Gatorade Sports Science Institute - Foods and Fluids for Fitness

Foods and Fluids for Fitness
People who are involved in an exercise program for fitness and health can learn to maximize their training efforts and get more out of a workout by learning to fuel their bodies with the right foods and fluids.


Fluids: Staying Hydrated
0 If exercisers lose too much fluid in sweat without replacing what they’ve lost in both fluids and electrolytes (like sodium and potassium), they risk becoming dehydrated.

0 Exercisers of all ages are at increased risk for dehydration. Children and older adults are susceptible to dehydration and should pay special attention to their fluid intake.

0 Dehydration can diminish energy and impair performance. Even a 2-percent loss of body weight through sweat (i.e., 3 pounds for a 150-pound exerciser)1,2 can spell trouble. Maintaining proper hydration is important for all fitness enthusiasts.


Hydration for Improving Workouts
Exercisers who work out in warm weather or a hot gym risk dehydration. The risk becomes greater the longer the workout lasts, or when there is more than one workout in a day. Here’s how to prevent dehydration and get the most mileage out of a general fitness routine:

0 Remember fluids throughout the day. This may be as simple as grabbing a sports drink first thing in the morning, then using fountains, coolers, and cafeteria beverages as triggers for drinking throughout the day.

0 Hydrate 2 to 3 hours before exercise. Active people should aim for at least 16 ounces (2 cups) of fluid at this time and an additional 8 ounces (1 cup) 10 to 20 minutes prior to exercising.

0 Drink during workouts. Sports drinks, like Gatorade®, can help ward off dehydration and muscle cramps because they help replenish both fluid and electrolytes (i.e., sodium and potassium) lost in sweat without overdrinking. However, for active people who prefer to drink plain water, a fitness water, such as Propel Fitness Water®, may be a better option. Fitness waters are lightly flavored to help exercisers drink more than they would of plain water, thus staying better hydrated.

0 Consider carbohydrates. Many exercisers are hesitant to use sports drinks during a workout, not wanting to take in extra calories. However, recent research has shown that consuming some carbohydrates by drinking a sports drink during a workout can limit calorie intake throughout the rest of the day.


Foods for High Energy
Carbohydrates are energy powerhouses for fitness. Foods high in carbohydrates, like whole grains, cereals, fruits, and vegetables, supply energy to working muscles during exercise. They also offer a variety of important nutrients like vitamins C and A and antioxidants, crucial for maintaining healthy cells in the body. Protein is essential for building and maintaining enzymes, tissues, and muscles. Although most fitness enthusiasts don’t need as much protein as carbohydrate, it’s also important. An easy way to eat for fitness is to divide a plate into three equal portions. Fill 1/3 with grains, preferably whole grains, 1/3 with fruits and vegetables, and 1/3 with lean protein sources, like chicken or turkey breast, eggs, or nonfat/lowfat yogurt. Then, choose a high-nutrient drink like skim milk or 100 percent juice.


Quick Snack Ideas
Try these quick snack combinations to fuel the fit system before or after workouts, or provide energy throughout the day:

0 Whole grain crackers with peanut butter and raisins
0 Oatmeal topped with fresh strawberries
0 Lowfat yogurt with walnuts and dried apricots
0 Whole grain pita with hummus and fresh spinach
0 Cottage cheese with fresh peaches and almonds
0 Pasta salad with fresh tomatoes, carrots, and green peppers
0 1/2 of a turkey and mozzarella sandwich on rye bread
0 Broccoli and cauliflower with nonfat yogurt dip
0 Scrambled eggs and whole grain toast
0 Watermelon, raspberry, and blueberry fruit salad

Keep Healthy Foods at Your Fingertips
When fueling for fitness, take a little extra time to have healthy food options available. Exercisers should stock up on these foods regularly:

Grains
Whole grain breads, Whole grain cereals like oatmeal or whole wheat flakes, Oatmeal, Brown rice, Whole grain pastas, Whole grain crackers like, stone-ground wheat crackers, Barley or bulgur

Fruits
Citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit, and tangerines, Bananas, kiwi, and pineapple, Apples, pears, nectarines, papaya, and peaches, Plums, prunes, and apricots, Grapes and raisins, Watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe, Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and cherries, 100% fruit juices, 100% fruit leather, Frozen 100% fruit bars

Vegetables
Broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams, Green beans, snap peas, corn, and asparagus, Tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato juice, Spinach, cabbage, kale, collards, and greens, Green, red, and yellow peppers, Onions and leeks

Milk/Dairy Products
Lowfat/nonfat milk or soymilk, Products Lowfat/nonfat cheese or cottage cheese, Lowfat/nonfat yogurt and kefir, Lowfat/nonfat frozen yogurt or ice milk

Protein Sources
Skinless chicken or turkey breast, Pork loin, Lean roast beef, Eggs Salmon, tuna, whitefish, and shrimp, Soy-based vegetarian burgers and meat alternatives, Tofu and tempeh, Nuts, seeds, and nut butters, Dried beans and peas, Energy bars



Foods & Fluids Series: FITNESS is a series of science articles written by Susan Kundrat, M.S., R.D., L.D., an expert in sports nutrition.

Protecting that Knee, PART 3 - Dynamic Warm-Up Exercises

Addressing foundations for performance and injury prevention, the following components are building blocks for the Active-Dynamic Warm-Up with examples of exercises that comprise the training.

Transit Mobility Exercises – Movement with range of motion emphasis and progressive intensity over a measured distance. For example:


Forward/Backward/Lateral Skipping, Running Build-Ups, Walking Knee Hugs, Walking Quadriceps Stretch, Straight Leg Marching, Lateral Slides, Backward Strides, Walking Lunges, Skips and Scoops.

Muscle Activation Exercises – Waking the muscles up – neuromuscular activation and coordination of muscle groups. For example:

Forward/Lateral Body Weight Squats, Forward/Lateral/Backward/Crossover Lunges, Supine Straight Leg Raises, Prone Superman’s, Supine Hip Lifts (hamstrings), Donkey Kicks, Kneeling Hip Circles.

Dynamic Mobility Exercises – Stationary movement activities involving neuromuscular activation with core stability and flexibility focus. For example:

Mountain Climbers, Thrusts, Supine Leg Swings across the body, Hamstring Rockers, Standing Frontal and Sagittal Leg Swings.

Balance and Stability - For Example:

Single Leg Balance for Time, Single Leg Balance Quarter Squat Position, Standing Single Leg Toe Touches with Trail Leg Countermovement, Balance Single Leg Hops.

An example of the Active-Dynamic Warm-Up

Low intensity Transit Exercise
- Forward Low Skip (down the field and back) – 20-30 yards


Balance & Stability Exercise
- Single Leg Balance for :20-:30 each leg.


Moderate Transit Exercise
- Half Speed Buildup Run (down and back) – 30 yards
- Lateral Low Shuffle (down and back 1x each direction) – 20-30 yards


Muscle Activation
- Forward Lunge – 5x each
- Backward Lunge – 5x each


Transit Exercise
- Walking Knee Hugs (down) – 15-20 yards
- Walking Quadriceps Stretch (back) – 15-20 yards


Dynamic Mobility Exercise
- Thrust – 5-10x
- Mountain Climbers – 5-10x
- Groiner – 5-10x


Transit Exercise
- ¾ Speed Buildup Run (down) – 30 yards
- Backward Skip (back) – 30 yards


Muscle Activation Exercise
- Body Weight Squats – 5-10x
- Body Weight Squat Drops – 5x


Balance & Stability Exercise
- Standing Single Leg Toe Touches with Trail Leg Countermovement
- Single Leg Hops In Place (sit back in the hips, keep the knee behind the toe)


Transit Exercise
- Full Speed Buildup Run (down and back) – 30 yards


With a little preparation, attention, and focus, a coach can elevate the warm-up into a component of practice that will develop physical foundations for physical development and injury prevention.

Protecting that Knee, PART 2 - ACL Warm-Up

ACTIVE DYNAMIC WARM-UP AND INJURY PREVENTION

Too often a traditional warm-up for a soccer practice or a game is a jog around the field followed by static stretching, ball drills, and small side games. The objective being to progressively get the athletes ready for practice or game. Instead of the traditional warm-up, a progressive Active-Dynamic Warm-Up during the initial 10-20 minutes can be more beneficial for the athlete’s total development. The Active-Dynamic Warm-Up is composed of purposeful active movement that progressively readies the body for practice or competition while stressing biomotor abilities (strength and power, coordination, speed and agility, flexibility and dynamic mobility, balance and stability, and fitness) that are foundational for improved performance and injury prevention.


A concern for injury prevention might be the most persuasive reason for structuring an Active-Dynamic Warm-Up into the practice. Soccer requires starting/stopping, cutting, jumping, and other high force maneuvers that have high incidences of ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) injuries. Shockingly, several studies have found that girls have three to eight times more ACL injuries than boys depending on the sport and more than seventy percent of these injuries are non-contact related. There are numerous theories as to why this occurs including finding that female athletes tend to be quadriceps dominate and have weak hamstring muscles. Because of these imbalances, forces within the knee when decelerating from a jump or sprint were much higher in those athletes with less active hamstrings. Studies have shown that injuries were decreased significantly when female soccer players perform certain exercises and drills during their warm-up.

Next time, we will discuss the warm-up exercises you can do to get that knee warmed up and helping prevent injury.

Protecting that Knee, PART 1 - ACL Fitness Program

In 1972, legislation known as Title IX of the Educational Amendments was enacted enabling women to participate in academic and athletic events without gender bias. Today, more than two and one half million girls participate in high school sports compared to three hundred thousand in 1972. Coinciding with increased participation has been an increase in knee injuries, especially Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries.

The ACL is one of four major ligaments in the knee and its function is to stabilize the knee keeping the lower (tibia) and upper (femur) leg bones from moving too far from each other, either forward or to the side. Sports such as basketball, volleyball, and soccer, which require starting/stopping, cutting, jumping, and other high force maneuvers, have the highest incidences of ACL injuries. More than seventy percent of these injuries are non-contact. Several studies have found that girls have three to eight times more ACL injuries than boys, depending on the sport. However, the good news is that proper training can reduce the number of these injuries. In fact, a two year study (PEP) performed by the Santa Monica Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Research Foundation during 2000 and 2001 found that ACL injuries were decreased by 88% and 74% respectively, when female soccer players performed certain exercises and drills during their warm up.

Many studies have attempted to discover why women have more ACL injuries than men. There is no definitive answer. However, there are several factors that seem to predispose women to this injury:

· Anatomically, women have a greater Q angle (the angle formed by the femur and the tibia when viewed from the front) at the knee which can allow the knee to internally rotate to a greater extent than their male counterpart.

· Girls tend to have quadriceps that are too dominant and hamstrings that are too weak.

· Females are not as efficient when it comes to cutting, decelerating, and landing due to muscle reaction time disparity.

· Women have “looser” knee joints than men.

The knee joint is at risk regardless of gender. It is imperative that athletes learn how to apply and absorb forces properly (starting/stopping, cutting, landing, core strength, etc.), strengthen muscles that support the knee (especially the hamstrings in girls), increase agility, and enhance their proprioceptive awareness (plyometrics, coordinated movements at fast speed, control position of limbs during potentially vulnerable situations).

Many organizations have implemented successful knee injury prevention programs. These programs share several key components including understanding and improving proper movement skills, increasing power/core strength, and enhancing proprioception. The Velocity Sports Performance staff has implemented these components in the following units: mobility/flexibility, balance, power, and agility.

Several of the mobility, power, and agility exercises are plyometric in nature. Plyometric exercises involve stretching a muscle followed by a rapid concentric contraction of that muscle which engages the serial-elastic and proprioceptive components of the muscle tissue. The result is a more powerful force application. Plyometric exercise bridge the gap between strength and speed. They must be carefully introduced into the training regime insuring that the intensity of these exercises is increased gradually throughout the season.

Note that static stretching is not included as part of our recommended pre-training or pre-event warm-up. Several good studies suggest that static stretching tends to shut down the mechanisms that enable the human musculature to produce large forces. Motoneuron excitability is definitely decreased during and after static stretching protocols. Because of these studies, and based on results from our own experience, all of the exercise units are used to increase muscle temperature and flexibility. If static stretching is to be used for increasing joint range of motion, we recommend that it be performed as a post-training or post-event activity.


There are hundreds of exercises and drills that athletes and coaches can choose from to augment sports training. Most ACL injury prevention programs use the same 4 to 15 exercises throughout the training cycle. We have chosen a larger set that specifically addresses the needs of female soccer players, adds variety, and increases intensity as the program progresses. These exercises and drills should be done at least three times a week for a period of 20 to 30 minutes during the warm up phase of training. They should be continued throughout the entire season. The emphasis must be on quality of effort, not quantity. If done properly, the potential for ACL injury will be reduced and the training program will be enhanced.

Protecting that Knee - Injury Prevention

This week we will start a 3 part series on knee and ACL protection and injury prevention, so stay tuned for warm-ups and workouts along with plenty of injury prevention tips to help you protect that knee!!

Adults need to be fit too!!

Check out this video about Velocity Sports Performance's ADULT FITNESS Class, and get stronger, more agile, and help fight the aging process!

Ever Feel like each year your AGE is fighting against you?

We can help you fight back!

Many adults have discovered that with each passing year comes a new ache, pain, or injury. As our lives get more hectic, schedules get more booked up, and time becomes more precious, we tend to devote less time and attention to our health and to exercise. But exercise is precisely what we need to keep our daytime energy levels up and to keep away those pesky aches and pains!

Research has shown that many of the common ailments of both adult men and women can be controlled through regular exercise. However, when starting a new exercise program, it’s important to keep certain things in mind to help avoid aggravating those everyday aches and pains or sustaining other injuries:

1) Avoid training when you are tired. This is your body’s way of telling you that you need rest, and might cause you to be more susceptible to injury.

2) If you experience pain when you are exercising – stop! It’s normal to “feel the burn,” but not to feel the pain.

3) Tone down your exercise program for the day if your muscles are feeling stiff from previous workouts or hard labor.

4) Introduce new activities gradually – if you are not familiar with an exercise or are trying it for the first time, take it slow.

5) Make sure that you stay hydrated – before, during and after your workout.

With the Velocity Fitness program, we will:

Warm you up with an active dynamic warm-up to wake up those muscles, get your heart pumping and help ward off potential injuries.

Increase your stamina during exercise by focusing on energy system development. We’ll work on building up your energy system to help you last longer while you participate in aerobic activity.

Make you stronger. Want to increase your muscle tone? Get an over-all leaner look? Or even protect yourself against bone loss that comes with Osteoporosis? The strength training portion of Velocity Fitness is just what you need.

While it may seem like introducing a new exercise program might introduce new aches and pains, in reality, a regular exercise program can help alleviate the ones you may already have. In addition, a regular exercise program can help prevent chronic health problems that tend to appear later in life, such as high blood pressure, Type II Diabetes, high cholesterol levels, arthritis, and even depression. At Velocity Sports Performance, our Velocity Fitness adult program is just what the doctor ordered, not only to help you feel better, but also to provide a little fun and variety to your exercise program!

You CAN slow down the aging process. So let’s get moving!

Velocity in the News - The Seattle Times

Performance Art

In coaching kids, it's about core mechanics and confidence
By Richard Seven

TIMES HAVE SURE changed from when I was a kid so many years ago. That's what I'm thinking as I veer from a Redmond arterial one weekday afternoon and turn into a mall of warehouses inhabited by companies that teach kids dancing, martial arts and gymnastics.

Past those, I arrive at Velocity Sports Performance, where the kids make up about 80 percent of the clients working with personal trainers and learning competitive mechanical concepts like explosion and quickness.

Inside, I find four high-school lacrosse players warming up for their 90-minute training session with Sports Performance director Rick Huegli, who was strength and conditioning coach for the University of Washington football team for 18 years.

Kids from 8 to 18 begin showing up to work out in small groups and at the direction of coaches inside the 14,000-square-foot training facility. Two kids, perhaps 10 years old, trudge up an artificial-turf field while a coach restrains them in a harness. This drill helps them practice the proper running motion and build stabilizing muscles in the legs and core. Other kids move sideways up another part of the field, each focusing on pushing off the correct portion of the propelling foot.

Velocity's mantra of "Speed Balance Agility Power" is displayed prominently inside the gym. Coaches there don't spend time on skills specific to a sport, say kicking a soccer ball or dribbling a basketball with the off-hand. Instead, they work on mechanics such as how to quicken that first step, keep speed at a high level longer and move in ways that reduce the chance for injury. Velocity coaches work with athletes such as former UW sprinter Ja'Warren Hooker and recreational athletes, but the core business is kids who want to improve their ability, whether it's so they can make a team, move up on the depth chart, get a scholarship or improve self-confidence.

More intensive youth coaching is a growing trend, and the Redmond Velocity club, which opened just more than a year ago, is part of a national company that has dozens of franchises. While youth sports are bigger than ever, school programs are going through continued cuts. The concept of Velocity started with Loren Seagrave, a former Olympic track coach. He maintains that speed is a skill you can develop. Huegli agrees and follows a developmental pyramid in his approach to his young athletes.

"Between, say, 7 and 10 years old is about fundamentals, with FUN in capital letters," Huegli says. "Between 10 and 14, train them how to train. From 14 to 18, you train them to compete. And at 18-19, you train them to win."

As the after-school crowd rolls in, Huegli breaks down the mechanics of a stride to the lacrosse players and then sends them sprinting, two at a time, down a four-lane indoor track. Velocity guarantees that kids who go through at least 24 sessions (36 hours) will improve their scores in a series of athletic tests.

Clients usually employ packages in blocks of 12, 24 and 50 sessions. Prices range from $20 to 35 per hour; most sessions are 90 minutes. See www.velocitysp.com/redmond for details. The value I see in programs like Velocity is that they help give kids a better chance of sticking with sports by developing good habits and building confidence. I've read where three-quarters of youth baseball players quit by the time they are 13. And the American Obesity Association says about 30 percent of youths are overweight. Part of me wonders how necessary all this is, but the kids seem to be there because they want to be. So if Mom and Dad are willing to spend the money and drive them to and from another appointment, why not the gym?

Looking for something to do over Mid-Winter Break?

Well don't forget to sign up for Velocity Sports' Speed and Agility Camp February 19-22!

Beat the winter blues and get a step up on your competition with this camp for Ages 9 and above.

Running from 1-3 pm each day and only $150 per athlete, the camp will focus on:

Starts, Acceleration & Deceleration
Plyometrics & Explosive Power
Multi – direction / Agility
Core Strength, Stability & Balance
Dynamic Mobility, Flexibility & Coordination
Proper Athletic Positions & Postures
Injury Prevention

Team Camps are also available in the AM.


Go here for more information:http://www.velocitysp.com/redmond/mid_winter_break_camp
or call us at 425.881.0647

Velocity in the News - Sports Illustrated

Sports Illustrated, "After-school Special"

By Kelly King, Sports IllustratedAugust 06, 2007

For too many kids, the after-school hours are spent parked in front of a television or computer. But in places like a nondescript strip mall in Cherry Hill, N.J., a countermovement—with emphasis on the word movement—is afoot. At 4 p.m. on a recent Wednesday the brightly lit, 21,000-square-foot space is bustling with youth in motion.

In one area six high school lacrosse players cheer one another through dumbbell squats. Behind them a pack of middle schoolers, representing both sexes and four sports, are running timed sprints on a 65-yard rubberized track. Across the way a placekicker who’s headed to the Naval Academy next fall deep-lunges his way across a 40-yard AstroTurf field. Through the windows of an adjacent waiting room parents sip complimentary coffee and watch contentedly.

Welcome to Velocity Sports Performance, a fast-growing national chain of workout facilities where kids from aspiring T-ballers to Olympic-caliber collegians are getting faster, stronger and more agile. (And in lesser numbers, so are adults—from women wanting to lose postpregnancy pounds to NFL players looking to gain a step.) For $25 to $30 an hour Velocity’s clients are led through a variety of running, jumping and lifting drills by certified trainers, all of whom have been schooled in Velocity’s core principle: At the basis of all sports are certain fundamental movements. Sharpen those, and performance—and by extension, confidence and even happiness—will improve.

It was two decades ago when Loren Seagrave, Velocity’s 53-year-old founder, first scribbled those ideas on a scrap of paper. Although he was a technique guru who would tutor some of the world’s top sprinters and hurdlers, including Olympic champions Donovan Bailey and Gwen Torrence, Seagrave longed to return to his roots in basic phys ed, in which he earned a degree at Wisconsin. "Not only was obesity running rampant, but I also was seeing more and more athletes [specializing too much] and losing out on the important mechanics that a mix of sports teaches you," he says. "I thought it was time to get back to honest phys ed—not rec play, not ball play, not weight training. Teaching."

Seagrave opened the first Velocity facility in Marietta, Ga., in 1999, and his state-of-the-art equipment and emphasis on developing quickness attracted immediate interest from area kids, a few pro athletes and, most important, a pair of businessmen acquaintances. David Walmsley, a
former director of consumer products at the A&E TV network, signed on as CEO, and Richard Kissane, a former executive with Sylvan Learning Center, the tutoring and test preparation company, became COO. In six years Velocity has opened 51 branches with more than 120 on the way.

Velocity’s success is largely due to young participants and their parents spreading the word. "I truly believe it gives kids a competitive edge," says Dianne DaTorre, whose 13-year-old son, Danny, a football player, works out at the Cherry Hill facility three times a week. "More than that, kids sit around too much these days. This improves health and wellness all around."
Even if that promise of improved health and athleticism doesn’t sell a typical kid on Velocity, the chain’s rising cool factor might. "At first I assumed this place was for people who were struggling in their sport," says lacrosse player Jen Ingalls, who persuaded her teammates to train for the coming season at Velocity. "But then I came here to rehab a torn ACL and saw that pro and college athletes came here, too. Now everyone talks about ‘meeting up at Velocity.’ It’s kind of the place to be."

Certainly better than the couch.

BE NIMBLE, BE QUICK
Velocity Sports Performance uses five tests to gauge a person’s baseline athletic ability, then works on the skills they measure

Vertical jump This test measures raw leg power. Velocity teaches its clients to put a stronger burst into the takeoff.

Standing broad jump Another measure of leg power; the horizontal element also evaluates how an athlete launches into a jump.

Pro agility This test, which requires an athlete to sprint five yards, then 10 yards in the opposite direction and five back, measures acceleration, deceleration and change of direction.

Three cone Velocity’s take on the traditional cone weave measures ability to run curves, essential in sports such as soccer and lacrosse.

Dash Velocity uses an infrared speed trap to break the 40-yard dash time into segments: from 0 to 10 yards (acceleration), 10 to 20 yards (transitional speed) and 20 to 40 yards (maximum speed).

STRENGTH TRAINING FOR CHILDREN: Dispelling Myths

As youth sports participation increases and sports in general become more competitive, more athletes are turning to strength training to try to gain the competive edge. But with the growing popularity of strength training programs have come numerous reports, studies, and statistics, many of which are misleading. Based on some reports, you may be one of the many wondering "Is my child too young to participate in strength training?" Before you run in the opposite direction of the weight area, let's set the record straight!


MYTH #1
If my child starts strength training too early, it will stunt his growth!

FACT
This fear stems primarily from early reports of potential damage to growth plates. However, more recent studuies have shown that with proper training and techniques, strength training can actually reduce the risk of damage to growth plates, joints, and soft tissues. Studies have also shown that strength training in young children will thicken bones through increased bone density.


MYTH #2
Strength training can cause serious injuries!

FACT
Actually, strength training can help reduce the risk of injuries in adolescents. Studies have shown that the potentially serious injuries reported were a result of power lifting, which focuses on maximum lifting abilities, as opposed to strength training, which focuses on resistance methods. The majority of injuries from strength training, when they occur, are muscle strains. A competently supervised training program led by certified coaches will reduce this risk.


MYTH #3
My child is too young to see any real improvements from strength training.

FACT
Studies show that children as young as 6 can see improvements in strenth when adhering to specific guidlines. While pre-adolescents will not see increase in actual muschle size, there will be noticeable gains in muscle strength and motor fitness skills, such as jumping and sprinting.


Strength Training at Velocity Sports Performance
The most significant component of a strength progam is certified, kowledgeable, and experienced supervision. At Velocity Sports Performance, we require all coaches to be degreed and certified, and have experience coaching at different levels. Our coaches have degrees in Exercise Science or a related field, and are certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, including many with certification as a United States Weightlifting Club Coach.

Safety is our top priority, so we begin by teaching proper technique, and teaching athletes how to be safe and aware in a weight room setting. We will begin strength training programs with athletes as young as 6, but keep in mind that strength training does not necessarily imply weights. For our younger athletes, the majority of strength training centers around body weight, meaning that they are using their own body weight as resistance to build strength. This can be accomplished through exercises such as squats, lunges, pull-ups, crunches, push-ups, and pre-hab exercises, which are used to help prevent injuries. For our older, adolescent atheletes, once competency and proper technique is demonstrated, we will begin to add resistance such as weights, dumbbells, and barbells. But because technique diminishes as weight increases, it is crucial for out coaches to continues monitoring proper technique, and remove weights if necessary to help prevent potential injuries related to improper technique.


Continued strength training allows athletes to reach their genetic potential. Studies have shown that after just 6 weeks of discontinuing a strength program, improvements in muscle strength are reduced. Therefore at Velocity Sports Performance we have strength programs that allow athletes to continue to improve and maintain strength levels both in and off-season.

Young athletes are taught proper technique as

they use bodyweight to strength train

FIT BODIES...FIT MINDS

Want your children to be successful in life? Encourage them to play sports!
We’re told about the physical benefits of sports participation all the time. It’s pretty much common sense that the more physically active you are, the healthier you’ll be. What we don’t hear about as much, but is just as significant, are the psychological benefits. Did you know that playing sports can improve your child’s social skills? It’s true! There are studies that prove it. In fact, not only does athletic activity benefit children socially, but essentially, it can lead them down a path towards greater success in life. This seems like a pretty big feat for chasing a ball down the field, don’t you think? Well – there’s a little more to it than that.

Score the winning touchdown and an “A” in Algebra
MENTAL BENEFITS
According to research, playing sports may actually help students perform better in the classroom. Participating in sports teaches children to focus effectively, and reinforces the importance of concentration. This kind of discipline can carry over into the classroom allowing for greater attention during lectures and on assignments. According to Bryant Cratty in Physical Expressions of Intelligence, the ability to focus is directly related to physical health. Physical activity increases oxygen intake and blood flow to the brain, which in turn results in a greater ability to concentrate.

Kick it on the field and with friends
SOCIAL BENEFITS
If you have found that your child has difficulty making friends or relating to others in social situations, joining a sports team could be just what he or she needs. Through team sports, kids are given the opportunity to spend a significant amount of time doing something fun with people who are the same age and have similar interests. This helps form a sense of community with teammates. In addition, participating in team sports allows children to take on leadership roles, to learn to handle adversity and competition, and even to improve their time management skills. Young athletes are taught about fair play and abiding by rules and regulations – social and moral skills that they will carry over into their everyday lives and into adulthood.

Boost batting average and self-confidence
ESTEEM BENEFITS
In today’s severely body-conscious world, kids are becoming more concerned about their physical appearance and consequently jeopardizing their health at younger and younger ages. But studies have shown that youth who participate in sports are actually more self-confident and more satisfied with their physical appearance than those who don’t play sports. In a study performed by The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, it was shown that athletically active girls develop increased levels of self-esteem and confidence, are more likely to finish high school and college, and have a healthier body image. In addition, the Women’s Sports Foundation found that girls who participate in sports suffer less depression. The increased levels of confidence may be due in part to the effect exercise has on us physically. According to John Russell, President of the American Fitness Association, it has been shown that “exercise can alter your mood by releasing endorphins in your body. If you’re in a better mood, you’ll feel better about yourself.”

At Velocity Sports Performance, we certainly strive to help our athletes become faster, more powerful and more agile. But it is also our goal through our coaching style to help them develop these psychological benefits that will help them become more well-rounded, successful individuals in life.

WHAT WE DO, Part 2 - "Okay, So What's Involved in the Lesson Plan?"

Athletes perform resisted acceleration drills with a
shoulder harness providing the resistance to help
build stabalizing muscles
So by now you have had a couple reservations answered, and want to know how it is exactly we achieve what we say we will. More simply, how are we going to put our money where our mouth is and teach your child to be faster...

There are two main components to teaching speed: acceleration and maximum velocity.
The goal for maximizing the acceleration component is applying big force in a short amount of time in the proper direction. For younger athletes, pure acceleration, or the point at which they reach their top speed, occurs between 7 to 10 yards. The goal for the maximum velocity component is to maintain the top speed that was reached during pure acceleration.

To teach pure acceleration, we use several different drills. You might even be able to recognize some of these drills as you observe our coaches working with your child. The main drills that we use are:

1) WALL SPRINTS: In this drill, athletes lean against a wall, arms extended forward, and alternate punching knees forward, simulating running. The wall provides stability for the athlete’s body. The goal is to teach proper body, hip, ankle and knee position for running.

2) RESISTED ACCELERATION: These drills use the same techniques as Wall Sprints, but take away the stability of the wall, making the athletes rely on themselves for stability with their abs, lower back and other stabilizing muscles.

3) ACCELERATION LADDER: In performing this drill, the ladder provides the athlete with a blueprint for placing each step when running.

4) CONTRAST TRAINING: This uses some of the same equipment as Resisted Acceleration, but in these drills the coach will release the resistance at a certain point so the athlete can run at full speed.

As athletes reach top speed, the goal becomes maintaining that speed, or maximum velocity.

The main drills that we use to teach maximum velocity are:

1) TECHNICAL BUILD-UP: The goal of this drill is to emphasize proper running form while concentrating on certain areas of the body, such as hip, foot and leg position.

2) ANKLING: In this drill, pressure is concentrated on the ball of the foot to increase usage of the lower leg muscles during maximum velocity.

3) BUTTKICK: The motion of the heel snapping quickly towards the glutes helps teach athletes how to begin the running stride.

4) STEP-OVER: This drill is the first introduction to the essential circular action of the leg in maximum velocity. The drills focus on stepping over the height of the opposite knee. for preparing the lower leg and foot for contact with the ground, and the proper movements once the foot makes contact with the ground.

Speed can be taught and improved, but only with proper coaching and proper execution. It is a skill, but just as with any sports skill, whether it be shooting a basket or hitting a baseball, the improvement of speed is a continual learning process.

WHAT WE DO, Part 1 - "So Let Me Get This Straight..."

This week we divulge into what Velocity Sports Performance is all about, first by answering some very common questions we often get.

Here at Velocity Sports Performance, we get a lot of similar questions coming from parents.
Here's a little insight into what we do at Velocity Sports Performance

YOU’RE GOING TO TEACH MY
CHILD TO BE FASTER?

THAT’S RIGHT! And you thought it was
only about building stronger muscles!
While that is certainly a component, it is
only one component. Simply stated,
speed is a skill, and it is a skill that can be
taught. All that is needed is someone who
knows, understands, and is experienced in
how to teach it. At Velocity Sports
Performance we will not only make your
child faster, but we will teach him or her
how to be to be faster.

BUT I AM SO SLOW. I’M SURE
THAT MY CHILD INHERITED THAT
GENE, AND IS DOOMED TO BE
SLOW, TOO.

NOT TRUE! It is not all about genetics. Just
because you are tone-deaf doesn’t mean
that Jane can’t learn to play the piano. Just
because your spouse never really grasped
long division doesn’t mean that Johnny
can’t become a successful accountant. And
just because you came in last in every race
you ever competed in doesn’t mean that
your child can’t learn to be faster. Hey, if
we didn’t believe in our system we wouldn’t
guarantee results!

Mid-Winter Break Camp Announced February 19 - 22

Velocity Sports Performance has announced the dates for its Mid-Winter Break Camp! Starting February 19 and continuing through the February 22nd, the camp will run from 1-3 and focus on improving 3 important areas of athleticism: Speed, Power, and Quickness.

The camp is a perfect time to gain that edge over opponents while they aren't working, find your way off the bench and onto the starting squad, or simply just improve your overall athletic abilities.

The camps will address skills in the following areas:
Starts, Acceleration & Deceleration
Plyometrics & Explosive Power
Multi – direction / Agility
Core Strength, Stability & Balance
Dynamic Mobility, Flexibility & Coordination
Proper Athletic Positions & Postures
Injury Prevention

Ages 9 and Above, and only $150 per athlete!

For more information about the camps,
CLICK HERE--> http://www.velocitysp.com/redmond/mid_winter_break_camp

There are also team camps available in the AM, which you can call Velocity Sports Performance about at (425) 881-0647.

Want to get Faster, More Agile & Stronger

Join us for a weekly blog to get more information on Sports Performance Training. We will focus on the 3 Pillars of Athleticisim - Speed, Power & Agility. We will also offer insight into opportunities for Injury Prevention within the Forum.