michael reid

What makes a Good Athlete?

If someone has good athletic ability does that make them a good athlete? 

Any comments?

Be Well,
Mike Reid

Defensive Sliding Shadow Drill

Here is a drill to develop an athletes defensive slide or sometimes called lateral shuffle.  What I like about this drill is that it is competitive and reactive.  All this means is that the athletes are competing against each other and that they must react to each others movements.  Most athletes will work harder if there is competition involved. 

I generally do this drill going from baseline to foul line.  There are two lines of players starting on the baseline where one line is offense and one is defense or shadowing the movement of the offensive player.  I will generally do a work period of 10-15s, with 60-90s rest.  I will commonly use 12-16 players in one large group, so that they get the required rest.  This is a drill that requires maximum effort and should only be performed after a thorough warm up.  Even though I am using it with a basketball team, it can be implemented in any sport training program that requires lateral movements.

Be Well,
Mike Reid

Are Abdominal exercises needed?

We know it is important to have strong abdominal and trunk muscles, which has become known as the "core".  But do we need to be doing isolated exercises for these muscles or can we get away with just doing whole body lifts that work everything? 

Well I will be the first to admit that I always thought you need to do separate exercises for your trunk muscles to fully develop them but maybe we don't?   The study below sheds some light on the issue.

Be Well,
Mike Reid

 

"The Difference in Trunk Muscle Activation During Dynamic Weight Training Exercises and Instability Exercises

The purpose of the following study was to determine the extent of trunk muscle activation during dynamic weight training and isometric instability exercises.

Sixteen subjects performed squats and deadlifts with 80% of 1 repetition maximum (RM), as well as supermen, sidebridges, squats and deadlifts with body weight only. Electromyographic (EMG) activity was measured in the following muscle groups: lower abdominals, external obliques, upper lumbar erector spinae, and lumbar-sacral erector spinae.

The results of the study indicated that EMG activity of the lumbar-sacral erector spinae during the 80% 1RM squat significantly exceeded EMG activity for the same muscle during the 80% 1RM deadlift, bodyweight squat and deadlift, superman, and sidebridge. EMG activity of the upper lumbar erector spinae during the 80% 1RM deadlift significantly exceeded the EMG activity for the same muscle during the 80% 1RM squat and all body weight exercises. There were no significant changes in EMG activity for the lower abdominals or external obliques.

The researchers concluded that because the lumbar-sacral erector spinae and upper lumbar erector spinae muscle activation during the 80% squat and deadlift exceeded muscle activation during body weight exercises, instability exercises may not be necessary to augment core stability training, so long as individuals perform upright, resisted, dynamic exercises."

Hamlyn, N., D.G. Behm, and W. B. Young. Trunk muscle activation during dynamic weight-training exercises and isometric instability activities. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 21(4), 1108–1112. 2007.

Wall Squat

Before I even get started on the wall squat, the version depicted in the picture on the left is not what I am talking about!  If you do a Google image search you will come up with many pictures of wall squats like this.  This version of the wall squat has very limited applications. 

The version I am talking about has it's origins in the martial arts, particularly Qigong and Tai Chi among others.

The wall squat is a great drill to teach the athlete to hold a tight arch in their back when squatting.  It is very simple to do and is almost fool proof for teaching a proper squat.  It can be used as part of an athletes warm up before their weightlifting practice.

Be Well,
Mike Reid