Skip to main content

Injuries are Prevented in the OFFSEASON!


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!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Taking the NEXT STEP

Taking the NEXT STEP!! Im sure we have all reached a  point in our lives where we know its time to take that next step, next level, begin the next chapter in our life. It is by far  one of the scariest times for all of us. The point where we realize everything we have ever done has led us to THIS! This is our moment to shine and like Eminem says, " You only get one shot, do not miss your chance blow. Opportunity comes once in a life.".  The one scary thing is, you know after THIS moment, nothing will ever be the same.  Once you cross THIS line, you can not go back.  THIS is it and the pressure is on. They say, "Pressure bust pipes, but It can also make diamonds.", only you can decide what it does to you.  We all get to THIS moment, but few rise to the occasion. Few feel the fear and keep walking forward.  You can either step into greatness or step back into comfort.  Many will choose to step down and let THIS moment pass them by. Once they do that, the rest of t...

Quad & Hip Flexor Mobility & Flexibility

Why is it important to include mobility work for the quads and hip flexors? Tight muscles in the anterior compartment of the leg can cause a number of problems, two of which I will discuss in this blog. 1.     Tight quadriceps and hip flexors can put you at an increased risk for a hamstring injury. When people say that a muscle is “tight,” they are essentially saying that the muscle is chronically shortened. Without getting too much into the anatomical specifics, when the hip flexors are “tight,” or shortened, they pull on the lumbar spine. This pull on the lumbar spine increases the curve of the lumbar spine (excessive lordosis) and in turn causes an anterior pelvic tilt.  When the pelvis tilts anteriorly, the hamstrings (attached to the ischial tuberosity) can become excessively stretched/lengthened, which can lead to a strain. Therefore, by keeping the hip flexors and quadriceps at proper length, we can keep our ...

TOP 2 Mistakes most young fitness pros make with their programming

TOP 2 Mistakes most young fitness pros make with their programming                   After 3 years of running a mentor program for fitness pros, 6 years of being an adjunct professor at a college for Athletic Training majors, 6 years of being a preceptor for 3 colleges Athletic Training programs, and 16 years in the fitness industry; I have seen my fair share of programming.   There are many mistakes that beginner fitness pros make, as they should because they are new, and with this blog I would like to talk about the top 2 that I see all the time. 1)       Planes of Motion.   I cannot stress enough how important it is the train your athletes/clients in ALL three planes of motion. When I give my college students an assignment to write a program for an athlete, I always get the same exercises ; squat, bench press, leg press, shoulder press, clean, sit ups. ...