Strength and Conditioning Training

[strength-and-conditioning-blog]

One is the Loneliest Number When it Comes to the Gym

Our Adult Bootcamp classes are popular. I’d like to think it is because we have the best crew of trainers in the businesses and our gym facilities are second-to-none. While this is all true the fact is I know many people are attracted to Athletic Based Training because we promote and encourage the camaraderie that naturally happens in our classes. Think of the times when you’ve enjoyed doing an activity the most – playing a sport, going on vacation, hiking a mountain, going to the movies – I’m not a money betting person but I’d wager a big chunk of my dinner it’s when you shared it with somebody else. So it is with training and going to the gym. Of course you can’t be on the same piece of equipment at the same time but I’m talking about exercising of any type. Going for a walk is much better when you have somebody to talk with about the things going on in your life at the time. Exercising come become very robotic and boring quickly if you’ve got nobody to share progress with or get you through a set when the day is just whipping you all over the place. The boot camp mentality at the gym is we’re all in this together – “we stand or fall together and I’m not letting my neighbor on the mat off the hook when I have to do it.” If this sounds a little like army boot camp rather than gym bootcamp then remember the reason why you came to a gym – to get and stay in shape. Some – make that many – days will be harder than others and coming with a friend or working with a personal trainer who has your best interest at heart helps you through the session. And believe me you make the biggest progress after a tough session you really wanted to walk away from at the beginning. If you’re always going to a gym on your own and it’s one of those gyms where the rate is good but you’re left to your own motivation then consider upgrading your commitment. This doesn’t mean canceling your membership but it does mean taking a friend or asking one of the gym instructors to work with you to monitor your progress – that’s what they're there for along with protecting your safety. A next step-up would be a personal trainer but I’ll save that option for another post. Why do you think professional athletes have coaches and trainers who monitor their fitness and effort? Feedback and motivation is important and even professional athletes slack-off when nobody is watching. You joined a gym because you wanted to be the best you could be, and you deserve every bit of success as a professional athlete gets even if you’ll not earn millions of dollars for losing 20-pounds or running a 5k road race. Going to a gym with a friend or joining a bootcamp are both great ways to stay committed and motivated, especially when the going gets tough!

Liane Blyn, ACT, CSCS Strength and Conditioning Coach Athletic Based Training  http://www.athleticbasedtraining.com

[strength-and-conditioning-blog]

The Sport of Powerlifting – 101

While I am co-owner of the Athletic Based Training gyms in Milford and Holliston, Massachusetts I also compete at the International level in the sport of Powerlifting, and I was the 2006 World Champion in the 100kg weight division. I’m often asked how is Powerlifting competitions different from regular Weightlifting events? This is one of those questions that can be answered on different levels and even take you down a few rabbit holes and into “religious” arguments. So for this question we’ll keep the answer as simple as we can. The facts are Olympic Weightlifting events comprise of two disciplines, the snatch, and the clean and jerk. The aim is to get the weight above the head and into a “locked” position. There are a few rules to determine if the lift is successful and they revolve mostly around technique. Powerlifting though not an Olympic sport, has over the years helped to expose the general sport of weightlifting to the public. Powerlifters are every bit as conditioned, committed and disciplined as Olympic Weightlifters. Powerlifters compete in three disciplines; bench, squat and deadlift. There are a number of rules that can disqualify your lift in Powerlifting, and I would characterize them as measuring your mastery over the weight you’re lifting. Let’s start with some definitions for the Powerlifting disciplines straight from the IPF website: “In the bench discipline the lifter lays their back on the bench, and takes the loaded bar at arm's length. At the referee's command the Powerlifter lowers the bar to the chest. On the chest the bar must be hold motionless until the referee gives the “press” signal. The Powerlifter then pushes the weight up until the arms are straight and the elbows locked. Then the referee will call 'rack' and the lift is completed as the weight is returned to the rack.” – IPF Website “The squat lift starts with the lifter standing erect and the bar loaded with weights resting on the lifter’s shoulders. At the referee's command the lift begins. The lifter bends his knees and lowers them into a squatting position with the hips slightly below parallel position. The lifter returns to an erect position. At the referee’s command the bar is returned to the rack and the lift is completed.” – IPF Website “In the deadlift the athlete grasps the loaded bar which is resting on the platform floor. The Powerlifter pulls the weights off the floor and assumes a standing erect position. The knees must be locked and shoulders back with the weight held in the lifters’ grip. At the referees command the bar will be returned to the floor under the control of the lifter.” – IPF Website You’ll often hear the term “odd lifts” used in describing Powerlifting as in the early days of the sport there were a lot of different types of lifts included in the term, but today it’s been standardized down to the three strength sets mentioned earlier. Powerlifting is popular in the United States, Canada, UK and European countries such as Russia and Ukraine. It is also growing in popularity in Japan and other Asian countries. The International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) is the recognized body of the sport these days having been formed in 1972. Today it governs over its own world championships, and I will be competing at this year’s World Open Powerlifting Championships in Pilsen, Czech Republic. As always I’m looking forward to the competition – it’s a great sport and keeps me involved with the latest in strength training.

Liane Blyn, ACT, CSCS Strength and Conditioning Coach Athletic Based Training  http://www.athleticbasedtraining.com

[strength-and-conditioning-blog]

Should You Worry About Designations When Looking for a Trainer?

Whether you're looking for a personal trainer or a coach for yourself or your young or student athlete then it can be confusing to trudge through the available resources and make a match to fit your needs.

There is an array of designations available to trainers to provide them with the knowledge to perform their job better, and this certainly helps in standing out from the crowd.

This is similar in other fields. For example when choosing a doctor you'd expect to see M.D. after their name and this instinctively conveys a level of professionalism. Of course the choice then comes down to experience and personality.

Likewise in the athletic training field there are a few designations that convey a high level of professionalism and trust, and one of these is the Certified Athletic Trainer or ATC designation.

The ATC designation requires going through a rigorous certification process once a related bachelor degree program has been obtained in a related discipline in the sports and/or health field. Certified Athletic Trainers prevent, recognize and rehabilitate injured athletes, and with doctors help develop and administer a program of treatment influenced by medical, sports, and exercise sciences.

There are other designations such as CSCS that also instill knowledge about specific aspects of athletic training. For example CSCS covers Strength and Conditioning training requirements and is conveyed by the NSCA organization.

Becoming a Certified Athletic Trainer provides a coach and trainer with deep knowledge about the holistic well-being of an athlete. Certainly knowing about training techniques and exercises, and how to produce programs for groups and individuals to get them to their goals is "table steaks." But beyond that the ATC designation means they can provide appropriate attention to injury prevention and rehabilitation and work with the medical community to administer a program for individuals who have specific needs.

When looking for an athletic trainer take time to research the designations after their name, and what they had to do to be able to use the designation - did they have to go through a rigorous program or is it just membership in an elite club with no special requirements.

Then of course talk with the individuals at the training facility to get comfortable with their experience and the personality match.

Choosing an appropriate athletic trainer for a family member should be taken with the same care you pick a Doctor or Dentist. After all you're looking for somebody who can help you take care of your body and health.

Good luck in your search.

Liane Blyn, ACT, CSCS Strength and Conditioning Coach Athletic Based Training  http://www.athleticbasedtraining.com

[strength-and-conditioning-blog]

Is Sleep Affecting Your Athletic Performance?

Athletes - particularly student athletes - invariably underestimate the amount of sleep their bodies need.

There are many demands put on a high school athlete, such as training sessions, homework and academic studies, clubs and volunteer work, and many have a after-school job to get some level of independence.

Pressure... pressure... pressure, especially during the junior and senior years. Being well-organized is key for them to keep all these balls in the air but many achieve the balance by robbing Peter to pay Paul.

What does this mean?

Well, it means something usually has to give, and it tends to be sleep. Instead of getting their 9-10 hours - more for high performing athletes they slip by on less... a lot less. Olympic athletes use 10 hours as their nightly goal and university studies have shown extra sleep above 8-hours equates to better performance.

The result is sub-optimal training sessions and performing sub-par on competition days. Tiredness from the previous day is present the next because full recovery has not been made and the session becomes one of just "making it through" rather than stretching the envelope to achieve a breakthrough.

This is similar to long-distance runners adopting the "Lydiard-style" schedule of 100-miles per week before they've built-up the mileage and physical capabilities to sustain it. The body breaks down and all that is achieved is poor performance and increased risk of injury - sometimes serious injury.

So if you're not achieving your goals in athletic performance, or have slipped and wondering why, take a critical and honest look at your sleep patterns, and adjust to got more if you're coming up on less than 9.

Liane Blyn Strength and Conditioning Coach Athletic Based Training  http://www.athleticbasedtraining.com

[strength-and-conditioning-blog]

Sports Drinks vs Energy Drinks for Young Athletes

Sports drinks and energy drinks have been around awhile now both promoting beneficial effects for athletes. However, there is a difference between the two and neither may be good for young athletes. Included in the sports drinks category are products such as Gatorade and Powerade, and energy drinks include Red Bull. Teenage athletes don’t need these products and in fact the energy drinks can be harmful and in some cases dangerous. Energy drinks contain caffeine, glucuronolactone and taurine but they don’t provide you any energy. They can cause dehydration and increased heat production and increase your heart rate at rest. Combine these with a workout and you have the makings of a disaster for a young athlete. Reports have been received of kidney failure, anxiety, rapid heartbeat and even death. The fact is caffeine is on the NCAA’s list of banned substances, these drinks contain not only this substance but herbs not controlled by the FDA. Sports drinks are not much better for student athletes, especially young kids as they contain lots of carbohydrates or empty calories that they just don’t need, and can lead to weight issues. Some pediatricians feel the sports drinks epidemic is leading to obesity in young children. On a hot day before or after competition these types of drinks may seem like a good preparation or replenishing drink but young athletes are downing these drinks in a few gulps and most contain more than one serving in a bottle. Doctors warn parents to monitor what they’re children are drinking and read the ingredients on the label to make good choices. It used to be the best drink to have when exercising for long periods was good ol’ water. But these days we have the age of these athlete drinks, and the argument of what is the best way of keeping hydrated - water or sports drinks? There is conflicting information out there based on personal preferences and some studies and depending on the exercise you’re doing. First and foremost staying hydrated throughout the day is good for your body and for this you just can’t beat clean fresh water. I would even go as far to say you should be sipping water throughout the day as waiting until you’re thirsty means you’re become dehydrated – never a good thing. There are studies going on about the impact for young athletes taking sports drinks and energy drinks and could lead to the energy-type being banned from the sports locker world. Most coaches have already banned them for student athletes.

For the moment stay with water and take plenty of it before and after workout and competition. If your young athlete takes a sport drink such as Powerade then just remember it’s a lot of empty calories being downed in a body that doesn’t need them so limit and monitor.

Liane Blyn Strength & Conditioning Coach Athletic Based Training http://www.athleticbasedtraining.com

[strength-and-conditioning-blog]

Strength and Conditioning Training

Strength and conditioning training is focused on increasing stamina and of course strength. This involves resistance training which typically includes weights, and aerobic exercises. This combination provides power and endurance typically obtained by repetitions with short recovery periods.

In a subsequent post I'll cover speed and agility which is more or less the opposite of strength & conditioning but not instead of - both should be a part of most athlete's programs.

At Athletic Based Training we do a lot of youth and student based programs for high school age kids, and believe a suitably designed and supervised resistance training program can develop an exercise habit that stays with a person for life and helps maintain their right body weight for size and a healthy fitness level. 

Resistance training may not be enough on its own for many sport athletes but it does provide a cross training element and help with muscle strength and power, and assist with reducing injuries and increasing lung and heart capacity.

The cross training element of resistance training is another topic I'll cover in a later post as high school coaches differ on the emphasis of this element in their team's training.

Most local gyms have circuit training equipment along with resistance training equipment and free weights. However make sure you hook up with a specialist in sports performance or get advice from a athletic coach on a program to increase your strength and condition for the competitive season.

A strength and conditioning program is a doorway into a lifetime of fitness and healthy lifestyle. Liane Blyn Strength & Conditioning Coach Athletic Based Training http://www.athleticbasedtraining.com

[strength-and-conditioning-blog]

Athletic Based Training

My name is Liane Blyn and I'm the co-owner of Athletic Based Training in Holliston and Milford Massachusetts. I'm a graduate of Endicott College and Miami University (Ohio).

I was an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Boston College, Arizona State University, University of Nevada-Reno, and Northern Arizona University, and I've trained athletes in the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB. 

On a personal accomplishment level I am the 2006 International Power lifting Federations (IPF) World Champion, a four-time USAPL National Champion and represented the United States in the 2003 Worlds Strongest Woman Competition.

I know something about strength and conditioning training and will be sharing this in my posts, but also will share suggestions on speed & agility programs, and fitness boot camps.

See you in my other blog posts.

Liane Blyn Strength & Conditioning Coach Athletic Based Training http://www.athleticbasedtraining.com