“ONE ETHICAL VOICE” PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics
I� E�uca�i�� ISSUE
NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2012
THE FUTURE OF ATHLETIC TRAINING
Introducing
Female Athletes to Strength Training: Balancing Student Concerns and Social Realities
Scan this code to view the magazine on the go. Available online at: www.issuu.com Search Coach and Athlete
Steadman Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas (SHCC) and Greenville Hospital System (GHS) team up to develop one of the largest certified athletic training networks in the nation P. 16
HYDRATION NEEDS FOR ATHLETES Know the symptoms to look for
COACH & ATHLETE in Education
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NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER ISSUE 2012 The Athletic Training
A
s today’s students become tomorrow’s leaders, it is important to exist as a positive role model and pass your lessons and experiences forward. Worthy lessons live forever! We invite you to join Coach & Athlete in Education with “One Ethical Voice” to deliver some of your positive experiences to our readers. We encourage readers to email us with ideas, responses, and topics of interest you would like to see featured in future issues. We LOVE what we do!
Sincerely,
Deb Mike
editors’ note
Coach & Athlete in Education
provides food for thought and action that nurtures positive experiences for student-athletes, especially those experiences that promote successful development in life. You will find quotes throughout this publication that are intended to inspire your own thoughts. Because of the relationship between a coach and his or her athletes, you know better than anyone that they are people first. If we fail to remember this within this profession, then we will fail in our mission to make them better people. Our goal is to promote the development of the studentathlete on and off the field. Athletes are students of life, discovering who they are and how that fits into their purpose in the world. They must function both individually and as a team. It’s your responsibility to see that they do. The bottom line is that as a coach, your purpose is to teach. The focus of this issue is creating safe environments for athletic programs. We present interviews with key individuals involved in a model program designed toward serving our student-athletes. We have articles that address legal responsibilities, basic conditioning, fueling, and hydration. Regardless of the topics Coach & Athlete in Education elects to cover, they ALL revolve around creating a positive experience for student-athletes.
Deborah Cadorette Mike Godfrey
OUR FAVORITE THINGS this Month...
EMAIL US @
djcat@clemson.edu mgodfre@clemson.edu
CODY and HURRICANE (Deb’s Dogs)
PARKER (Mike’s Son)
COACH & ATHLETE Contents November/December 2012 FEATURED ARTICLES THE FUTURE OF ATHLETIC TRAINING
Steadman Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas (SHCC) and Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center (GHS) team up to develop one of the largest certified athletic training networks in the nation. INTERVIEW with John Thorpe, Certified Athletic Trainer Manager for Greenville Hospital Systems
P.16 Introducing Female Athletes to Strength Training:
Balancing Student Concerns and Social Realities by Mike Godfrey
That we might encourage excellence in life, exemplary thoughts and actions…on and off the field. For this is our calling - our purpose, in this profession. Photograph by Ashley Tumlin “ONE ETHICAL VOICE” PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics
I� E�uca�i��
ISSUE
OCTOBER 2012
THE FUTURE OF ATHLETIC TRAINING
Steadman Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas (SHCC) and Greenville Hospital System (GHS) team up to develop one of the largest certified athletic training networks in the nation P. 16
Introducing
FEmalE aThlETES TO STREngTh TRaInIng: BalanCIng STUdEnT COnCERnS and SOCIal REalITIES
HYDRATION NEEDS FOR ATHLETES Know the symptoms to looK for
Scan this code to learn more about what we do COACH & ATHLETE in Education www.coachnathlete.com
1
ON THE COVER Niejel Kilgore (player) with Kurt Wagner, Certified Athletic Trainer from
Steadman Hawkins Sports Medicine
Hillcrest High School, Simpsonville, SC PHOTOGRAPH BY
Ashley Tumlin, Carolinashutterbug
P. 30
Contents November/December 2012 THE ROLE OF THE High School ATHLETIC TRAINER
INTERVIEW with DAVID WEBB, Athletic Trainer for Eastside High School
P. 20 PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics: HYDRATION NEEDS FOR ATHLETES BY ROB LAWSON
Keep your athletes well hydrated and know what symptoms to look for
P.23
Practical Strength Training for High School Athletes
Ed Fry, Athletic Leadership Department at Clemson University, discusses the way to strengthen young athletes
P.40 OTHER articles in this issue: National Standards for Sport Coaches
Every school board, superintendent and administrator should be aware of legal responsibilities for coaches to provide a safe environment for student-athletes
p.11
ALCOHOL & DRUG USE IN OUR SCHOOLS
Youth Emulate Role Model Students at the Next Level By Spencer Hutchison
p.8
Human Garage: Fueling the body
BY DEBORAH CADORETTE & MIKE GODFREY
P.34
PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics CREDITS Coach & Athlete in Education Magazine: DEBORAH CADORETTE Editor Mike Godfrey Research Editor RENIE mezzanotte Copy Editor Fall Š2012 Clemson University Clemson, SC 864-656-0434 Contributing Writers: Rob Lawson MIKE GODFREY ED FRY Graphics & Design: Kelly Staggs Art Director Interviews: JOHN THORPE DAVID WEBB Photography: Ashley Tumlin Steadman Hawkins Clinic C&A in ED STAFF CONTRIBUTING STUDENT WRITERS: ANNE MILLER LAURA BELLINO AUSTIN BURRIS KATIE COX Ferebee FRAZIER CHRISTINA GASPARINO KELLY HALL HANNAH KIRBY KELSEY LARSON KIMBERLEIGH RIGGS Publication: PURPLE TIGER INK, LLC
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COACH & ATHLETE in Education
Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) is a non profit organization that promotes positive coaching in youth sports and athletics. They provide online training and live workshops for coaches, athletes and parents. For more information on how they can assist your organization, visit their website at:
www.positivecoach.org
WORDS for THOUGHT
“My classroom was the basketball court. It
was there that I taught everything from correct hand and foot movement to values and attitudes…” - John Wooden
Photograph by Ashley Tumlin
RESOURCE Guides
ALCOHOL & DRUG USE IN OUR SCHOOLS By: Spencer Hutchison Clemson University Student
C
ollege students were asked to respond to their perception of drinking and drug use among high school and college students; whether college students influence high school students with their actions. Here is one college student’s view:
L
ike many of my classmates, I have two separate but related issues here: alcohol and drug use in high school, and alcohol and drug use in college. Within these two issues, it is important to separate alcohol use from drug use when considering current situations and trends in these two very different settings. First, consider alcohol use in college, as it is generally the most familiar part of the discussion. Alcohol use in college has reached the point of being inseparably entwined with university culture; however, consider that nationwide prohibition of alcohol ended in 1933 and that Clemson University was established in 1889. Thus, college culture has not always had the type of relationship with alcohol that it has today. This is an interesting point, given the current discussion on the legalization of marijuana. If legalized, would this drug become equally a part of college culture? Even now, while it is still illegal, weed has lost its status as taboo and has become more widely accepted by students and the general public.
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COACH & ATHLETE in Education
RESOURCE Guides
First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you. -Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald
W
ith this in mind, we should consider the relationship between high school and college. Why do high school students experiment with alcohol and drugs? There is a direct connection between current perceived trends in colleges and what happens in high school. Young people will always look up to an older age group for direction: elementary school kids look up to the middle schoolers, middle schoolers to the high schoolers, and high schoolers to college students. Of course, this is not the only reason these young students choose to try alcohol or drugs, but it certainly does not give them reason to do otherwise. No matter how many health classes or informational videos these students are subjected to, media and popular culture will absolutely drown out these well-intentioned attempts at education every single time.
T
he important thing is to begin to shape our culture into one that is a positive example for younger generations, for everything from personal decisions to nationwide legislative decisions. Our athletes and other persons who have become “role models” must recognize this attention and hold themselves accountable. 8
The following facts come from American College of Sports Medicine. www.acsm.org Athletes and Alcohol Use: “Alcohol use by athletes often starts at the junior high school level and can start even earlier. Among high school students, male athletes are more likely to not only use alcohol regularly but also to abuse alcohol. This relationship does not seem to exist at the college level. Nonetheless, alcohol consumption is high enough for alcohol to have been named the most abused drug in collegiate sport by the NCAA and in professional and Olympic sports by the NFL, NBA, and USOC.” Athletic Performance and Chronic Alcohol Use: “Alcohol can result in nutritional deficiencies from alterations in nutrient intake, digestion, absorption, metabolism, physiological effects, turnover, and excretion of nutrients. Myopathy (muscle damage, wasting, and weakness) can occur in various muscles, including the heart, often compounded by alcohol-caused neuropathies. Also, the hormonal environment can change, making it less conducive to increasing muscle mass and strength.” ACSM, L.Perry Kozir, PhD
Socialization - the process of shaping and being shaped by the dominant beliefs of a society. COACH & ATHLETE in Education
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A
student is down
in your school! She lies on the floor lifeless, not
heart has stopped.
breathing. Her
Is the supervising adult in the immediate area qualified to take steps to prevent further injury or death in this emergency? Calling
911 is not
enough. It takes very little to prepare your school district
employees in first aid and CPR, a small action that is all heart.
T
he National Standards for Sport Coaches were revised and issued in book form, entitled Quality Coaches, Quality Sports: National Standards for Sport Coaches, Second Edition, 2006. Anyone can go online and order the book, which contains 40 standards covered in eight domains. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education of Reston, Virginia is the author. Every interscholastic athletic program in the nation should be familiar with the information addressed by the standards, as well as with the legal duties that are incumbent upon any interscholastic athletic program. Every school board, superintendent and administrator should be made aware of these standards and protocol so they can take action to provide a safe environment for their student-athletes. In this editor’s
PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics
First Responder - the initial qualified person on a scene able to administer first aid in the case of emergency. opinion, these standards should apply to all students within the school district while they attend school activities during the day and after school hours. It demonstrates that the district values the safety and health of the students above all else. The eight domains of sport coaching, established by the National Standards, are as follows:
Domain 1: Domain 2: Domain 3: Domain 4: Domain 5: Domain 6: Domain 7: Domain 8:
Philosophy and Ethics Safety and Injury Physical Conditioning Growth and Development Teaching and Communication Sport Skills and Tactics Organization and Administration Evaluation
T
he following information originates from the National Federation of High Schools www.nfhslearn.com Fundamentals of Coaching online course. Every state athletic association has been given the opportunity to customize and specify their state requirements. Some states “strongly recommend� coach certification, whereas each individual administration can require this certification. It is strongly recommended every coach complete the coach credentials through www.nfhslearn.com, so that every school district is demonstrating concern for the safety of the student-athlete by educating coaches to provide a positive, safe athletic experience and environment. A school district in-service program can do this easily as a requirement for all coaches. The most proactive of school districts will require first aid and CPR training/certification for every employee in their charge so they are prepared to respond to emergencies for students anywhere on campus.
T
he following fourteen obligations or duties have been identified as absolute requirements for interscholastic coaches (www.nfhslearn.com ). This means that every interscholastic program administrator and coach throughout the United States should currently know about them. These duties have evolved as a result of various case law proceedings and legal judgments against individuals and school districts. There are specific obligations for coaches in the following 14 duties. An example of an obligation follows each duty. Beginning next issue, Coach & Athlete in Education Magazine will provide actual legal cases that have occurred for each of the duties listed below.
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COACH & ATHLETE in Education
PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics 1. Duty to Plan: Written practice plans including times, techniques and method of instruction 2. Duty to Supervise: Providing adult supervision when more than one facility is used 3. Duty to Provide a Safe Environment: Inspecting practice field prior to each practice to be sure it does not have holes, broken glass, etc. 4. Duty to Evaluate Injury/Incapacity: Not allowing an injured player to return to play without a medical release from a qualified physician 5. Duty to Provide Safe Equipment: Reconditioning all used helmets prior to each season 6. Duty to Teach Properly: Teaching technical skills according to current NFHS rules, such as not using the head to tackle 7. Duty to Condition Properly: Increasing training and conditioning over time to prepare for competition 8. Duty to Warn: Advise student and parents/guardians that fatal injuries may occur through participation in a collision sport 9. Duty to Provide emergency Care: When a student is in heat distress, taking appropriate steps to prevent further injury or death is necessary 10. Duty to Design an Emergency Response Plan: Develop a written plan that can be executed when an injury occurs that provides immediate assistance for the injured student 11. Duty to Select, Train and Supervise Coaches: Head coaches must ensure they take steps to select, train and supervise COACH & ATHLETE in Education
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PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics
individuals who exemplify a student-centered coaching philosophy
12. Duty to Match/Equate Athletes: Not allowing a 103-pound wrestler to train or compete against a 150-pound opponent 13. Duty to Provide Safe Transportation: Follow school and athletic department policies for transportation 14. Duty to Provide Insurance Disclosure: Prior to tryouts, ask students if they have insurance to cover costs of injury. This should be a written declaration by the parents/guardians.
THIS IS NOT AN ADVERTISEMENT.
It is a courtesy infomercial for school boards of education, superintendents, principals, directors of athletics, coaches and athletes as they work to provide safer, more positive environments for interscholastic athletic programs.
Photograph by Ashley Tumlin
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COACH & ATHLETE in Education
SportS Medicine done right! Find out for yourself at Steadman Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas, part of Greenville Hospital System University Medical Group. Patewood Medical Campus 200 Patewood Drive #C100 Greenville, SC 29615 (864) 454-SHCC
Simpsonville Medical Campus 727 SE Main St #220 Simpsonville, SC 29681 (864) 454-SHCC
Greer Medical Campus 315 Medical Parkway #100 Greer, SC 29650 (864) 454-SHCC
Spartanburg 333 S. Pine Street Spartanburg, SC 29302 (864) 515-7500
steadmanhawkinscc.com
Greenville • Greer • Simpsonville • Spartanburg
120323
PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics
THE FUTURE OF ATHLETIC TRAINING
photograph by: Ashley Tumlin
Steadman Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas (SHCC) and Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center (GHS)
have developed one of the largest certified athletic training networks in the nation. Through collaboration of Certified Athletic Trainers, Physicians and Sports Medicine Specialists, the program takes a team approach to injury prevention, treatment, and the rehabilitation of sports related injuries. Steadman Hawkins Sports Medicine, a division of SHCC, currently serves over 50 middle schools, public and private high schools, professional baseball, university athletics, recreation districts, and national events held in the upstate of South Carolina.
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COACH & ATHLETE in Education
PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics “The best care for athletic injuries is achieved through a comprehensive approach that includes care from both physicians and athletic trainers.”
C&A:
Providing a safe environment and minimizing risk for student-athletes is a concern of school districts and athletic directors across the nation. It is difficult to believe, in this day and age, that some high schools do not have full time certified athletic trainers (ATC’s) on staff. When did Greenville School District bring Certified Athletic Trainers (ATC’s) on board with the high school athletic photograph by: Ashley Tumlin
We work hand in hand with Greenville County Athletic Director, Bill Utsey to provide constant observation with suggestions for improvement and delivery of health care to reduce the overall cost. Certified Athletic Trainers at Steadman Hawkins Sport Medicine
program; how did they happen to collaborate with you; Greenville Hospital System? Thorpe: The District and the hospital became partners from the most devastating of events. After the passing of a young man 14 years ago on the basketball court, both sides felt a need to collaborate for the safety and wellbeing of students in our community. The hospital submits a proposal every 5 years to the Greenville County School Board for this privilege. We have been the sports medicine providers for Greenville County School District for over the last 13 years+.
C&A: What is the cost for a certified Athletic Trainers to Greenville School District? Thorpe: Greenville Hospital/Steadman Hawkins provides this service to the community for absolutely no charge. It is a 2 million dollar cost for the hospital system. Having an ATC in the school full time has saved families tens of thousands in hospital fees through prevention and rehab that can be done at the school.
C&A: This is an enormous contribution by Greenville Hospital/ Steadman Hawkins to ensure the safety of the student-athletes. Describe the overall operation for the ATC’s with the many high schools in Greenville, SC. Thorpe: There are two managers, myself being one; who oversee the day to day operations of the largest outreach sports medicine group in the south. We have 39 ATC’s in over 50 schools covering over 1000 square miles. We spend about half COACH & ATHLETE in Education
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PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics the day on logistics making sure all the schools have the coverage they need, our employees have the support they ask for, and everything they require to perform. At the same time we are interacting with multiple entities both in the hospital as well as the community.
C&A: Does the community understand the significance of the services being provided? Thorpe: Most people learn about what we do by witnessing our ATC’s presence and action in injury related situations. If their child is injured there is professional treatment, advice on the spot and the emergency dealt with immediately. The more people who understand what we do, the greater our impact is throughout the community.
C&A: How does it benefit the Greenville Hospital System by placing these ATC’s in the high schools at no cost to the school district? Thorpe: As I said, the more people know about us, the greater our impact is throughout the community of Greenville. Another integral part of our position is visiting the ATC’s on location; talking to them, the coaches, the athletes, and the Athletic Directors. Feedback from these resources is valuable for the GHS and Steadman/Hawkins. We also have many corporate initiatives that are benefitted with the provision of sports medicine coverage. Our dedicated ATC’s volunteer to work these additional events throughout the year.
C&A: What would you suggest to school districts who have limited funds to support hiring an ATC full time? Thorpe: There are many different models to get an ATC at your facility. You can do what Greenville and Charleston counties have done and partner with the local hospital system. Many ATC’s also have teaching credentials which allows the school to hire them as a teacher and stipend their ATC position as they would a coach. Booster clubs could also get involved by subsidizing an ATC salary. Every sport benefits from having the ATC on campus to work with the athletes. Unfortunately in this financial climate it is tough to convince decision makers that the safety of the students is worth the expenditure. I recently had communications with a state representative who felt having ATC’s as mandatory in high schools is the answer. Her first concern, however, was getting support based on how it would be funded. The Greenville Hospital/Steadman Hawkins model works wonders here.
C&A: What online resource would help provide readers with information about Athletic Training Certification; the career; the requirements? Thorpe: The best website to get accurate information on athletic training is www.nata.org. 8 John Thorpe is the Certified Athletic Trainer Manager for Greenville Hospital Systems. His credentials include: DHEC certified ATC, NATABOC certified ATC, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, CPR/AED certified.
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COACH & ATHLETE in Education
We Work the Evening S.H.I.F.T. Evening S.H.I.F.T. (Steadman Hawkins Injury and Fracture Treatment) is a clinic for orthopaedic injuries open weekday evenings. Orthopaedic physicians provide urgent care for … Sprains and strains
InjurEd AFTEr HourS?
Fractures Minor dislocations Sports-related injuries Patewood Medical Campus 200 Patewood Drive, Suite C100 Greenville, SC 29615 (864) 454-SHCC (7422) Mon.-Fri. • 6-9 p.m. Walk-ins Only
steadmanhawkinscc.com
Greenville • Greer • Simpsonville • Spartanburg Part of Greenville Hospital System University Medical Group 110348
PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics
THE ROLE OF THE
High School
ATHLETIC TRAINER
David R. Webb, ATC
C&A:
What Is The Role Of The Athletic Trainer In The High School Setting?
Webb: To Guide And Protect Today's Student Athlete.
The Guide Portion Is Derived From Allowing The Student-Ath lete To Learn About How His Or Her Body Is Changing Through Maturation And How That Affects Athletic Ability. We Protect By Monitoring Them To Prevent Injury Or Re-Injury During Participation.
C&A:
What Is A Typical Day Like For You With Regard To Time, Communication With Athletes And Parents, Work Load, Treatments, And Record Keeping?
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COACH & ATHLETE in Education
PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics Webb: I Arrive At About 12:45 P.M. And Prepare My Gator For, As I Call It, The Water Run. I Maintain Paperwork For Physician Referrals, Schedule Updates, Injury Notes And Any Calls Regarding Insurance Issues With Parents. I Am In The Training Room (Atr) Preparing Those And Setting Up The Water To Be Carried Out For Outdoor Sports Practices Or Contests. For Example, I Prepare Six, Ten-Gallon Coolers For Water, Two Ice Chests For Injury Ice, And Two, Ten-Gallon Coolers Of Gatorade For Pregame Meal On A Varsity Football Game. Not To Mention The Supplies Needed To Work The Sideline During The Game. Typically, I Will Perform Anywhere From 20 To 40 Treatments, Ranging From Tapings To Rehab Exercises To Assessments And Evaluations. I Use The Ats System From Keffer Development Services, As Required By The Steadman Hawkins Sports Medicine Team.
C&A:
C&A:
Twelve Separate Sports With Subdivisions Regarding Varsity, Junior Varsity And “C-Team.”
How Does Your Schedule Fluctuate During The School Year/ Athletic Seasons?
Webb: The Seasons Really Do Not Change Much As Far As Timing, As I Am Here Until After The Student-Athletes And Coaches Have Departed. When It Is A Practice Only Day, I Leave At Around 8:15 P.M.; Contest Days Could Mean As Late As 11:30 P.M. For A Home Football Game Or Baseball Doubleheader. My Schedule Stays Pretty Constant Within That Time Frame. About How Many Athletes Are You Responsible For?
Webb: Currently, Eastside Hs Has About 375 Athletes Involved In The 31 Sports Teams, With Many Crossovers Across The Seasons.
C&A:
How Many Sport Teams Are You Responsible For?
Webb: At This Time We Have
C&A:
What Do You Consider Your Primary
Responsibilities?
Webb: My Basic Responsibility Is To Keep The Kids Safe, Be It Withdrawing Them From Competition Or Preparing Them To Continue.
C&A:
What Impact Do Athletic Trainers Have On Student Athletes At This Level?
Webb: We Have Impact On The Management Aspect Of Injury, Something Nonexistent During My High School Days. We Find The Medium Between The Athlete Pushing Too Hard To Return Or Encourage Those Who Are Dismayed At Their Situation. I Am Also Regarded As A Role Model -That Was Brought To My Attention By Various Athletes Here At Eastside.
C&A:
What Type Of Risk Does A School Assume By Not Having A Certified Athletic Trainer (Atc) On Staff?
Webb: Actually, Not Having An Athletic Trainer Puts The School In A Precarious Position For Any Mismanagement Of Injury. This Could Lead To Increased Athletic Insurance Rates Or Litigious Means For The Long Term Effects Of An Injury That Was Handled Incorrectly.
C&A: Photograph by Ashley Tumlin
What Is The Response Of The Athletic Department/ Administration To Having An Atc On Site?
COACH & ATHLETE in Education
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PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics Webb: It Appears To Be Positive With The Entire District.
We Work Together To Allow The StudentAthlete The Best Chances To Succeed On The Field And To Stay Protected And Strong After Their Playing Days Have Concluded. 8 David R. Webb, ATC, SCAT, CSCS Certified Athletic Trainer, Eastside High School ARTICLE PROVIDED BY Steadman Hawkins Sports Medicine
Principle of Periodization - the optimal way
to apply stress to a biological system. By applying stress and then reliveing it, the body adapts and can perform at higher levels relative to those forms of stress. Photograph by Ashley Tumlin
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COACH & ATHLETE in Education
HYDRATION NEEDS FOR ATHLETES BY: ROB LAWSON
“I need a drink! Actually, make it a double!�
T
hese are words that you should never hear from athletes; however, if they are referring to WATER, it should be heard much more frequently. Athletes, coaches, parents, and everyone else who has a pulse has to be aware of staying properly hydrated year round. Various research studies have stated that 60 to 75% of adult Americans are dehydrated to some degree. As the seasons shift to warmer and more humid conditions, everyone must pay more attention to this very common problem.
PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics Athletes, coaches, parents, players, and everyone else with at least one functioning kidney should know and be able to recognize the warning signs of dehydration, including thirst, dry mouth, fatigue, muscle cramps, headaches, red skin, increased breathing and heart rates, bright or dark colored urine, or very little urine production for extended periods. Even mild dehydration causes fatigue, decreased short-term memory, slowed metabolism, and exacerbates existing health problems. Younger athletes may be at greater risk for dehydration because they do not tolerate heat as effectively as adults, due to immature sweat glands, resulting in decreased sweating capacity. Their thirst reflex is not fully developed so they typically do not consume enough fluid before and during exercise; therefore, younger athletes require more supervision to ensure that they are consistent in consuming adequate fluids. Problems escalate as dehydration becomes more severe. The dehydration chart on the follwoing page lists some possible complications as dehydration levels increase.
How much fluid should an athlete consume each day? For
everyone, factors such as humidity, temperature, and altitude affect how much fluid should be consumed. For athletes, this variation also depends on the sport and the frequency, duration and intensity of the activity. A general guideline for everyone is to consume one-half ounce of fluids for each pound of body weight, per day. They can include water, juice, milk, decaffeinated drinks, and any foods that contain water. It CANNOT include alcoholic or caffeinated drinks, as they are both diuretics. This is not to say that one cannot have them, but they do not count toward one’s daily total. This guideline applies to an average person performing minimal physical activity.
The athlete’s need will generally be greater than this, and can range from one-half to one ounce per pound of body weight, and at times even more. As an example, a 200-pound athlete should consume 100-200 ounces per day, depending on circumstances listed above.
When to drink and how much? It is best to start the day with 8 – 12 ounces of
water as soon as one gets out of bed, every day, not just on training days. For most athletes, the following schedule should work fairly well on training days; this is in addition to the regular fluid intake at meals and throughout the rest of the day.
Pre-exercise: 24
As soon as the last training session has ended, athletes need to start preparing
COACH & ATHLETE in Education
PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics Dehydration Level (% body weight Lost) AND POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS 1% INCREASED BODY TEMPERATURE
2 - 4% Typical loss during intense physical activity
3% Impaired performance
5% Heat cramps, chills, nausea, increased pulse, 20-30% decrease in endurance capacity.
6 - 10% Gastrointestinal problems, heat exhaustion, dizziness, headache, severe fatigue
> 8% Harmful level, may loose sense of thirst > 10% Heat stroke, hallucinations, decreases in sweat and urine, swollen tongue, very high body temperature, unsteady movements, potentially fatal
for the next training session. The athlete should NOT wait until an hour before practice to start hydrating. For an average-sized adult, roughly 16 – 24 ounces, two hours prior to training, is good. If it is hot and/or humid, an additional 10 – 12 ounces, one-half to one hour prior to training, is best. During exercise: For an average-sized adult, drinking roughly 32 ounces per hour is advisable; it is best if water is consumed at a rate of 8 ounces every 15 minutes. This is a rough estimate, and it will vary due to heat, humidity, elevation, intensity of training, and the individual’s sweat rate.*
What should an athlete drink during exercise? For most people, including athletes, the best answer is plain water. WHAT?! No big name, extreme energy, new quadruple berry, slap-you-in-the-face elixir? Can Little Johnny even crawl off the couch without an COACH & ATHLETE in Education
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IV bag of super juice? The answer, simply, is YES. For any workouts lasting less than 60 – 90 minutes or even longer at low intensity, water is adequate. Save some money, shed a pound or two, and have fewer cavities. Drink water! However, for strenuous, high intensity activities that last over 60 – 90 minutes, sports drinks that contain carbohydrates help provide some fuel for the muscular and nervous systems, which may benefit performance. These same nutrients can be obtained by eating small amounts of food with water with the added benefit of more nutrients. For very long, intense workouts (lasting longer than 2 hours) or multiple daily workouts, the athlete may benefit from increasing not only fluid and carbohydrates, but also potassium, sodium, and protein. *To determine sweat rate, weigh the athlete prior to exercise (no clothes), then weigh again immediately after exercise, again with no clothes. If any weight was lost, the vast majority of it will be due to fluid loss, not fat loss; 16 ounces of water weighs one pound. Therefore, if the athlete has lost more than one pound after training, she or he should increase fluids on the next similar training session to weigh in as close to the pre-exercise weight as possible. Every athlete should do this at least once with each change in season, as temperatures, humidity, and training intensities vary.
Post-exercise: The athlete should drink 8 – 16 ounces immediately, and for every pound lost, consume at least 16 ounces of fluids over the next couple of hours. It is highly advisable to consume protein with some carbohydrates within 60 minutes after training ends. There are plenty of powders and pre-mixed drinks
out there, but whole foods and water are advisable, as they are cheaper and contain far more nutrients and much less sugar. Low fat milk and chocolate milk are also good at this time.
Who should do what? The goal of everyone working with athletes should be to assist them in improving their abilities, learning lessons, providing a foundation for lifelong fitness, staying healthy, and having fun. For the hydration part of the equation, the main concern for the vast majority of athletes, as well as for the general population, is attaining adequate volume. Athletes should always consume enough fluids that their urine is fairly clear by bedtime, as darker urine is a good indicator of dehydration.
The following is a general guideline for each person’s role in assisting the athlete to this end: Coach: • Discuss proper hydration with athletes of all ages, as well as with assistants and parents; • Set up a schedule for water breaks and ensure that assistants stick to it; • Monitor younger athletes at breaks to make sure they are drinking; and • Allow young athletes to drink any time they request it.
PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics
COACH & ATHLETE in Education
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PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics Parents: • Monitor the athlete’s fluid intake from the time practice ends, until the next one begins; • Explain the importance of drinking enough fluids; • Remind the athlete that water works fine, regardless of what advertisements and their favorite athlete might say (take this opportunity to talk about marketing); • Explain the need for the athlete to monitor the color of the urine; and • Pay close attention to increases in heat and humidity, as well as to the intensity and duration of the workout(s). Athlete: Ultimately, this is YOUR responsibility! You may have heard the phrase, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” That is literally the case here; you can have the best coaches and parents, but they can’t pour the water down your throat. Well, maybe they could, but then they probably would not be the best coaches and parents. 8 References: Institute of Medicine: Water. Dietary reference intakes for water, sodium chloride, potassium, and sulfate. National Academy Press, 2005. American College of Sports Medicine: Sanka, Burke, Eichner, Mountain. Exercise and Fluid Replacement/2007 Review.
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PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics
Introducing Female Athletes to Strength Training: Balancing Student Concerns and Social Realities By Michael Godfrey, PhD, ATC
S
trength training is common in the world of athletics. We are in an athletic era, especially within male sports, in which bigger, stronger, and faster equal better; however, this movement in strength training has not translated equally into female athletics. Males are commonly introduced to strength training programs in the 8th or 9th grade, while female athletes are generally not introduced into strength training programs until college. Associated with this delay are multiple social and cultural fears of the actual results that strength training produces in the female body. The point of this article is simple: help coaches educate their female student athletes on the benefits of strength training; overcome the myths that remain within this population; and provide coaches information on how to overcome some of the cultural and social issues surrounding females and strength training.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.� - Marianne Williamson
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PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics
T
he benefits of strength training in athletics are similar between of genders, especially when the training regimen is designed around the sport specific needs of the athlete. Strength training produces obvious increases in strength, but when designed appropriately can provide increases in endurance, range of motion, body composition, and sport specific movements of speed and agility. Improvements in the body’s ability to control the sport specific motions will also prevent injuries common to the sport. So why are there still reservations about implementing strength programs? The major concerns for female athletes involve age, fear, physique, and social acceptance.
Concern #1:
Keeping a Feminine Appearance The issue of age has always been a hot topic of debate regarding strength training, and to be honest, there is no real consensus of information that states a particular age is appropriate as a starting point. There are, however, many myths that revolve around age and strength training. Most common is the issue of stunting growth and creating an appearance that is overly masculine. The myth that strength training will stunt an individual’s growth has existed for as long as I can remember, although this is nothing more than a myth. Strength training improves muscle and bone density, which is beneficial to the growth and development of the human body and has not been shown in any way to stunt growth. Improvements in muscle and bone density can improve all aspects of athletic movement and the benefits can be extended throughout a person’s life as these benefits improve body composition and prevent osteoporosis. The more common issue regarding females and strength training, and arguably the most common concern, is that implementing a strength training regimen will create a masculine appearance of large muscles. This concern exists more as a social fear and is fostered by a lack of understanding in implementing strength training programs. The goal of any strength training program is to overload the muscular system by having muscles exert a force over and beyond what they are accustomed to. The training program itself will dictate the results and should be designed with the sport specific goals of an individual, their sport, and more specifically, their position. Strength training programs for female athletes and their respective sports should be designed around the female body itself. If the program is designed appropriately,
the body can achieve great improvements in strength and endurance without creating tremendous increases in muscle size. The most common fear I encounter with females and strength training involve the fear of developing a bulky frame with veins popping out of their muscles. This is where coaches can educate their athletes to overcome this fear. To develop the muscular system in this way takes years of intensive strength training using very high weight with very low repetitions. The changes that are associated with this type of training do not produce the types of athletic benefits needed for the majority of female sports. A strength training program geared toward improving athletic ability in female sports should be focused on higher repetitions with lower weights to improve muscle control, muscular endurance, speed, agility and injury prevention. If the program is designed appropriately, the athletic benefits can be great, yet allow the athlete to maintain specific aspects of the social concept of being feminine.
Concern #2:
More Muscles Equal More Weight Concern number two is a social issue that revolves around body weight and strength training for females.
We currently live in a society that promotes “skinny” rather than “healthy.” The concerns that arise
socially revolve around body weight. This component is more difficult for educators to overcome, as we are attempting to overthrow an ingrained concept that is reinforced in every aspect of life. We must move away from the concept of weight and move toward a focus on body composition. The standard weight that is typically desirable is 120 pounds and seems to be a concept that has been passed down over time from generation to generation. As educators and coaches, we must move away from using body weight as the goal, especially for females, as we are limiting their capabilities in both the realms of athletics and health. While many female athletes are reluctant to begin strength training programs for fear of gaining weight, we as educators must reinforce body composition as the guiding force. If the program is designed appropriately, changes in body size and shape should maintain themselves, regardless of the any increases in weight. Coaches can play a vital role in educating female athletes on the benefits of strength training, but failing to address or show concern over weight gain for female athletes will create an atmosphere of misunderstanding, especially for COACH & ATHLETE in Education
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PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics male coaches in female sports. Coaches and educators need to focus on body composition results with their student athletes rather than weight. If we can move toward a greater concern for body composition and make athletes feel confident about their appearance and physique, regardless of weight, then we will have overcome one of the largest social hurdles in female health.
Concern #3:
Fear of the Unknown While fear is a common obstacle when anyone ventures into the unknown, it is also the easiest to overcome. Strength training can be scary, and one of the most common complaints I receive from females about strength training is that they are just plain afraid. The most common fears revolve around not understanding what to do or how to do it. While the solution is simply education and demonstration, overcoming this fear can be difficult if not approached appropriately. When any person, regardless of gender, is being introduced to strength training programs, they need to be introduced slowly and methodically. They must be monitored in the exercises with coaches and educators reinforcing technique. The two most destructive components for younger athletes of either gender are embarrassment and injury. Coaches and educators need to take the time to appropriately demonstrate technique and form to prevent injury and remove the fear of possible embarrassment for performing an exercise improperly. Any time we are developing a program, we must always consider the social atmosphere, especially with younger adults.
Concern #4:
The Need for Female Only Facilities The gym and weight room atmospheres generally have one thing in common: they are filled with males. Females need a safe space to begin strength training programs and to remove distractions. Another common concern I hear from my female athletes is that they often feel uncomfortable working out in areas with males. Now as we understand the landscape of high school and college athletics, we are not advising that new facilities be built and dedicated to the female athletes. The simple solution is to devise a schedule during which male athletes have access to the strength training facilities at separate times from the female athletes. The females’ concerns revolve around being stared at while working out, perceived feelings of not belonging in the area, and the positioning of some of the strength training activities that create the perception of being exposed.
Simply allocating specific times for female athletes to work out away from males will remove many of these concerns and allow the female athletes to gain greater levels of comfort and understanding of the benefits of strength training. How Can a Coach Help?
As coaches and educators, where do we go from here? We can begin by educating our female athletes on the benefits of strength training and focus on the truth behind strength training. We can identify the myths and work together to overcome the social obstacles to provide this population of athletes with benefits that last a lifetime. Coaches must educate themselves on strength training program development with the understanding that all sports require different levels of strength training. Further, coaches need to introduce strength training regimens to female athletes during high school in a safe and effective manner, addressing the common concerns of maintaining femininity and body weight, providing strength training education, and fostering comfortable environments. Most important, coaches must work together to create the perception that strength training for female athletes is socially acceptable and important. The benefits created by an appropriately designed strength training regimen far outweigh the concerns, and that it will just take a little effort and motivation to create a new social reality for female athletes. 8
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GET YOUR FIT ON
MOBILE FITNESS Check out these apps for your iPhone or Android to help you stay on track. The best part is they are all FREE!
Lose It!
The app will first ask you basic questions about height, weight, age and how much weight you are trying to lose. Then the app recommends a calorie intake based on how many calories you consume and burn. It is easy to record the food and fitness and the app even has a built in barcode scanner.
Runkeeper
The app uses the GPS in the iPhone to map out the runs. It gives you your speed and distance while you run. You can also set a goal on the app and it can coach you while you run to keep you on track. It can also tell you your updates while running and listening to music.
Fooducate
DID YOU KNOW?
One pound of muscle burns around 50 calories per day at rest. In contrast one pound of fat burns 2 calories per day at rest.
This app is a great shopping tool when picking healthy food options. The app has an integrated barcode scanner that you can use to get instant information about the food you want to buy. It also gives the food a grade (A-D) with pros and cons of each food.
Restaurant Nutrition
This app allows you to look up any item on a menu from most restaurants and find its nutritional value. This can help you make better choices while eating out and help you keep track of your caloric intake.
Fitness Pro
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories that your body needs to function at the most basic level. It is what you would burn if you sat on the couch all day and watched tv.
Women:
This app will teach you how to use the gym equipment properly and help you learn new exercises. There are pictures of real people doing the exercises and the user can create a personalized routine.
MyFitnessPal
This app allows you to enter the calories from foods you eat and your exercise to help you loose weight or stay in shape.
HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR BMR
BMR = 655 + (4.35 x Weight in Pounds) + (4.7 x Height in Inches) - (4.7 x Age in Years)
Men:
BMR = 66 + (6.23 x Weight in Pounds) + (12.7 x Height in Inches) - (6.8 x Age in Years)
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Professionals in Academic Athletics
The Human Garage: There is nothing confusing about how the human body functions, but typical Americans know more about the fluids and fuel an automobile requires, than about their own physiological requirements and functions. Many people realize that the body requires exercise and rest, yet most give little consideration to the foods that best fuel their energy needs. Additionally, participating in athletics at any level increases the need to understand the nutritional demands of athletes and the importance of knowing the best fuels their muscles need to maximize their energy and performance. Coach and Athlete in Education has the answers.
PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics
W
hen a high performance truck or automobile is low on fuel, you pull into the fuel station and fill it up. But what if your only choice for fuel is kerosene? Why wouldn’t you put kerosene into a gasoline fuel tank? It burns, doesn’t it? Why would you NOT fill your gas tank with something other than gasoline? Simple: you want your high performance machine to perform, and it is designed to respond to a very particular type of fuel. We learn from the time we are young to put only gasoline into the tank of an automobile. When the tank is empty it stops running (unlike the human body, which might keep going with little energy). Just like food choices, the pump has multiple choices for us to choose from. There may be economy, high grade or premium fuels to choose from, and they are all gasoline, ensuring that your engine will at least be able to function normally on the basic fuel choice until that fuel is gone. This is in contrast to the human body’s fuel consumption, where foods providing very little nutritional value can be consumed on a regular basis and keeps the body moving, albeit with less energy and/or in poor health due to a lack of nutritional components the body requires. And get this: most humans do not know what their daily requirements are for food intake. They do not know the number of calories they need. They don’t know how much food they must eat to meet that calorie need. And they don’t understand what percentage of each meal’s fuel should be fats, complex carbohydrates and protein. Now, complicate that with the demand of student-athletes needing to eat for performance while attending classes throughout the day followed by rigorous practice schedules. The questions become when to eat, what to eat, and how much to eat? Athletes can’t fill up and run a hundred miles like a car can. Our bodies need time to digest the fuel, and some foods take longer to digest than others. If an athlete eats a food the body is struggling to digest and then needs to perform in competition, the most common result will be cramping. If the body has to choose between digesting food and exercising, it will choose digestion. So the timing of an athlete’s meals has direct
“The athlete’s basic diet should consist of a small amount of healthy fats, a fair amount of protein, and a veritable truck load of complex carbohydrates.” impacts on performance.
U
nlike an aomobile, the fuel that goes into an athlete’s body fuels everything, and EVERYTHING depends on fuel consumption. A human being’s fuel affects the function of every organ of the body. The fuel in an automobile doesn’t make the seats stronger or the wipers work more efficiently, and it certainly doesn’t enhance the exterior of the car. Human fuels do. The skin, hair, nails, and eyes are all a product of the fuels consumed. A lack of energy, frequent illness, or skin problems could certainly be negative effects of poor fuel that is consumed. The human body is designed to respond to particular fuels; however, it will strive to function on whatever foods are consumed. It is the nature of the beast that the body will do anything to survive, even digest itself. If kerosene goes into a fuel tank instead of gasoline, an automobile will not function. The human body will keep burning whatever fuel it receives, even if it is potato chips or soft drinks devoid of any nutritional components. The human body will continue moving, thinking, working through each day on foods that lack nutritional value and will not experience true natural energy unless high performance fuels (foods) are consumed. Athletes must learn what fuels to consume, and how these fuels positively and negatively affect performance.
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The athlete’s basic diet should consist of a small amount of healthy fats, a fair amount of protein, and a veritable truck load of complex carbohydrates.
According to the National Athletic Trainers Association an athlete’s diet should consist of the following:
Carbohydrates
55-60%
Proteins
15%
Fats
25-30% Carbohydrates serve as our primary fuel for exercise. Examples of complex carbs are vegetables, as well as multi-grain breads, pastas and cereals. Avoid the white and even some whole wheat products that lack fiber. Avoid sugar, as it may raise the blood sugar level quickly but will drop the same way, causing “sugar highs” and “sugar crashes.” In addition to carbohydrates, the diet needs to include fiber. Fiber will promote digestion of foodstuffs for energy and absorption of vital minerals, nutrients, and water. The body actually needs very little protein to function; however, protein consumption is important for muscle cell regeneration and healing. Good sources of protein include multiple varieties of nuts, chicken, fish, and lean cuts of meat. Low-fat cottage cheese is also a
good source but should be eaten when the body has an extended time to digest it, such as before bed. The body requires a certain amount of fat (yes, FAT!) to function properly, the healthiest being olive oil, canola oil (rapeseed), and nuts (such as almonds) that provide healthy oils. Fats are important for metabolism and energy production over long periods of time and serve as a primary source of energy in endurance activities and athletic events. It is important, however, to note that the right types of fats should be consumed. Athletes should avoid saturated fats and hydrogenated oils (trans fats) commonly found in red meats and fast-foods. Make a habit of reading the nutritional content and ingredients on labels. You do know that ingredients are listed from first (being most) to last (being least). Get knowledgeable about the nutrients your body requires, and the foods that provide them. In the next issue, “The Human Garage” will bring fuel suggestions and sample menus. Some fast food menus will be discussed regarding premium choices that fuel your needs. Did you know that some athletes can function on 4000 calories a day, while others require over 9000 (a la Michael Phelps)? Learn how many calories your body requires: fixing your lack of energy or enhancing your ability to move to the next level may be as simple as increasing or adjusting your fuel intake! Knowing the right number for you is a challenge, without question, and the next issue will help coaches and athletes learn about premium fuels, when to fill up, and when to top off! Reads we found interesting: Boundless Energy, by Deepak Chopra, a fascinating teacher and medical doctor who delivers facts about the human body and its natural state of energy—pure, simple, and applicable. Contemporary western society may find it hard to believe that ENERGY is our natural state. Nutrient Timing for Peak Performance: The right food, the right time, the right results (Human Kinetics, 2010), by Heidi Skolnik, MS, CDN, FACSM and Andrea Chernus, MS, RD, CDE A short, sweet article written by Ramy Kandil, entitled, “The ABC’s of Athletic Nutrition,” available at his web site http:// thebootcampeg.com/the-abcs-of-athletic-nutrition/.
RESOURCE Guides
SNACK ATTACK LEADERS OF THE PACK. Top 10
vending machine snacks are…
1. Snickers, 2. Doritos, 3. M&Ms, 4. Cheetos, 5. Cheez – It, 6. Twix, 7. Pop Tarts, 8. Rice Krispies Treat, 9. Lay’s Chips and 10. Jumbo Honey Bun According to American Merchandiser
What are We Really Eating? Throughout the day most
Americans have 3 meals, but what are we snacking on in between those meals? Are we making healthy choices or are we giving in to vending machine temptation? I know finding time to get food throughout the day can be difficult between work, class, practice, meetings and even sleep. The convenience of the snack machine is great and seems harmless with the small portions it serves. But is it really? We take three of the most prefered snacks and take a look at what’s inside. COACH & ATHLETE in Education
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RESOURCE Guides
M&Ms
Serving Size: 1.7 oz (or 1 Pack) Total Calories: 240 You may be thinking this is awesome because we get to eat on average 2000 calories a day so, we can definitely spare 240 of them for some M&Ms. Now let’s break it down, if you scroll down the label you will see that of those 240 calories 90 of them come from fat. But what does that mean? Let’s break it down more… from FitDay.com one single M&M candy has 3.44 calories with 1 calorie coming from fat. The same single piece has .15g of fat, .1g of saturated fat, .5 mg of sodium and .5 mg of carbohydrates. Now this doesn’t sound too bad until we put it into perspective, to burn off that one M&M you will need to walk the full length of a football field. An average pack of M&Ms has about 53 M&Ms in it. So if a football field is 100 yards and there are 3 feet in a yard, you would need to walk 15,900 feet which is 3.01 miles to work off that one pack of M&Ms! And we haven’t even had a drink....
Coke
Serving Size: 20 oz Total Calories: 240 Coke is one of the most popular sodas in the world, but it’s positive effects on our bodies are the least. In a 20 oz. bottle of coke there are 240 calories; again not too bad when we have 2,000 to play with, but let’s go a little further. In our bottle of coke there are 65g of carbohydrates, 75mg of sodium and (make sure you are sitting down) 65g of sugar. According to “Liverstrong.com”, on average, females ages 19-30 should take in 2,000- 2,200
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calories a day, and men of the same ages should take in around 2,600- 2,800 calories. In those categories men should have no more than 38g of sugar/day and women no more than 25g/day. Wow! We just blew our sugar recommendation out of the water. Watching the amount of sugar you consume is very important because after our bodies use the sugar, all of the excess will be stored as fat. Simple sugars like in the Coke we just drank go into your bloodstream and if not burned off within 30 minutes, will be turned into fat.
Lays Classic Chips Serving Size: 1.5 oz Total Calories: 240
A serving size of chips is 1 oz. which is about 12-18 chips. Our bag of chips is only 1.5 oz. but let’s say we got the medium size bag which is 8 oz. In that 8 oz. is about 1,216 calories, 79g of fat and 1,348mg of sodium. This is half your daily recommended salt and 120% of your fat intake.
So, next time when you go for convienence, take a minute to think about what you are really getting. You may have solved the problem at the moment, but what are you willing to do to solve it later? Watching what we snack on during the day and choosing healthier options is the best way to shed excess fat or maintain a healthy body on the inside and out!
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WORDS for THOUGHT
“I will get ready and then, perhaps, my chance will come.” -Wooden
Photography Courtesy of Ashley Tumlin
Practical Strength Training for High School Athletes Ed Fry, Coaching Strength & Conditioning Instructor Athletic Leadership Department, Clemson University
I
t’s been said that it’s what you learn after you know it all that counts. If that’s the case, I should be a genius! I learned to value the benefits of strength training and how to train properly as an undergrad at Marshall University. However, as I progressed through my coaching career, I was taken in by the slick marketing and smooth talking of strength “gurus” who made me feel that if I didn’t use their programs and equipment, my athletes would fall behind and people would laugh at me. After years of wandering through the strength training wilderness, embarking every six months or so on the newest, latest, hippest routine or torture device for my athletes, I had an epiphany of sorts. It took a back injury that my best basketball player sustained in the weight room, to open my eyes to the error of my ways. I decided to get back to the techniques that I knew worked, techniques based on sound scientific research and not mere anecdotal evidence. I used the following concepts to organize a strength training program that safely and effectively trained many good (and some not so good) athletes over the years, helping them to get the most out of their genetic gifts and limitations.
1. Motivation:
Motivation is the key to learning and it is the key to improving. We try everything imaginable to motivate our students to get the best out of themselves, but it really comes down to our day to day interaction with them. Imagine that every student-athlete who comes through your door has an invisible sign hanging around their neck that says, “Make me feel important.” On their back is another sign that says, “What’s in it for me?” When your athletes feel that their success is important to you, and they are sold on how the weights can help them look better, feel better about themselves, and achieve their goals, they will be “all-in.” Walk in the weight room every day with enthusiasm for your work and what your kids are going to accomplish that day. They will pick up your attitude and carry it with them. The athletes should have individual charts to record their progress. These are great motivational tools as well as a practical way to monitor their progress. Have inspirational signs and slogans on the walls: spare nothing. Adopt legendary Washington Redskins Coach George Allen’s advice, “The team is never up!”
2. Challenge Your Athletes to Greatness:
Teach them the relationship between effort and achievement. Believe it or not, some kids do not know or understand that concept. Teach your athletes that sub-par effort leads to failure, and average effort leads to mediocrity, but that a strong commitment, coupled with solid effort and unwavering persistence, can lead to greatness! It is vital that they understand this every day: we get better or worse, we never stay the same. Hang a mirror and challenge each athlete to take a moment to look into it on their way out and be able to say, “Today I gave my best.”
3. Establish a Safe and Clean Environment:
No one should get hurt in the weight room! High school coaches usually have a lot of really good kids, but only a handful of really good athletes at their disposal. Could you imagine losing one of your best athletes for a game or even a season to an injury sustained in the weight room? The weight room is where we prepare our bodies in order to help prevent injuries, not cause them! It is our duty as coaches to use the safest methods possible. Certain exercises are high-risk simply because of the movement pattern or speed required to execute them. I prefer to use low-risk/highreturn movements. If you use a program built around the Olympic or “quick” lifts (clean, snatch, etc.), study them and learn how to teach them properly to minimize the risk of injury. Begin your classes with an orientation on proper lifting and spotting techniques and then stress them every day. Establishing a system of cleaning equipment after use and demanding compliance is no longer an option.
4. Get Everyone Involved:
A team is only as strong as its weakest member. Strength training is for all: males, females, running backs, point guards, and shortstops. High school athletes need to be on the weights and they need the same basic general strength program (more on that later).Teach the athletes that if for no other reason, they must strength train to help reduce the incidence and severity of injuries. Stress to them that strength training is the quickest way to change the appearance of their bodies. This is very important to teenagers.
Over Training - A physiological concept realated to the unexplained presentation of symptoms leading to under performance in athletes.
PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics
“Intensity is the single most important factor in gaining strength and it develops mental toughness that carries over to the playing field.” 5. Sell the Program Everyday:
Educate the players, administration, coaching staff, and parents as to what you are doing and why your approach is best. Develop a webpage with instructional videos and a blog on the benefits of proper training, workout tips, and so on. People will support you but you have to give them a reason.
6. No Substitute for Supervision:
Never leave the training area unsupervised! If you have other coaches around, teach them how to properly coach and supervise the lifters so that they are capable of stepping in and helping out. Constantly monitor the athletes to make sure they are exercising in a controlled, deliberate manner through the entire range of motion, pausing at the point of maximum contraction to eliminate momentum. Do not allow athletes who are between sets or exercises to sit and socialize. If they are not lifting, they should be spotting or recording on the workout charts.
7. Design Brief, Infrequent, and Intense Workouts:
Intensity is the single most important factor in gaining strength and it develops mental toughness that carries over to the playing field. Intensity is not the rah-rah stuff or yelling and screaming before a lift, but rather exerting the effort to maximally tax the muscles. Research indicates that full-body workouts of 12-20 total sets performed two to three non-consecutive days in the off-season will produce great results. One to two full-body workouts per week should be all that is required inseason. It is a good idea to adjust lower body training during periods of hard running to prevent overtraining. Use a split-routine (upper body one day, lower body the next, etc.) if full-body workouts are impractical in your situation. If your athletes cannot complete their workouts in less than an hour, they are either loafing or you are trying to do too much. Time between sets should be limited to 60-90 seconds. Keep them moving.
8. Use Comprehensive Training:
Think of your muscles in your body as a chain. If some links are emphasized to the neglect of others, what happens when the tension is turned up? The weak links fail and the chain breaks. I do not use terminology such as “core lifts” and “auxiliary lifts.” It sends a message to the athletes that some muscle groups are more important than others. High school athletes need total body development, not an emphasis on two or three muscle groups. Many of them are multi-sport athletes, so the sport-specific programs used at “Big Time U” with elite D-1 athletes are not necessarily practical in a high school situation. Check your routines to be sure the muscles of the chest, back, shoulders, traps, biceps, triceps, neck, and abdominals are exercised at least twice per week.
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PROFESSIONALS in Academic Athletics
9. Change-Up Periodically:
Vary exercise selection, equipment, set/rep schemes, and exercise order to stave off boredom and the tendency to plateau. Your muscles don’t have brains, so they don’t know whether you are using a barbell, machine, or a rubber band. They only know if they are being overloaded or not.
10. Utilize “Double Progressive Overload:”
Challenge your athletes to increase reps with a certain weight or increase the weight they are using every workout. Have your athletes choose a weight they can properly lift for a rep range of 8-12 reps. This may take a workout or two to figure out. When they are able to properly perform the upper limit of the rep range, increase the weight for the next workout. A good rule of thumb is 2.5-5 lb. increase for upper body exercises and 5-10 lbs. for lower body exercises.
I like to cycle our rep ranges: • • •
1st 4 weeks: Upper Body 8-12 reps; Lower body 15-20 reps 2nd 4 weeks: Upper Body 6-10 reps; Lower body 12-15 reps 3rd 4 weeks: Upper Body 4-6 reps; Lower body 8-12 reps
11. You Can Work Hard, or You Can Work Long, But You Can’t do Both:
Research indicates that one to three sets performed with high intensity produces gains in muscle size and strength. If you can effectively fatigue a muscle group in one or two sets of an exercise, why do more? Our athletes have practice, they have homework, and yes, unlike us, they have a social life. Get them in the weight room, work them hard, and get them out of there!
Conclusion Reducing the likelihood of injury and improving athletic performance can be achieved through a well-supervised, comprehensive strength training program that applies progressive overload and provides adequate time for recovery between workouts. It is that simple. I trust this article will stimulate your thinking and help you to gain an edge in training your athletes. 8 References Andling, R., Riley, D.P., & Wright, R. (2008). Houston Texans strength & conditioning program. Houston: Houston Texans. Brzycki, M. M. (1995). A practical approach to strength training. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw- Hill/Contemporary. Kelso, T. (2005). Truth, myth, and reality: What can and cannot be done in a strength & conditioning program. Retrieved from http://www.hardtraining.com/truth_products.html Mannie, Ken. (2009). Organizing the off-season strength training program. Retrieved from http://www. naturalstrength.com/search/label/Ken%20Mannie%20-%20Spartan%20Strength%2F%20Special%20Features Westcott, W. (1987). Strength Fitness. 2nd Ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
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COMING NEXT ISSUE...
The
Inner COACH & ATHLETE
ETHICAL