ATHLETIC TRAINING & SPORTS CONDITIONING
Speed, Strength & Agility Training Specialists
A Message for Coaches & Trainers
The 2010 Sport season is upon us and as I ponder the coaching session I will conduct tonight I want to help you plan your own.
All training sessions for team based sports should consist 5 phases including: warm up, dynamic flexibility, skill development, sports conditioning and cool down.
Each phase is of equal importance and allows for specific adaptation both acute & chronic to take place.
WARM UP - Start with some form of aerobic activity that utilises the large muscle groups of the body and increases ventilatory rate. This will increase the blood flow to the working muscles, increase body temperature and prepare the athletes both mentally and physicall for the work to come.
DYNAMIC FLEXIBILITY - This is functional range of motion activities carried out using the large joints of the body. Leg swings, step overs, russian walk etc are just three of a zillion drills which will increase the synovial fluid of the joints to nourish them and prepare them for the work to come in the conditioning phase.
SKILL DEVELOPMENT - Using the tools of your sport and learning to use them well (neuromuscular training - developing new neaural pathways). Passing, catching, dribbling, fast foot action etc. This is where you really coach, get your team doing drills and game based learning activities.
SPORTS CONDITIONING - Sport speed, strength and speed endurance are all crucial elements to get your team performing right to the final siren. These drills should be specific to the distances and speeds required for your sport. Strength should not be forgotten either in the delivery of accurate and deliberate passes etc. Remember it is a myth that strength negates endurance or flexibility and increased strength of muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones will decrease your squads risk of injury.
COOL DOWN - Bring your athletes heart rates back down to under 100bpm via slow rhythmical aerobic activity designed to disperse lactate before you go into your static stretching routines. Don't let them go home before stretching. This is a great time to get the team together and discuss what took place during the session, re-emphasise objectives for the week and the stretching gete the muscles back to their original length before the forceful contractions of training took place.
Well there are my handy hints for preparing your coaching sessions. I really hope you try to implement them into your week.
If you have any questions just contact me via the contact page and I will be happy to answer them for you.
Happy Training - Ranell
Well after a year plagued with Glandular Fever and consecutive hamstring tears, I am finally back on track and preparing for the World Masters Indoor Athletics Championships to be held in Kamloops, Canada in March. I cannot tell you how much I have missed racing and training in the explosive and powerful manner that I am accustomed. It will be a manic month of strength & Conditioning and track work rain, hail or shine to get ready but I am more than willing to put in the hard work that is necessary.
I remember a quote from Fred Hatfiled "Dr Squat" who said' "If you train hard, you'll not only be hard but you'll be hard to beat". I always remind the athletes that I work with that if you want to be better than the competition, you don't necessarily have train harder than the competition but you definitely have to train smarter.
That is what we do at ASF, we allow you to train smarter with science based training and athlete development that will allow you to compete at your very best. That is what I endeavour to do in Canada - I'll keep you posted.
Happy Training - Ranell
Hi Team,
I say ‘team’ because I believe that we are all a part of one big team called the human race, and right now we do not look so good! I read an interesting article the other day written by one of my PT training buddies in the states which said “with 6 billion fat people in the world, it has never been a better time to be a fitness professional”. Somewhere, somehow we have lost the plot when it comes to fitness and health. People are consuming more calories in one month than they need in six, eating more food in one day than they should in seven and it is creating a ripple effect, negatively impacting on our health system, costing us billions of dollars every year. Billions of dollars that we should be spending on education, our elderly and infrastructure.
The funny thing is, is that nutritionists, fitness professionals and the media have made it all sound so complicated, like losing weight and sheding excess fat requires complex dieting strategies, formulas, shakes and even medications. I am here to tell you that it is not as complex as it all seems. Let me explain.
Fat loss is all about energy in and energy out.
If you eat less and move more you will lose fat !
YES it is that simple !
Follow these handy hints for success:
· After serving up your normal portions of food, put a third back.
· Drink water all day, every day – sip sip sip.(By exchanging water for your usual beverages you will be amazed at the amount of calories you save yourself)
· Move more, simple, walk around the park at lunch, take the dog out for a jog (the dog probably needs to lose fat as well).
· Try to put some strength work in your day, it doesn’t take much. (While watching your favourite show do 10 or 5 or even 3 push ups, just get off the lounge and move, the same for sit ups in every add break)(Set your phone alarm or your desktop calander to beep every hour and do some stationary lunges or squats in your office) You will be surprised at how quickly you improve.
I really hope you try to implement them into your week. If you have any questions just contact me via the contact page and I will be happy to answer them for you.
Happy Training -Ranell
