Speed Training with Nick Sorensen

Nick S.jpg

By James Walker CCS, STM, BioSig, Master Trainer

Nick Sorensen trained with AE most of his 10 year NFL career during his off seasons, beginning in June of 2002, after being drafted and released by the Miami Dolphins. That first year we worked with him for five and a half weeks prior to the pre-season camp.

After the initial assessment, we focused on improving his explosiveness, lean muscle mass, his lower core function, flexibility, sprint technique, and reminding him of the correlation between all of those things and his speed. In addition, we addressed his scar tissue needs, in the shoulders, rotator cuff, and lower legs, which inhibited muscle recruitment and performance, along with a few structural balance issues.

Nick never had an issue with body-fat ratios or fat composition, due to clean-healthy eating habits, even in the off season his body-fat was in the 6% and during the season 4%. When Nick began, his best forty-yard time was 4.41 seconds, when he left for camp his best time was 4.35 seconds.

In 2003 we wanted to make him completely healthy, muscular, and strong from the previous season's injuries. By camp with the Jaguars Nick was performing 135 lb dips, 50 lb close grip pull-ups, and 225 jerk presses, all for 3 reps. Likewise his sprinting technique was superb, with excellent angles, tempos, power, and limb placement. His best 40-yard times were 4.28 and 4.23 seconds.

In 2004 we started early as well, working around an elbow injury that he sustained at the end of the 2003 season. Although his time with us was limited due to team obligations and constraints but our goal was to increase his lean muscle mass, strength, explosiveness, over all flexibility, and muscle balance.

During the remainder of his career we worked with Nick through and around injuries to the elbow, shoulder, and lower leg, team off-season training restrictions, releases, transitions, and new team auditions. We would try and maintain all his performance qualities, muscle mass, strength, speed, power, range of motion, structural balance, scar tissue, and any minor injury concerns.

Through it all he learned to be proactive, disciplined, consistent, informed, healthier, and prepared in all phases of his self-care. Nick has been one of the fastest players on each of his teams, the Rams, Jaguars, Browns, and in the NFL. He maintained his 4.2s speed, until his retirement as a result of a neck injury in 2010.

‘Train Safe, Smart, & Results Driven’

 

 

 

Training Principles, Four - Principles Of Exercise Science Con’t

By James Walker CCS, STM, BioSig, Master Trainer

Training principles of exercise science con’t…

10. Overload and Progressive Loading – neuromuscular adaptation occurs as a result of progressive amounts of overload or in other words your body adapts to progressive small amounts of stress (fictitious Greek wrestler Milo carrying the calf until it’s a full grown bull).

·      This adaptation is optimal when the progression of stress or overload is gradual and in small increments of 1-5% of the working intensity level (also called the Kaizen Principle of constant and never ending improvement by increasing in small increments over a long period of time).

11. Over Training - is caused by constant training that does not allow adequate time for recovery, regeneration, or super compensation to occur.

·      Symptoms may include irritability, increase in injury, healing time, resting heart rate, normal blood pressure, illness, change in mood and appetite, decrease in immune system and performance.

·      In addition to excessive inflammation, scar tissue formation, over compensation of other body parts, soft tissue strain and tear, bone fractures, and a weakened level of strength and conditioning.

·      Example-scar tissue, traps or hamstring or calve, get volunteer

12. Periodization or Periodized Training - is a pre-planed training plan, which consists of short or long-term cycles (days vs. weeks vs. months), with changes in the workout at regular intervals.

·      By manipulating your training variables, such as variations in exercises, reps, sets, and weight load intensities you will maximize your progress and motivation, and help to prevent plateaus, injuries, and over-training.

13. Posture, Stability, and Synergist Muscles – are muscles that assist the primary (larger) muscles by helping to hold a position to achieve the desired action. This help is called synergist.

·      e.g., when sprinting the ankle dorsi- flexor muscles and the toe extensor muscles put the foot in the correct position prior to the foot strike.

·      The synergist may also assist in achieving a particular action.

·      e.g; in elbow flexion the arm biceps may get assistance from the forearm brachioradialis muscle.

·      Often these muscles are the smaller muscles and/or the secondary actions of neighboring muscles.

14. Reflex Inhibition –when a muscle is injured by repetitive use, trauma, faulty motor patterns, imbalances, or scar tissue, the central nervous system shuts down the neural drive to the muscle (turns off the muscle) to protect it from further injury.

15. Rep and Set variation – rep and set ranges should be varied for each training cycle (2-4 weeks for advance trainees, 5-8 weeks for experienced trainees, 9-12 weeks for intermediate trainees, and 13-16 weeks for beginners).

·      This will allow total muscle and strength development and will reduce overuse syndromes.

·      For example a muscle hypertrophy workout cycle: cycle One - 6 reps x 6 sets; cycle Two - 12 reps x 3 sets; cycle Three - 8 reps x 5 sets; and cycle Four - 10 reps x 4 sets.

·      For example relative strength or power workout cycle: cycle One - 5 reps x 5 sets; cycle Two - 2 reps x 8 sets; cycle Three - 4 reps x 6 sets; and cycle Four - 1 reps x 10 sets.

·      The rep ranges should be based on your objectives, whether for relative strength and power or for hypertrophy strength or for muscle endurance, whichever need is the priority.

·      The set ranges will help determine and influence the conditioning of the muscle fibers trained.

 ‘Train Safe, Smart, & Results Driven’

Training Principles, Part Two - Principles Of Exercise Science

By James Walker CCS, STM, BioSig, Master Trainer

There are quite a few scientific principles that apply to training. I will list some of my favorites that I use daily.

1. Central Nervous System Training (CNST) – is made up of the brain, spinal cord, nerve pathways, and sensors to the muscles and organs.

·      The impulse or signal to the muscles from the spinal cord is called neural drive, involving motor or efferent neurons, nerve fibers, motor units, motoneurons, and muscle fibers.

·      Things that interrupt and obstruct neural drive are poor posture, improper form, flexibility and strength imbalances, nerve injury, and scar tissue.

·      Demonstrate-ROM with proper vs. poor flexibility, seated rotation or elbow retraction

2. Critical Drop Off (CDO) – after the first set If the rep number drops by more than 2, e.g., from 6 to 3 reps or 20-30%, the particular exercise should be discontinued.

·      This drop off indicates neuromuscular exhaustion so stopping will prevent over training, reduce the possibility of injury, and allow the super compensation process to begin. So move on or continue with the next exercise.

3. Exercise Variation (EV) – by varying the exercises for each cycle over training and muscle imbalance can be significantly reduced.

·      For example during workout cycle one a flat chest press can be performed and for workout cycle two an incline press can be done.

·      Exercise variation may include changes in exercise selection, or changes in hand, foot, limb angle, or body position, and in apparatus type.

4. Faulty Muscle Recruitment (FMR) and Loading Patterns – faulty muscle recruitment occurs as a result of performing a task incorrectly and may be caused by:

·      Scar tissue present within the muscle which impedes its ability to function normally.

·      A muscle imbalance that effects the neural drive to the muscle.

·      Using too heavy a load so that the appropriate muscles can not perform the task.

·      Continuing to train while not addressing any of the previous issues or several other factors.

·      Remember how you practice will influence how you play and perform.

5. Faulty Loading Patterns (FLP) and Muscle Type Response – stability muscles also known as postural or tonic muscles tend to shorten and tighten under faulty or improper loading.

·      Their composition seems to be mostly slow twitch or IA type fibers.

·      While the dynamic, explosive, or phasic muscles tend to lengthen and weaken under faulty loading.

·      They seem to be made up of a predominance of fast twitch IIB and IIA fibers.

·      This is the general rule but some muscles may have dual roles and have a composition of several fiber types.

6. Muscle Action Response (MAR) – most muscles will be comprised of both fast and slow twitch fibers, however the percentages or ratios will vary based on genetics, and muscle group but training will affect it’s development.

·      E.g., fast vs. slow ratio may be 40:60 or 50:50 or 60:40 or 70:30, this will determine your athletic preference and possible physical training potential.

·      Muscles that flex joint angles like the arm and leg biceps tend to be comprised of mostly fast twitch fibers.

·      While muscles that extend the joint like the leg quadriceps and lower back erectors will have a greater endurance capacity.

·      Remember this is the general rule, individuals need to be tested to determine their specific muscle response.

‘Train Safe, Smart, & Results Driven’

In-Season Strength Training: Part Two

By James Walker CCS, STM, BioSig, Master Trainer

In Part One we defined in-season training and listed the first two objectives when designing a program including exercise selection and energy system needs of the athlete. In Part Two we are discussing the remaining components that determine an athletes program, including rep range, weight load-intensity, muscle fiber type, and  work volume consideration.

An intertwined objective to consider when determining the athlete’s program is choosing the correct rep range, weight load-intensity, and muscle fiber type that’s needed to improve their performance. A blocker or outside hitter in volleyball will need to develop and recruit their fast twitch fibers, so doing between 1-6 reps, with 95-80% of their one rep max (1RM), for their phasic muscles will accomplish this. Similarly, a running back in football will benefit from the same intensity and rep ranges. Now these values can vary depending on the age, maturity, health, and genetic make up of the athlete but explosive power is the important component.

On the other hand the cross-country runner may require 15-20 reps or more, at 60-70% of their 1RM to improve their muscle endurance but may benefit from the 1-10 rep range at 75-95% 1RM to help with 100-400 meter surges or sprint finishes. Several of the top Olympic middle distance runners employ this method in their training.

Either of these athletes may require a different rep range and intensity level to address their individual structural needs. In general if their tonic or postural muscles need work a rep range of 8-15, at an intensity of 80-70% of 1RM, may be required. The specific needs of the individual will always be the most beneficial to them.

The last proponent to consider is the appropriate volume of work needed to maintain and/or improve ability without over-training. The primary focus during the season should be the development of the necessary skills, ability, and strategy needed to perform the sport or position at the highest level. The secondary focus should be on maintaining and/or improving power, strength, and conditioning that was developed during the off-season. Usually most in-season practice is devoted to game preparation, sports skills, drills, strategy, tactics, plays, and related task. Therefore most of the repetition and conditioning will come from those activities, so strength related training only needs to occupy about 10-15% of the athletes total weekly time. That can be accomplished in one or two sessions, with consideration given to adequate recovery time before the day of the competition. Ideally the strength training should enhance practices, skills, abilities, and performance, while reducing the injury potential.

Likewise, practices shouldn’t injure the athlete or hinder their strength training but allow for mutual improvement, or a complete synergistic relationship. A big mistake often made is to abandon strength training during the season. This will usually start to gradually impact performance or increase injury potential after about 14 days. The athlete may start the season strong, fast, powerful, explosive, and energetic but within a few weeks will start to exhibit weakness, slowness, sluggishness, or tiredness.

Coincidently, the residual effects from strength training may last up to 10 days; so training a muscle group at least once a week or every 7 days will allow maximal recovery and strength gains. Often world-class sprinters require up to 7-10 days to fully recover, after running a personal record.

So a cheerleader who practices about 10 hours a week, excluding a 3-hour Friday evening game, at 10% of her weekly practice time the strength training would require about 1 hour to complete. Depending on equipment, facility, scheduling, etc, the 1-hour time could be divided into two 30-minute segments as to minimize time away from skills practice. This could be accomplished with a 30-minute strength training session on Saturday (the day after the game), followed by another 30-minute session on Monday or Tuesday, which would also give plenty of recovery time prior to the game. Each session would be comprised of 4 strength-power exercises for 4-8 reps, times 2 sets; and 2-4 structural exercises for 8-15+ reps, for 1-2 sets. The exercise selection could be different for each session to target various or specific muscle groups as well.

As you can see the exercise selection, energy system, rep range, weight load-intensity, muscle fiber type, and volume all comply with her in-season strength training needs. The exercise selection should depend on her individual needs and ability level. Likewise, considering the amount of impact and repetitive stress related injuries that cheerleaders accrue i.e., sprains, strains, twists, pulls, fractures, and soft-tissue adhesions, this would help to address those concerns. Not to mention the additional strength to help with the skills execution.

In conclusion, the benefits of the in-season strength training far out-way the time, cost, injury potential, and other factors involved.  The correct, safe, and scientific approach should consider exercise selection, energy system, rep range, weight load-intensity, muscle fiber type, and volume to best address the athletes in-season needs.

AE Trainers Push Athletes To Next Level

 

Guest Post by Paul McKenzie from May 24, 2011

Customized program aims to locate hard-to-find weak spots in elite athletes and those looking for the next level.

People who underperform in their sport or in life in general often have trouble understanding why. AE Creating Elite on Red Rum Drive tries to provide those answers.

“Most people underperform in both,” said co-owner James Walker. “But not always for the reasons they suspect.”

AE uses in-depth assessments and ongoing analysis to find out why their clients are underperforming, whatever their goals may be. The range of goals targeted by the facility’s clientele is wide, and Walker said the expertise found in the gym’s owners and coaches makes such a range possible.

Walker said co-ownwer Monica Walker and coaches David Parks and Casey Johnson are former collegiate athletes and arena football players. “All of us have extensive training in fitness, athletics and nutrition to draw on that you can’t find in most commercial gyms,” he said. “Combined, the coaches here have almost 40 years of training and experience to draw on.”

The gym employs a specialized program, designed for each athlete. “Every client has an in-depth assessment to determine exactly what it is they need,” Walker said, adding than the goals of athletes in training are often at odds with what think they need. “We’ve had professional athletes come in with pain in their hamstrings, for example, whose physical trainers believe that they just need someone to help them be more flexible there. After an assessment, they discover that their lower abdominal area is weak and their quads are tight, which is leading to the hamstring pain. Fix that area, and their hamstring pain goes away.”

As another example, Walker said golfers and squash players have come to the facility to improve arm strength only to find that imbalances in their shoulders are what hold them back. The important point to remember in their approach, Walker emphasized, is that the body is a holistic machine.

“For the older noncompetitive athlete, we aren’t assessing to see how fast they can hit a ball, but rather how they do the basic motor skills like running, jumping, throwing and swinging,” Walker explained. “For the elementary level child, we’re emphasizing mastering those same basic sports skills. For more competitive athletes or older children, we focus on more sports-specific movements, but always with the same approach of treating the body as an interactive and holistic machine.”

The cost of misunderstanding the mechanics of a movement can be twofold, according to Walker: lower performance and higher risk of injury.

“When you ask a body part to take on a load for which it isn’t designed, your body will try to obey you, but you’ll be under performing, and perhaps more importantly, you’ll be operating with a much higher risk of injury. In our assessment we’re looking for subtle cues that others often don’t see or look for to find exactly where the problem lies, and sometimes it’s in an area a novice might easily miss.”

And the desire to correct such imbalances is not limited to elite athletes.

“Everyone wants to perform better, even if they’re not competing for a belt or medal,” Walker emphasized. “They all want to walk or run better and without pain.”

Walker works with professional athletes routinely, but said the real payoff often comes from watching other clients grow. In the end, Walker is passionate about possibilities, and is convinced that most people can accomplish far more than they believe possible.

AE Creating Elite is located at 21690 Red Rum Dr., Suite 102 & 117, Contact the facility at 703.488.9860 or info@aecreatingelite.com.

Adhesions, Knots, Scar-Tissue, That May Affect Fascia, Muscles, & Nerves: Part III

By James Walker CCS, STM, BioSig, Master Trainer

In Part I, I defined the terms involved with adhesions, knots, scar-tissue, fascia, muscles, and nerves. In Part II, I identified the primary causes of adhesions, knots, and scar-tissue (AKS). In Part III I will discuss solutions or remedies to AKS formation through nutrition & foods, supplements, and treatment or management methods.

Proper nutrition is a very important part to manage AKS. Since stomach, cell, and tissue inflammation is an integral component of AKS formation foods that can reduce this are vital. For instance increasing the intake of anti-inflammatory foods, spices, and alkaline water may help immensely. Foods such as dark green vegetables, garlic, onions, mushrooms, peppers, berries, seeds, nuts, metal free fish, grass feed beef, organic eggs, and natural raised chickens. Like vegetables herbs and spices have anti-oxidant and ant-inflammatory abilities as well like cinnamon, curcumin, tumeric, oregano, rosemary, olive, ginger, and green tea help to reduce inflammation. To determine specific individual allergens an allergy test such as the MRT maybe necessary.

Specific supplements can help to reduce inflammation as well as remove AKS and dead cells. For acute responses products like Pain X, EFA Complex Px, Omega 3 6:1, Uber Curcumin 2.0, and Flame Quench Px to name a few relatively fast acting natural anti-inflammatory supplements that seem to work very well but without the adverse effects on the stomach or liver like meds or pharmaceuticals.

For chronic solutions products like Serrapeptase, Worbenzym, Vitalzym, and other forms of Proteolytic enzymes can help reduce inflammation aid in the removal of AKS and dead tissue cells from the body. Most of these supplements can be purchased from AE Training & Products, AE Creating Elite, local health stores, or over the internet. See my articles “Essential Supplements That People Don’t Need” and “ Favorite Supplement Brands”.

The best method to treat and manage AKS is through physical contact or hands on application. For instance applying tension or pressure to the affected area via massage, stroking, or rolling with an object. For example a foam roller, basketball, baseball, golf ball, lacrosse ball, or softball placed underneath the AKS area and rolling back and forth 6-20 times will start to break up the AKS. Often the adjacent muscles will need to be rolled as well due over compensation. The most precise treatment involves hands on care by a experienced practitioner of Myofascial Release, Active Release, Graston, or Scar -Tissue Management. They can usually assess and determine the severity of the AKS and provide the best care to remedy the problem.

Finally I hope that this information has been enlightening, educational, and helpful. Remember these suggestions are not the only remedies but are a good place to start. They will definitely enable you to stay healthier, more athletic, active, and lead a better injury resistant life style.

Part 1

Part 2


References:

  • Clinical Mastery In The Treatment Of Myofascial Pain by Ferguson & Gerwin.

  • Active Release Technique, Soft-Tissue Management System by M. Leahy.

  • Sports Medicine Prevention, Assessment, Management, & Rehabilitation Of Athletic Injuries by Irvin, Iversen, & Roy.

  • Fitness & Strength Training For All Sports, Theory, Methods, Programs by Hartmann & Tunnemann.

  • Biosignature Modulation by C. Poliquin

 

Adhesions, Knots, Scar-Tissue, That May Affect Fascia, Muscles, & Nerves: Part II

By James Walker CCS, STM, BioSig, Master Trainer

Adhesions, knots, scar-tissue (AKS) caused by the excessive formation of fibrin on tissue will inhibit the function of those tissues. Over-training, inflammation, repetitive stress, trauma-injury, poor posture, aging, and inadequate nutrition may all contribute to the formation of AKS.

For example, over-training and inflammation that cause excessive formation of AKS on the fascia around the lower back and crest of the hip may develop into a mass or knot the size of a marble or golf ball. This mass may interfere with the nerve impulse or neural drive that occurs between the fascia tissue and the muscles of the lower back and hip. Because the AKS blocks the signal to these muscles other muscles may be recruited instead of the desired ones and a faulty motor-muscle recruitment pattern may result eventually leading to an injury.

Often if the AKS is so strong that it will restrict the range of motion (ROM) of the affected muscles as well as pull the connecting skeletal segment out of alignment or balance. Either scenario can result in muscle atrophy, weakening, de-conditioning, and loss in muscle tone. The above example may occur as a result of excessive treadmill or incline treadmill running caused by over hyperextension of the hip-thigh segment.

Repetitive stress and trauma to tissue leading to AKS formation within a muscle such as the bicep femoris of the hamstrings can prevent muscle fibers from contracting properly thereby irritating and inflaming the muscle tissue even more thus producing more AKS. Eventually this can lead to muscle shortening, tightening, and decreased ROM, then to a strain, tear, or pull within the weakest part of the tissue. The type of activity, movement, angle, and force will determine the severity of the injury as well.

Similarly poor posture, structural imbalance, and decreased circulation can affect a nerve segment within the correlating body segment thus assisting in AKS formation around the nerve. It can entrap that nerve, blocking the impulses to the muscle supplied by that nerve and other muscles along the path of the nerve. So muscle utilization will be difficult or compromised, affecting whatever movement is to be performed. Sort of like sitting 10,000 lb on top of an electrical cord to an appliance, over time the signal will dissipate or be interrupted making the devise useless.

Unfortunately aging is a contributor to AKS. As we age our production of the proteins and enzymes that help our bodies repair and regenerate healthy cells diminishes along with the proteins and enzymes that regulate AKS production. So we accumulate AKS easier as we age and it takes longer to break down and dispose of damaged tissues and cells. This process may also cause an increase in intra-cellular inflammation.

Inadequate nutrition may also aid in the formation of AKS by creating a blood, cell, and tissue environment that’s very acidic or inflammatory. Foods that may contribute to acidity and inflammation like processed flours, gluten, sugars, sodas, and snacks should be avoided or reduced. Artificial foods, drinks, and sweeteners will promote an acidic or inflammatory response as well. These antagonistic foods and their responses begin in the mouth and stomach and prohibit adequate protein-enzyme production while inhibiting the absorption of nutrients and the formation of healthy bacteria.

Next in Part III I will recommend foods, supplements, and treatment methods tomanage AKS formation.

Adhesions, Knots, Scar-Tissue, That May Affect Fascia, Muscle, & Nerves: Part I

By James Walker CCS, STM, BioSig, Master Trainer

What are adhesion's, scar tissue, or knots and how can they affect fascia, muscle, and nerve function? Lets start by explaining each of these terms. I'll begin with fascia, it's the thin layer of connective tissue that covers the muscles, tendons, vessels, and nerves. It’s like a latex glove or plastic wrap that fits around these tissues. In addition this fascia surrounds individual and whole groups of muscle fibers. If you have ever cut up a chicken you can see the thin almost translucent layer of tissue covering the muscle underneath of the skin, that’s fascia.

Next there are two types of muscle tissue, skeletal and smooth. Skeletal muscle is the elastic tissue that crosses over a joint and attaches to the bone to form a lever that produces movement, force, and locomotion. For example the biceps muscle in the upper arm attaches to the inside of the shoulder blade (scapular bone) and on the outside of the elbow at the forearm (radius bone) and contributes to elbow flexion or “making a muscle”. Since it attaches to bone it only makes sense that it’s called skeletal muscle. Also because we can start, stop, and control the movement willingly it’s action is considered voluntary.

The second type of muscle tissue is called cardiac or smooth. It’s responsible for the heartbeat or cardiac contraction, but in the stomach and intestines enables food and waste to be moved through the digestive tract. This type of muscle action occurs without our conscience effort and happens automatically, so it’s considered involuntary.

Nerves are fibers or cords that transmit electrical signals to various parts of the body i.e., brain, eyes, fascia, heart, lungs, muscles, organs, spinal cord, etc. It’s like an extremely complex highway or fiber optic system or matrix that’s alive and works 24/7 to keep us alive and functioning. The signals can originate from the brain or central nervous system or other sensory receptors.

Now adhesions, knots, and scar-tissue (AKS) are caused by the excessive formation of fibrin, a protein that helps form blood clots and repairs muscle, lung, and other tissue as a result of stress or trauma. The normal formation of fibrin contributes to and aids these natural processes but problems arise when excessive amounts are produced to form AKS. A thickening of the tissue will start to occur which initially is designed to strengthen and protect the area but too much will interfere with the normal function of the fascia, muscles, and nerves.

A visual analogy is like using glue to repair a broken vase but you continue to use the glue long after the vase has been fixed. Eventually you have a distorted vase that not only looks bad but doesn’t function as well either.

Okay, now I’m sure everyone has had enough of the biology session but unfortunately training and rehab comes down to science and math. So what’s the big deal about AKS? In part II we will discuss AKS in more detail and ways to lessen it’s affect.