Athlete Performance Testing - Part 5

Correcting valgus knees is an easy thing to do. You just have to understand the body and how it works. Often times, when one area of the body is problematic, you can solve the problem by looking above and below that area to identify the actual culprit.
 
As we talked about in our last article, with valgus knees, the problem is more than likely originating at the hip, and more specifically, the hip abductors and external rotators. These muscles are often underdeveloped and easily overpower by the larger and stronger quadriceps muscle group. When athletes with this imbalance dip to jump, the hips do not contribute their fair share of the work and the knees end up looking like RG3’s at the 2012 NFL Combine.

 

If it can happen to RG3, it can happen to YOU!

 

So how do we fix the problem? Simple! Get the hips stronger. Some of the best corrective exercises for restoring proper strength balance involve using nothing more than a simple TheraBand tied in a knot. The following examples are just a few of the many exercises we’ll have athletes perform at Akron General Sports Performance.
 

TB Clam Shells - Simple, yet effective.
 

TB Floating Clam Shells - A spicier version of the original.
 

TB Glute Bucks - Hamstrings and glutes galore.



 

TB Elvis - Thank you very much.



As the athlete gets stronger, you can make the exercises more challenging by using a heavier band, adding an external load such as a med ball or weight vest, or supersetting an additional compound movement on top of the corrective one!

Stay tuned. In our next article, we'll take a look at one of my favorite performance tests: the broad jump!

Keep Training!
Coach Anthony and Akron General Sports Performance

The Fat-Burning Zone Myth

Hello Everyone!

At AGSP we are all about fast results. From time to time I'll have an adult or athlete ask, "Shouldn't I be training in the fat-burning zone if I want to lose weight?".

Many of us have seen the exercise equipment with the fat-burning zone charts displayed, but what exactly is the fat-burning zone and why is training in this zone not the best, fastest way to lose weight?

The fat-burning zone was created when scientists learned that at lower-intensity exercise the body's main fuel source comes from fat calories. Therefore, scientists reasoned that if you trained at lower intensities you would literally burn more fat.

Yet, like most things with the human body, isolation of specific fuel sources does not lead to the specific desired result of losing fat. The human body tends to work as a summation of many different factors working together towards a common goal. Therefore, to lose fat faster, the best way is to forget about the fat-burning zone and instead train at high-intensities because you burn a greater amount of total calories (some from fat, some from glucose). It is the total calories burned that has the greatest impact on your body composition!

Next time I'll explain why you burn more total calories at higher-intensifies along with why all athletes main cardio/conditioning should be done at high-intensities and not for mileage/distance.

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance 

Studs and Buds

Hello Everyone!

We have some pretty amazing things happen on a regular basis at AGSP. Moments and events that our coaching staff and athletes can't help but smile at and acknowledge as special.

Some of these moments happen with our "studs", those athletes that are blessed with talent, genetics, and have picked the perfect sport for their natural skill set. You know these athletes are GOOD. These studs train at AGSP to maximize their abilities so they can take their sport to the collegiate and/or pro level.

And some of these amazing moments happen with our "buds", those athletes that you really aren't sure how good they can be. They're so raw that they could become something...or nothing. Our coaching staff at AGSP knows that if these buds really want to become better that we have the program and ability to make them into something special.

You won't know how good you really are unless you train yourself to be better.

When an amazing moment happens with a bud, an athlete that most people don't expect much from, it's a testament to their character, hard-work, and desire to make themselves better than anyone thought.

Whether you consider yourself a stud or a bud, join us at AGSP and create your own amazing moments!

Amazing Moments Include

• Dunking
• Squatting big weights
• Fastest athlete at the showcase/combine
• Quickest athlete on the team
• Making your parents go "WOW"
• Making your sports coach say "You are my star player"

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance 

Athlete Spotlight #68) Kory Kreiner

Hello Everyone!

It’s time for another Akron General Sports Performance Athlete Spotlight! Our next spotlight came to us from St. Matthew's in Akron where he competes in baseball and football. While most athletes shudder in fear at the thought of a 1-on-1 session with Coach Anthony, this athlete doesn't bat an eye. He's  worked very hard over the past 2 months and has already experienced improvements in strength, speed, and power! He may be young, but this next spotlight has got some serious potential!

It’s time to meet our newest athlete spotlight!

Athlete Name: Kory Kreiner
Sport(s): Football, Baseball
Position(s): Right Tackle, Pitcher, Third Base
School: St. Matthew Parish School
Graduation Year: 2019
AGSP Athlete Since: December 2013

  

Favorite Professional Sports Team: Cleveland Browns

Favorite Professional Athlete: Joe Thomas

Favorite Lift: Incline Bench Press

Favorite Movement Skill: Acceleration Towel Pulls

When I am not training at AGSP, I am: Playing baseball or listening to music.

What are your short-term goals? Learn the proper techniques used in lifting and training.
What are your long-term goals? Continue to gain/build muscle and improve at the sports I play.
How has AGSP impacted your performance as an athlete? I've gotten stronger and faster since starting training.

 

This is what hard work looks like! Keep it up Kory!

 

CHECK OUT SOME VIDEO OF KORY TRAINING AT AGSP!

(we've put them all into one video!)

 

 

Keep Training! 
Coach Anthony Colarusso and Akron General Sports Performance

Athlete Performance Testing - Part 4

In Part 3, we talked about how coaches identify weaker areas of athletic performance through regular performance testing. Over the next several articles, we’ll take a closer look at each performance test and identify the most common movement flaws that indicate an underlying strength imbalance or “performance leak.” We’ll also address how to fix these leaks and transform athletic weaknesses into strengths.

 

Let’s start with one of the most popular performance tests among athletes - the vertical jump.

For starters, the knees tell us a lot about an athlete’s muscular balance. When an athlete jumps, the knees should remain stacked over their base of support. What we’ll often see in athletes who have a strength imbalance are the knees collapsing in. This is termed valgus collapse, and usually indicates an imbalance in strength between the underdeveloped glutes and external rotators of the hip in favor of the overdeveloped quadriceps muscles of the thighs.



Valgus knee collapse prior to jumping.

This collapse is harmless when the athlete performs it, but if the underlying strength imbalances are not addressed, the athlete is at a greater predisposition for more serious injuries down the road. In our next article, we’ll examine how to correct this performance leak and restore proper balance between the glutes, external rotators, and quads!

Keep Training!
Coach Anthony and Akron General Sports Performance