http://www.kineticathletic.ca/sports-training-tips.php/ Fri, 11 May 2012 12:24:26 -0700 Fri, 11 May 2012 12:24:26 -0700 Fusion News 3.7.6 http://www.kineticathletic.ca/sports-training-tips.php#fus_103 Good Afternoon, When you operate a small company, lots of questions will be directed towards you. As a small business owner, you need to be able to field questions on virtually all aspects of your business. One of the most frequent questions that is posed to me by clients wanting to do business with our sports training and sports fitness company relates to Kinetic Athletic's speed ladders and agility ladders. The first point to clarify is there is no appreciable difference between a speed ladder and an agility ladder. It’s the same thing. Please don't interpret my commentary as condescending. One time a client made an inquiry and asked if we retailed speed ladders. I replied "Yes, we retail speed and agility ladders". The person on the other end of the line insisted that they were interested in buying an agility ladder and did not need a speed and agility ladder. I handled this discussion carefully and communicated to the client that the two products are one in the same. My explanation cleared the confusion and the client understood there is no difference between the two terms. One of the key features of a speed ladder and an agility ladder is the design of the rungs. The rungs are the plastic slats connected to the black webbing. The rungs are perpendicular to the black webbing. In the case of Kinetic Athletic's speed ladders and agility ladders the rungs are yellow. It's best if the ladder's rungs are flat. Flat rungs are comparatively safer than ladders with round rungs. I have trained athletes with both types of ladders. Flat-rung ladders are the winners hands down in my opinion. Ladders with round rungs are an accident waiting to happen. When an athlete's toe catches the rung of the ladder it often sets off a chain reaction leading to the athlete falling to the ground. Falling to the ground is far from being the end of the world. But who wants to snag their toe on the rung of the ladder and trip while participating in a sports exercise training session? Flat-rung designed speed ladders and agility ladders are less likely to cause this nuisance. A low-profile flat-rung design lets the athlete focus on training rather than repeatedly getting tripped up and having to adjust the ladder back to its original position. Speed ladders and agility ladders with a flat-rung design are arguably the better option when it comes to a sports training and sports fitness programs for athletes. I'll post in the next few days some of the other great features that distinguish an average ladder from a great ladder. Perry Coma Director of Kinetic Athletic Inc. A Sports Training, Sports Fitness, and Sports Exercise Company Fri, 11 May 2012 12:24:26 -0700 http://www.kineticathletic.ca/blog/comments.php?id=103 fus_103 http://www.kineticathletic.ca/sports-training-tips.php#fus_102 Hi Athletes, It's been a long time since I've posted on the company's sports training blog. Work and life have been busy. I'm in the midst of acquiring my master's degree in business administration while running the company. Plus, if you're a regular online client of Kinetic Athletic, hopefully you've noticed that we have updated the web site recently! It's been a demanding year and I'm looking forward to a summer of fun. I wanted to get back to the last post that focused on the possible causes of an athlete’s calf pain. Particularly, I wanted to address the pattern that I've observed in athletes involved in cycling. Cyclists can spend countless hours on a bike. During this period of training, the cyclist is positioning the foot and ankle in a certain position to optimize his or her cycling. Plus, the cyclist is not putting his or her full body weight through his or her foot while riding the bike. Two important points here: the foot and ankle are operating in a finite range of movement for a prolonged period of time and the force loads are less than the force loads experienced in normal vertical body position weight bearing (e.g. standing, walking, jogging, running, sprinting). When the cyclist stops cycling, transitions to the vertical upright body position, and begins to walk, jog, run or some other vertical upright activity, the ankle and foot are in for a surprise. The ankle and foot will go through a greater range of movement through three planes (i.e. sagittal, frontal, and transverse) of motion. Plus, the force loads in the three planes of motion will be considerably different than the force loads generated by riding a bike. The calf, is partially responsible, for controlling the foot and ankle. The greater force loads (e.g. eccentric loading) through the calf via the actions of the foot and ankle in the vertical upright body position can set the calf up for pain. A quick transition from sitting on a bike to vertically upright walking, jogging or running can lead to tissue overloading in the calf and consequential calf pain. In my experience, it is often the result of a prolonged pattern of training and then the problem occurs. Often, it takes a while for this problem to develop. When I discover this pattern of activity and pain in an athlete involved in cycling (e.g. cyclists, mountain bikers, triathletes), I often advise the athlete to start a training program to address the training deficits. For example, a triathlete who chooses to train frequently on the bike and experiences calf pain with jogging and running, should be provided with a foot, ankle, and calf functional flexibility and strengthening program to combat the effects of training on the bike. This is what I was planning to share with readers many months ago and now I've got it posted on the new web site. It's about time! I hope this sports fitness, sports exercise, and sports training tip can be applied to your athlete training program. Thanks for taking the time to read this article by Kinetic Athletic-The Way to Train. Perry Coma Director of Kinetic Athletic Inc. Sports Training, Sports Fitness, and Sports Exercise Equipment and Programs For Athletes. Fri, 11 May 2012 12:24:26 -0700 http://www.kineticathletic.ca/blog/comments.php?id=102 fus_102 http://www.kineticathletic.ca/sports-training-tips.php#fus_101 Good Morning, About a month ago, I overheard two friends discussing a similar problem afflicting the two of them: calf pain. One was training for a triathlon and shared that his calf would become sore each time he finished riding his bike and started to run. The other friend is an avid cyclist and noted the onset of calf pain with weight bearing activities but no occurrence of calf pain while riding his bike. The two athletes share a sports training injury dilemma with a common thread between the two stories. I noted a hidden similarity between the two conditions and a common denominator with what I’ve seen clinically as a practicing physical therapist. I’ll get to the answer about the possible cause of my friends’ calf pain in my next blog post after sharing some of the most common causes of calf pain in athletes.(I think the answer to their common problem is a real gem and an ‘outside the box’ perspective regarding calf pain and calf injuries.) Calf pain can afflict all types of athletes. It is not just limited to runners. Calf pain can occur in athletes training for hockey, training for soccer, tennis, basketball, football, and basically the list is endless. Below are some of the more common causes of calf pain in athletes and a brief discussion under each point. 1. Overtraining. Frequent training with too little rest to allow for adequate post-exercise recovery is a recipe for a calf injury. In addition, starting a program in poor physical shape and believing you will be able to whip yourself into shape in a week or two is another way to surely injure yourself. Take a hard look at your training program. Are you allowing enough time for rest between training sessions? One of the keys of a good training program is to allow enough time for your body to adapt to the training loads exerted upon your body. The muscles and tendons present in your calf require time to adaptively become stronger and more resilient to the mass of your body, gravity, and ground reaction forces. 2. Changes in the training program. Running 5 km on level ground on grass in a park is different and most likely easier than running 5 km over steep hills on a paved road. Likewise, jumping from a 36 inch box is a big upgrade in plyometric training compared to a 12 inch box. Recognize the differences and progressions in your training program. When the volume and/or intensity of a workout are tweaked, expect a corresponding change in how your body feels. Don’t discount the forces and loads your calf has to contend with when changes are made in your training. 3. Changes in footwear. Did a sale at the local mall rope you in and you changed your regular training footwear for a more stylish look? Sounds good, but if the new shoes are the wrong design for your body type/foot, you may inadvertently develop calf pain. The shoes on your feet have an enormous impact on the way your calf reacts to weight bearing activities such as jogging, running, sprinting, jumping, hopping, and lunging. 4. Altered foot mechanics: A static postural foot deformity (aka ‘poor foot posture’) will often rear its head with dynamic movement. Walking, jogging, running, sprinting, jumping, and hopping, are types of weight bearing activities that are sure to exacerbate poor foot biomechanics. The foot is the first part of the kinetic chain to strike the ground and if the foot is not operating properly, the calf may start to pay the price for ineffective shock absorption by the foot. A complete list of biomechanical foot conditions that can cause calf pain will be for a latter discussion on our company sports training blog. My list of the most common causes of calf pain in athletes is reflective of my perceptions as a physical therapist and the athletes that have walked through my door with calf pain. Return again to our company blog and I’ll share the answer to the possible cause of calf pain involving my two athletic friends. Train Smart and Train Hard, Perry Coma, Director of Kinetic Athletic Inc.-‘The Way to Train’ A Sports Training Equipment and Sports Fitness Programs Company Fri, 11 May 2012 12:24:26 -0700 http://www.kineticathletic.ca/blog/comments.php?id=101 fus_101