Random Thoughts, Tips and Ideas from Train Out Pain in Grand Rapids, MI

 This is just stuff I've read, am doing/observing or thinking about.

Weak VMO's contribute to calf problems.  Runners that continually have tight calves check the VMO for adhesion's and strength deficits.

Invest in a heart rate monitor if you're interested in your own fitness or conditioning levels.  I think knowing your resting heart and knowing if it's improving from your own training is vital.  I've been using the Polar RS100.  No complaints so for.

The name Joel Jamieson kept creeping up in my seminar in Boston when energy systems were mentioned.  I am reading through his book Ultimate MMA Conditioning.  Great book, I highly recommend it in terms of understanding the energy systems.  Don't let the title fool you, it can be applied to all sports. A more complete understanding of the energy systems is my goal for the last 6 months of this year.  He has an awesome video post on his blog 8weekout.com.  I was really impressed he put it up on his site.  Basically, you can watch him give a lecture on energy system development and philosophy from a seminar he did in Virginia.  Here is the link. ENERGY SYSTEM

With runners and sprinters, make sure the t9-t11 area is free to rotate, when this is fixated, they will get much more arm crossover trying to create the rotation.

Two other books I'm just starting are Special Strength Training For Coaches by Verkhoshansky. It's a long awaited item by many strength coaches as it was in Russian for a long time.
The other is Adaptation in Sports Training by Viru.  It's my goal like I stated early to really, really understand whats going on in terms of adaptation physiologically in the body with different training styles and how it can be manipulated.  Energy system for patients and athletes is vital for performance and health.

Here's a hint,what were taught in school about different times correlating with the creatine phosphate, anaerobic and aerobic system is quite wrong.  The aerobic system is more important then we ever thought.

Cal Dietz strength coach at University of Minnesota has started using time periods instead of Reps.  Cool concept.  You do as much work as you can in a time.  So each rep is fast.  He may use 3 seconds, 5 seconds, 20 or 40 sec.  It all makes sense in time under tension, speed of movement and intensity.