Archive for Injury Prevention
Springbak Training Tips: How To Prevent Injury and Improve Performance
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Athletes, especially athletes who play sports which require changes of direction and landing from explosive jumps (soccer, basketball, track and volleyball), must train to prevent injury first, and build to improving one’s performance.
Today’s athlete needs to train the lower body for strength and balance and train the core muscles. “Core Training” is a popular buzz-word in the fitness industry and it means different things to different people; however, training the core musculature – the muscles of the abdominal, lower back, hips, pelvis, quadriceps and hamstrings – improve overall strength. For instance, a boxer throws a punch, he used his upper body; however, his power comes from his lower body. The core is the region that transfers the power from the legs through the upper body. With a weak core, the boxers punch lacks power. The same is true of almost every athletic move… just think about that one.
World class athletes, coaches and trainers use Springbak Springsoles in their athletic programs for performance and injury protection. The Springsoles provide you a competitive edge and absorb shock as well. The Springsoles will increase your stride length when you run, and increase your stride frequency (shorten foot plant time) as well as give your game much more balance and stability: What people are saying about Springbak Springsoles.
How can I increase my vertical jump?
We get this question all the time, here’s how:
The best exercises for increasing your vertical jump are squats, lunges and step-ups. These are the best because they are compound movements, which work the knee joint and the hip joint at the same time…Squats are the best exercise an athlete can do for strength if it is performed correctly.
Great tips on lunges:
Lunges are another great body exercise. Once the athlete learns the movement pattern of lunges in different directions-front, backward and side lunges, they can then use weights in the hands for a more intense workout and challenge your neuromuscular system. Also, the athlete can add different elements to the lunge. A simple addition to work the shoulders to use the medicine ball to do a lunge and press. Additionally, a lunge and reach is a good exercise.
Please comment, as we welcome your tips and advice as well.
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For more tips and information from Springbak:
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Todd Christensen sets World Record wearing Springbak Springsoles
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Todd Christensen – Oakland Raider, 5 time Pro-bowl tight end and current masters track athlete set a new world record in the 60 meter high hurdles wearing Springbak Springsoles.
“As a tight end at 235 pounds I was far from the fastest player in the NFL and even farther from a track sprinter or professional soccer player of my era. This 2009 season while competing in a masters track meet, I set the world record in the 60 meter high hurdles (8.39 seconds) for my 50+ age group. I set that record with Springbak Springsoles in my spikes.”
“In June of this year while at Gold’s Gym, I did a strength test with and without Springbak Springsoles. I pulled off a heavy enough dumbbell I could only do one repetition while doing a one arm overhead press. I rested three minutes, pulled off the same weight and did five repetitions while using the Springbak Springsoles. Please draw your own conclusions!” Todd Christensen
Volleyball Jump Training
Posted by: | CommentsWe hear these techniques from world class athletes and trainers all the time, there must be something here. The most important part of volleyball training is proper training. If an athlete jumps repeatedly with poor technique, they can seriously injure themselves. A good volleyball coach or trainer seems to always emphasize the importance of maintaining proper technique at all times.
When volleyball jump training, athletes should keep their knees directly in line with their ankles and not allow the knees to bend over further, reaching to where they are in line with their toes. This position puts stress on the knee, an already fragile part of the body. If athletes feel that they cannot get low enough in the sit before the jump, they should either widen their feet or lean further forward, allowing their rear to extend further back, while keeping a straight back.
Besides keeping the knees in line with the ankles, athletes should ensure that they are pushing off from the whole foot. Doing so ensures that athletes get full power in their jump and are not killing the height of the jump. When jumping, athletes should strive to leave the floor from the middle of the foot or the ball of the foot for maximum vertical.
Finally, athletes should land by rolling through the foot. This protects the knees and ensures stability as athletes move from jumping into another activity. The best way to land a jump properly is to allow the foot to land naturally in the air, with the toes down. This puts the athlete in the proper 
position to land the jump.
We want you, the athletes, to give us comments here about your successful routine of volleyball training for proper technique and maximum vertical jumping ability.
So what’s a Fartlek?
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The word Fartlek is Swedish for speed play, and is one of my favorite workouts. The workout is fun and adds variety to your routine.
First, find a semi-soft surface: a rubber indoor track, park or the beach would be ideal. Warm up by jogging 15 minutes and then do five to eight easy strides for about 80 meters. Also, do two to three backward strides for hamstring injury prevention. Next, do a variety of short, medium and longer distances for your fast running.
It’s very important to mix up the fast segment of your program to include to include quick running bursts. The fartlek phase can last any amount of time that you choose, depending on your athletic ability and training level…just don’t overdo it.
Finish up your routine with five or ten minutes of easy jogging and look forward to next week!
You’ll be amazed how easy and fun it can be to get into great running shape. Have fun! – Mark Vona GM Springbak Inc.
Running Tips to Reduce Injuries and Increase Speed
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Here are a few ways to reduce hamstring injuries and increase speed-Advice from Hall of Fame Coach Jim Bush
Hamstrings got you down? Two or three times a week, run a few 50 meter strides backwards, mixed in with regular strides. Make sure you are warmed up and have a smooth, flat and safe surface on which to run. Your local track or soccer field would be ideal. Coach Bush has his runners complete two backward strides before the intense portion of their running workout. After the hard workout, the runners complete two additional backward strides before the warm down phase. For the rest of us regular runners who aren’t doing fast running, simply do some forward and backward strides during or immediately after your run. Coach Bush reports greatly reduced likelihood of hamstring injuries. Jim Bush is a Hall of Fame track coach who’s been leading teams and individuals to National, World and Olympic titles for more than 40 years.
To increase speed, coach Bush recommends Springbak Springsoles to his athletes. The Springbak’s will increase your stride length and increase stride frequency(shorten foot plant time). Coach Bush comments,”My track runners all felt they got more bounce off the track. They felt like they were running easier and the Springbak Springsoles did improve their running times.” I go mainly on what I see and how the athlete responds and if they tell that it feels good, that they feel they’re getting off the ground quicker, than that what counts.”
