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Performing squats requires normal mobility of the hips, knees and ankles. At all times attention to neutral lumbar positioning promotes proper squat mechanics that are essential to the addition of increased loading during your workout.
Assisted Squat Stretch
The Squat with Butt Lift
The Squat with Butt Lift provides a great dynamic warm-up to the hips, knees and ankles. The butt lift aspect promotes hamstring stretching in a dynamic lengthening stretch. Be sure to maintain neutral lumbar positioning by avoiding flexion, or rounding of the lumbar spine.
The Assisted Squat Stretch
An Assisted Squat Stretch provides controlled movement to emphasize joint mobility of the hips, knees, ankles. Attention is given to maintaining good spinal posture - maintaining a lordotic lumbar curve. Perform prior to squat training for a dynamic warm-up to your training program.
Dynamic warm-up and running drills are an important part of preparation, and can be injected as a strengthening or fast twitch part of your training program. These programs are often included as a part of the practice for teams, such as soccer, football, track and field, or sports requiring elements of speed and agility, as well as distance events. The dynamic nature of the routine acts to prepare the body for training or competition. This will include elements of flexibility, core stabilization and mobility, strength and stretch shortening contraction.
It is strongly recommended that developing a Dynamic Warm-up Program becomes an integral part of the Athlete's Training Ritual. Designed, and Practiced, early in the season will enable the athlete to become tuned-in to the body, and establish mental focus in preparation for the ensuing practice to competitive event. Careful attention to the intensity and duration of the various running drills and dynamic warm-up is used when developing specific routines for specific occasions. There may be a specific pre-practice program that may have an element of increasing strength, endurance or stretch shortening contractions. All of which have an influence on running economy. A pre-competition ritual may be focused more on strategies that are prepping for maximum performance in the event. It is the goal to avoid fatigue that would interfere with the competitive event. The following videos provide a varied approach to Dynamic Warm-Up and Running Drills. The First Video:
I hope you find the videos full of information that can be used in designing a sport-specific, dynamic warm-up program. Whether it is for You, or Your Athletes, it may just be another tool in the pack on the Journey of Success.
Speed training should be accomplished in short and all out effort
(>95%). If your effort is not near maximal, you will not be training
efficiently. Speed training requires the duration of 3-6 seconds. This
window of time is where your neuromuscular system will most efficiently
make changes that will result in speed development. It is important that
if you are training for speed rest intervals must be provided to allow
for recovery. The appropriate recovery time is at least for every 1
second of work there is at least 1 minute of rest. An example, sprint 3
secs. and rest 3 minutes. To train appropriately for speed, fatigue
should not be a limiting factor. Speed is a complete neuromuscular
activity, and utilizes the Alactic Energy System. Therefore, no lactic
acid is produced.
Speed Training
Speed Testing
Testing acceleration and speed should be performed within 6 to 7
seconds of duration. This requires all out effort.
Acceleration is the
period of time it takes to achieve full speed - 10-20 meters.
Acceleration to reach max speed takes 10 to 20 meters in the youth athlete. Speed must be assessed after the athlete
is able to accelerate to top speed. Maximum speed, therefore, will occur in a window 20
to 30 meters after the first 10 to 20 meters. This is referred to as a Fly Zone. The athlete must be in a
non-fatigued state when testing for speed and acceleration.
Measure top end speed in a 20-30 meter window after an initial 10-20 meter acceleration zone.
Using a 10 meter acceleration and a 30 meter speed zone that is timed will require a full 40 meters.
If the athlete runs the 30 meters in 3.6 seconds the speed is determined by dividing 30 meters/3.6 seconds, and will provide top end speed of 8.33m/sec.
With this information it is recommended that when training for acceleration a 10 to 20 meter distance can be utilized. When training for speed use a short, 10-20 meter acceleration zone to reach top end speed. Using a 30 meter zone the athlete must maintain speeds of 3.6 to 3.8 secs. for maximal benefit of speed training. This would be performing at >95% of maximal effort. This will maximize neuromuscular gains. When speeds exceed 3.8 secs. neuromuscular fatigue sets in and quality of training for speed decreases.
Watch the slide presentation to learn more about Dynamic Warm-Up for Speed Training.
