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Do Your Best Work AT YOUR BEST

4/7/2019

The following is a short blog post from our spring intern Jacob Till. One of the assignments for our interns is to write a blog article for our website. Jacob decided to write about a recent book he read, Peak Performance by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness. Enjoy!

Designing your day is a great way to boost productivity, limit stress, and increase your happiness. Once you decide what is and isn’t important to you, the next step is to decide when to do it.

To do your best work, you must be alert and focused. Everyone has a unique ebb and flow of energy throughout the day. This flow of energy is due to our individual biological rhythms (when hormones associated with energy and focus are released, when body temperatures rise/fall, etc.). Researchers split people into two groups based on when they felt most alert. People most alert in the mornings are classified as “larks,” while people most alert in the afternoon/evening are classified as “owls.”

To determine when you are most alert, all it takes is a little introspection. Pay attention to your energy levels and focus for two days. Recognize when you start to lose attention and willpower. You can also ask yourself, if you were free to set your own schedule, when would you go to sleep? When would you want to do two hours of physically challenging work? And when would you want to take a mentally draining two hour test like the ACT?

Coffee, sugar, and resisting fatigue can offset your natural rhythms. If you are able to, go one week without setting an alarm or fighting against fatigue to reset your body to its natural rhythm.
People simply perform better at both physical and cognitive tasks when they are most alert. The flip side is that people are more creative when we let our minds wander. This means that we are better at creative when we are less alert and focused.

Don’t fight your natural rhythms, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM! Schedule your most important and demanding work when you are most alert and perform less demanding tasks when your energy dips.

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Movement Terminology Cheat Sheet

2/20/2019

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For the few out there that actually follow our work at BBA and listen to our podcasts, you probably notice our theme... we are movement based.

We take a movement centric approach to training our athletes, which is backwards from the weight room centric approach most S&Cs take. We value the weight room, but it is only an accessory to our actual movement training.

With that being said, we try to base our movement training and subsequent learning process from an ecological, CLA, rep without rep standpoint rather than a perfect practice, mental model, rep after rep standpoint.

With this process has come the difficult task of communicating with coaches as the terminology used are not likely to be seen in college classes or in common coach interactions. This is sad because the literature is rich and deep in this area and very valuable for all coaches to be familiar with. Being on the same page, and understanding the basic terminology will help coaches have meaningful discussion on these topics.

Below are basic "definitions" of key terms that are common in movement discussions and will help put everybody on the same playing field. You will also find some important books to consider, numerous research articles to explore, podcasts that clearly layout and discuss these principles, and websites that contain great information.

A big thanks to Tyler Yearby (@TylerYearby) for his help and contributions to this work. Many of the following are additions and inserts from his study, so the thoroughness of this list is in major part to him!

Have fun exploring this deep rabbit hole!

Affordances: Opportunities for action.

The environment offers “ability” of actions – the ball has catch-ability, the gap has jump-ability, the space has run-ability. Affordances are dynamic; they can change over short and long time scales based on changes in the environment, task, and organism.

Information in the environment is directly perceived, which contains affordances (opportunities for action). Information specifies affordances, those properties of the environment whose perceived meaning is the actions they both allow and invite and organism to perform (Araujo, D., & Davids, K., 2011).

Constraints Led Approach: Framework to explain how coordination emerges under constraints (Individual, task, environment) that operate under differing time scales. (Newell, 1986)

Constraints: Internal or external boundaries, limitations, or design features that restrict the number of possible configurations that the many degrees of freedom of a complex system can adapt. (Glazier, 2015. Towards a Grand Unified Theory of Sports Performance). Constraints can have spatial or temporal components or both, they reside at all levels of analysis from microscopic to macroscopic, and they operate over a multitude of different time scales, from milliseconds to years. Actions are not caused by constraints; rather, some actions are excluded by them. Typically we consider three types of constraints...

Task Constraints: Specific to the task being performed. They are related to the goal of the task and the rules governing the task. They are not physical, rather they are implied constraints or requirements which must be met within some tolerance range in order for the movement to produce a successful action. (Glazier, 2015. Towards a Grand Unified Theory of Sports Performance)
Individual (Organism) Constraints: Reside in the individual movement system including those of physically, physiologically, morphologically and psychologically. (Glazier, 2015. Towards a Grand Unified Theory of Sports Performance)
Environmental Constraints: External to the movement system. They tend to be non-specific that pertain to the spatial and temporal layout of the surrounding world that continually act on the movement system ie playing surface, weather, ambient light, crowd noise, temperature. (Glazier, 2015. Towards a Grand Unified Theory of Sports Performance)

Ecological Dynamics: Considers athletes and sports teams as complex adaptive systems and examines the emergence of sports performance at the level of the performer-environment relationship and is distinguished by constraints of each individual performer and physical characteristics of participation locations for athletes activities, but also by social and cultural factors surrounding performance. (Araujo, Davids & Hristovski, 2006)

Ecological Dynamics framework sustains a scientific approach to studying the behaviors of neurobiological systems, especially processes of action, perception and cognition (Ecological Dynamics: a theoretical framework for understanding sport performance, physical education and physical activity, Seifert, l. & Davids, K., 2016).

Kugler and Turvey [1] considered that "Ecological science….is a multidisciplinary approach to the study of living systems, their environments and the reciprocity that has evolved between the two (I also liked this from the same paper).

Ecological Psychology: A field of psychology where perception is the functional act of picking up information from the environment to use for regulating movement, NOT for enhancing its automaticity.

Representative Environment: is a framework for assessing the degree to which experimental or practice tasks simulate key aspects of specific performance environments (i.e. competition). The key premise being that when practice replicates the performance environment, skills are more likely to transfer (Krause, Farrow, Reid, Buszard, Pinder, 2018)

Dexterity: Ability to discover a motor solution for any external situation. Bernstein further stated that dexterity is demonstrated by the ability to solve a motor problem correctly, quickly, rationally, resourcefully. (Bernstein, Dexterity and it’s Development). Dexterity is not a property of the movements themselves, rather in the processes of the solutions

Motor Control: How the nervous system interacts with other body parts and the environment to produce purposeful, coordinated movements. (Latash, 2012. The Bliss of Motor Abundance)

Technique: Technique can be considered the kinematics used during a movement. BUT the study of kinematics alone does accurately describe HOW that technique emerged.

It is better to think of technique as the execution of a decision. Technique is linked to the information source, so it isn’t absolute or permanent; it varies depending on the context in which a movement is being asked. Technique is a result of individual, task and environmental constraints of a particular movement. Technique is the outcome of intention and perception, thus technique needs to be studied in that realm.

Action Fidelity: The complete movement action (intention-perception-action) is an accurate (it looks, feels and acts) “picture” of sport.

Non-Linear Pedagogy: A learner-centered approach to skill acquisition. An umbrella term for teaching and coaching that uses task and environment design to develop skill acquisition, where each learner will have individual periods and rates of learning.

Repetition Without Repetition: The process of practice consists of the gradual success of a search for optimal motor solutions to the appropriate problems. Because of this, practice, when properly undertaken, does not consist in repeating the means of solution of a motor problem time after time, but in the process of solving this problem again and again by techniques which we changed and perfected from repetition to repetition. (Bernstein, 1967; The Co-ordination and Regulation of Movement)

Differential Learning: Takes advantage of fluctuations in a complex system by increasing them through no two repetitions being the same by constantly changing movement tasks creating perturbations to the complex system.

Decision-Making: Can be viewed as a functional and emergent process in which a selection is made among converging paths of actions for an intended goal (Araujo, Davids, Chow, Passos, Raab, 2009). Learning to make successful decisions is concerned with the education of intention, attunement, calibration and mastering perceptual-motor degrees of freedom.

Degrees of Freedom: There are multiple ways for humans to perform a movement in order to achieve the same goal. There is no simple, one-way, to perform a movement. Complex movements, involving a greater number of “moving parts” (joints, muscles) involve greater amounts of degrees of freedom.

Contextual Interference: Memory and performance disruption that results from practicing multiple skills in the context of a practice session. In general, the contextual interference phenomenon of learning during practice = more interference during practice leads to better learning than less interference.

Time Scales: Rates of change in motor learning

Explicit Learning: Learner acquires skill and knowledge deliberately and consciously.

Implicit Learning: Learner acquires skills and knowledge without conscious awareness.

Dynamic Systems Theory: Non-Linear systems of highly inter-connected systems composed of many interacting parts, capable of constantly changing their state of organization.

Coordination:
Bernstein said, “Coordination is overcoming excessive degrees of freedom of our movement organs, that is, turning the movement organs into controllable systems.”
Gibson said, “Actions emergent in the temporary couplings formed among the individual and the environment.”
Newell said, "Coordination can be viewed as the function that constrain the potentially free variables (DoF) of a system into a behavioral unit (movement solution)”

Coordination is a property of the solution that emerges from each individuals movement system in response to the constraints the system is facing.

Emergent Movement: Movement behavior or solution that results from the interaction of task, environment and individual constraints.

Self-Organization: Ability of a system to spontaneously organize itself into patterns of coordination. Specific stable patterns form through organization of the available DOF as coordinated movement during complex actions as a product of the constraints that are placed upon it.

Degeneracy: Human movement system degeneracy is the ability of the athlete to effectively perform a movement in a variety of different ways through varying levels of complexity.

Effectivities: Capabilities of the individual

Skill acquisition/adaptation: A functional performer-environment relationship (Araujo & Davids, 2011). Or a reciprocal functional relationship between and individual and the environment.

Research Articles:

Araújo, D., & Davids, K. (2011). What exactly is acquired during skill acquisition?. Journal of Consciousness Studies,18(3-1), 7-23.

Seifert, L., Button, C., & Davids, K. (2013). Key properties of expert movement systems in sport. Sports Medicine, 43(3), 167-178.

Davids, K., Glazier, P., Araújo, D., & Bartlett, R. (2003). Movement systems as dynamical systems. Sports medicine,33(4), 245-260.

Glazier, P. S. (2017). Towards a grand unified theory of sports performance. Human movement science, 56, 139-156.

Bartlett, R., Wheat, J., & Robins, M. (2007). Is movement variability important for sports biomechanists?. Sports biomechanics, 6(2), 224-243.

Latash, M. L. (2012). The bliss (not the problem) of motor abundance (not redundancy). Experimental brain research,217(1), 1-5.

Glazier, P. S., & Davids, K. (2009). Constraints on the complete optimization of human motion. Sports Medicine,39(1), 15-28.

Strafford, B. W., Van Der Steen, P., Davids, K., & Stone, J. A. (2018). Parkour as a donor sport for athletic development in youth team sports: insights through an ecological dynamics lens. Sports medicine-open, 4(1), 21.

Renshaw, I., Davids, K., Araújo, D., Lucas, A., Roberts, W. M., Newcombe, D. J., & Franks, B. (2018). Evaluating Weaknesses of “Cognitive-Perceptual Training” and “Brain Training” Methods in Sport: An Ecological Dynamics Critique.Frontiers in Psychology.

Franks, B., Newcombe, D., Roberts, W. M., & Jakeman, J. (2017). Shhh… We're talking about the Quiet Eye! A Perceptual Approach to the Transfer of Skill: Quiet Eye as an Insight into Perception-Action Coupling in Elite Football.

van der Kamp, J., Dicks, M., Navia, J., & Noël, B. (2018). Goalkeeping in the soccer penalty kick: it is time we take affordance-based control seriously!. Sportwissenschaft, 48(2), 169-175.

Teques, P., Araújo, D., Seifert, L., del Campo, V. L., & Davids, K. (2017). The resonant system: linking brain–body–environment in sport performance☆. In Progress in brain research (Vol. 234, pp. 33-52). Elsevier.

Farrow, D., & Robertson, S. (2017). Development of a skill acquisition periodisation framework for high-performance sport. Sports Medicine, 47(6), 1043-1054.

Spiteri, T., McIntyre, F., Specos, C., & Myszka, S. (2018). Cognitive Training for Agility: The Integration Between Perception and Action. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 40(1), 39-46.

Nimphius, S., Callaghan, S. J., Spiteri, T., & Lockie, R. G. (2016). Change of direction deficit: A more isolated measure of change of direction performance than total 505 time.Journal of strength and conditioning research, 30(11), 3024-3032.

Hart, N. H., Spiteri, T., Lockie, R. G., Nimphius, S., & Newton, R. U. (2014). Detecting deficits in change of direction performance using the preplanned multidirectional Australian Football League agility test. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 28(12), 3552-3556.

Jeffreys, I. (2011). A task-based approach to developing context-specific agility. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 33(4), 52-59.

Jeffreys, I., Huggins, S., & Davies, N. (2018). Delivering a gamespeed-focused speed and agility development program in an English premier league soccer academy. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 40(3), 23-32.

Books:

Podcasts:

Perception-Action Podcast: Rob Gray
Player Development Project
The Talent Equation
Elite Performance Podcast

Websites:

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Thoughts on Specialization

1/19/2019

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This past weekend was the NFL Draft, and as this weekend arrives every year, so do the cries from people with daily stats on how may NFL draftees played multiple sports, quotes of college coaches saying they recruit multi-sport athletes, and the claim playing multiple sports is key in them getting drafted.

A HUGE discussion was brought out by Keir Wenham-Flatt with this tweet – I encourage you to read all the branches this tweet spurred

I want to share my thoughts on this topic, as it seems I've been booked into promoting specialization by some coaches because I disagree with their commentary and language used. In today's world, having an opinion that differs from the majority gets you yelled at, called an idiot, or the worse of all... blocked on twitter.

In fact, Tony Holler, a coach I highly respect and enjoy his work, blocked me because I disagreed with his opinion on this topic, and instead of having an intelligent discourse, he blocked me and proceeded to tweet negative things about me... heartbreaking

So, here are some random thoughts on specialization

1. First I want to make it clear, I don’t think anyone is truly pushing specialization - in the terms that specialization actually exists. THIS is where I think many of these coaches go wrong – if they’d actually read the literature on specialization, they’d know that it points to NOT specializing at young ages (7-13), and instead to get involved in many athletic endeavors – and this is something I don’t think anyone is disputing.

Again if you’ve read the literature, it actually points to encouraging specialization around ages 16-18 – well guess what – That’s a sophomore through senior in HS. So if a HS kid is passionate about a sport and wants maximize his/her ability in that sport – the literature actually supports this decision.

So, that’s the difference – when to specialize, NOT if specializing is bad. I think we all agree 7-12 year olds should be exposed to as many athletic events as possible. Understand that a 7-12 year old specializing is vastly different than a 16-18 year old specializing.

2. Let's Try an Example

We have Johnny and Billy - both are HS Juniors.

Johnny was blessed with the genetic lottery - He’s a very gifted athlete. Football is his primary sport, with a scholarship on the way. He also plays basketball and track. Johnny is a 9/10 football player, and even though he only plays basketball during the season (3-months out of the year), he still manages to be a 7/10 basketball player because of his raw athletic ability. Physically dominant kids like Johnny can afford to be less technically & tactically skilled in their lesser sports and still be good – hence why he is a 7/10 with only playing basketball 3-months out of the year.

And remember - When you're a good athlete you get pulled into multiple sports. It's not that playing multiple sports causes one to become a good athlete - it's being a good athlete causes one to be pulled to play multiple sports.

Billy on the other hand was not blessed with superior genetics, he's a pretty average athlete. Billy loves basketball; it’s his passion and his ultimate goal is to play college basketball - ultimately he realizes DI is out of the question and DIII is his likely route - but that shouldn't be any less of a reason to pursue this goal.

Unfortunately for Billy, he’s only a 6/10 basketball player.

So, how can Billy compete with Johnny in basketball???

Well, Billy decides to specialize in basketball. He improves his basketball specific skill set, IQ, specific perception, and learns the nuances of the game that can only come from accumulating time in that sport.

Basketball season comes around and now Billy is a 7/10 – he now has a chance to compete with Johnny. If he played multiple sports, he’d still be a 6/10 and wouldn’t see the court.

By his senior year, Billy has raised himself to a 7.5/10 basketball player, good enough to be a starter and earn an opportunity to play at the DIII level.

Who is to say this is the wrong path for Billy?

I can hear the critics – But he’ll burnout, that doesn’t sound fun, he’ll never be as athletic if he played multiple sports, etc.

But I ask – who led this situation?

It was athlete led; Billy decided this is what HE wanted, and it is wrong for an adult to criticize his decision – and this is where I get frustrated.

3. The language I see used by coaches needs to change.

Athletes NEED to run track; they MUST play basketball; they HAVE to play baseball. If you're under 6'6 and don't have a basketball scholarship yet - you NEED to be playing football (these are real quotes from coaches - publicly displayed on Twitter)

Ever thought for a second that the athlete just doesn’t like those sports? That they don't like track or football or any other sport?

My argument is how is this any better than the AAU coach saying the same thing?

We get pissed if an AAU coach says - If you want to play college basketball you NEED to play AAU. If you want to get noticed by college coaches you HAVE to play AAU.

It’s the same thing – it’s an adult with an agenda trying to lead the decision.

Athletes should be encouraged to play multiple sports – no doubt. But coaches shouldn’t FORCE or MAKE HS athletes play multiple sports. If a kid doesn’t like a sport, stop trying to push them to do it.

A who cares if a kid wants to play hoops all year long, and they’re only 5’11 – if it’s athlete led and the kids passion – awesome.

4. If a HS kid can start to specialize his/her education, then why not sports?

Junior and senior HS kids are asked what careers they’d like to pursue and encouraged to specialize their schoolwork towards those careers.

My junior and senior year, I don’t think I took an English class; instead I loaded up my schedule in the math and sciences because that’s what I enjoyed.

Why is it different for sports?

Or how about this - why don't college or professional athletes play multiple sports?

If playing multiple sports is the panacea of athletic development - why don't athletes post HS do it?

5. What classifies as playing multiple sports?

I have a number of Jr. & Sr. football players who don’t play another sport but play pick-up basketball 2-3 days a week. I have college basketball players that golf 2-3 days a week. Does playing a wide variety of games in the backyard as a youngster count multiple sports?

Does this negate specialization?

6. A final piece and hardest for people to come to terms with – Specialization works!

When done right, specializing has worked for tons of athletes all over the world. Look at sports like gymnastics, swimming/diving, tennis, soccer, golf, basketball, baseball - the majority of the athletes in these sports have specialized from a young age. Look at countries who send little kids to specialized camps from a young age to groom them into Olympians.

Specialization works.

7. Clearly it is much more complex than
specialization = bad
multiple sports = good.

And that’s how this whole thing got started – coaches with an agenda (yes I said agenda) trying to get better athletes to play their sport.

At the end of the day kids should define their own athletic experience.

Trust me, I played 3 sports in HS and couldn’t imagine only playing a single sport in HS – but I also understand everybody is different and kids should lead the decision-making process.

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2018 In Review

12/29/2018

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I keep an open work document where I jot down quotes, articles, research, podcasts, and any other notes that I keep during the year. The following is this years collection of the above.
You can find last years review - HERE

Enjoy!

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August In Review

8/31/2018

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Quotes/Thoughts

Appreciate the influence our surroundings have on us
People are inspired by their environments
Where there is a negative, there is a positive
Explore the edges of a “technique”
The opportunity of a lifetime is being who you are
Technique is linked to the information source
As the awareness & use of constraints become more popular in training & practice, it’s important to remember - constraints exclude movements/options, they should not necessarily prescribe a specific movement. The athlete still gets to choose their own movement/solve the problem.

Articles

Podcasts

Research

Harper DJ, Kiely J. Damaging nature of decelerations: Do we adequately prepare players? BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine. 2018; 4 :e000379. Doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2018-000379 :

Training-specific research, and training practice in general, has historically focused primarily on enhancing acceleration and high-velocity running capacities. While such efforts are undoubtedly important, the future evolution of match play preparation philosophy also requires that we develop training techniques focused on enhancing deceleration-handling capacities, in tandem with aligned monitoring strategies enabling us to better discern and quantify the specific mechanical stressors driving deceleration-imposed deficits. Finally, these insights may hold special relevance for those tasked with the management, delivery and monitoring of training interventions designed to enhance injury resilience and reduce injury risk.

Wild, J. J., Bezodis, I. N., North, J. S., & Bezodis, N. E. (2018). Differences in step characteristics and linear kinematics between rugby players and sprinters during initial sprint acceleration. European journal of sport science, 1-11.

The initial steps of a sprint are important in team sports, such as rugby, where there is an inherent requirement to maximally accelerate over short distances. Current understanding of sprint acceleration technique is primarily based on data from track and field sprinters, although whether this information is transferable to athletes such as rugby players is unclear, due to differing ecological constraints. Sagittal plane video data were collected (240 Hz) and manually digitised to calculate the kinematics of professional rugby forwards (n = 15) and backs (n = 15), and sprinters (n = 18; 100 m personal best range = 9.96–11.33 s) during the first three steps of three maximal sprint accelerations. Using a between-group research design, differences between groups were determined using magnitude-based inferences, and within-group relationships between technique variables and initial sprint acceleration performance were established using correlation. Substantial between-group differences were observed in multiple variables. Only one variable, toe-off distance, differed between groups (d = −0.42 to −2.62) and also demonstrated meaningful relationships with sprint performance within all three groups (r = −0.44 to −0.58), whereby a stance foot position more posterior relative to the centre of mass at toe-off was associated with better sprint performance. While toe-off distance appears to be an important technical feature for sprint acceleration performance in both sprinters and rugby players, caution should be applied to the direct transfer of other kinematic information from sprinters to inform the technical development of acceleration in team sports athletes.

Simperingham, K. D., Cronin, J. B., & Ross, A. (2016). Advances in sprint acceleration profiling for field-based team-sport athletes: Utility, reliability, validity and limitations. Sports Medicine, 46(11), 1619-1645.

Radar, laser, NMT and TT technologies can be used to reliably measure sprint acceleration performance and to provide insight into the determinants of sprinting speed. However, further research is required to establish the validity of the kinetic measurements made with NMT and TT. Radar and laser technology may not be suitable for measuring the first few steps of a sprint acceleration.

Cross, M. R., Lahti, J., Brown, S. R., Chedati, M., Jimenez-Reyes, P., Samozino, P., & Morin, J. B. (2018). Training at maximal power in resisted sprinting: Optimal load determination methodology and pilot results in team sport athletes. PloS one, 13(4), e0195477.

In the current study we investigated the effects of resisted sprint training on sprinting performance and underlying mechanical parameters (force-velocity-power profile) based on two different training protocols: (i) loads that represented maximum power output (Lopt) and a 50% decrease in maximum unresisted sprinting velocity and (ii) lighter loads that represented a 10% decrease in maximum unresisted sprinting velocity, as drawn from previous research (L10). Both resisted-sprint training protocols were likely to improve performance after a short training intervention in already sprint trained athletes. However, widely varied individualised results indicated that adaptations may be dependent on pre-training force-velocity characteristics.

Silva, P., Garganta, J., Araújo, D., Davids, K., & Aguiar, P. (2013). Shared knowledge or shared affordances? Insights from an ecological dynamics approach to team coordination in sports. Sports Medicine, 43(9), 765-772.

Previous research has proposed that team coordination is based on shared knowledge of the performance context, responsible for linking teammates’ mental representations for collective, internalized action solutions. However, this representational approach raises many questions including: how do individual schemata of team members become reformulated together? How much time does it take for this collective cognitive process to occur? How do different cues perceived by different individuals sustain a general shared mental representation? This representational approach is challenged by an ecological dynamics perspective of shared knowledge in team coordination. We argue that the traditional shared knowledge assumption is predicated on ‘knowledge about’ the environment, which can be used to share knowledge and influence intentions of others prior to competition. Rather, during competitive performance, the control of action by perceiving surrounding informational constraints is expressed in ‘knowledge of’ the environment. This crucial distinction emphasizes perception of shared affordances (for others and of others) as the main communication channel between team members during team coordination tasks. From this perspective, the emergence of coordinated behaviours in sports teams is based on the formation of interpersonal synergies between players resulting from collective actions predicated on shared affordances.

Matute, H., Cubillas, C. P., & Garaizar, P. (2017). Learning to infer the time of our actions and decisions from their consequences. Consciousness and cognition, 56, 37-49.

Research shows that people infer the time of their actions and decisions from their consequences. We asked how people know how much time to subtract from consequences in order to infer their actions and decisions. They could either subtract a fixed, default, time from consequences, or learn from experience how much time to subtract in each situation. In two experiments, participants’ actions were followed by a tone, which was presented either immediately or after a delay. In Experiment 1, participants estimated the time of their actions; in Experiment 2, the time of their decisions to act. Both actions and decisions were judged to occur sooner or later as a function of whether consequences were immediate or delayed. Estimations tended to be shifted toward their consequences, but in some cases they were shifted away from them. Most importantly, in all cases participants learned progressively to adjust their estimations with experience.

Broatch, J. R., Petersen, A., & Bishop, D. J. (2018). The Influence of Post-Exercise Cold-Water Immersion on Adaptive Responses to Exercise: A Review of the Literature. Sports Medicine, 1-19.

Post-exercise cold-water immersion (CWI) is used extensively in exercise training as a means to minimise fatigue and expedite recovery between sessions. However, debate exists around its merit in long-term training regimens. While an improvement in recovery following a single session of exercise may improve subsequent training quality and stimulus, reports have emerged suggesting CWI may attenuate long-term adaptations to exercise training. Recent developments in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing the adaptive response to exercise in human skeletal muscle have provided potential mechanistic insight into the effects of CWI on training adaptations. Preliminary evidence suggests that CWI may blunt resistance signalling pathways following a single exercise session, as well as attenuate key long-term resistance training adaptations such as strength and muscle mass. Conversely, CWI may augment endurance signalling pathways and the expression of genes key to mitochondrial biogenesis following a single endurance exercise session, but have little to no effect on the content of proteins key to mitochondrial biogenesis following long-term endurance training. This review explores current evidence regarding the underlying molecular mechanisms by which CWI may alter cellular signalling and the long-term adaptive response to exercise in human skeletal muscle.

Random

This is a great thread about some of the biggest myths that prevail in movement and coaching - https://twitter.com/ollylogo/status/1034814564825747457

Books

Check out Previous Month's

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July In Review

8/7/2018

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Quotes/Thoughts

Expert movement doesn’t involve a complete lack of awareness
Motor learning is a problem solving process
If practice is always successful, it’s probably not helpful
The shorter you sleep, the short you live – Matthew Walker
Sleep is the most powerful memory aid – Matthew Walker
Coaches don’t disagree with strength training, rather disagree with the perceived simplistic causal effects of strength training on performance
As coaches we are great at making our players stronger and more fit, but not very good at teaching and inducing learning – Mladen Jovanovic
We are told every error in sport is due to a physical limitation – too weak, too slow, too small – rather in most cases, mistakes are due to tactical, technical, perceptual, and/or psychological limitations
Time is the ultimate constraint. We are most creative when we are under time constraints
Skill acquisition/adaptability should be seen as the primary goal of coaching NOT just a component of coaching
What does - we play at game speed – mean? The speed of the movement isn’t what dictates practicing at game speed – it’s actually attacking the speed of decision-making, the pressure of taking perceptual information and using it as fast as possible NOT just the magnitude of speed or the intensity of a drill – Rich Bartel
It’s not the strongest nor the most intelligent of species that survives, rather the most adaptable – Charles Darwin
Technique isn’t absolute
Big forces in a squat rack don’t equal big forces on the track
How can we make the basics matter if we cannot agree on a common definition of what the basics are actually are?
Force production is so specific to a skill that it’s hard to generalize one being weak – Anthony Blazevich
We are now testing 300 athletes with performance tests and isolated strength and ROM tests. So far, all I can say is the associations between performance and isolated strength is weak. As is asymmetries in performance tests and asymmetries in isolated function. – Goran Markovic
The body works differently at slow speeds than high sppeds – Kenan Todd
20-Years ago, it seemed like every issue was blamed on a “weak TA”; more recently, it is “weak glutes aka your ___ aren’t firing”. This is misguided thinking at best, and dangerous, industry-undermining thinking at worst. – Stu McMillan

Podcasts

Articles

Research

Coh, M., Vodicar, J., Žvan, M., Šimenko, J., Stodolka, J., Rauter, S., & Mackala, K. (2018). Are Change-of-Direction Speed and Reactive Agility Independent Skills Even When Using the Same Movement Pattern?. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 32(7), 1929-1936.

The present findings suggest that CODS and RA are 2 different and independent skill domains that define agility. These qualities should be diagnosed by discrete assessments and enhanced by different training methodologies.

Cross, M. R., Lahti, J., Brown, S. R., Chedati, M., Jimenez-Reyes, P., Samozino, P., ... & Morin, J. B. (2018). Training at maximal power in resisted sprinting: Optimal load determination methodology and pilot results in team sport athletes. PloS one, 13(4), e0195477.

Soccer [n = 15 male] and rugby [n = 21; 9 male and 12 female] club-level athletes were individually assessed for horizontal force-velocity and load-velocity profiles using a battery of resisted sprints, sled or robotic resistance respectively. Athletes then performed a 12-session resisted sprint (10x20m) intervention with either a) load that represented maximum power output or b) load that represented a 10% decrease in maximal unresisted sprinting velocity. Both protocols had minor effects on sprinting performance (average of -1.4 to -2.3% split-times respectively), and provided trivial, small and unclear changes in mechanical sprinting parameters.
Both resisted-sprint training protocols were likely to improve performance after a short training intervention in already sprint trained athletes. However, widely varied individualised results indicated that adaptations may be dependent on pre-training force-velocity characteristics

Wild, J. J., Bezodis, I. N., North, J. S., & Bezodis, N. E. (2018). Differences in step characteristics and linear kinematics between rugby players and sprinters during initial sprint acceleration. European journal of sport science, 1-11.

The initial steps of a sprint are important in team sports, such as rugby, where there is an inherent requirement to maximally accelerate over short distances. Current understanding of sprint acceleration technique is primarily based on data from track and field sprinters, although whether this information is transferable to athletes such as rugby players is unclear, due to differing ecological constraints. Sagittal plane video data were collected (240 Hz) and manually digitised to calculate the kinematics of professional rugby forwards (n = 15) and backs (n = 15), and sprinters (n = 18; 100 m personal best range = 9.96-11.33 s) during the first three steps of three maximal sprint accelerations. Using a between-group research design, differences between groups were determined using magnitude-based inferences, and within-group relationships between technique variables and initial sprint acceleration performance were established using correlation. Substantial between-group differences were observed in multiple variables. Only one variable, toe-off distance, differed between groups (d = -0.42 to -2.62) and also demonstrated meaningful relationships with sprint performance within all three groups (r = -0.44 to -0.58), whereby a stance foot position more posterior relative to the centre of mass at toe-off was associated with better sprint performance. While toe-off distance appears to be an important technical feature for sprint acceleration performance in both sprinters and rugby players, caution should be applied to the direct transfer of other kinematic information from sprinters to inform the technical development of acceleration in team sports athletes.

Young, W. B., Duthie, G. M., James, L. P., Talpey, S. W., Benton, D. T., & Kilfoyle, A. (2018). Gradual vs. Maximal Acceleration: Their Influence on the Prescription of Maximal Speed Sprinting in Team Sport Athletes. Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 6(3).

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if a difference existed between peak speed attained when performing a sprint with maximal acceleration versus from a gradual build-up. Additionally, this investigation sought to compare the actual peak speed achieved when instructed to reach 75% and 90% of maximum speed. Field sport athletes (n = 21) performed sprints over 60 m under the experimental conditions, and the peak speed was assessed with a radar gun. The gradual build-up to maximum speed (8.30 ± 0.40 m·s −1 ) produced the greater peak speed (effect size = 0.3, small) than the maximum acceleration run (8.18 ± 0.40 m·s −1 ), and the majority of participants (62%) followed this pattern. For the sub-maximum runs, the actual mean percentage of maximum speed reached was 78 ± 6% for the 75% prescribed run and 89 ± 5% for the 90% prescription. The errors in attaining the prescribed peak speeds were large (~15%) for certain individuals, especially for the 75% trial. Sprint training for maximum speed should be performed with a gradual build-up of speed rather than a maximum acceleration. For sub-maximum interval training, the ability to attain the prescribed target peak speed can be challenging for field sport athletes, and therefore where possible, feedback on peak speeds reached should be provided after each repetition.

Beebe, et al. Short Sleep and Adolescents’ Performance on a Concussion Assessment Battery: An Experimental Sleep Manipulation Study. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. July 2018 – Volume 28 – Issue 4

Sleep deprivation of 5-days (6.5hrs) vs healthy sleep opportunity
(9.5hrs) in 14-18 y.o’s showed significantly worse symptoms of Post Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing. Verbal memory also decreased. Concluding that sleep deprivation of just 5-days increases concussion like symptoms and that sleep deprivation has adverse effects on emotional and behavioral functioning in teens.

Matute, H., Cubillas, C. P., & Garaizar, P. (2017). Learning to infer the time of our actions and decisions from their consequences. Consciousness and cognition, 56, 37-49.

Research shows that people infer the time of their actions and decisions from their consequences. We asked how people know how much time to subtract from consequences in order to infer their actions and decisions. They could either subtract a fixed, default, time from consequences, or learn from experience how much time to subtract in each situation. In two experiments, participants’ actions were followed by a tone, which was presented either immediately or after a delay. In Experiment 1, participants estimated the time of their actions; in Experiment 2, the time of their decisions to act. Both actions and decisions were judged to occur sooner or later as a function of whether consequences were immediate or delayed. Estimations tended to be shifted toward their consequences, but in some cases they were shifted away from them. Most importantly, in all cases participants learned progressively to adjust their estimations with experience.

Broatch, J. R., Petersen, A., & Bishop, D. J. (2018). The Influence of Post-Exercise Cold-Water Immersion on Adaptive Responses to Exercise: A Review of the Literature. Sports Medicine, 1-19.

Post-exercise cold-water immersion (CWI) is used extensively in exercise training as a means to minimise fatigue and expedite recovery between sessions. However, debate exists around its merit in long-term training regimens. While an improvement in recovery following a single session of exercise may improve subsequent training quality and stimulus, reports have emerged suggesting CWI may attenuate long-term adaptations to exercise training. Recent developments in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing the adaptive response to exercise in human skeletal muscle have provided potential mechanistic insight into the effects of CWI on training adaptations. Preliminary evidence suggests that CWI may blunt resistance signalling pathways following a single exercise session, as well as attenuate key long-term resistance training adaptations such as strength and muscle mass. Conversely, CWI may augment endurance signaling pathways and the expression of genes key to mitochondrial biogenesis following a single endurance exercise session, but have little to no effect on the content of proteins key to mitochondrial biogenesis following long-term endurance training. This review explores current evidence regarding the underlying molecular mechanisms by which CWI may alter cellular signaling and the long-term adaptive response to exercise in human skeletal muscle.

von Lieres und Wilkau, H. C., Irwin, G., Bezodis, N. E., Simpson, S., & Bezodis, I. N. (2018). Phase analysis in maximal sprinting: an investigation of step-to-step technical changes between the initial acceleration, transition and maximal velocity phases. Sports biomechanics, 1-16.

The aim of this study was to investigate spatiotemporal and kinematic changes between the initial acceleration, transition and maximum velocity phases of a sprint. Sagittal plane kinematics from five experienced sprinters performing 50-m maximal sprints were collected using six HD-video cameras. Following manual digitising, spatiotemporal and kinematic variables at touchdown and toe-off were calculated. The start and end of the transition phase were identified using the step-to-step changes in centre of mass height and segment angles. Mean step-to-step changes of spatiotemporal and kinematic variables during each phase were calculated. Firstly, the study showed that if sufficient trials are available, step-to-step changes in shank and trunk angles might provide an appropriate measure to detect sprint phases in applied settings. However, given that changes in centre of mass height represent a more holistic measure, this was used to sub-divide the sprints into separate phases. Secondly, during the initial acceleration phase large step-to-step changes in touchdown kinematics were observed compared to the transition phase. At toe-off, step-to-step kinematic changes were consistent across the initial acceleration and transition phases before plateauing during the maximal velocity phase. These results provide coaches and practitioners with valuable insights into key differences between phases in maximal sprinting.

Jackson, R. C., Warren, S., & Abernethy, B. (2006). Anticipation skill and susceptibility to deceptive movement.Acta psychologica, 123(3), 355-371.

The ability to detect deceptive movement was examined in skilled and novice rugby players. Participants (14 per group) attempted to predict direction change from video of expert and recreational rugby players changing direction with and without deceptive movement. ConWdence associated with judgments was recorded on each trial to seek evidence regarding use of inferential (heuristic-based) and direct-perceptual (invariant-based) judgments. Novices were found to be susceptible to deceptive movement whereas skilled participants were not; however, both skilled and novice participants were more conWdent on trials containing deceptive movement. The data suggest that the skill-level diVerence in sensitivity to advance visual information extends to deceptive information. The implications of this Wnding, and the importance of considering the underlying process of anticipation skill, are discussed.

Random

Ken Clark’s Rebuttal to Dr. Michael Yessi’s article on horizontal vs vertical forces during sprinting - https://twitter.com/KenClarkSpeed/status/1023297199151693830

MMA Dummy Prank – A representation of what happens when COD meets on-field agility

Grappling dummy prank □□ #Grappling #Wrestling #MMAUK #Prank pic.twitter.com/NXrJIyHYqd
— MMA UK □□ (@WeAreMMAUK) November 20, 2017

Books

The Playmaker’s Advantage – Daniel Peterson & Dr. Leonard Zaichowsky
Strength is Specific – Chris Beardsley

0 Comments

June in Review

6/22/2018

0 Comments

Thoughts/Quotes

If you want to get good at skill A, you need to practice skill A and variations of Skill A – not practicing skill Z in hopes it will transfer

Learning is messy, it requires errors

Motor learning is a problem solving process

We often practice for practice instead of practicing for performance

We often get caught up in evaluating the athlete (testing) and not the actual player (skill)

The idea that strength is this get out of jail free card has permeated sports performance, but strength is not a panacea – Dan Pfaff

Strength rises all ships – this is a common tort to the above quote by coach Pfaff. Unfortunately, when the pursuit of strength takes away (time, stress, fatigue) from specific endeavors, it does not raise all ships.

Habits that have a high rate of return in life via James Clear
- Sleep 8+ hours each day
- Lift weights 3xweek
- Go for a walk each day
- Save at least 10 percent of your income
- Read everyday
- Drink more water and less of everything else
- Leave your phone in another room while you work

What is game speed? Game speed in meaningless when making a preplanned move. It’s nothing more than speed of movement – BUT the for more difficult aspect is speed of thought. Making a decision as to when to make a move & which move to make. That is skill – Rich Bartel

Articles

Podcasts

Research

Amiri, M., Ghiasvand, R., Kaviani, M., Forbes, S. C., & Salehi-Abargouei, A. (2018). Chocolate milk for recovery from exercise: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1.

Chocolate milk provides either similar or superior results when compared to placebo or other recovery drinks. Overall, the evidence is limited and high-quality clinical trials with more well-controlled methodology and larger sample sizes are warranted.

Moras, G., Fernández-Valdés, B., Vázquez-Guerrero, J., Tous-Fajardo, J., Exel, J., & Sampaio, J. (2018). Entropy measures detect increased movement variability in resistance training when elite rugby players use the ball. Journal of science and medicine in sport.

The application of match specific constraints in resistance training for rugby players elicit different amount of variability of body acceleration across multiple physiological time scales. Understanding the non-linear process inherent to the manipulation of resistance training variables with constraints and its motor adaptations may help coaches and trainers to enhance the effectiveness of physical training and, ultimately, better understand and maximize sports performance.

Almonroeder, T. G., Tighe, S. M., Miller, T. M., & Lanning, C. R. (2018). The influence of fatigue on decision-making in athletes: a systematic review. Sports biomechanics, 1-14.

The findings appear to indicate that fatigue may only affect the cognitive processing associated with decision-making when athletes approach a state of exhaustion.

Strafford, B. W., Van Der Steen, P., Davids, K., & Stone, J. A. (2018). Parkour as a donor sport for athletic development in youth team sports: insights through an ecological dynamics lens. Sports medicine-open, 4(1), 21.

Analyses of talent development in sport have identified that skill can be enhanced through early and continued involvement in donor sports which share affordances (opportunities for action) with a performer’s main target sport. Aligning key ideas of the Athletic Skills Model and ecological dynamics theory, we propose how the sport of parkour could provide a representative and adaptive platform for developing athletic skill (e.g. coordination, timing, balance, agility, spatial awareness and muscular strength). We discuss how youth sport development programmes could be (re) designed to include parkour-style activities, in order to develop general athletic skills in affordance-rich environments. It is proposed that team sports development programmes could particularly benefit from parkour-style training since it is exploratory and adaptive nature shapes utilisation of affordances for innovative and autonomous performance by athletes. Early introduction to varied, relevant activities for development of athleticism and skill, in a diversified training programme, would provide impetus for a fundamental shift away from the early specialisation approach favoured by traditional theories of skill acquisition and expertise in sport.

Folland, J. P., Allen, S. J., Black, M. I., Handsaker, J. C., & Forrester, S. E. (2017). Running technique is an important component of running economy and performance. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 49(7), 1412.

Despite an intuitive relationship between technique and both running economy (RE) and performance, and the diverse techniques used by runners to achieve forward locomotion, the objective importance of overall technique and the key components therein remain to be elucidated. This study provides novel and robust evidence that technique explains a substantial proportion of the variance in RE and performance. We recommend that runners and coaches are attentive to specific aspects of stride parameters and lower limb angles in part to optimize pelvis movement, and ultimately enhance performance.

Almonroeder, T. G., Tighe, S. M., Miller, T. M., & Lanning, C. R. (2018). The influence of fatigue on decision-making in athletes: a systematic review. Sports biomechanics, 1-14.

The nature of the results appears to indicate that fatigue may compromise an athlete’s cognitive processing in a manner that diminishes their ability to control movement when rapid decision-making is required. However, three subsequent studies utilised fatigue protocols designed to mimic sports participation and found that fatigue did not influence the effects of decision-making on mechanics. In general, these findings appear to indicate that fatigue may only affect the cognitive processing associated with decision-making when athletes approach a state of exhaustion

Jackson, R. C., Warren, S., & Abernethy, B. (2006). Anticipation skill and susceptibility to deceptive movement. Acta psychologica, 123(3), 355-371.

The ability to detect deceptive movement was examined in skilled and novice rugby players. Participants (14 per group) attempted to predict direction change from video of expert and recreational rugby players changing direction with and without deceptive movement. ConWdence associated with judgments was recorded on each trial to seek evidence regarding use of inferential (heuristic-based) and direct-perceptual (invariant-based) judgments. Novices were found to be susceptible to deceptive movement whereas skilled participants were not; however, both skilled and novice participants were more conWdent on trials containing deceptive movement. The data suggest that the skill-level diVerence in sensitivity to advance visual information extends to deceptive information. The implications of this Wnding, and the importance of considering the underlying process of anticipation skill, are discussed.

Books

Why We Sleep - Matthew Walker
- We live in a society where lack of sleep is championed - we reward and think more highly of those that forgo sleep for extra work, more hours and detract from sleep, rest, vacation
- 1-Hour of cell phone, tv, computer use can decrease melatonin for the next 3-hours. This can also decrease the amount of peak melatonin production leading to les REM sleep
- The most important aspect of increasing the quality of sleep = consistent bed and wake times
- You need to keep your room cool do this via - less cloths, fan, thinner blankets, keeping certain body parts uncovered.
- Your brain needs to drop 2-3 degrees in order to fall asleep
- The shorter you sleep - the shorter your lifespan
- The US runs the worlds biggest sleep experiment 2-times a year = day light savings
- In the fall, where we gain an extra hour of sleep, heart attacks decrease by 21%!
- In the spring, where we lose an hour of sleep, heart attacks increase by 24%!
- If you're going in for sugery, ask how much sleep your surgeon has gotten in the past 24-hours. If less than 6-hours, you're at a 170% increased risk of a surgical error.
- 1 in 5 medical errors is a result of lack of sleep
- Driving without sleep for 16-20hours is equivalent to driving drunk

0 Comments

May in Review

6/1/2018

0 Comments

Thoughts/Quotes

Let kids define their own athletic experience - Rob Assise
We’ve been very good at building physical monsters, but I want perceptual monsters - Shawn Myszka
Poor perception leads to poor mechanics/technique
No evidence that static stretching or flexibility reduce or are related to injury - Quinn Henock
Athletes need to practice pre-competition nutrition. Practice this nutrition before practices/training - Brian St. Pierre
The best vegetables are the ones your athletes will actually eat - Brian St. Pierre
Is the goal motor learning or motor performance?
I love seeing athletes when they are fatigued - they can't hide compensations when fatigued and I can see what they'll revert to when fatigued - Tommy Flanagan
Sleep has an image problem, we stigmatize sleep and think its lazy and slothful - people wear lack of sleep as a badge of honor to be celebrated - Matthew Walker
Chronic exhaustion cost most first world nation 2% of the GDP - 411 billion dollars lost each year to a lack of sleep - Matthew Walker
Speed of movement is easy compared to speed of thought - Rich Bartel
Can’t lead if you don’t read
Increasing variability within practice enhances learning
The stability of a skill is solely dependent upon psychology - Stu McMillan
If you surround yourself with the wrong people, you’re going to do wrong things. If you surround yourself with elite people, you’ll probably do elite things

Articles

Podcasts

Research

Vigne, G., Dellal, A., Gaudino, C., Chamari, K., Rogowski, I., Alloatti, G., ... & Hautier, C. (2013). Physical outcome in a successful Italian Serie A soccer team over three consecutive seasons. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research,27(5), 1400-1406.

The aim of this study was to examine the physical performance of a success-Serie A team of more than three consecutive seasons. 25 players participated in the study and were classified into three playing positions: defenders (n=9), midfielders (n=11) and forward (n=5). Activities match were studied by an analysis of multiple match-camera SICS ® (Bassano del Grappa, Italy) throughout the competition Italian Serie A matches played at home (n=90) for 3 consecutive seasons (first: 2004/2005, second: 2005/2006, and third: 2006/2007). Total team ball possession and time-motion characteristics were examined. Results showed that total ball possession (52.1% to 54.9%) and the number of points accumulated at home (40/48) improved in the past three seasons while that the final ranking at home were stable. The total distances covered by minutes of play were significantly different between the three seasons (118.32±6.69m.min to 111.96±8.05m.min). Distance running and high intensity activities were similar in the three seasons, while the distance covered in moderate intensity running decreased in the third (P<0.05). Variations between playing positions were found during the three-consecutive seasons, with midfielders covering greater distances than defenders (P<0.05) and forward (P<0.01). This study showed how for three consecutive seasons of successful players Serie-A team reduced their distances performed at submaximal speeds, and increased ball possession, while maintaining the high-intensity activities and the number of points at home. It is suggested that this is due to a better understanding of roles and tactics team organization, and to act collectively and individually on these parameters to reduce energy expenditure during the game to maintain a high level performance throughout the season.

Dos’Santos, T., Thomas, C., Comfort, P., & Jones, P. (2018). The Role of the Penultimate Foot Contact During Change of Direction: Implications on Performance and Risk of Injury.Strength & Conditioning Journal.

Most change of direction biomechanical investigations and current technique guidelines focus on the role of the final foot contact (plant foot contact). However, it is evident that the braking characteristics during the penultimate foot contact play an integral role in deceleration prior to directional changes ≥ 60˚; and can therefore, be described as a “preparatory step”. In this review, we examine the role of the penultimate foot contact on change of direction performance and associated biomechanical injury risk factors, and provide technical guidelines for coaching the “preparatory step” during change of direction, to enhance performance and reduce risk of injury.

Sanchez, F. J. N., & de Villarreal, E. S. (2017). Does Flywheel Paradigm Training Improve Muscle Volume and Force? A Meta-analysis. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 31(11), 3177-3186.

A meta-analysis of 13 studies with a total of 18 effect sizes was performed to analyse the role of various factors on the effectiveness of flywheel paradigm training. The following inclusion criteria were employed for the analysis: (a) randomized studies; (b) high validity and reliability instruments; (c) published in a high quality peer-reviewed journal; (d) healthy participants; (e) studies where the eccentric programme were described; and (f) studies where increases in muscle volume and force were measured before and after training. Increases in muscle volume and force were noted through the use of flywheel systems during short periods of training. The increase in muscle mass appears was not influenced by the existence of eccentric overload during the exercise. The increase in force was significantly higher with the existence of eccentric overload during the exercise. The responses identified in this analysis are essential and should be considered by strength and conditioning professionals regarding the most appropriate dose response trends for flywheel paradigm systems to optimize the increase in muscle volume and force

Hodges, N. J., & Franks, I. M. (2002). Modelling coaching practice: the role of instruction and demonstration. Journal of sports sciences, 20(10), 793-811.

examine existing theories and approaches that try to explain the process of skill acquisition so as to determine implications of these theories for instructional provision. This is followed by an evaluation of studies in the motor learning literature in which pre-practice information has been manipulated. Explicit learning strategies are contrasted to implicit and discovery learning methods, and current explanations for instructional eþects are discussed in terms of such mechanisms as eþects-related attentional focus and movement variability. In the ®nal sections, we review data from our own laboratory where pre-practice information has been manipulated during the learning of a novel bimanual coordination task. From these studies, proposals are made to try and explain how pre-practice information works to eþect the process of skill acquisition, including the selection and execution of a response and the processing of associated feedback. An important role is given to the existing skills of the learner in understanding the instructions and performing the desired movement. Finally, we suggest some practical implications of this empirical evidence for the teaching of motor skills.

Moras, G., Fernández-Valdés, B., Vázquez-Guerrero, J., Tous, J., Exel, J., & Sampaio, J. (2018). Entropy measures detect increased movement variability in resistance training when elite rugby players use the ball. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport.

The application of match specific constraints in resistance training for rugby players elicit different amount of variability of body acceleration across multiple physiological time scales. Understanding the non-linear process inherent to the manipulation of resistance training variables with constraints and its motor adaptations may help coaches and trainers to enhance the effectiveness of physical training and, ultimately, better understand and maximize sports performance.

Spearritt, D. (2013). The impact of field vision on performance within an English Premier league academy soccer team: A case study.

The purpose of the current study was to develop an understanding of visual search behaviour in relation to performance outcome amongst elite level youth soccer players, within competitive match performance. Thirteen matches from an English Premier League academy soccer team (under 15 age group) were analysed using a specifically designed notational analysis system created in Microsoft Excel. Visual explorations conducted by individual players were collated, followed by their subsequent action when in possession of the ball. The results show significant visual exploration differences between higher and lower ability elite level youth players (p=0.000). The results of a series of categorical logistic regression analyses also show a clear positive relationship exists between visual exploratory behaviours that are initiated prior to a player receiving the ball and performance with the ball. This relationship remains when assessed amongst several match conditions including overall pass completion, attacking third pass completion and forward pass completion.

Nyland, N. (2010). Visual perception in soccer: a study of elite and sub-elite defenders (Master's thesis).

The general purpose of this study was to examine how soccer defenders explore the environment for and use the information to deny opponents goals from crosses into the penalty area. A specific aim was to determine which variables differentiated between elite and sub-elite players. An ecological approach was used as conceptual framework. Participants were at the Premier League level - classified as elite (n = 13, m = 28.15 yrs, SD = 3.82) and at the Reserve League and Academy League level - classified as sub-elite (n = 11, m = 18.3 yrs, SD = 1.40). All participants were filmed in at least one game (six were filmed in two game). A high zoom camera recorded and focused solely upon a single player and general game events were obtained from professional camera recordings (obtained from the clubs) using regular zoom. These two videos were edited and synchronized into a split-screen video.
Results indicate that players in the elite group are more perceptually and functionally active than players in the sub-elite group prior to a cross, by exploring more frequently and positioning themselves more with a back-towards-goal posture allowing them to visually perceive more of the actions of the surrounding forwards. However, it was not demonstrated any functional relationship between exportation and performance related to this defensive situation. Further, constraints such as the player’s posture, type of defense, distance be-tween the crosser and defender, and involvement showed some differences between the levels and may affect exploration.

Araújo, D., & Davids, K. (2011). What exactly is acquired during skill acquisition?. Journal of Consciousness Studies,18(3-4), 7-23.

In this paper we propose that the term skill acquisition, as commonly used in traditional psychology, and the philosophy, education, movement science and performance development literatures, has been biased by an organismic asymmetry. In cognitive and experimental psychology, for example, it refers to the establishment of an internal state or representation of an act which is believed to be acquired as a result of learning and task experience. Here we elucidate an ecological perspective which suggests that the term skill acquisition may not refer to an entity but rather to the emergence of an adaptive, functional relationship between an organism and its environment, thus avoiding an inherent organismic asymmetry in theorizing. In this respect, the terms 'skill adaptation' or 'skill attunement' might be more suitable to describe this process.

Teques, P., Araújo, D., Seifert, L., del Campo, V. L., & Davids, K. (2017). The resonant system: Linking brain–body–environment in sport performance☆. In Progress in brain research (Vol. 234, pp. 33-52). Elsevier.

The ecological dynamics approach offers new insights to understand how athlete nervous systems are embedded within the body–environment system in sport. Cognitive neuroscience focuses on the neural bases of athlete behaviors in terms of perceptual, cognitive, and motor functions defined within specific brain structures. Here, we discuss some limitations of this traditional perspective, addressing how athletes functionally adapt perception and action to the dynamics of complex performance environments by continuously perceiving information to regulate goal-directed actions. We examine how recent neurophysiological evidence of functioning in diverse cortical and subcortical regions appears more compatible with an ecological dynamics perspective, than traditional views in cognitive neuroscience. We propose how athlete behaviors in sports may be related to the tuning of resonant mechanisms indicating that perception is a dynamic process involving the whole body of the athlete. We emphasize the important role of metastable dynamics in the brain–body–environment system facilitating continuous interactions with a landscape of affordances (opportunities for action) in a performance environment. We discuss implications of these ideas for performance preparation and practice design in sport.

Djaoui, L., Chamari, K., Owen, A. L., & Dellal, A. (2017). Maximal sprinting speed of elite soccer players during training and matches. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 31(6), 1509-1517.

The aim of the present study was to compare (a) the maximal sprinting speed (MSS) attained by soccer players during matches (MSSmatch) according to their level of play (professional first French division vs. elite amateur fourth French division) and the playing positions and (b) the MSS attained by professional soccer players during 14 different types of small-sided games (SSG, MSSSSG) and match-play. All players monitored through the study performed a 40-m sprint test to assess individual MSS (MSStest) and compare it to the training and match activity, with the calculation of the percentage of MSStest (%MSStest) reached. No differences were found according to the level of play; however, positional wide players achieved a higher MSSmatch, %MSStest, and MSSSSG than central players (both defenders and midfielders) during matches and SSG. MSSmatch were higher than all MSSSSG, and MSSSSG were positively correlated with the area of the pitch (0.45, p < 0.001), its length (0.53,p < 0.001), and the number of players involved (0.38, p < 0.001). The closer SSG was to match situation in terms of rules, the higher the MSSSSG. Wide players reached higher MSS in match and SSG than central players, confirming the relevance of using SSG close to match situation to specifically prepare elite players to the maximal running speed demand of the match.

Wylie, S. A., Bashore, T. R., Van Wouwe, N. C., Mason, E. J., John, K. D., Neimat, J. S., & Ally, B. A. (2018). Exposing an" Intangible" Cognitive Skill Among Collegiate Football Players: Enhanced Interference Control. Frontiers in psychology, 9, 49.

American football is played in a chaotic visual environment filled with relevant and distracting information. We investigated the hypothesis that collegiate football players show exceptional skill at shielding their response execution from the interfering effects of distraction (interference control). The performances of 280 football players from National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I football programs were compared to age-matched controls in a variant of the Eriksen flanker task (Eriksen and Eriksen, 1974). This task quantifies the magnitude of interference produced by visual distraction on split-second response execution. Overall, football athletes and age controls showed similar mean reaction times (RTs) and accuracy rates. However, football athletes were more proficient at shielding their response execution speed from the interfering effects of distraction (i.e., smaller flanker effect costs on RT). Offensive and defensive players showed smaller interference costs compared to controls, but defensive players showed the smallest costs. All defensive positions and one offensive position showed statistically smaller interference effects when compared directly to age controls. These data reveal a clear cognitive advantage among football athletes at executing motor responses in the face of distraction, the existence and magnitude of which vary by position. Individual differences in cognitive control may have important implications for both player selection and development to improve interference control capabilities during play.

Anson, G., Elliott, D., & Davids, K. (2005). Information processing and constraints-based views of skill acquisition: divergent or complementary?. Motor control, 9(3), 217-241.

Since the middle of the nineteenth century, movement scientists have been challenged to explain processes underlying the control, coordination, and acquisition of skill. Information processing and constraints-based approaches represent two distinct, often perceived as opposing, views of skill acquisition. The purpose of this article is to compare information processing and constraints-based approaches through the lens of Fitts’ three-stage model and Newell’s constraints-based model, respectively. In essence, both models can be identified, at least in spirit, with ideas about skill described by Bernstein (1967, 1996). Given that the product of “skill acquisition” is the same, although the explanation of the processes might differ, it is perhaps not surprising that similarities between the models appear greater than the differences. In continuing to meet the challenge to explain skill acquisition, neural-based models provide a glimpse of the cutting edge where behavior and biological mechanisms underpinning processes of control, coordination, and acquisition of skill might meet.

Books

The Culture Code – Daniel Coyle

I’ve always enjoyed Coyle’s books, starting with the Talent Code – actually did an interview with him you can find here – https://www.building-better-athlete.com/blog/interview-with-daniel-coyle

He does a fantastic job of story telling, bring ideas together, and mixing science with culture. Some of his writings may be a little exaggerated with what the actual literature says, but its much less taken out of context as say Malcolm Gladwell.
Some of my favorite tidbits…

In successful groups the following happens
- Everyone talks
- High expectations, and confidence that people can reach them
- Try to help things develop organically
- Leaders show vulnerability
- Surrounded with motto’s
- Leaders are partners not dictators
- They name priorities
- People feel safe and connected

The Energy Bus – Jon Gordon

Personally I find these kinds of books a little cheesy, but it’s a quick, painless read with a few tidbits here and there. Good book to throw into the mixture of more serious reads - with short chapters and some good reminders but too much of Gordon’s self-help message gets old, fast.
2-3 Gordon books a year is plenty

Opening Skinner’s Box – Great Psychological Experiments of the 20th Century – Lauren Slater

This was a fascinating read into 10 of the greatest psychological experiments over the past 100-years. From BF Skinner to Harry Harlow to Eric Kandel to Stanley Milgram. From topics such as love to obedience to addiction to false memories. With subjects from humans undergoing lobotomy’s, monkeys separated from their mothers and having a surrogate mother, rats being rewarded with food and drugs, sea slugs and memory.
Slater does an incredible job of blending the hard-nosed details of the experiments and outcomes, to laying out a story line of each researcher, their backgrounds into their studies, and personal stories of how these scientists affect her and other psychologists.
Give this one a read!

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April in Review

5/1/2018

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Thoughts/Quotes

Exploration and creativity in practice leads to exploration and creativity in games
I will take of me for you, if you take care of you for me
At every new level of success one achieves, comes even greater challenges
It's not always about being the fastest but knowing when to be fast and when to change tempo's – Korey Van Wyk
It is important to note that recovery-adaptive strategies and techniques are not sufficiently powerful enough to over come bad coaching, stupid planning, or lack of talent - Tony Sumner
Keep things more playful - increases engagement, creativity, and fun – Jake Marshall
The way an athlete changes direction when he or she can preplan movement is different from how the athlete changes direction in reaction to a stimulus – Korey Van Wyk
The technique an athlete uses is dependent upon their perception NOT the other way around – Korey Van Wyk
Are closed drills useless? No. They still provide a powerful physical load. But when training time and capacity are limited, providing that load in a coupled setting is efficient and works on all aspects of agility – Joel Reinhardt
Can we add a stressor or consequence during practice? Gives feedback and athletes aren’t 100% successful in sport – Shaun Larkin
Training doesn’t meet the demands of games - especially lateral loads/movements – Tyler Bosch
Connect the problem and solutions together – Shawn Myszka
The perception-action cycle also involve anticipatory skills – Karl Newell
Low Performance Variability DOES NOT EQUAL Low Movement Variability – Rob Gray
High performers have consistent outcomes but use a variety of mean to get there – Rob Gray
There is no 1 ideal technique – each athlete needs to find their own optimal movement solution – Rob Gray
People keep thinking about sport as a series of movement solutions rather than thinking about sport as a series of movement problem – Stu Armstrong
Thoughts for Warm-Ups
- Exploration – Don’t just do a linear lunge, rather encourage exploring different angles, depths, and stances. Add an accel out of each position to encourage adaptability of accel mechanics in various positions.
- Include Perception
- Daily Screen – Daily routine that gives athletes and coaches feedback on athletes current state and help individualize daily modality/therapy
Starting to ask my athletes to coach things or at least ask them – how would you teach this? What words would you use?
What you do Monday, effects Friday. I don’t coaches really think about this – mentally, physically, nutritionally, emotionally
Give a little bit, get a lot – Tony Stewart
I’m ok with athletes looking “bad” during agility – Korey Van Wyk

A Note on Sport Specialization

This past weekend was the NFL Draft, and as this weekend arrives every year, so do the cries from people with daily stats on how may NFL draftees played multiple sports, quotes of college coaches saying they recruit multi-sport athletes, and the claim playing multiple sports is key in them getting drafted.

A HUGE discussion was brought out by Keir Wenham-Flatt with this tweet – I encourage you to read all the branches this tweet spurred

I want to share my thoughts on this topic, as it seems I've been booked into promoting specialization by some coaches because I disagree with their commentary and language used. In today's world, having an opinion that differs from the majority gets you yelled at, called an idiot, or the worse of all... blocked on twitter.

In fact, Tony Holler, a coach I highly respect and enjoy his work, blocked me because I disagreed with his opinion on this topic, and instead of having an intelligent discourse, he blocked me and proceeded to tweet negative things about me... heartbreaking

So, here are some random thoughts on specialization

1. First I want to make it clear, I don’t think anyone is truly pushing specialization - in the terms that specialization actually exists. THIS is where I think many of these coaches go wrong – if they’d actually read the literature on specialization, they’d know that it points to NOT specializing at young ages (7-13), and instead to get involved in many athletic endeavors – and this is something I don’t think anyone is disputing.

Again if you’ve read the literature, it actually points to encouraging specialization around ages 16-18 – well guess what – That’s a sophomore through senior in HS. So if a HS kid is passionate about a sport and wants maximize his/her ability in that sport – the literature actually supports this decision.

So, that’s the difference – when to specialize, NOT if specializing is bad. I think we all agree 7-12 year olds should be exposed to as many athletic events as possible. Understand that a 7-12 year old specializing is vastly different than a 16-18 year old specializing.

2. Let's Try an Example

We have Johnny and Billy - both are HS Juniors.

Johnny was blessed with the genetic lottery - He’s a very gifted athlete. Football is his primary sport, with a scholarship on the way. He also plays basketball and track. Johnny is a 9/10 football player, and even though he only plays basketball during the season (3-months out of the year), he still manages to be a 7/10 basketball player because of his raw athletic ability. Physically dominant kids like Johnny can afford to be less technically & tactically skilled in their lesser sports and still be good – hence why he is a 7/10 with only playing basketball 3-months out of the year.

And remember - When you're a good athlete you get pulled into multiple sports. It's not that playing multiple sports causes one to become a good athlete - it's being a good athlete causes one to be pulled to play multiple sports.

Billy on the other hand was not blessed with superior genetics, he's a pretty average athlete. Billy loves basketball; it’s his passion and his ultimate goal is to play college basketball - ultimately he realizes DI is out of the question and DIII is his likely route - but that shouldn't be any less of a reason to pursue this goal.

Unfortunately for Billy, he’s only a 6/10 basketball player.

So, how can Billy compete with Johnny in basketball???

Well, Billy decides to specialize in basketball. He improves his basketball specific skill set, IQ, specific perception, and learns the nuances of the game that can only come from accumulating time in that sport.

Basketball season comes around and now Billy is a 7/10 – he now has a chance to compete with Johnny. If he played multiple sports, he’d still be a 6/10 and wouldn’t see the court.

By his senior year, Billy has raised himself to a 7.5/10 basketball player, good enough to be a starter and earn an opportunity to play at the DIII level.

Who is to say this is the wrong path for Billy?

I can hear the critics – But he’ll burnout, that doesn’t sound fun, he’ll never be as athletic if he played multiple sports, etc.

But I ask – who led this situation?

It was athlete led; Billy decided this is what HE wanted, and it is wrong for an adult to criticize his decision – and this is where I get frustrated.

3. The language I see used by coaches needs to change.

Athletes NEED to run track; they MUST play basketball; they HAVE to play baseball. If you're under 6'6 and don't have a basketball scholarship yet - you NEED to be playing football (these are real quotes from coaches - publicly displayed on Twitter)

Ever thought for a second that the athlete just doesn’t like those sports? That they don't like track or football or any other sport?

My argument is how is this any better than the AAU coach saying the same thing?

We get pissed if an AAU coach says - If you want to play college basketball you NEED to play AAU. If you want to get noticed by college coaches you HAVE to play AAU.

It’s the same thing – it’s an adult with an agenda trying to lead the decision.

Athletes should be encouraged to play multiple sports – no doubt. But coaches shouldn’t FORCE or MAKE HS athletes play multiple sports. If a kid doesn’t like a sport, stop trying to push them to do it.

A who cares if a kid wants to play hoops all year long, and they’re only 5’11 – if it’s athlete led and the kids passion – awesome.

4. If a HS kid can start to specialize his/her education, then why not sports?

Junior and senior HS kids are asked what careers they’d like to pursue and encouraged to specialize their schoolwork towards those careers.

My junior and senior year, I don’t think I took an English class; instead I loaded up my schedule in the math and sciences because that’s what I enjoyed.

Why is it different for sports?

Or how about this - why don't college or professional athletes play multiple sports?

If playing multiple sports is the panacea of athletic development - why don't athletes post HS do it?

5. What classifies as playing multiple sports?

I have a number of Jr. & Sr. football players who don’t play another sport but play pick-up basketball 2-3 days a week. I have college basketball players that golf 2-3 days a week. Does playing a wide variety of games in the backyard as a youngster count multiple sports?

Does this negate specialization?

6. A final piece and hardest for people to come to terms with – Specialization works!

When done right, specializing has worked for tons of athletes all over the world. Look at sports like gymnastics, swimming/diving, tennis, soccer, golf, basketball, baseball - the majority of the athletes in these sports have specialized from a young age. Look at countries who send little kids to specialized camps from a young age to groom them into Olympians.

Specialization works.

7. Clearly it is much more complex than
specialization = bad
multiple sports = good.

And that’s how this whole thing got started – coaches with an agenda (yes I said agenda) trying to get better athletes to play their sport.

At the end of the day kids should define their own athletic experience.

Trust me, I played 3 sports in HS and couldn’t imagine only playing a single sport in HS – but I also understand everybody is different and kids should lead the decision-making process.

Ok, enough of this rant... on to normal business

Articles

Podcasts

Research

Colyer, S. L., Nagahara, R., & Salo, A. I. (2018). Kinetic demands of sprinting shift across the acceleration phase: novel analysis of entire force waveforms. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports.

A novel approach of analysing complete ground reaction force waveforms rather than discrete kinetic variables can provide new insight to sprint biomechanics. This study aimed to understand how these waveforms are associated with better performance across entire sprint accelerations. Twenty-eight male track and field athletes (100-m personal best times: 10.88 to 11.96 s) volunteered to participate. Ground reaction forces produced across 24 steps were captured during repeated (two to five) maximal-effort sprints utilising a 54-force-plate system. Force data (anteroposterior, vertical, resultant and ratio of forces) across each contact were registered to 100% of stance and averaged for each athlete. Statistical parametric mapping (linear regression) revealed specific phases of stance where force was associated with average horizontal external power produced during that contact. Initially, anteroposterior force production during mid-late propulsion (e.g. 58-92% of stance for the second ground contact) was positively associated with average horizontal external power. As athletes progressed through acceleration, this positive association with performance shifted towards the earlier phases of contact (e.g. 55-80% of stance for the eighth and 17-57% for the 19th ground contact). Consequently, as athletes approached maximum velocity, better athletes were more capable of attenuating the braking forces, especially in the latter parts of the eccentric phase. These unique findings demonstrate a shift in the performance determinants of acceleration from higher concentric propulsion to lower eccentric braking forces as velocity increases. This highlights the broad kinetic requirements of sprinting and the conceivable need for athletes to target improvements in different phases separately with demand-specific exercises.

Spearritt, D. (2013). The impact of field vision on performance within an English Premier league academy soccer team: A case study.

Previous perceptual-cognitive skill research in sport has often applied laboratory-based protocols to examine differences amongst elite and sub-elite performers. Contemporary research within the area has started to move away from such protocols and has begun analysing visual search behaviours within competitive adult soccer matches. The purpose of the current study was to develop an understanding of visual search behaviour in relation to performance outcome amongst elite level youth soccer players, within competitive match performance. Thirteen matches from an English Premier League academy soccer team (under 15 age group) were analysed using a specifically designed notational analysis system created in Microsoft Excel. Visual explorations conducted by individual players were collated, followed by their subsequent action when in possession of the ball. The results show significant visual exploration differences between higher and lower ability elite level youth players (p=0.000). The results of a series of categorical logistic regression analyses also show a clear positive relationship exists between visual exploratory behaviours that are initiated prior to a player receiving the ball and performance with the ball. This relationship remains when assessed amongst several match conditions including overall pass completion, attacking third pass completion and forward pass completion

Nyland, N. (2010). Visual perception in soccer: a study of elite and sub-elite defenders (Master's thesis).

The general purpose of this study was to examine how soccer defenders explore the environment for and use the information to deny opponents goals from crosses into the penalty area. A specific aim was to determine which variables differentiated between elite and sub-elite players. An ecological approach was used as conceptual framework. Participants were at the Premier League level - classified as elite (n = 13, m = 28.15 yrs, SD = 3.82) and at the Reserve League and Academy League level - classified as sub-elite (n = 11, m = 18.3 yrs, SD = 1.40). All participants were filmed in at least one game (six were filmed in two game). A high zoom camera recorded and focused solely upon a single player and general game events were obtained from professional camera recordings (obtained from the clubs) using regular zoom. These two videos were edited and synchronized into a split-screen video.
Results indicate that players in the elite group are more perceptually and functionally active than players in the sub-elite group prior to a cross, by exploring more frequently and positioning themselves more with a back-towards-goal posture allowing them to visually perceive more of the actions of the surrounding forwards. However, it was not demonstrated any functional relationship between exportation and performance related to this defensive situation. Further, constraints such as the players posture, type of defense, distance be-tween the crosser and defender, and involvement showed some differences between the levels and may affect exploration.

Dello Iacono, A., & Seitz, L. B. (2018). Hip thrust-based PAP effects on sprint performance of soccer players: heavy-loaded versus optimum-power development protocols. Journal of sports sciences, 1-8.

Using a crossover design, eighteen soccer athletes performed 5 m, 10 m, and 20 m sprints before and 15 s, 4 min, and 8 min after two PAP protocols. The PAP conditioning activities consisted of hip thrust exercises loaded with either 85% 1RM or a load for optimum power development. The resulting 5 m and 10 m sprint performances were impaired at 15 s following both protocols. At 4 min and 8 min, meaningful improvements were observed for the three sprint distances following both of the protocols. Meaningful differences were found when comparing the two PAPs over time: greater impairments in 5 m and 10 m following the 85% of 1 RM protocol after 15 s, and greater improvements in all sprint distances after 4 min and 8 min following the optimum power development protocol. Positive correlations between the hip thrust's 1RM and power values and the overall individual PAP responses were found. This investigation showed that both heavy-loaded and optimum-power hip thrust exercises can induce a PAP response, with the optimum-power development protocol preferred due its higher efficiency.

Preventing Hamstring Injuries – Part 1: Is there really an eccentric action of the hamstrings during high speed running and does it matter?

A review of Van Hooren and Bosch article that argues isometric exercises may be more effective at reducing hamstrings injuries and more easily and smartly programmed into busy training schedules than eccentric exercises.

Preventing Hamstring Injuries – Part 2: Is there really an eccentric action of the hamstrings during high speed running and does it matter?

Van Hooren and Bosch respond to the questions and comments posed by Shield and Murphy in part 1

Bolger, R., Lyons, M., Harrison, A. J., & Kenny, I. C. (2015). Sprinting performance and resistance-based training interventions: A systematic review. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 29(4), 1146-1156.

Books

Unblievable – Katy Tur
- Read this in about 4-hours. Easy, interesting read as Katy tells her story as she follow Donald Trump during his presidential campaign.

Applied Sprint Training – James Smith
- Solid, thorough read of fundamentals of acceleration and sprint development. A lot of it is based on track & field, but James works to make it applicable to field/team based sports.
  - Sport is a contest of movement, movement between sports is much more similar than different
  - While elite sprinters accelerate up to 60-70m, the bulk of it (90%+) is done within 30m. Thus the bulk of acceleration can sit in this range
  - Enter the season fit, the sport will take care of itself
  - Anyone can run relatively fast, but no one can sprint well without proper training
  - Weight lifting is not the only means of strength training

News

Pick-Up Dr. Stephen Osterer’s Recovery for Baseball Manual – HERE.

Stephen is a bright and awesome guy, and this manual is a heavy hitter for not only baseball players but all athletes. It comes with a 180-page PDF, Monitoring Document, and Online Resources! Seriously, this is a must have for all things recovery. (Not an affiliate link, I receive no monetary gain from promoting this)

See past Reviews below
- January
- February
- March

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March In Review

4/1/2018

0 Comments

Thoughts/Quotes

Your movement signature is not strength. It’s your ability to put meaning and action to your perception as quick as possible – Harjiv Singh

Don’t go into innovation & entrepreneurship if you don’t have an extremely high tolerance for humiliation. Tons of people, even potential customers, will mock you until you get it right…the entrepreneurial journey to success is long & difficult – Alex Osterwalder

What I fail to comprehend is Y everyone is so darn sure that fatigue causes ACL injuries... or any other injuries... is this taught in the standard curriculums? – Tim Hewett

You have to know the rule before you can break the rules

My complaint with Physical Therapy is they label you, describe your condition, give you restrictions, give you generic exercises/modalities, and tend to put people on a reductionist solution path.

It’s better to be strong with some asymmetries than have no asymmetries and be weak

We can make athletes learn better by performing worse – pull into dysfunction/error can highlight the athletes awareness of problem

Return to play should emphasize the whole athlete NOT just the physical

Many coaches still believe that the only/best way to train force absorption is the catch portion of Olympic lifts.

Perceptual information and movement are interlinked; training should reflect specific information-movement couplings.

All things being equal – best posture wins – Vince Anderson

Try accelerating the whole race – Vince Anderson

Generally, the athlete moving fastest at 50m will beat the athlete that reaches 50m first – Stuart McMillian

Articles

Podcasts

Research

Tsoukos, A., Veligekas, P., Brown, L. E., Terzis, G., & Bogdanis, G. C. (2018). Delayed Effects of a Low-Volume, Power-Type Resistance Exercise Session on Explosive Performance. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 32(3), 643-650.

5 × 4 jump squats at 40% 1RM with 3 minutes rest shown to potentiate performance (CMJ, RSI & RFD) 24-48 hours after session.

Araujo, D., Davids, K., & Hristovski, R. (2006). The ecological dynamics of decision making in sport. Psychology of sport and exercise, 7(6), 653-676.

Decision-making behaviour is best considered at the level of the performer–environment relationship and viewed as emerging from the interactions of individuals with environmental constraints over time towards specific functional goals.

Bruce, L., Farrow, D., Raynor, A., & Mann, D. (2012). But I can’t pass that far! The influence of motor skill on decision making. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 13(2), 152-161.

Motor skill influenced the performance of the required action, but not necessarily the decision made. Performance is superior on a coupled perceptual-motor task relative to a de-coupled perceptual-cognitive task. Motor skill performance was commensurate with expertise.

Liefeith, A., Kiely, J., Collins, D., & Richards, J. (2018). Back to the Future–in support of a renewed emphasis on generic agility training within sports-specific developmental pathways.Journal of sports sciences, 1-6.

The authors propose that generic agility can play a role in operationalising movement development through facilitating skill transfer: thereby enabling the learning of new skills, reduce incidence of injury and facilitating re-learning of old skills during rehabilitation and Return-to-Play processes.

Buckner, S. L., Jessee, M. B., Dankel, S. J., Mattocks, K. T., Abe, T., & Loenneke, J. P. (2018). Resistance exercise and sports performance: The minority report. Medical hypotheses,113, 1-5.

Although there is a large body of cross-sectional literature providing a rationale for resistance exercise for sport, its implementation is largely based on the following: 1) An increase in muscle size will produce an increase in strength and 2) a stronger muscle will increase sports performance. However, there is a lack of evidence to support these assumptions. The weight of evidence suggests that resistance exercise may indirectly impact sports performance through injury prevention, as opposed to directly improving sport related abilities.

Jeffreys, I., Huggins, S., & Davies, N. (2018). Delivering a Gamespeed-focused Speed and Agility Development Program in an English Premier League Soccer Academy. Strength & Conditioning Journal.

It can be argued that what is crucial is not speed and agility, but how the capacities are exploited in the game. Speed and agility will be ineffective unless they can be combined with the ability to employ these capacities to effectively perform the tasks of the game. Optimizing these capacities requires a sophisticated development program that addresses the full gamut of potential constraints to performance. This article outlines how such a development program has been set-up at an English premier league soccer academy.

Warren, C. D., Brown, L. E., Landers, M. R., & Stahura, K. A. (2011). Effect of three different between-inning recovery methods on baseball pitching performance. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 25(3), 683-688.

The purpose of this study was to determine which of 3 forms of recovery were the most effective after an inning of pitching in baseball. Three different measurements were used to determine which recovery method was most effective; the difference in blood lactate (BLa) levels was used as a biological measurement, average pitching speed was the physiological measurement, and the psychological measurement was done on how the pitchers perceived their pitching and recovery. The recovery methods that were used were passive recovery (PR), active recovery (AR), and electromuscular stimulation (EMS). Seven college men aged 21 (62 years) who were National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II college baseball pitchers were assessed during game play simulations. Blood lactate levels decreased significantly from the premeasurement to the postmeasurement with the EMS recovery method (p , 0.0005); however, BLa did not change for PR (p = 0.017) or AR (p = 0.134). Perceived recovery was also found to be best in the EMS and PR conditions. These findings suggest that EMS is an effective recovery method between innings of pitching

Previous investigations of strength have only focused on biomechanical or psychological determinants, while ignoring the potential interplay and relative contributions of these variables. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relative contributions of biomechanical, anthropometric, and psychological variables to the prediction of maximum parallel barbell back squat strength. Twenty-one college-aged participants (male = 14; female = 7; age = 23 ± 3 years) reported to the laboratory for two visits. The first visit consisted of anthropometric, psychometric, and parallel barbell back squat one-repetition maximum (1RM) testing. On the second visit, participants performed isometric dynamometry testing for the knee, hip, and spinal extensors in a sticking point position-specific manner. Multiple linear regression and correlations were used to investigate the combined and individual relationships between biomechanical, anthropometric, and psychological variables and squat 1RM. Multiple regression revealed only one statistically predictive determinant: fat free mass normalized to height (standardized estimate ± SE = 0.6 ± 0.3; t(16) = 2.28; p = 0.037). Correlation coefficients for individual variables and squat 1RM ranged from r = -0.79-0.83, with biomechanical, anthropometric, experiential, and sex predictors showing the strongest relationships, and psychological variables displaying the weakest relationships. These data suggest that back squat strength in a heterogeneous population is multifactorial and more related to physical rather than psychological variables.

Nagahara, R., Takai, Y., Haramura, M., Mizutani, M., Matsuo, A., Kanehisa, H., & Fukunaga, T. (2018). Age-Related Differences in Spatiotemporal Variables and Ground Reaction Forces During Sprinting in Boys. Pediatric exercise science,20(XX), 1-10.

There was a stage of temporal slower development of sprinting ability from age 8.8 to 12.1 years, being characterized by unchanged propulsive force and decreased step frequency. Moreover, increasing propulsive forces during the middle acceleration and maximal speed phases and during the initial acceleration phase are probably responsible for the rapid development of sprinting ability before and after the period of temporal slower development of sprinting ability.

Sugisaki, N., Kobayashi, K., Tsuchie, H., & Kanehisa, H. (2017). Associations Between Individual Lower Limb Muscle Volumes and 100-m Sprint Time in Male Sprinters.International journal of sports physiology and performance, 1-19.

Individual differences in 100-m-race performance cannot be explained by the muscularity of specific muscles, and 23% of the variability in the performance can be explained by the relative difference between the muscularity of gluteus maximus and quadriceps femoris; faster runners have a greater gluteus maximus relative to quadriceps femoris.

Books

Been another slow month…

Captivology – Ben Parr – Parr documents the stories of those who have successfully brought their ideas/projects to public awareness. Has some decent parts and gives some good thought as to how to attract people to your cause and build trusted followers.

News

1st Annual Sport Movement Skill Conference – Honored to speak at what will be an incredible conference. Shawn Myszka has put together a knockout line-up of speakers and even an international call to Ireland to speak with Keith Davids, Ric Shuttleworth, & Mark O’Sullivan
Our 4th Annual Elite Performance Clinic is fast approaching on Saturday, April 14th. We hope you can join us for this great event.

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