Gaston Rehab Associates, Inc.

Speed Training like the Pros in Gastonia, NC

If you are familiar with Star Wars, you will know all about "The Force."  If you are a professional athlete or college athlete you may know that the Force we are talking about is a little different, however will still leave you feeling like a Jedi Warrior.

Think speed training like the professional athletes is out of your reach, guess again? The Physical Performance Center at Gaston Rehab Associates, Inc. is committed to blending medical science, techology, and personal desire to get you where you want to be in your athletic performance.

Wrestlers will benefit from the anaerobic conditioning developed through resisted speed training to last the full 6 minutes of a match. Football players, track athletes, volleyball players, soccer players, law enforcement agents, you can all benefit from the developed speed and increased power obtained from working out on this one of a kind treadmill. We no longer have to watch sprinting form from a hundred yards away. We can stand right next to you correcting technique and adjusting the work load with a touch of a button.

Need speed? We have the answer in the Force training platform. Contact us today at 704-864-4424 for more information or stop by our office to check this one of a kind training tool out!

Running Form

If you are like me, you were jumping up and down in disbelief, while watching the Men's 100m Final Saturday in Beijing. Usain Bolt ran a world record time 9.69 sec with his hands down at his sides while decelerating over the last 15 or so meters.

Everyone else in the media seems to be talking about the showmanship that was cocky at best and arrogant at worst displayed by the 21 year old. I can't say that I don't blame him though, given the same situation and winning like he did I am not sure how I would have celebrated. The fact remains he did just win a gold medal at the biggest athletics showcase in the world in the race that arguably has had some of the most testosterone filled athletes.

While I don't necessarily condone the antics I do want to comment on Usain's running form. If any sprinters are reading this take a look at the video clip of Usain to see just about perfect sprinting form. His form is magnificent and I don't know that I have seen as good of form in quite some time. He runs the first 10 m low and driving forward, the middle 70 m are run with him still accelerating, however he is relaxed with great knee drive and even better yet, notice how he kicks himself in the butt with each step. Each stride has a heel touching his buttock and then landing on his toes again. Even as he is decelerating through the finish he is still running with that perfect leg drive and kick back. It is great to see perfect form does have its advantages and if he would have kept accelerating there is no telling how fast he could have gone. The take home point if you are going to model yourself after Usain Bolt is to take note of his running form, copy it and then leave it at that.

Speed and Agility Clinics in Gastonia, NC

The Physical Performance Center at Gaston Rehab Associates, Inc. is hosting the 2008 Speed and Agility Clinics on consecutive Saturdays in August.

The Speed and Agility Sessions will be held at George Poston Park in Lowell, NC on Saturday August 2, August 9, August 16, and August 23 from 9:30 am to 10:30 am on Soccer Field 3. These sessions will be held for any male or female athlete entering 6th to 10 grade.

The Program will feature:

Speed Mechanics

Agility Training

Foot Speed Drills

Lateral Speed

and More!

For more information or to register call 704-864-4424 or go to our website.  Cost is just $10 per person/session ($30 if you pre-register for all 4 sessions) Call today as space is limited!

Recovery Suggestions/Techniques for Athletes

Recovery - It is normally a word not used by coaches, players, trainers, and even the athletes themselves, but it can play a very important role when it comes to the level of sports performance. I have composed a list of recovery techniques that I advise both athletes and even personal training clients on. I will follow up on a list of Nutritional Recovery Techniques at a later time.

Rest

• Sleep loss does diminish the ability to produce peak power while exercising (e.g., when sprinting for home at the end of a race, accelerating up hills while cycling, or churning the water during a 200-metre swim race), at least partially because it can lower maximal heart rate. It's also clear that sleep loss can harm coordination and efficiency during exercise. Not surprisingly, vertical jumping ability and isokinetic strength deteriorate during sleep deprivation. Enough sleep is essential in the recovery phase of our program. You will be working out very intensely, if you don’t get adequate sleep this will hinder performance.

• If you feel that you didn’t get enough sleep the previous night (normally 7-9 hours) take a power nap for no more than 1-1.5 hours as sleep cycles are generally 1.5 hours, any more than this and you may feel groggy.

Massage

• Training affects your muscles in three different phases: (1) the breakdown and damage of muscle tissue, (2) the recovery phase, this is where we use massage therapy to help promote and speed this phase, and (3) the adaptation phase, this is where your muscles and your energy systems adapt to the demands imposed on it. 
• Benefits of weekly massage are: (1) may reduce the chance of injury, (2) may help improve muscle range of motion after days of strenuous workouts, (3) shortens recovery time between workouts, (4) maximizes the uptake of nutrients and oxygen through increased blood flow, and (5) may enhance the elimination of metabolic by-products produced by exercise e.g. lactic acid.

Contrast Showers

§ The contrast between hot and cold water increases and promotes detoxification and strengthens the immune system. The contrast in temperature promotes blood flow and circulation and stimulates the nervous system. This helps bring nutrients, oxygen and immune cells to damaged and stressed tissues and carries away metabolic waste and other toxic substances. 

§ Shortly after exercising, start with 1.5 - 2 minutes of hot water followed by one minute of cold water. Repeat this pattern for 8-10 minutes, always finishing with cold. Take contrast showers after workouts throughout the week, and perhaps even as a morning ritual.

§ Above may also be used with a Hot tub and cold plunge into a swimming pool.

   

Refueling

• Sports drinks contain carbohydrates and boost energy levels during exercise. Drinking them throughout a workout session may help you endure the workout. 
• After a hard session, fruits, sandwiches, and protein shakes start the refueling process. A meal containing a protein source and a combination of carbohydrates should be eaten within an hour of finishing a game or training session.
  

Active Pool Session

• An active pool session, like contrast showers, promotes recovery by stimulating blood flow. The pool-based movements, including swimming, jogging, and functional stretching, also promote muscle and joint flexibility.
• In water one meter deep, walk, lunge, and swim in intervals separated by static stretching. Our Dynamic Warm-Up routine is also great if done in a pool. Your movements should be slow and aerobic and incorporate multi-directional lunges and arm movements through the water. The session, lasting no more than 15 to 20 minutes, should not be taxing.
  

Stretching and Cool Down

• Performing static stretches after exercising promotes recovery. This cool-down helps remove lactic acid and assists in returning muscles and joints to their normal length. This also allows the heart rate to slow to a resting pulse at a steady rate, reducing the pooling of blood in the legs. Including static stretching in a post exercise cool-down has also been shown to reduce the incidence of injuries in following exercise sessions.
• Incorporating flexibility sessions will also reduce stiffness, promote recovery, and correct body alignment. Returning your muscles and joints to their normal length and mobility allows the body to perform at its best.

Gameday Nutrition

Well-balanced, high carbohydrate eating throughout the training season is the foundation of good pre-game nutrition. Even for practice, you must eat a high carbohydrate diet to keep your muscles charged. Right up to the pre-game meal an athlete should not skip meals or alter normal eating patterns. Players should not eat a meal less than three hours before game time to allow for digestion. The ideal per-game meal should contain 200 grams of carbohydrates, be low in fat and fiber, and should not cause any gastrointestinal discomfort.

Examples of Pre-Game Meals

6 small pancakes with 4 tablespoons of maple syrup

1 cup of sliced, sweetened apples

1 large glass of fruit juice

Or

2 cups of boiled pasta

1 cup of commercial pasta sauce

1 slice of italian bread

During the game, don’t wait for hunger to strike or for fatigue to set in. Your carbohydrate stores have already run out. Try drinking one cup of a sports drink every 15-30 minutes. Stick to drinks with 6-10% carbohydrate (or 14-20 grams of carbohydrates per cup). This way you’ll still be going at the end of practice or competition.

Because glycogen stores are replenished more efficiently during the two hours after a workout, it is important to eat carbohydrates as soon as possible after a game, or even practice. Also, it has been shown through research that glycogen re-synthesis is near optimal when at least 50 grams of carbohydrate is eaten every two hours after every practice.

Do’s and Don’ts for Game Day Eating

Do 

Eat your last meal 3-4 hours before game time

Good pre-match meals include the following

foods: sandwiches, pancakes, fruit, pasta, bagels.

Eat something familiar. This is not the time to experiment!

Drink plenty of water, especially in the hot and humid weather.

Don’t 

Avoid heavy foods like meats,gravies, sauces and cheese at the pre-game meal.

Avoid soft drinks 1 hour before game time.

Don’t play hungry. Hunger pains are distracting.

Don’t eat candy bars, cookies, or sugary foods one hour before game time.

If hunger strikes, eat fruit, crackers, or pretzels.