Cherif, et al 2012 completed a great study. They split the national handball team into two groups of 11. Each group completed conventional handball practice and weight training. The experimental group added interval sprints and plyometrics. The intervals used were the 10/20 protocol (the Tabata protocol discussed here) for 2 bouts of 8min with 10 [...]
Park et al 2013 completed a review of 17 trials involving acupuncture and ankle sprains. Of those, only 3 met inclusion criteria. These studies used randomization and sham treatment. Acupuncture was added on to traditional physiotherapy and exercise rehabilitation. The 3 studies indicated that acupuncture relieved pain better than therapy alone (rr = 0.61) and [...]
Many people who participate in long distance running, cycling or swimming supplement with carbohydrate beverages. The idea is that over long-periods time, the glucose necessary for fatty acid mobilization becomes used up and the athlete ‘hits the wall’ or ‘bonks out’. With replenishment, they can continue properly mobilizing fatty acids to fuel the activity and [...]
We’ve discussed concussions on this site many times before (just put concussion in the search bar). The actual mechanism of concussion and how it adversely affects the brain is still relatively unknown. Marchi et al, 2013 tested the integrity of the blood brain barrier in American football players’ pre and post-game to determine what, if [...]
We’ve both been around elite athletics and the science of training and rehabilitation for years. Rarely does an idea come to our attention that is completely new. Earthing is such an idea. Earthing also called grounding, is sleeping with a blanket that is electrically grounded. The idea being that an exchange of electrons occurs between [...]
Fatigue is the enemy in training. It destroys skill work. It eliminates explosiveness. It cuts endurance. Fatigue is our enemy. This is why such an emphasis on training and recovery needs to occur in the preparation of any athlete. Until now, our way of measuring fatigue has been rate of perceived exertion- basically asking from [...]
Squatting is generally termed the king of exercises. No exercise, in the history of the world is used as a mainstay in so many different sports. Squatting requires mental toughness and physical strength. No amount of leg curls will prepare someone for feeling a bar on their spine; their erectors won’t be ready. Gorsuch, et [...]
We’ve discussed interval training previously (here, here, here and here). So it is established that intervals help one lose weight, increase mitochondrial density, lactic capacity and other factors. As a coach, you need to ask yourself- can my athletes integrate intervals without a) taking away from their skill work and b) burning them out so [...]