Table of Contents

Training Revolutions Issue #2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Stop Looking At Their Muscles and Start Looking at Their Feet! By John Izzo How To Create Your Own 20 Minute Boot Camp By Rick Karboviak Developing An Explosive, Quick First Step Using Resistance Bands As Your Training Tool Part 1 By Dave Schmitz Q & A With Coach K - Coach Rick Karboviak answers the tough ones How To Develop Single Leg Strength & Why Its Important By Chaney Weiner New Years Resolution: Get Back Into Your Skinny Jeans in 2 Weeks By Priscilla Friedlander

Stop Looking At Their Muscles and Start Looking at Their Feet! A Look at How Feet Affect Athletic Ability
By John Izzo

The most commonly overlooked area of the body and that of training is the feet. While general sport is taxing on the foot/ankle joint, not many coaches glance down and examine the feet of their athletes. Most examinations of the foot are left for podiatrists once a problem exists (i.e.: plantar fascitis, ankle sprain, shin splints, etc).

Why the Ankle? Eighty percent of the force is produced by the muscles around the hips; therefore, if the ankle is restricted, there will be some loss of force. The force will then be applied at the knee and will generate solely from the hips resulting in a poor jump. Conversely, if the ankle joint has excessive mobility, there is no rigid lever to produce force during propulsion or jumping. So it makes sense to address the point of the kinetic chain that is closest to the object of force production (ground) when observing ways to improve athleticism. In this case, we will look at the ankle and the fascia of the foot to determine what methods are helpful to increase mobility of in the ankle and provide enough force production.

Not Enough Ankle Mobility (Hypomobile) The foot is the most distal segment in the lower extremity chain and represents a relatively small base of support on which the body maintains balance (particularly in single-leg stance). Although it seems reasonable that even minor biomechanical alterations in the support surface may influence postural-control strategies, the implications of a hypermobile or hypomobile foot on balance have received little attention to date. The issue of ankle mobility has been brought to light about 2 years ago by some prominent strength coaches and physical therapists, and continues to fascinate more individuals today. With a lack of mobility at the ankle joint, athletes may suffer from a loss of force production in propulsion or jumping and most coaches simply blame leg strength. Consequently, they instruct the young athlete to perform more leg presses, jump squats, and lunges. When the athlete returns to test his/her vertical jump again and fails to increase height, the coach blames hypertonic muscles. So then the young athlete is forced to incorporate static stretching of the hamstrings, trunk, and lower leg. This cycle of neglected observation of the ankle not only becomes frustrating for the athlete and coach, but also becomes time consuming when preparing for a competitive season. One movement preparation drill that can be incorporated into workouts are foot rolls. Foot rolls allow for movement in all planes of motion and can quickly provide insight into the amount of influence they have on an individual. Foot rolls may cause extreme discomfort which is a tell-tale sign that the ankle lacks mobility. (Fig. 1)

Fig. 1: With foot rolls, the individual should watch for increased tension throughout the body and work slowly to increase mobility.

Soft Tissue Work to Help Mobilize the Ankle The intrinsic muscles of the foot work synergistically to provide stability during tri-plane loading. By nature of the loads placed on the foot, the joints undergo transition from a loosely packed unit to absorb forces to a tightly packed lever during the propulsion phase. This repetitive mechanical stress causes soft tissues of the foot to influence the rest of the body and the bodys motion. There is an influence from the top down to the bottom up. In order to improve tissue quality of the foot, we incorporate self myofascial release (SMR) techniques using an ordinary tennis ball (Fig. 2). The following illustrations depict areas of the foot bottom that can use SMR with the tennis ball. The ball is simply run on each part for approximately 20-40 seconds.

Fig. 2: The tennis ball is rolled on the plantar surface. Roll ball on the medial aspect of the mid-foot for 20-40 seconds. Some tender spots will be evident with face reactions. Indivividual can be seated or standing.

Fig. 3: The tennis ball is rolled on the metatarsal bony structure. This spot may be very tender for most or not tender at all.

Fig. 4: The tennis ball is rolled on the inferior fibular muscles specifically the flexor hallicis longus and the peroneus tertius tendon. For those individuals who have suffered ankle sprains, this area is most prone to immobility and scar tissue.

The Massage Stick As we have examined the foot, now we must move our sights up to the lower leg. The tissue treatment of the anterior muscles is often overshadowed by the larger posterior muscles: gastrocnemius and soleus. However, more attention must be given to the superficial muscles of the front leg. A great tool that should be utilized more often in the athletic world is the Massage Stick. The Massage Stick is great because it is easily transported in a gym bag and can be used in movement prep work before any lower body exercise. The user gently rolls the stick on areas that present tension and poor tissue quality.

Fig. 10: The Massage Stick is rolled 10-20 times on the tibialis anterior (TA). Caution is observed to not roll the stick vigorously on the tibia bone.

Fig. 11: The Massage Stick is rolled 10-20 times on the soleus. Many believe that the soleus is located only in the rear of the leg; however, a portion usually under-developed is located in the front-medial aspect of the tibia.

Putting It All Together Tissue work including foot rolls, tennis ball SMR, and use of the Massage Stick can be completed prior to workouts or after, or during off times. Off times being daily on upper-body workout days or rest days. A proposed program design for improvement in the foot/ankle complex is as follows:
Weeks 1 - 3 BEGIN WITH: Weeks 3 - 5 PROGRESS TO: Weeks 6 - 8 PROGRESS TO: Tennis Ball Rolls Massage Stick work on lower leg Foot Rolls Tennis Ball Rolls Massage Stick work on lower leg Foot Rolls Reps/Time 20-40 sec. each foot 10-20 rolls each 45 sec.- 2 min. 20-40 sec. each foot 10-20 rolls each 45 sec.- 2 min. Diagram # Fig. 7, 8, 9 Fig. 10, 11 Fig. 6 Fig. 7, 8, 9 Fig. 10, 11 Fig. 6 Fig. 12 Fig. 13

15-20 reps (Bi-lateral) Tibialis Activation w/ Leg Press* 8-12 reps Hindu Squats w/ 1st Metatarsal Stabilization* *See diagrams that follow for these exercises

Fig. 12: Tibialis Activation w/ Leg Press This exercise should be progressed to when some stability at the ankle has been improved, and conversely, some mobility has been established. Performed on a Lazy Mans Leg Press, the individual places the feet flat on the plate and knees are kept bent at 30. To execute, mid-foot and forefoot are raised off plate while heel remains in contact. There should be some movement in weight stack of machine and repetitions should be controlled. Integrated in movement prep work during weeks 6-8.

Figure 13: Hindu Squats This exercise is performed with the ankle in plantar-flexion throughout the squat. It is important to observe the first metatarsal activity during hip extension and weight shifting. If adequate stabilization of the 1st metatarsal is observed, there should be no lateral weight shifting onto the lateral aspect of the foot. This exercise should only be advanced to if static calf raises can be held for long periods with no hand support.

Conclusion The purpose of this piece is to stress the importance of the foot/ankle complex when assessing skill mechanics in athletes. Many athletes and coaches overlook this adaptive lever system which nearly effects all movement and musculoskeletal functions within the human body and every upright action of daily living and sport. By incorporating the exercises and drills, athletes will not only gain considerable improvement in the foot/ankle complex, but observatory skills to help their peers.

About the Author:

John Izzo holds a Bachelor's degree in Public Health Promotion specializing in Community Nutrition. He holds multiple certifications from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), American Council on Exercise (ACE), National Endurance Sports Trainers Association (NESTA), American Fitness Professionals & Associates (AFPA), Schwinn Cycling, and APEX Training Systems. John has been involved in the fitness industry since 1992, and has enjoyed a successful career as a personal trainer since 1998. He has helped transform the lives (and bodies) of hundreds of fitness enthusiasts and athletes in facilities located in Connecticut, such as World Gym, Gold's Gym, and Healthtrax, Inc. John has been featured in Fitness Management Publication for his innovative youth fitness programs, ESPN Local News Break, and the Hartford Courant (CT). John has founded the website www.standAPARTfitness.com, which offers cutting edge articles and resources from fitness professionals to fitness enthusiasts and the like. He coined the term Athletic Performance Applied Resistance Training for his home client training business to describe his type of training. Presently, he is a Senior Project Fitness Manager for ProFitness Health Solutions in (CT) and has served as Director of Health & Wellness for the YMCA of Greater Hartford (CT) from 2004-2006. John also is the CT Senior Faculty Instructor for World Instructor Training Schools (WITS).

John has developed instructional videos featuring progressive exercises for the shoulder and hips:

Stronger Shoulders
Improving the Function of the Rotator Cuff

Free the Hips

Mobilizing the Hips for Improve Function

Both Videos Are Available At: http://www.standapartfitness.com/wst_page4.html

References: 1. Wolf, Chuck, Functional Anatomy and Muscle Action of the Foot Part 1. PtontheNet, 2005 www.ptonthenet.com 2. Kraemer, J. William and Newton, U., Robert, Training For Improved Vertical Jump. Gatorade Sports Science Institute, 1994 www.gssiweb.com 3. Cote, P., Karen, Brunet, E., Michael, and Gansneder, M., Bruce, Effects of Pronated and Supinated Foot Postures on Static & Dynamic Postural Stability. Journal of Athletic Training, 2005 www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/ 4. Henkin, Josh, Mobility Drills For a Better Vertical Jump. 2006 www.bodybuilding.com/fun/henkin35.htm 5. Anderson, J. Steven, Acute Ankle Sprain. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 2002 www.physsportsmed.com/issues/2002/12_02/anderson.htm 6. Bellew, W., James and Dunn, Sharon, Ankle Rehabilitation: A Reintroduction of the Peroneus Longus, August 2002, National Strength & Conditioning Association, Volume 24, Number 4, page 61-63

How To Create Your Own 20 Minute Boot Camp By Rick Karboviak, CSCS
Fitness Boot Camps have been taking over the industry in the past 5 years. Im not even sure as to when fitness boot camps officially got started. However, I can recollect that back in 2003, I started my own boot camp workout as part of my personal training program services when I worked for a small club in Dublin, Ohio. My knowledge about boot camps at that time was that boot camps primarily consisted of bodyweight exercises, of the military nature. I even bought a Navy SEALS workout book at a bookstore to use as a reference for this. As far as I knew, most boot camps would last for 45 minutes to one hour, and be done 2 times a week at a set time with a group instructor. The fitness center that I did these camps, they really focused on the half-hour workout session. I then created a 2x/week 30 minute boot camp, mostly consisting of sit-ups, push-ups, squats, and other bodyweight core exercises. Little did I realize how influential this emphasis would be for on my boot camp structure, years later when I broke out on my own, as a training company. In most fitness center settings, having a one hour block of classes, 2 times a week, with many, many people per session could happen for some trainers. Given with proper marketing and promotions, you can get your boot camp info out to the masses. However, where I live in rural Minnesota, not everyone is available for such times. This is evident with the continuous rise & fall of step aerobic classes around here. In my current workout facility for my business, there are tons of steps that are no longer used, because there would just be a 2 times a week, 1 hour per session schedule. There would be a surge of people at first, then it would wane off, and another marketing spree would only bring in a couple more. Then, those would drop off, too. Seeing this pattern, I felt if I were to come up with group fitness training, I needed to have a system that allowed most people to come in a small group setting, workout briefly, and even give them the opportunity to do this daily. This would give a flexible structure for attending, and help keep attendances up. Hence, the 5 days a week, 30 minute session boot camp was born. 5 minutes of warm-up, 20 minutes of workout, 5 minutes of cool-down. Here it is in a nutshell: Monday-Wednesday-Friday: Strength training days Tuesday-Thursday: Cardio days

More and more people are starting to realize that an aerobic-only (cardio) program of exercise isnt enough to get the fat loss results they need. With the benefits of strength training, they can get that boost they need in their metabolism, and also increase bone density. Also, by doing something daily, 5 days a week, their metabolism also gets a bigger boost, versus doing just 2 to 3 workouts a week. Ive also kept the workout format to around 20 minutes (thats why the articles named this way). I feel a 20 minute workout is ample time for a workout. My clients get warmed up with The Stick, a warm-up & cool-down massaging device. This process takes about 5 minutes before & 5 minutes after the workout. Its basically the bookends of this workout style. The 20 Minute Strength Boot Camp Strategy: Ive had a host of changes to the 20 minute format of a strength workout. My main themes though are sticking with 6 fundamental movements: Squatting Lunging Pushing Pulling Bending Twisting

At first I started with 6-7 stations of these movements, with 30 seconds of work, and 30 seconds of rest. Go through each station in a circuit style, and you have an 18 or 21 minute workout. The main goal is for work output performance: using muscle groups to perform work, not just lifting weights for a set amount of reps that supposedly focuses on the so-called toning of muscle. This is more demanding than a regular steady-state cardio workout, and teaches work performance & synchronization of muscle groups for a task. We all perform these fundamental movements throughout the day in some way, shape, or form. This also works to sub-maximal exhaustion, and not to total failure as some programs do. I feel the bodybuilding mindset of training is dying, and a new form of exercise focus on human work output & performance will appeal to more people, and attain better results. Already I see this in my clients, who say theyve done the step aerobics, the places like Curves, and other routes of the bodybuilding/fitness world. They got nothing from those routes of exercise, and its because I think those workouts had misdirected purposes. When it comes down to it, we need to perform various amounts & demands of WORK throughout lifes tasks. This boot camp style of workout will help do that for people.

The 20 Minute Cardio Boot Camp Strategy: Following along the same work performance strategies of the strength workout, the cardio portion works on the same thing. Periods of high intensity work, with brief rest periods interspersed between them, help achieve the goal of better cardiovascular health. Examples of this strategy are using a scale of 1-10 on an intensity rating scale. 10 is an all-out effort, 1 is like sleeping. Another way to think of it is 10%, 20%, 100%. You can workout for periods of low intensity with high intensity. Usually the periods of low intensity are greater than those of high intensity. Examples of this are 3 minutes easy, 1 minute hard (5: easy, 8-9: hard rating) for 5 cycles. I used to do this around a hockey arenas hallways for jogging/walking workouts. Later on, I took it outside and did some 30 seconds work, 30 seconds rest patterns with sprints, jump ropes, and kettlebell swing stations. (Zings, Strings, Swings, & Rings: Read the article on this method for sports performance workouts at http://standapartfitness.com ) Ive discovered that the KB swing is a great cardio-pumping workout for high intensity workloads. This gets the Heart Rate up and keeps er there, as my clients say to me. For some weeks, I will follow the Tabata protocol of doing 8 periods of 20 seconds high intensity work, 10 seconds rest, for 4 minutes total. Then, I rest for 3-4 minutes, and do another Tabata series of 4 minutes. Ill alternate this for up to 20 minutes. Ill create stations for this too, or just alternate between 2 of them, such as jump ropes for one period, followed by kettlebell swings for the next period. The options are really limitless, just use common sense. With the combination of Strength & Cardio workouts in 20 minute structures, you can come up with an effective weight loss and weight management solution for your clients. I only hold my boot camps in the mornings, which gives me consistency in my work-day. My evenings fluctuate with coaching demands for 2 sports in the school year, so I created Boot Camp Xpress, an appointment-based workout circuit, for those who dont want morning boot camp workout times. BCX will be discussed in the next issue of Training Revolutions. Rick Karboviak, CSCS, is the Managing Editor of Training Revolutions E-zine. He created http://speeddialcoach.com in February of 2006, doing morning boot camps, personal training sessions, and sports performance sessions, specializing in 30 minute workout formats. Xpress Exercise For Every Body & Keep It Simple are his mottos of training for his clients & athletes. You can check out his line-up of unique Postcard Solutions (fitness & sports training workout guides) at http://speeddialcoach.com/pcs.html.

Developing an Explosive, Quick First Step using Resistance Bands as your training tool Part I
Dave Schmitz PT, CSCS, PES

What should come first "Quickness or Speed?" Todays athletes are focused on getting faster and faster. However, would it be more beneficial to get quicker and quicker??? Speed is defined in many ways. Top end speed, acceleration, quickness, first step speed, closing speed and field fast are all terms often thrown out when speed is discussed. When evaluating functional speed, it usually begins with developing an explosive, quick first step. Obviously if the body can not get moving and create a forward, lateral or rotational momentum nothing else really matters. Speed in most ground base sports is determined by how quickly an athlete can get his or her body in motion. Acceleration and top end speed only come into play once the athlete gets the body moving. Therefore it could be argued that developing a quick first step must occur before running speed takes over. Functional quickness is when an athlete can create an integrated or total body reaction that propels them into motion. In other words, the upper and lower extremities react simultaneously in a synchronized, powerful series of actions brought together because the trunk created an optimal communication link. So how do I develop quickness? Developing quickness requires you to be able to load quickly and efficiently. This loading can best occur when the body reflexively assumes the optimal dynamic posture right at the point of transformation. Transformation is where the athlete goes from a decelerated mode to an accelerated force production mode. Incorporating the optimal dynamic posture insures that an athlete will load the appropriate muscles at the right time and in the right sequence. Remember, you cant go unless you load the system first. Therefore training to load quicker and quicker, with deceased ground contact and maintaining the same distance should be an athletes focus.

How do I know my postures are optimal??? This is not an easy answer since there are many variables that can influence posture. For instance trunk loading strength, dynamic hip and shoulder flexibility, spatial awareness, the type of weight bearing surface and your overall lower extremity and core strength. Ultimately it would be the best if we had a training tool that automatically told our body what to do. As an example if I attempt to push you over by placing my hands on your shoulders, you would reflexively lean forward to set yourself to optimally absorb my pressure. No thinking, just reacting. Getting an athlete to go into the posture and perform the movement I want, without them knowing they are doing it should be the goal. Lets start with simple Step downs and lunges A Resistance Band Lunge matrix or Step down matrix drill is a great series of drills to teach your body how to load quickly and efficiently. These drills require you to train against gravity and momentum using body weight and a band that you can easily control. These drills are very safe and allow you or your athletes to program in well balanced movement.

With lunges or step downs, Athletes should challenge themselves to get out as far as they can but still be able to get back Home to the starting position quickly and well balance. Getting back home is the key to any deceleration drill like lunges or step downs. Getting back home means you controlled the ground reaction forces, momentum of the band and the speed of gravity at the point of transformation and ultimately loaded well. For coaches this is easy to monitor and correct. Once the lunge movement is mastered both from a lower movement pattern sequence, place a mark on the floor and set a stop watch at 15 seconds. Now athletes can begin to challenge their reaction speed by seeing how many times they can get to the mark and back in 15 seconds. They will quickly realize that if they do not maintain a good athletic posture when landing, they will not be able to load efficiently and thus will return home poorly. Remember landing is the loading phase and as stated you must load quickly and efficiently if you want to accelerate quickly. Once the feet, ankles, knees and hips are working together, incorporating a simple reach with the lunge or step down will now bring in the trunk and start to coordinate the upper extremities into the movement. Reaches can be performed in the following ways:

1. Double arm low reach 2. Single arm low reach 3. Double arm overhead reach 4. Double or single arm lateral rotational reach Now that you have the reach and the lunge going well, you have prepared yourself for the next step which is putting a Reaction Step with it In Part II I will begin to focus on a progressive 2 and 3 step drill using resistane bands to enhance your linear and lateral first step quickness. ______________________________________________________________________
About the author Dave Schmitz is a Physical Therapist and Performance Enhancement specialist who owns PERFORMAX Performance Training. He has spent the last 10 years developing innovative functionally based training using resistance bands. For More information on resistance band training or resistance band training tips, drills, techniques, or workouts check out www.functional-training-with-resistance-bands.com or contact Dave Schmitz at dave@functional-training-with-resistance-bands.com

________________________________________________________________________

Introducing: The Rocket Feet Trainer 2.0

Million Dollar Speed & Agility, Built On The Change In Your Pocket!
Check out the video link below to discover how unique the Rocket Feet Trainer 2.0 is! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Uq_-Qjtebc

TR Special: Create A Rocket Hopper for Mad Hops!

An excerpt from Rocket Speed Training On A Budget, available at http://trinitytraining.bravehost.com Needs: 30 of 1/2 PVC pipe 20 L Connections 2 T Connections PVC Cutter Instructions: Cut 23 15 lengths of PVC pipe from your 30 feet sections. (Youll have one 15 left over piece; use this for a spare piece in the future.) Attach the pieces together with the 20 Ls and 2 Ts to form a shape of 2 plus signs, as below: First Assembly of 15 pieces & Ls

Final Product

Do hopscotch-like jumping patterns in this design to work on foot quickness & body control. You can make even more items by donating any amount you want, & receive your gift of Rocket Speed Training On A Budget, at Total Trinity Trainings website, http://trinitytraining.bravehost.com .

Q & A With Coach K.

Common Questions Received By Coach Rick Karboviak, on the volunteer site, AllExperts.com

Q: A:

Rick, can you help me out?

Im 16, 56, 140

pounds. I play football and my coach tells me I need to get huge to play more next year. Can you give me a program of exercises to do? Thanx.

If I had a dollar every time I got asked this question!

(Come

to think of it, maybe I should start charging for this type of Q&A service!) Anyway, this is probably the most common question I get from young athletes, especially those who play football. Ill get into my pet peeves by following up these statements: I play football and my coach tells me I need to get huge to play more next year. This coach should be reprimanded for telling such a flatout lie. This type of mindset only gives the athlete ONE option: get big, or sit on the bench. Gee, if only getting big was the true answer to sports performance! Do you think Pro Athletes continually get bigger each year, in order to perform better? Consequently, young athletes shouldnt be brought up in this mindset of gain big, play big. Size alone doesnt mean #$#$!@ if you cant move your body correctly. I saw plenty of meatheads in college who were big, but couldnt move their butt worth a hoot down a field. So, size alone doesnt get you playing time, working on performance goals makes the most out of whatever amount of playing time you get! Secondly, this young athlete should be looking to his coach and/or strength coach at his school first for a strength program. Im honored that this athlete looked to me for advice, but Im the wrong guy to really give it. Athletes should turn to their coaches for solid training advice, and even better if the school has a decent strength coach to help them out in the off-season, and in-season. Unfortunately, most coaches will follow some college program or some other coachs system from their school, or from a college buddy of theirs who coaches elsewhere. A true coach must assess his teams needs and design whats most effective. One of the best coaches Ive seen who does this is Jeff Mumm, a FB & track coach at the school which I coach XC & track teams at. He really assesses whats ideal for the teams, both in and out-of-season, creating logs and guides,

consistently throughout the year. Hes a great coach to work with and hes really got it down tight. I wish more schools had more Mumms in their school. Anyway, I told this athlete to turn to his coach for a training program, and if he didnt get anywhere on that, he needed to consult with his parents to have them talk to me.

Q: A:

Rick, Im in need of your help. I lost a

bunch of weight by doing a walking program, but now I have flabby arms and areas of flab in my thigh region. I dont want to strength train because Ill get too bulky. What exercises can I do to get rid of this flab?
Boy, I am going to have to start charging here for these

questions. First, I give congratulations to this person for achieving a weight loss goal. Unfortunately, the weight loss was probably a mix of both muscle mass and fat mass being lost. You see, when you dont use muscle tissue often, in forms of doing work and building strength as a goal, you dont keep too much of it around. Cardio is great, but alone for weight loss is a nightmare on the body. This happens a lot in runners, who run endlessly and lose muscle mass, thus losing strength. This loss in strength tricks them into thinking they need more mileage to build up strength & endurance, and things continue to get weaker. All of this could be adverted with a focus on basic strengthening MOVEMENTS, not just on muscle groups. Doing 6 simple actions: squatting, lunging, bending, twisting, pushing, and pulling, those movements with bodyweight and extra resistance can make a huge difference in preserving & building up muscle mass. Some of the most in-shape people Ive seen are farmers, the ones with livestock to care for, and others who do heavy chores in their job on a daily basis. Even my dad was a farm boy most of his young life, and carried that into his work of being a power company lineman. Hauling heavy tools up a pole, fixing heavy power lines and transformer equipment, this heavy labor required him to have what I call Daily Strength. Daily Strength is the strength you need on a daily basis to perform intermittent work tasks repeatedly, and even unexpectedly. Later on when my dad got promoted to a desk job, he said he missed the daily labor of his old job, because it used to keep him in great shape. The guy was never sick when I was growing up. I

honestly think that his daily work demands kept him healthy and kept excess weight off throughout the year. So, that being said, doing strength training, in some capacity, can do wonders for weight loss and muscle mass preservation. I advised this woman to start out with a strength training focus on movements, instead of the build muscle like a female bodybuilder mindset. She needed a shift in her way of thinking to accomplish this new goal of firming and toning up her body. As much as I hate the words firm and tone, they still strike home the point that people need to strength train for better, overall fitness levels in their lives. Coach Rick Karboviak has actually started to charge for more in-depth questions. Call-A-Coach is a 30 minute phone call, setup just for you, to ask Coach Karboviak all your questions you need. $17 is all it takes to get Coach Karboviak, one-on-one, just with you, for your specific needs. Visit his site, http://speeddialcoach.com/cac.html setup your Call-A-Coach Time. to learn how to

How to Develop Single Leg Strength and Why it is Important

By Chaney Weiner Developing single leg strength is often neglected in strength training programs but extremely effective in improving performance, speed, balance, and aids in the reduction of injury. Most training programs focus on double-leg movements such as squats and leg presses, often utilizing heavy weight in order to develop strength. Even though this type of training has its place in a specific program, development of single leg strength should be the cornerstone of any strength and conditioning program. The logic behind why single leg strength should be the mainstay of a strength and conditioning program can be answered by asking yourself the following question: How many sports and daily activities are done with two feet on the ground at all times? Not too many. Even the most basic of human movement, walking, is done one leg at a time. If you analyze the walking or gait cycle in slow motion you will see that most of the time is spent on one leg. The same can be said of running and in many cases jumping as well. Developing single leg strength is independent to that of developing double leg strength. In other words you cannot use double leg exercises to develop single leg strength, however you can use single leg exercises to develop double leg strength. Single leg training relies on the pelvic stabilizers differently than does double leg training. In single leg training two muscles, the gluteus medius (a muscle in the buttocks) and the quadratus lumborum ( a low back muscle) act as stabilizers, which is vital to most sport skills. In addition, single leg strength training adds a balance and stability component that is not achieved with conventional double leg training and has been recognized as a key component in reducing the risk of injury.

Single leg strength training also allows one to use high loads without using high weights. This is an extremely effective way to build strength without the use of high weights and this in turn reduces the risk of injury significantly. When performing conventional barbell squats, for example, it may take a few hundred pounds, spotters, and a squat rack in order to execute the exercise. Not only that but the risk of injury increases dramatically due to the high loads places upon ones back in addition to other factors such as incorrect spotting or poor form on the lifters part. Single leg squatting eliminates all of those factors and places just as high a load, if not higher, on the lower body musculature. Initially one would start off using a bodyweight progression for single leg training before attempting to add weight, which could be in the form of dumbbells or a weighted vest. We also need to understand that single leg strength is not always just standing on one leg, but rather it also involves the transitions from one leg to another, such as when we walk, run, step down, step to reach for an object, lunge, etc. The examples above usually originate out of a split stance (figure ) but when transitioning we go into a temporary single leg stance and back to a split stance. In addition, while transitioning from a split stance to a single leg stance we are training dynamic balance as well. Therefore we need to realize that in order to train and improve single leg strength, we need to use both the split and single leg stances.

Squatting
Split Stance The split stance is first in the single leg strength progression. This progression builds the single leg strength that is needed in order to do single leg squats. Assume a long lunge position. Keep the head and chest up and position the hands behind the head or out to the side. While maintaining this position throughout, touch the back knee to the floor while keeping the front knee over the ankle (figure 1). Please keep in mind this is not a lunge exercise because there is no movement involved. The advanced version of the split squat is a one-leg bench squat. Instead of placing the back foot on the floor, place it on a bench and get into a position similar to that of the split squat (figure 2). There is a higher degree of difficulty with this exercise because there is one stable point of support on the floor and one slightly less stable support on the bench. As in the split squat, descend until the thigh is parallel to the floor and the back knee is nearly touching the floor.

Figure 1 Split Squat w/foot on floor

Figure 2

Split Squat w/foot on bench

Single Leg Stance Single leg squatting is the king of single leg exercises and is the most difficult to perform. The benefits of single leg squatting include increase leg, hip, glute, and calf strength. In addition, single leg squatting improves balance, stability, and alignment. Before attempting single leg squats progress from the split squat to the one-leg bench squat. When squatting on a single leg the pelvic muscles function as stabilizers, which is important because pelvic muscle stabilization is needed in all sprinting actions. Most people feel awkward and clumsy the first few times and may even require a few sessions to get comfortable with the balance and depth needed to perform the single leg squat. Initially go to as far a depth as you can control and gradually work your way down to the parallel position. Described below are some different types of single leg squats and an explanation of each. Single leg Pumps Single leg pumps are nothing more than single leg partial squats. You may see or hear people say that you should squat to parallel or even to a full squat position. That is correct and that style of squatting has its place in a program. Single leg pumps are no exception. They are a tool as well. The advantage of doing single leg pumps is that: A. Everyone can single leg squat from day one. With each step we take as we walk or run we are doing a single leg pump, so if you can walk or run the chances are pretty good you can start with single leg pumps. B. They are a progression to ultimately doing single leg squats to parallel depth. C. They are safe and can be tailored to your fitness level D. Single leg pumps can be made very intensive by increasing the speed. Doing this exercise fast is not as easy as it seems. It demands a lot of balance, stability, and strength. Stand on a single leg with your arms out in a shoulder carry position (figure 3). While keeping the free leg from touching the ground and bent at the knee squat down about of the way (figure 4). If this depth is too difficult then squat to the point of where you can control During the descent the free leg can travel slightly backward while the thigh remains parallel to the squatting leg as to provide a slight counterbalance and the torso can bend slightly forward. Be sure to avoid touching the ground with the free leg. Make sure and keep the foot of the squatting leg flat on the floor at all times. Repeat with the other leg.

Figure 3

Starting stance for single leg pump

Figure 4

End position for single leg pump

Stand on a single leg with your arms out in front at shoulder height (figure 5). While keeping the free leg from touching the ground and bent at the knee only squat down until the top of the thigh is parallel to the floor (figure 6). During the descent the free leg travels backward while the thigh remains parallel to the squatting leg as to provide a counterbalance and the torso bends slightly forward. This action provides more emphasis to the glutes and hamstrings while still working the quads. Be sure to avoid touching the ground with the free leg. Make sure and keep the foot of the squatting leg flat on the floor at all times. Repeat with the other leg.

Knee flexed (free leg back/counterbalanced)

Figure 5 Starting position for single leg squat

Figure 6 Finishing position for single leg squat

Anterior Reach
The anterior reach is a great exercise to train deceleration of gravity and momentum, as well as changes of direction, which is present in most sports and in much of what we do in our daily lives. The single leg anterior reach works to strengthen the entire posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, and low back) while enhancing balance and stability. The single leg version of this exercise is used to simulate gait and running mechanics, while improving running efficiency. Single Leg Anterior Reach Balance on a single leg, with the same side arm up and the opposite arm back (figure 7). This simulates a walking/running position. Keeping the knee slightly bent reach forward, as far as you can under control, with the arm opposite that of the planted leg to a level that can be controlled (figure 8). This level can range anywhere from shoulder height all the way down to the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps. Repeat with the other leg.

Figure 7

Starting Position

Figure 8 Single Leg Anterior Reach

The anterior reach can be used to work the all important deep rotator muscles of the hips. These muscles are extremely important for hip stabilization and can improve performance greatly. This is accomplished by performing the exercise and alternating the arms with each repetition. When performing this exercise with the opposite arm/opposite leg you are rotating the hip of the planted leg internally and at the same time you are stretching the muscles of the hip that externally rotate the hip. When you perform the anterior reach by reaching with the same arm/same leg you are rotating the hip of the planted leg externally and at the same time stretching the muscles of the hip that internally rotate the hip. In essence, by alternating the arms with each reach while on the same leg you are constantly rotating and stretching the deep rotator muscles of the hip in alternate fashion. This is extremely important because this is how the hips are used all the time when we walk, run, and turn. In addition, the more you turn to each side (internal & external rotation) the more intense the exercise becomes. The anterior reach can also be used to rehabilitate and prehabilitate the knee. The degree of knee bend is the key factor in this case. You can strengthen the surrounding structures of the knee without damaging the joint by performing this exercise on a single leg and use as much or as little knee bend as necessary. This forces the knee to balance and stabilize itself and in the process keep you from collapsing. The bottom line is that if one can stand then one can perform this exercise, even if they cannot perform a squat. By utilizing various angles of hip flexion (bending at the waist) and/or knee flexion(bending at the knee) you can tailor this exercise to the individuals need(s).

Lunge
The lunge is a great overall exercise for the legs and for single leg strength and considered by many easy to perform. Actually, the lunge is an advanced exercise due to the deceleration component it provides. As the body moves forward and subsequently comes to a stop it must decelerate the momentum generated during the movement and this deceleration takes place mostly on one leg. This is the main function of the lunge. Lunges are also an excellent dynamic movement for the hip flexors and can be used in both a warm up and strength training routines. Most people lunge by starting out in a parallel stance. What will be described below is a sagittal plane lunge starting out of a split stance and taking a full step. Lunging in this manner increases the transition time from a split stance to a single leg and back to a split stance. This is how we truly function, especially when we walk or run. Sagittal Plane Lunge (to the front) Begin by standing in a split stance (figure 9) and the hands at a shoulder carry height or on your hips. Take a full step forward approximately as long as you are tall and make sure the top of the thigh is parallel to the floor (figure 10). The step should be long enough for you to feel a stretch in the hip flexor muscles of the rear leg. End the movement by pushing back to the split stance you started with. Repeat with the other leg for the desired number of reps.

Figure 9

Starting & finishing position for full step lunge

Figure 10

Full step lunge

Reaching Lunge
Reaching lunges are a combination of the anterior reach and the lunge. In addition to training deceleration of movement, the reaching lunge lengthens and strengthens the hip extensors(hamstrings & glutes) and low back and is an excellent dynamic movement as part of a warm up or workout routine. Sagittal Plane (to the front) Begin in a split stance and the hands to the side or slightly out in front at waist height (figure 11) . Take a step forward approximately as long as you are tall, and bend at the waist with a slight knee bend and reach with the arm, opposite of the leg taking the step, out as far in front and as low as your can control (figure 12). Keep the rear leg straight or slightly bent and on the ball of the rear foot. In the reaching lunges it is not necessary to have the top of the thigh parallel to the floor because you want to work more of the hamstrings, glutes and low back. The sagittal reaching lunge position should mimic that of a golfer picking up a golf ball out of the cup after sinking a putt. End the movement by pushing back until the feet are back together. Repeat by alternating legs for the desired number of reps.

Figure 11 Starting & finishing position

Figure 12 Full step reaching lunge

Remember, it is important to understand that single leg strength involves more than just balancing on one leg. It involves using different stances done in a transitioning manner. In addition, single leg strength training should never be a circus act but rather ground based movements utilizing the operational environment we deal with on an everyday basis and done in a safe manner.

References
Boyle, M. 2004. Functional Training for Sports. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Chaney Weiner is owner and founder of Achieving Bodies Fitness and Performance Training based in Somerset County, New Jersey. For more information please visit www.achievingbodiesfitness.com 2006 Achieving Bodies Fitness and Performance Training. All Rights Reserved

New Years Resolution: Get Back into Your Skinny Jeans in Two Weeks The working womans strategy
By Priscilla Friedlander Dec 18, 2006
Littleton, CO You know your skinny jeans. When you wear them you feel sexy, you strut confidently, and people tell you youre lookin good. But when they no longer fit, you think, Ive got to do something fast! How can you squeeze back into them without starving yourself or wearing some seriously restrictive underwear? Here are three proven ways that will get you back into your skinny jeans in two short weeks: 1. Thoughts Are Things Hang those jeans somewhere where you can see them every day. Putting them in the back of your drawer or closet is like telling yourself, Hopefully Ill fit into those again someday. Dont do it. Those jeans need to be staring back at you every single day, telling you You look hot in these. Hurry up and get into them again. 2. Cut Out the Crap Youve most likely splurged over the holidays. Heck, thats what we do during the holidays, right? Its time to go back to a healthy diet or begin one. What is the most important change you can make first? Dramatically reduce your refined carbohydrate intake. Cut out as much sugar and white flour as you can and you will lose weight. Think about it. Lets say you eat one serving of some type of refined bread like a muffin, bagel, or croissant for breakfast. Eat low fat yogurt, fruit, or protein (like eggs) instead and you could be cutting out up to 500 calories right there. Then make sure to eat a good-sized lunch, like a soup with a salad plus a half sandwich. This will help you eliminate the snack you eat mid-afternoon at work. You know, when you crash and eat candy, cookies, and crackers in order to stave off hunger pangs or just stay awake? Thats likely another 200 to 500 calories saved. At night, swap a calorie-laden dessert after dinner with fresh fruit or low cal Jell-O and you could have a days savings of up to 1500 calories! Thats about half a pound. The bottom line is that the best way to lose weight (inches and pounds) is to restrict calorie intake. Dont take short cuts. Many women are disillusioned to find that the magic pill or diet they hope will help them shed pounds simply doesnt work. 3. Move, Move, Move There is magic in movement, not in diet pills. Besides cutting out refined carbs, youve got to exercise. Remember, were talking about getting into your skinny jeans in two weeks. But Im not talking about running 6 miles a day or going to the gym for 2 hours. Most likely, you ate a lot more calories and exercised much less during the holidays because of traveling, partying, the cold weather, or who knows what else. Those days are over. But of course your busy life isnt. Knowing that you need to exercise is one thing and actually getting your butt out the door is another. So dont force your butt out the door! Get your butt on the floor instead! Put on your favorite CD or watch your favorite TV show and do this 20 minute workout: 5 minutes: 4 minutes: 2 minutes: 5 minutes: 4 minutes: Alternate between jogging in place and jumping jacks. Alternate between forward lunges and reverse lunges. Squats. Jog or jump rope. Leg lifts on the floor (the good old-fashioned ones).

The most important thing you need to do is to burn more calories than you normally would throughout your day. Move quickly through this workout and youll burn about 200 calories in 20 minutes. Do it 5 days a week and thats 1000 calories! 3. Drink Zero Calories This is by far the easiest way to reduce the calories you consume daily so that you can get into those jeans. Just dont drink anything that has calories in it for a couple of weeks. Drink water, unsweetened tea, and any beverage not containing sugar. Youll be surprised by the amount of calories you save. The flurry of holiday parties and tasty alcoholic drinks will come to an end eventually. You dont have to refuse all cocktails forever, but taking a break from mixed alcoholic beverages, sodas, coffee with all the frills, and even juice for a couple of weeks will help you dramatically reduce your caloric intake. How many calories would you be saving? More than most people realize. Heres a short list of typical holiday drinks: Starbucks hot chocolate 330 calories Coca Cola 100 calories Beer 120 calories Meadow Gold egg nog 220 calories Apple cider 150 calories Peppermint Schnapps 125 calories

Stopping at Starbucks before work or a enjoying a few beers at a holiday bash can cost youhundreds of calories in just a few sips. Boycott these for two weeks and youll most likely have eliminated a few 1,000 calories each week. Heres what my client, Dee Leh, had to say after implementing this working womans strategy: "After losing 2.5 inches in my waist, I was able to get back into my smaller sized jeans. It is an amazing feeling, especially since I was resigned to wearing my fat jeans for ever. Thanks Priscilla!" One pound is equal to 3,500 calories. So, do the math. Throw out the breakfast breads and afternoon munchies, do your 20 minute workout, and pass up the drinks for a couple of weeks. Youre guaranteed to lose a couple of pounds a week simply by implementing these three habits. Before you know it youll be slipping on those skinny jeans and looking better in them than you did before the holidays! Priscilla Friedlander is director of Womens Fitness Camps and owner of Holistic Health in Littleton, Colorado. She conducts fitness camps that specialize in body fat reduction, strength, and conditioning for women. She also conducts seminars on nutrition and supplements. For more information on her fitness camps, visit www.womensfitnesscamps.com. For information on nutrition seminars, contact her by email, priscilla@holistichealthco.net or phone, 720-951-0101.
Copyright 2006 Priscilla Friedlander. All rights reserved.

Thank you for reading another fine edition of Training Revolutions!

Leave your feedback with Rick Karboviak, Editor of TR: rkarboviak@speeddialcoach.com

Also, please visit the sites of our fine contributors:

http://standapartfitness.com John Izzo http://www.functional-training-with-resistancebands.com Dave Schmitz, Performax Training (www.Performax4u.com) http://www.achievingbodiesfitness.com Chaney Weiner http://womensfitnesscamps.com Priscilla Friedlander http://speeddialcoach.com Rick Karboviak