Psychological Influences on Posture

Our young athletes are under a constant barrage of multiple pressures - academics, athletics, social and family obligations and for some, holding a down a job. Many experts believe that all these outside stresses can definitely have an affect on the neuromusculoskeletal system (the brain, spinal cord and nerves, the muscle system, which includes muscles, ligaments, tendons and connective tissues, and the skeletal system, which includes bones of the skull, spine and limbs). It is important that coaches and trainers are able to observe their athletes closely for the signs that outside influences may be negatively affecting the athlete’s posture, which in turn will affect their overall performance.

There are multiple things to be on the lookout for. Some are:
•Increased workout demands
•Lack of sleep
•Increased stress
•Pressure to excel
•Low energy levels
•Negative relationships
•Poor performance
•Depression

All athletes can have an off day and find it hard to perform even the most simple of training exercises, but sometimes it is a bigger issue. Athletes that display a guarded type posture may have been the victim of some type of extreme trauma. Trainers and coaches need to understand this is not an issue that they themselves should address, but should be discussed with the athlete’s parents or referred out to a counselor to ensure the athlete’s well being and safety.

In Health,
Len

Development of Balance in Sport

Balance is the condition in which the body's center of gravity is upheld within its base of support. Balance is a function of joint stability, which is influenced by the strength and proprioceptive abilities of the musculoskeletal system (the system of muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, joints, and associated tissues that move the body and maintain its form). While the eyes, the inner ear and proprioceptors contribute roughly equally to the sense of balance while standing still or static, dynamic activities, such as walking or jumping, engage proprioceptors disproportionately. Simply put, balance boils down to this:

•Static balance is the ability to control the body while the body is stationary.
•Dynamic balance is the ability to control the body while the body is in motion.

It is important to understand, however, that both types of balance improve from early childhood to adolescence. These improvements take place at the same time that the nervous system is developing. Young athletes will use trial and error to find the most effective way to maintain their balance while learning new movement patterns. Allow young athletes to play a variety of games where they must use their balance to help them train efficiently and effectively. Examples of this could be obstacle courses, hopping drills, one legged reach drills, etc.

The age of the child will determine how quickly they will adapt. For example, a youth between the ages of 10 -12 will more than likely find a way to achieve his or her balance faster than a child at the age of 7 because the older youth’s nervous system is also more advanced. It is because of this that coaches need to have an understanding of how balance develops in their young athletes to ensure that the training they chose helps to cultivate it properly.

In Health,
Len

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Assessment for Youth Athletes

It is getting more and more common for our young athletes to get pressured into trying to become better athletes in shorter periods of time. Typically, athletes are being pressed to their maximums in the pursuit of trying to make them stronger, faster, etc. as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, this isn’t giving us a nation of super athletes. On the contrary, our country is experiencing epidemic youth injury rates and more and more youngsters who are burning out from sport participation.

We need to remember that athletic development is much like any other type of development, school for instance. It takes time and it takes planning. It needs to begin with the fundamentals being mastered before moving forward to more complex movements. A child doesn’t master mathematics in six weeks. True, if an adolescent athlete signs up for a 6 week program in strength training, he or she will probably be able to lift a heavier amount of weight at the end of the program. However, is this the most valuable measurement of the athlete overall? What about the safety of the athlete? Was the athlete brought through an initial functional movement screening to determine if he or she is ready to even begin a weight lifting program? Was the athlete taught how to lift the dumbbell properly in order to not injure the joint or muscles involved in the lift? All these questions (and then some) need to be considered.

An athlete may make strength improvements, if handed a dumbbell and told to do as many reps as they can for 3 sets, but the youth will not make long term measurable improvements with their overall athletic development with short term training. It takes time (years) and educated coaches to accomplish the goal.

In Health,
Len

Motivation - Opportunities for Success – Part 2

In part 1 of our series, 4 key character traits that needed to be instilled in adolescent athletes in order to raise their motivational levels was discussed. Interestingly enough, according to the IYCA, there are 4 different types of young athletes that emerge. Each group needs to be recognized in order for a coach or parent to understand the unique way to work with their athlete(s) in order to get a positive training result that continually appeals to the adolescent. Review the following:

1.The athlete has low motivation and skill – These youths typically have very low self confidence and ability. They can be shy and quiet. They do not like to be singled out or corrected in front of groups. It is best to approach this type of athlete personally so that he or she feels comfortable. Be sure to ask when coaching this athlete if they had questions while you were talking to the group, because they probably won’t feel confident enough to ask on their own. Always be direct and speak quietly when telling this type of athlete what to do.
2.The athlete has low motivation and high skill – Typically, youths that aren’t challenged tend to get bored and their motivation levels suffer because if it. This is usually seen in athletes that have always been able to catch on easily to new concepts and ideas. It is appropriate to alter this athlete’s fitness routine by making things more difficult with more weight, reps, or design changes. Using positive reinforcement inspire this athlete to achieve greater success. However, this type of athlete may simply want not to participate in this sport any longer and is only doing so because of outside influences. It is very important to have back and forth communication with your athlete(s) to make sure this isn’t the case.
3.The athlete has high motivation and low skill - The key with this athlete is to match your coaching enthusiasm with how excited he or she is about wanting to perform the activity successfully. Positively guide them through the hard work necessary to get better at the skills they need to become a better athlete.
4.The athlete has high motivation and skill – Athletes at this level need to be given the opportunity to be part of the process when it comes to designing their fitness programs. They have the ability to understand the concepts behind the training. Recognize them for their ability and give them every opportunity to excel in technical proficiency. Don’t be afraid to delegate some of the responsibility of the training program back to these athletes.

Ideally, coaches and parents should strive to get their adolescents into group 4. It is important to understand though the majority of athletes do not start in this group. It is the adults’ job to positively guide each individual based on their youth’s unique personality to bring them to a higher level of athletic development.

In Health,
Len