2006 Back to The Basics Strength and Conditioning Clinic

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2006 Back to The Basics Strength and Conditioning
Clinic

• Warm Ups and Flexibility

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Building the complete athlete
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What is flexibility?

• A measure of Range of Motion
• Range of Motion is the degree of movement that
  occurs at a joint

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When should an athlete stretch?
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Factors that influence flexibility

• Age (youth vs. elderly)
• Sex (male vs. female)
• Joint Structures (ball and socket, ellipsoidal,
  modified hinge)
• Connective tissue response (elastic or plastic)
• Weight Training in a limited range of motion
• Muscle Bulk
• Activity Level

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Considerations when stretching

• Muscle Spindles
• Located within the intrafusal muscle fibers and
  monitor changes in muscle length. (Essentials of
  Strength Training and Conditioning 2000)
• During a rapid stretching movement a sensory
  neuron from the muscle spindle innervates a motor
  neuron in the spine. The motor neuron then
  causes a muscle action of the previously
  stretched extrafusal muscle fibers known as the
  Stretch Reflex. (Essentials of Strength Training
  and Conditioning 2000)
• Stimulation of the muscle spindles and the
  activation of the stretch reflex should be
  avoided during stretching as motion will be
  limited by the reflexive muscle action.
• If the muscle spindles are not activated then the
  muscle relaxes and allows for a greater range of
  motion to be achieved.

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Considerations when stretching

• Gogli Tendon Organs
• Located near the musculotendinous junction and
  senses an increase in muscle tension.
• When stimulated the GTO causes a muscle to
  reflexively relax.
• Relaxation that occurs in the same muscle
  experiencing increased tension is called
  Autogentic Inhibition.
• Autogenic inhibition is performed by contracting
  a muscle immediately prior to a passive stretch.
  Tension built up activates the GTO causing a
  reflexive action during the stretch that follows.
• Relaxation that occurs in the muscle opposing the
  muscle being stretched is called Reciprocal
  Inhibition.
• Performed by simultaneously contracting the
  muscle opposing the muscle being stretched. When
  contracted the GTO will simultaneously relax the
  stretched muscle.

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Warm Ups

• General Warm Up 5-10 min low impact activity
  (bike, treadmill, jump rope, light jog.) to
  increase blood flow, viscosity, joint fluid
  movement, and heart rate.
• Specific Warm Up movements done which are
  similar to what will be seen in practice or
  competition. (Walking lunges, skips, walking toe
  touches, knee hugs, shuffling, rotational lunges,
  high knees, arm swings.). This is a great time
  to work on running mechanics and incorporate some
  low intensity plyos.

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Basic Stretching Protocol

• Always complete a warm-up session prior to
  stretching
• Stretch until a mild tension is felt, then hold
• All stretches should be held for up 30-60 seconds
  unless otherwise stated
• Avoid stretches to the point where numbness or a
  tingling sensation is felt
• Focus on the stretch and avoid any distractions
• Try to relax the muscles throughout the passive
  movement of the stretch, as this will help to
  alleviate any unnecessary tension within the
  muscle.
• Do not hold your breath, breathing freely helps
  you relax and get the best stretch.

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Variations of flexibility training

• Static
• Dynamic
• Ballistic
• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)

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Static flexibility training

• Slow Constant Stretch with the end position being
  held 20-60 seconds.
• Needs to be performed slowly to keep muscle
  spindles from activating stretch reflex.
• Likelihood of injury is very minimal when done
  correctly.
• Static stretch should be done by applying mild to
  moderate tension to the muscle being stretched
  and hold that position. The stretch should
  contain mild discomfort and then held in that
  position for 20-30sec.
• Athletes who are limited in performance
  capabilities due to lack of flexibility will want
  to perform static flexibility training every day
  1-3 times per day holding stretches from 20sec to
  1min.
• Utilized by Husky strength staff as pre and
  mainly post-lift/practice flexibility training.

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Dynamic flexibility training

• Utilizes movement patterns that are typically
  seen in sports performance.
• Speed of movement is controlled, and there is a
  strong emphasis placed on the form and technique
  the athlete is using.
• A great time to work and focus on form running
  and improve mechanical concepts of limb movement.
• Movements are used to help prepare the body for
  competition by improving ROM throughout active
  ranges of motion that will be performed during
  activity.
• Utilized by the Husky strength staff as part of
  the pre-lift/pre-practice warm up routine.

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Ballistic Flexibility

• Contains movements consisting of burst of muscle
  activity followed by phases of relaxation of
  which the motion continues due to stored limb
  momentum. This is a more advanced method of
  flexibility training.
• Momentum is used to exceed passive range of
  motion on a relaxed or contracted muscle.
• Often the stretch reflex is triggered during
  these movements.
• A strong emphasis needs to be applied to form and
  technique to avoid overstretching a muscle and
  straining or tearing a muscle.
• Remember most actions performed in sport are
  ballistic in nature so do not be afraid to apply
  this to your training.
• The most effective time to apply ballistic
  flexibility is AFTER a sufficient warm up and
  prestretching have been completed.

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Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)
Training

• Usually performed with a partner containing both
  passive and active movement.
• Considered to be the most beneficial because it
  involves muscular inhibition.
• In large team settings and under time constraints
  it can be impractical to focus the entire
  flexibility program on PNF. Select 1-3 key
  exercises and apply them accordingly.
• Both isometric and concentric muscle actions are
  being used in ANTAGONIST muscle (muscle being
  stretched) to achieve autogenic inhibition
• The concentric action of the AGONIST muscle
  (muscle opposite to those being stretched) are
  used during PNF stretching to achieve reciprocal
  inhibition

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Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)
Training

• 3 Types of PNF Stretching
• Hold Relax (autogenic inhibition)
• Contract Relax (autogenic inhibition
• Contract - Relax with Agonist Contraction
  (reciprocal inhibition)

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Flexibility Testing

• Sit and Reach Testing
• The starting position is sitting on the floor
  with shoes removed,
• feet flat against the table, and legs straight
• Reach forward and push the fingers along the
  table as far as possible
• The distance from the finger tips to the edge of
  the table represents the
• score for that person
• As the 'sit and reach' table has an overhang of
  15 cm, a person who
• reaches 10 cm past their toes scores 25 cm
• It is important to have several warm-up attempts
  first, and to record the
• best score
• Analysis
• Analysis of the result is by comparing it with
  the results of previous tests. It is expected
  that, with appropriate training between each
  test, the analysis would indicate an improvement.

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Flexibility Testing

• Modified Sit and reach
• Sit on the floor with the back and head against a
  wall, legs fully extended with the bottom of the
  feet against the sit-and-reach box
• Place the hands on top of each other, stretching
  the arms forward
• while keeping the head and back against the wall
  
• Measure the distance from the finger tips to the
  box edge
• with a ruler. This becomes zero or starting
  point
• Movement
• Slowly bend and reach forward as far as possible
  sliding
• the fingers along the ruler
• Hold the final position for two seconds
• Record the distance reached to the nearest 1/10
  of an inch
• Repeat the test 3 times and note the best
  distance

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Flexibility Testing

• Snatch Squat
• For testing use a light stick or dowel pin.
• Grasp stick with snatch grip and place overhead
• Place feet just outside shoulder width with toes
• pointed slightly out.
• Instruct athlete to squat keeping the stick
  directly
• Overhead and torso upright. Repeat 3x and have
  athlete
• Hold 3rd rep for 3 sec. Record/grade posture.
• Grade athlete from 1-5 based on depth and
  limitation
• 1 1/4 squat, poor torso flexibility, heels come
  up, bar moves forward
• 2 ½ squat, torso leans forward , heels come up
• 3 ¾ squat, torso leans forward, heels come up,
  mild forward lean, bar moves forward
• 4 full squat, mild torso lean, heels flat, bar
  still shifts forward,
• 5 full squat perfect technique

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Final Notes

• All athletes should have a warm up and
  flexibility routine.
• Warm ups for athletes should be specifically
  designed to prepare the muscle groups that are
  going to be used in training.
• Warm ups are a great time to work on basic
  aspects of speed and agility, and limb movement.
• Progress athletes through all 4 types of
  flexibility training. Start with the basics and
  gradually apply more advanced tools of
  flexibility as the athlete improves.
• It takes time and continued effort by both the
  strength coach and the athlete to improve
  flexibility there are no quick fixes. Long term
  improvements in ROM take a long term commitment.
• Apply flexibility testing protocol that produces
  reliable testing data that you can use to
  correlate to athletic performance.
• All athletes can benefit from a post practice
  flexibility routine.

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• Questions?
• Group Assignments for Practicum _at_ 100
• Group 1 Weight Room
• Group 2 Dempsey Indoor
• Lunch in Don James Center
• Thank you!
• Matthew R Ludwig CSCS SCCC
• Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
• University of Washington
• coachlud_at_u.washington.edu