One of may favorite subjects! Many a concerned parent wonder if heavy weight lifting for their preteen student-athlete is healthy and be a hindrance to their growth.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Will Weightlifting Help or Harm My Future Superstar?
One of may favorite subjects! Many a concerned parent wonder if heavy weight lifting for their preteen student-athlete is healthy and be a hindrance to their growth.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
You're All Wet! (Hydrated that is)
This is an issue thankfully that many organizations have taken seriously in the last 15 years.
I still swap stories with some of my fellow 'Ole Heads' on how not only were not allowed to drink water during practice (football), but some genius thought it was a good idea to take salt pills during intense sport activity!
Thank the creator those days are long gone. It is a forgone fact that the more active you are, the more fluids you need to take in. Let's get this straight: By fluids I mean water! Not some caffeine laced so call energy drink that gets you 'high' one minute and has you on an IV the next!
From sportsmedicine.about.com:
Adequate Fluid Intake for for Athletes
Because there is wide variability in sweat rates, losses and hydration levels of individuals, it is nearly impossible to provide specific recommendations or guidelines about the type or amount of fluids athletes should consume.
Finding the right amount of fluid to drink depends upon a variety of individual factors including the length and intensity of exercise and other individual differences. There are, however, two simple methods of estimating adequate hydration:
Monitoring urine volume output and color. A large amount of light colored, diluted urine probably means you are hydrated; dark colored, concentrated urine probably means you are dehydrated.
Weighing yourself before and after exercise. Any weight lost is likely from fluid, so try to drink enough to replenish those losses. Any weight gain could mean you are drinking more than you need.
Friday, June 4, 2010
How Kobe Bryant Does it!
Have to be careful here. Most of you who don't know better will assume this is another praise-crazy article about arguably the best basketball player in the game. Well I do have a lot of good things to say about Kobe, but let's focus on one aspect that many are learning throughout basketball and in the sports landscape in general: Kobe Bryant is one of the physically, brutally strongest athletes in the NBA!
Kobe: Not really, it's all Olympic lifts. I do a lot of track work.
MF: So like snatches, things like that?
Kobe: Yeah, clean-pulls, deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, back squats, things of that nature.
Well what do you know? The best basketball player of our time (whose team is up 1-0 in the championship series at the writing of this blog) has to work at it? And includes actually stepping in the weight room? Have you noticed as well that even though Kobe has been injured in his career that he seems to be able to bounce back rather quickly? Ya think his off season training has anything to do with that?
So hoopsters unlike your football brothers and sisters you have close to 6 months to get ready to play. Be ready! Hit the gym hard now! You could help your team hoist a championship trophy in March.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
A Sports Conditioning Quandry?
I was faced with a very interesting case. I just finished constructing a initial 12 week strength and conditioning program (on the US Sports Online Strength and Conditioning System) for a gentleman in Ireland who plays Rugby, but at the same time in less than a month needs to improve his speed and stamina as he is vying for a position at his local Fire Department.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Wednesday Workout Should be the worst...err..best
During your summer program, fall sports athletes, This should be your hardest and most intensive workout of the week. Here is where you will put the leg-oriented workouts with power or Olympic movements.