simply standing on a vibrating platform improve one’s strength, power and flexibility? Is this a gimmick providing a short-term fix, or can athletes and coaches expect to see some valuable long-term training adaptations? Is vibration a useful rehab tool? Here’s the balance of research to date.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Wed, 2006-09-13 16:27 |
| Tags: | warm up, Research Findings, Sports, Sports Rehabilitation and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Cycle Injury overview
In 2003 I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to venture into the Pyrenees mountain range in the south of France to witness the penultimate mountain stage of the Tour de France. It was one of the greatest stages in recent years, when Lance Armstrong fell off his bike in the final ascent only to remount, attack and put the winning time on Jan Ullrich to clinch his fifth consecutive tour victory. I had watched the tour on TV before, but it wasn’t until I was on the mountain that I could grasp the passion and fanaticism surrounding the sport of cycling.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Thu, 2006-08-31 11:03 |
| Tags: | cycling, warm up, Sports and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Warm Up Activity : The dynamic alternative to static stretching
Strength and conditioning coaches and trainers are engaged in a constant search for the best ways to improve sport performance. All things being equal, a bigger, faster, stronger, more conditioned athlete will rule supreme on the playing court or field.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Wed, 2006-08-16 13:15 |
| Tags: | warm up, injury, Sports and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Cyclists Warm Up
A new UK study has shown that cycling performance is boosted by prior moderate and heavy exercise, but not by sprint exercise.
The researchers set out to determine the effects of three different warm-up regimes on cycling work output during a seven- minute performance trial. Although it is widely accepted that prior warm-up exercise should be performed before the main bout of sporting or exercise activity, previous studies have tended to focus on the physiological effects of warm-up rather than on its potential performance benefit.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Fri, 2006-07-28 18:27 |
| Tags: | cycling, warm up, Research Findings, Sports, Sports Rehabilitation and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Pre-competition exercise: does timing matter?
Cycling time triallists gain a significant performance advantage if, on the day before competition, they train at exactly the same time as the competition is scheduled to start. That is the important conclusion of a new study from the UK.
Eight male recreational cyclists completed two separate 16.1k time trials on cycle ergometers at 7am. On the day before one of the trials, they performed a submaximal workout at 60% VO2max for 30 minutes at 7am; on the day before the other, they performed exactly the same workout at 12 noon.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Tue, 2006-07-18 17:26 |
| Tags: | cycling, endurance, Research Findings, Sports, Strength and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Marathon Cramp: A marathon to remember
Last November I set out to achieve one of those lifetime goals: to complete a marathon in less than three hours, considered by many to be the Holy Grail of social distance running. What better occasion to do it than at the 25th anniversary of probably the greatest race in the world, the London Marathon.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Thu, 2006-07-13 14:58 |
| Tags: | running, warm up, endurance, injury, Sports and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
How To Train For A Triathlon : Your complete strength and conditioning programme
Triathlon is a demanding multi-discipline sport, calling for high levels of endurance in the water, on a bike and on the road. And, while triathletes spend most of their time swimming, cycling and running, they also need a supplementary resistance-based conditioning programme to enhance overall performance. In this article, Raphael Brandon sets out a programme of strength and conditioning exercises suitable for serious competitive triathletes.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Thu, 2006-06-22 15:04 |
| Tags: | warm up, endurance, Sports, Strength and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Sports drinks and teeth
There is no doubt that properly formulated fluid and/or carbohydrate drinks can enhance sports performance (see PP212, Hydration Special). However, more recent research has discovered that regular sports drinks users may be putting their dental health at risk; in particular the protective tooth enamel has been found to erode 30 times faster with regular usage of sports drinks (which tend to be quite acidic) by comparison with plain water!
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Wed, 2006-05-31 17:31 |
| Tags: | supplements, Sports and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Deep Water Running : Getting into deep water – why it can be good for fitness
Everyone knows that swimming can be a good cross-training strategy for building fitness, or maintaining it when injury strikes. But according to Colin Brow and David Murrie, a more effective training protocol during high- intensity, competitive periods of the season or as part of an injury rehabilitation programme is deep water running.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Tue, 2006-05-30 16:00 |
| Tags: | warm up, endurance, Sports, Strength and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Standing Calf Raise : Standing machine calf raise
Exercise of the Week - Standing Calf Raise.
This week in exercise of the week we look at the Standing Calf Raise.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Fri, 2006-05-26 11:34 |
| Tags: | Sports, Strength and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Antioxidant Diets: Low antioxidant diets may hamper fuel delivery
Although the jury’s still out on the pros and cons of antioxidant supplementation for athletes, a consensus of scientific opinion is beginning to form around the notion that low antioxidant intakes are undesirable for various reasons.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Fri, 2006-05-19 16:04 |
| Tags: | supplements, Research Findings, Sports and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Backwards Running : The benefits of training backwards
Backward walking and running is recommended for the rehabilitation of overuse injuries and knee joint problems because it increases the strength and power of the quadriceps muscles while reducing compressive forces at the knee joint, preventing overstretching of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and decreasing force absorption.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Wed, 2006-04-26 15:41 |
| Tags: | Sports, Sports Medicine and Treatment, Sports Rehabilitation and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Stress & Overtraining : Strategies to ward off overtraining by dealing with stress from all sources
The simple physiological equation employed by most coaches is this: training-plus-recovery equals-adaptation. But while there are literally hundreds of ways of measuring training (eg sets, reps, load, volume, time and intensity) and a similar number for measuring adaptation (game performance, lactate threshold, heart rate, speed, power etc), how many coaches measure or prescribe a recovery programme, asks James Marshall.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Mon, 2006-04-24 15:37 |
| Tags: | Sports, Sports Medicine and Treatment and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Strength Training For Children : Why young athletes should be encouraged to work out with weights
Parents and coaches continue to express concern about the suitability of strength training for children and adolescents despite mounting evidence that it is both safe and beneficial. Paul Gamble homes in on the advantages for youngsters – particularly would-be rugby players.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Wed, 2006-04-19 15:34 |
| Tags: | coaching, Sports and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Speed Training Workouts : Is over-speed training over-hyped?
The goal of over-speed training is to allow an athlete to move his or her limbs faster by using special training techniques to increase limb speed such as hill descents or assisted propulsion from elasticated bungee cords. However, there’s confusion about just how effective over-speed training is and how best to implement it for maximum benefit, as John Shepherd explains.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Tue, 2006-04-18 14:45 |
| Tags: | Research Findings, Sports and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Blood Doping: New warning on blood doping
Most blood doping techniques can be reliably detected by current anti-doping strategies. But Italian researchers have issued a warning about an alternative and dangerous technique, which is not yet banned and is virtually undetectable by anti-doping tests.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Thu, 2006-04-13 16:13 |
| Tags: | supplements, Research Findings, Sports and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Tournament Football : What Sven can learn from research in the lead-up to the 2006 World Cup
In tournament football, fitness and conditioning are absolutely vital. They are among the most important things. You also need a little bit of luck with injuries and penalties and things like that.’ So says Sven Goran Eriksson (1). Wise words indeed from the England manager, but can PP make him any the wiser? This article takes an in- depth look at some of the key factors that impinge on creating a winning World Cup team, by John Shepherd.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Mon, 2006-04-10 11:36 |
| Tags: | football, Sports and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Pre-conditioning – or how to do the preparatory work needed to stay in tip-top training condition all year round
Imagine you had a crystal ball and could predict when you were going to get injured, and how. What if your gazing could also tell you how to prevent that injury and how to make your muscles as receptive as possible for sport specific adaptation? Wouldn’t it be great if this were possible?
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Thu, 2006-02-02 14:05 |
| Tags: | endurance, Research Findings, Sports, Sports Medicine and Treatment and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Coaches need to be aware that appropriate programming is necessary for improving performance but it is also essential for reducing the risk of injury to young athletes.
Over training or incorrect training programming can be a contributing factor to many injuries in young athletes. When developing a season or annual training plan for young athletes, there is a very basic process that can be followed to ensure that consideration is taken to minimise many of the factors which could bring about injuries.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Fri, 2005-12-09 18:51 |
| Tags: | endurance, Sports and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
Training loads and young athletes
Understanding the methods used to increase training load is essential for any coach of young athletes. The amount that children and youths will improve in a particular sport is a direct result of the amount and quality of work they achieve in training. From the early stages of development through to high-performance, athletes must increase their workload in training gradually, according to individual needs.
| Author: | whatsnew (whatsnew's profile, whatsnew's blog) |
| Posted On: | Wed, 2005-12-07 19:30 |
| Tags: | Sports and Training Techniques |
| Comments: | 0 comments, go to comments |
