Injuries are
Prevented in the OFFSEASON!!
There is a famous saying that says, “Champions
are made in the offseason!” This is very true; in order to be great at any
sport you must train for that sport during the offseason. This same truth can
be applied to sports injuries. Hence the title of this blog, “Injuries are
Prevented in the Offseason.”
I have seen countless athletes
trained improperly during the offseason and come into their season either
injured from bad training, or too muscular and full of imbalances that cause
injuries early in the season. This is not an issue I am making up. This is
something I experience every year. Here
are some tips for trainers out there who are looking to work with athletes over
the summer. These same tips can also help parents decide which training
facility is best for their child because all facilities say they are the best,
but not many have any numbers to prove it.
1) If you are not assessing you are
guessing! I have said this before in a blog. If the facility does not do some form
of biomechanical assessment on your child, they are just guessing what the
athletes needs are. No two bodies are the same; therefore no two bodies can do
the same EXACT workout and expect the same results. Programs must be developed
from some form of assessment.
2) Foundation First! With any athletes but
especially in younger athletes, you must build up their foundation. I’m sure no
engineer would build a house without a foundation, so why do trainers try and
make kids do complex movements without first addressing the basic? When I refer
to basics I am talking about MOVEMENT.
Many youth athletes have terrible movement patterns that will lead to
injury later in their athletic careers. The top faulty patterns I see are: Hip
Hinge, Squatting, Retractions, Scapular Depression, Rotation.
3) Tools do not make the trainer! I see countless “speed trainers” pull out a
prowler or agility ladder and call it speed training. That is the equivalent of
me buying a plunger and wrench and calling myself a plumber. Tools look fancy, but if you do not know how
or why to use them, then they are useless. I have been in multimillion dollar facilities
with dollar store trainers. WHY and HOW are
the questions that need to be answered first.
4) Loading Dysfunction! A heavy bench or
heavy squat is great but if your form while doing it is improper, it can lead
to many injuries. I see trainers continue to load more and more weight on
athletes but never address their improper movement. Once again, if the
foundation is messed up the house will eventually crumble. Nice moldings and
fancy paint will not keep it upright during the storm. The same way good
looking muscles will not always protect joints during sports.
5) All you need is LESS! I know many people think that the more you
run the faster you will be. In most cases this is not the case. If you can correct muscular imbalances and
get the whole body to work as a unit, the athletes will naturally become faster
and stronger. Most of the athletes I see are over worked, over trained, and
over stressed. They need a positive mental and physical environment that can
address their issue and fix small problems before they turn into larger ones
(ACL tears, Separated Shoulders, Stress Fractures).
These are just some tips to look out for. There are many more
but we will address those later on. The key here is to understand that what
your athletes do in the offseason will determine how they perform when the
seasons starts. It is better to go slow and allow the athletes to progress
rather than overload them early and risk them being sidelined due to injury.
That is why our slogan at FLO is “Injury Free is the Way to Be”
Email us flofitness@gmaill.com
for any questions. Also, be sure to look at our website flofitnessllc.com. Our
SUMMER SPECIAL is now available 24 sessions for $400. Offer ends June 14th
so act now!
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