STRETCHING

Stretching is a broad topic. There are several elements involved when evaluating the mechanisms of flexibility and trying to create the change a client/athlete desire. Ultimately the method of implementation to improve someone’s flexibility is going to be dictated by the objective. Why are you stretching in the first place? Do you know why you’re tight to begin with? Do you understand the difference in active vs passive ranges of motion; or that more range of motion is not always a good thing?

We’ve all been taught that stretching prevents injuries and that we need to stretch before activity. Stretching has seemingly become a tradition that continues to be passed down from generation to generation. We learned to stretch from our coaches and gym teachers, and the cycle continues to repeat itself. But what is happening when we stretch and is it appropriate for our goals at that moment in time?

When we stretch, our goal is to lengthen a muscle. We stretch in an effort to make the muscle more flexible and improve its range of motion. However, for a muscle to improve its range of motion, the muscle that you are trying to lengthen must first relax. Relaxation is key to lengthening. Once a muscle is relaxed, it can then be moved into a new, lengthened position.

Your typical pre-game/prehab static stretching session isn’t accomplishing this. The low level of afferent feedback isn’t enough to cause significant changes in the viscoelasticity of the muscle creating a lengthened state. It simply isn’t enough time. Its more of a placebo effect.

The effects of stretching on the viscoelasticity of a muscle are short lived. Thus, stretching doesn’t make significant change to muscle. Improvements in flexibility are due more to a STRETCH TOLERANCE rather than change in the physical state of the tissue. (Spinea)

It will however increase the activity of something called a muscle spindle. Within each of our muscles lies a nervous system receptor called a muscle spindle. This muscle spindle can be stretched and compressed, similar to a slinky. As the length of a muscle begins to change, the muscle spindle will begin to fire (or turn on) causing contraction in the muscle. This reaction is called the stretch reflex.

This stretch reflex is a protective mechanism that is designed to prevent our muscles from pulling and tearing. So, the result is you trying to pull a muscle to its maximum length (stretch it), while the muscle fibers are tightened. This is similar to trying to stretch a towel beyond its maximal length...it’s not going to happen unless the towel rips.

As you continue to reach for that extra range of motion, the stretch actually comes from connective tissues as they begin to weaken. As you continue with repetitive sets, you are essentially setting yourself up for injury by weakening these extremely important connective tissues.

Research shows that there is tremendous amount of evidence showing that the articular system is intimately connected to the spindle system (Spinea).

After you are done stretching, there is what we call a “refractory period” that occurs. During this period, the exact opposite of what was originally occurring in the tissue occurs. So, if contraction occurred during the stretch, what is going to occur afterwards? You guessed correctly, no contraction! So, as you are trying to workout, run, jump etc., the contractions that are needed to help propel your body are less than they were before you stretched.

This refractory period is a problem because it significantly decreases your ability to create and absorb force. When the muscle(s) are unable to absorb force, the force transfers into the surrounding connective tissue and will eventually result in injury.

So, with this information, how are we supposed to increase our range of motion and improve our flexibility? There are two methods that we recommend that best put this knowledge to use. The first method is contract/release techniques. This is what most know as Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF). PNF is great, however leaves open the possibility of developing passive range of motion without active control. After the range of motion is created it’s important that it be maintained. This can be done through a variety of hovers, lift offs, passive range holds etc.

The second method is positional isometrics. Positional isometrics, when performed properly, not only lengthen the targeted muscles, but preserve the health of the tendons and ligaments. This subsequently reduces your chance of injury. They also increase blood flow and refuel the muscle much more efficiently allowing you to recover faster. To learn more about isometrics and how we implement them read our prior article on isometrics.

I’m hopeful this article providers the reader a better understanding of the mechanisms that occur during stretching, and how broad-based prescription of static stretching is not necessarily the best course of action. As we stated at the beginning of the article, the course of action for improvements in flexibility should be dictated by the objective.

John Nelson Founder/Director ELP

Should Athletes Perform Olympic Lifts?

“Many think Olympic lifts develop explosiveness, but they in fact do not. There’s no such thing as ‘explosive lifts'. The reference is to how the lift is performed, not the lift (Simmons, 133).

Many coaches and trainers teach their HS/College athletes to perform Olympic Lifts in the hopes of developing explosiveness. Although I do have great respect for Olympic lifters, I do not believe Olympic lifts to be an advantageous approach to athletic development. Below are reasons to support our stance.

1. Olympic Lifting Doesn’t Develop Explosiveness.

• Olympic lifting is closer to developing strength-speed qualities. This is not the same thing as explosiveness (more on this in point number two). Explosiveness is developed through the implementation of jumping, bounding and depth jumps. This isn’t opinion, this comes directly from the literature of the great Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc strength and speed development experts. There is a common theme amongst the works of Verkhosansky, Starzynski, Sozanski, and Lasocki when it comes to explosiveness; none of them mention Olympic lifting. However, they all consistently mention jumps, bounds and depth jumps to be the best methods to develop explosiveness.

2. The Bar Speed Doesn’t Match Up.

• Research from the likes of Mladen, Simmons and others show that Olympic lifting occurs at .6 -.8 m/sec. This would put Olympic Lifting in the realm of power development, closer towards the absolute strength side of the continuum. Again, another reason Olympic Lifting is not explosive in nature. These are great qualities for athletes to develop, but Olympic Lifting is not our preferred way to do it. The following is a breakdown of bar speeds when developing special qualities along the force velocity curve:
  • Absolute Strength: .15 - .35 m/sec
  • Strength-Speed: .8 – 1 m/sec
  • Speed – Strength: 1 – 1.5 m/sec
  • Starting Strength/Speed: > 1.5 m/sec

3. They’re too Technical and Dangerous.

• With the limited amount of time most coaches have with their athletes, it’s important we give them the best bang for their buck. Additionally, most athletes aren’t gym rats like us. They are in the gym because they know it’ll improve their game; not because they love working out. Olympic Lifting is a skill (and sport) and requires a tremendous amount of practice in order to complete a lift with proper technique and safety. Olympic Lifters spend years perfecting their form, and it simply doesn’t make sense to expect a high school or college athlete to spend that kind of time perfecting that type of skill. There are many simpler ways to develop the needed areas along the force velocity continuum that don’t require the technical skill Olympic Lifting does. Good examples are: box squats, deadlifts, benching and many others. It is much safer and easier to teach technique with these lifts, while developing the strength-speed and/or speed-strength qualities with proper velocities. Then using explosive movements to develop explosiveness.

4. Save the Joints and Connective Tissues.

• Athletes aren’t made of glass, but I tend to take a common-sense approach when it comes to saving their joints and connective tissues. The athlete’s joints will take enough of a beating on the field; we don’t need to add to that in the gym. With so many other effective means at developing explosiveness and other qualities along the force velocity curve, it’s just not sensible to crush their joints and connective tissues with high impact Olympic lifts. The cumulative effect of pounding on the joints in the gym will rear its ugly head eventually.

5. Random Thoughts:

• 99% of athletics are Speed-Strength anyways. I’d rather train my athletes for that.
• Research the lack of an eccentric phase in Olympic lifts (other than the hang clean).
• Force summation
• Lack of stretch reflex development

John Nelson Founder/Director ELP

Ankle Stiffness and Running Speed

This weeks article comes from my good friend and colleague Chris Scarborough. Chris is a S&C/Speed coach, and licensed Physical Therapist in Birmingham, AL. We've worked together for nearly a decade, and have spent many hours talking shop over bbq, steaks and maybe a beer or two. Not only is Chris one of my closest friends, he is one of my biggest influences when it comes to sprint/speed development. He's a great mind in this industry, and when it comes to speed, he's the GURU. In this video Chris talks about Ankle Stiffness and its roll in Speed Development. Enjoy...

-John Nelson, Founder/Director ELP

PROPER BENCH PRESS SETUP FOR ATHLETES

Proper setup on the bench press can be the difference between either making a lift or missing it. Not only can your setup technique be the difference in successfully completing a lift, it can also play a huge role in reducing the risk of injury during the lift.

There are a handful of setup techniques for the bench press. Our setup technique was taught to me by a world class power lifter and record holder, and over the years has proven to be the most beneficial technique for our athletes, as well as the safest.

For athletes who have progressed enough to begin bench pressing, we teach a “mild arched back setup.” This setup is a hybrid of the arched back style and the second bench (flat) style. It does not include the Japanese setup. It should also be noted that this setup is designed for a raw bencher and may not be appropriate for shirted benchers or bench only competitors.

We use this hybrid style of benching for three reasons:

1. The arched back style can be very taxing on an athlete’s lower back.
2. The second style incorporates too much of the cervical spine; particularly for throwers.
3. Torso and arm length are always considered during setup as well. We feel this setup gives us the opportunity to adjust arm angles, which is important as we train a variety of different sized athletes.

How to Setup the Hybrid Bench for the Athlete:

• START: With the bar in the racked position, slide backwards on the bench and align the bar with the bottom of your chest, or roughly at nipple level.

• FEET: Set your feet to the ground, with knees bent. We recommend the heels remain elevated from this point on. More on this in "establishing the arch phase."

• GRIP: Set your grip while this position. Keep your pinky finger inside the power ring on both sides. Depending on what you’re training, your grip width will vary. Arm length should also be considered.

• ESTABLISH THE ARCH: Now that you have your grip, maintain position of your feet, then slide yourself back down the bench so that the bar is aligned with your eyes. Maintaining your foot placement form step two is important here. Maintaining the foot placement here is what creates the arch in your lower back when you slide into position. We want a normal arched back style, not an exaggerate arched back! Find the foot placement and back arch that allows a shorter distance for the bar to travel while also allowing you to keep your lower back safe and the bar in a stable position during the lift. You should be in a position where your feet are at or slightly in front of your glutes, but not directly under them or behind them. The Japanese method typically has the feet directly under the glutes with the heels down, but we don’t recommend that for our purposes.
• UNRACKING PHASE: Once set, un-rack the bar and pause at the top to ensure proper muscle engagement and control of the weight. There are plenty of YouTube videos of people skipping this aspect of the lift and the results aren’t pretty….. After un-racking and ensuring control, engage the lats by attempting to “break the bar.” The lats should be engaged the entire time as they’re one of the most important muscles in the bench. This is hands down the most common mistake young lifters/athletes make. Your lats must be engaged!! You’re likely to cramp up the first time you do this properly.
• ECCENTRIC PHASE (LOWERING PHASE): Finally, take a deep breathe in, pull the bar down towards your lower chest. The eccentric (lowering phase) is where most of the action takes place. Take it slow and reap the benefits of the eccentric phase! TOUCH THE WEIGHT TO YOUR CHEST, DO NOT BOUNCE!!
• CONCENTRIC PHASE (DRIVE PHASE): Do not let your glutes come off the bench during the drive! If you do this, you will find yourself in an excessively arched position without the proper setup. As you’re driving (up or forward depending on who you talk too), continue to keep the feet engaged and drive through the floor as much as possible. This tension throughout the body is very important both as an advantage in the lift and a safety measure. In simplistic terms, Sherrington’s Law of Irradiation states that by squeezing X muscle, other muscles nearby will assist and engage that much more. This has also been called muscle cheering. Understanding how this additional muscle engagement impacts your lift can make a big difference. Lock out at the top (hypermobility of the elbows should be considered) and rack it up.

The bench press can be a great tool when incorporated properly. At the end of the day, athletes are athletes… they’re not powerlifters or bench pressers. Bench pressing (whether with a barbell or dumbbell) is also not detrimental to pitchers or overhead athletes. All our thrower’s bench and do variations of the bench during the year (pending they have the needed prerequisites). Shoulder issues will arise if the needed prerequisites aren’t met and/or if technique is off. Lastly, special attention should always be paid to the style of bar used, the setup, loading schemes and the time of year an athlete benches.

John Nelson, Founder/Director ELP

THOUGHTS ON SPORT SPECIFIC TRAINING

A common question parents and coaches ask is whether we do “sport specific training.” The short answer to that question is no. The long answer to that question is that the level of specificity is dependent upon the individual as well as the demands the sport puts on the athlete.

Here are Three Reasons Why We Don’t Train Sport Specifically:

• First, there is really no such thing as sport specific training. This is a term that is widely thrown around without any true foundation to stand upon and has generally been used as a marketing gimmick. A rotational athlete doing a lunge with a medicine ball throw isn’t a sport specific move. It’s training the athlete to do a lunge and throw a medicine ball. Too many coaches view the exercise through the microcosm of sport specificity rather than evaluating the move and demands from a global perspective. Meaning, what are the actual rotational mechanisms in play and how are we impacting them? Or are we just having a Quarterback work on their 3 steps drop with a band around their knees and calling it sport specific because they’re mimicing a similar action that they’d do on the field?

• Secondly: Our focus at ELP is to help the athlete become a better athlete. When an individual becomes a better athlete, they will become a better “insert sport” player. Who doesn’t want to run faster or jump higher? What I’m about to say may sound like a shameless plug, and that’s not the intent, it’s simply facts over the course of my career... We’ve had over 5 high school pitchers throw over 95mph and one post an official 99mph and unofficial 100mph. That number goes up once we get to our college athletes. In 15 years, there has only been one Tommy John injury that occurred while the athlete was directly under our supervision; and honestly that one is questionable, but I’ll accept there are a few things we could’ve done differently. I am proud of this stat, as we and our healthcare partners have worked very hard to ensure the health of our athletes; but touting our credentials isn’t the point of that statement. The point is that we were able to help these throwers reach their true potential because we trained their athletic ability, not their baseball ability. Athleticism should come before skill. The more athletic the athlete is, the higher levels of skill they’re able to adopt. There is a reason that most of the top athletes in their profession played multiple sports growing up and then go on to have success at the highest of levels. They were great athletes first, and a “insert sport” player second.

• Lastly, the human body is the human body. Although it may seem contrary to popular belief, we’re all generally built the same. Granted there are some minor physiological differences; but at the end of the day your hamstring works just like my hamstring. As a mentor of mine once told me: “Find me an athlete whose hamstring ties up near their ear and I’ll gladly relearn everything I know.” Because the laws of nature are global, the process of athletic development becomes global. Train the human body to do what it’s designed to do, and you’ll find success. Ultimately, I’d rather work with Mother Nature and Father Time than try to work against them; they’re undefeated.

Why Maybe We Do Train a Little Sport Specific:

With the material in mind, there are appropriate times to address an individual player’s needs. For example, a quarterback is going to need a slightly greater emphasis on their rotator cuff and scapular upward rotation rather than that of, say, a soccer player. However, that soccer player will need more attention paid to their ankle stability and dorsi/plantar flexion ability than that of a quarterback. So, before we start throwing in J-Bands and scapular mobility work into a throwers program, or ankle mobility drills into a soccer player’s program, we must address the capacity of the individual first. This is very specific in nature and is not global. Blindly throwing mobility drills at an athlete without truly understanding the mechanisms behind their movement is a disservice to the athlete. You need to ask yourself questions such as: what their active vs passive ranges of motion, what is required of their movement, what does muscle alteration around the joint look like, and what is their overall capacity to handle said stimulus?

Once these areas have been addressed, we can implement them properly. However, it should only make up about 20% of their workout. The other 80% is dedicated to developing the athlete while keeping these individual factors in mind. The athlete’s development should emphasize quality movement, the ability to absorb force and then ability to produce force. And in that order.

I’d hardly call that sport specific. I’d call it athlete specific.

Hopefully that helps in breaking down what sport specific training is and what is best for either yourself or your athlete.

If you’re a parent or coach reading this and have questions, we are more than happy to assist however we can! Even if our facility is not the right fit for you or your family due to location, time commitments etc., please don’t ever hesitate to reach out to us. Our goal is to help provide our community with the best possible resources for continued development in athletics, health, and performance. Even if you’re 100+ miles away, we have a great network of colleagues across the country and are always happy to help you in any way we can.

John Nelson, Founder/Director ELP

ARE YOU DRINKING MILK?

Last night we posted “STOP DRINKING MILK” on our social media pages and received a few requests for more information. We will gladly discuss. However, this article is for entertainment purposes only! This article is not meant as attempt to treat, diagnose or prevent any disesase or illness and should not be misconstrued as such. In no way should the information presented in this article replace the recommendations of a qualified healthcare provider. Always consult your physician and/or dietician regarding any physical, supplemental and nutritional needs you have.

Lastly, before beginning, we should clarify that we are referring to Cow's Milk. And despite what fancy marketing might tell you, the negatives of drinking cow’s milk outweigh the positives.

WHY WE'RE NOT FANS OF COW'S MILK:

• We are the only species on the planet that consumes another species milk… That by itself should be enough to make you raise an eyebrow…
• We technically lose the enzyme to break down lactose after breastfeeding. So theoretically we’re all lactose intolerant; even though some people may be able to break it down in some form.
• Cow’s milk doesn’t have the calcium you think. Not only does it not have much calcium, but it’s also actually been shown to rob our bones of our own calcium. When animal proteins are broken down, they produce acid. Calcium happens to be very good at neutralizing acid. So naturally, our bodies use the calcium that the milk contains as well as our own stores of calcium to flush out these acids.
• There are typically massive amounts of hormones and antibiotics that are pumped into cows; not to mention the GMO feed that many cows consume. When the cow consumes those hormones and GMO’s, you do too…
• Dairy can elevate estrogen levels in men. Not a good thing bro.
• Some studies have found links between milk consumption and the increased risk of ovarian and prostate cancer.
• Milk is very inflammatory.

What About Chocolate Milk for My Post Workout Recovery?

That’s a hard NO as well. Three simple reasons:

• Again, milk causes inflammation. You just spent the last hour creating inflammation from your workout. Adding more isn’t really what you need.
• Chocolate milk is loaded with sugar. Yes, you need sugar to assist in recovery; but milk chocolate is not the right choice. There’s little to no nutritional benefit and it contains too many simple sugars.
• The proper post workout carbohydrate to protein ratio would be 4:1; chocolate milk is closer to 6:1… More simple sugar isn’t better.

What Are Other Options?

• For normal consumption, Almond Milk is the most popular. There’s also cashew milk, hemp milk, oat milk and unpasteurized goat’s milk. Goat’s milk is an article all on its own.
• For your Post Workout, use almond milk, water, protein and grab an apple.

There is a ton of research out there, so I'd encourage you to look into it. The information in this article is for entertainment purposes only and in no way should replace the recommendations of a qualified healthcare physician. Always consult your healthcare provider and/or dietician regarding any physical, supplemental and nutritional needs.

-John Nelson, Founder/Director ELP

Can You Do Too Many Isometrics? - Part 1

Can You Do Too Many Isometrics – Muscle Fatigue – Part 1

This topic was recommended by one of our high school athletes, and it’s a great question.

The answer to this question is “no.” I will preface by saying that the implementation of isometrics by a coach into an athlete’s program plays an enormous role in this. Simply because 99% of the time they are not implemented properly. I’ve seen it time and time again. However when implemented properly, you can train with isometrics every day. And at ELP we do just that.

There are a handful of reasons we incorporate isometrics into our programs:

• To train position
• To eliminate compensation patterns
• To assist in recovery

Each element has a different approach and a different purpose. Each element produces a different stimulus, which leads to a predicable adaptation. If you’re unable to predict that adaptation, then your implementation of the stimulus is wrong.

The Eastern Bloc countries figured out years ago that the same muscle could be trained every day, provided the stimulus was different. This should be common knowledge for anyone who coaches athletes at any level.

With that thought in mind, this article is only going to focus on the recovery element of isometrics. The recovery ability of isometrics is one of the most important reasons you can train with them every day and not “overdo it.” If you’re interested in learning more about the other two elements, please leave us a comment or message us.

Simply put, muscles are designed to work together. When they don’t, that is when fatigue starts to set in. Fatigue is nothing more than the shortening of a muscle. So, if we start our training in a lengthened position, with the understanding that muscles are designed to work together, we begin down the path of resisting fatigue and increasing recovery in our training sessions.

I don’t want to get into too much of the training element of isometrics in this article, but I will briefly touch on the concept. As muscles work together there is both contraction and relaxation. As the bicep contracts, the triceps will relax to the same degree and vice versa. However traditional athletic training doesn’t teach this; it doesn’t teach the body to contract and relax. It teaches that during a bicep curl, the bicep pulls the load up and then lowers or slowly resists the load back to the starting position. However, in normal movement, elbow extension should occur as triceps pulls the arm and load back to its starting position.

Traditional training methods have instead taught the bicep to contract with both elbow flexion and extension, thus never giving the bicep a chance to relax and lengthen. Continue this repeatedly and therefore the muscle fatigues out. This teaches a muscle to be slow, both in contraction and relaxation. When training a muscle slowly, your brain will only allow it to move slowly during competition. This training will ultimately transfer over to the field. So it’s no wonder why so many pitchers get fatigued so quickly, why injuries are increasing and why athletes are exhausted all the time…

So back to the recovery and use of isometrics daily… How do you use isometrics for recovery? It’s simple, create a violent contraction of the opposing muscle group and you will strengthen the pathways for relaxation of the target muscle group. Violent contraction of the triceps to extend the elbow will cause a violent reflex to inhibit the biceps thus allowing it to relax and lengthen. This will subsequently be strengthening both pathways of relaxation. Because the contractions are violent enough that the stimulation to relax will also be strong enough to allow the muscles to lengthen. There will be no fatigue of the muscle because each muscle has a chance to lengthen back to the starting position; away from shortening. Fatigue will only occur when the antagonistic relationship goes one way. For example, when the athlete or client becomes lazy and doesn’t execute the movement properly.

Additionally, when executed properly, isometrics will have a profound effect on the development of the energy systems. So now you’ve trained the muscle to relax, and you’re also building a system of proper energy delivery to aid in recovery; more to come on that in another article.

Hopefully this helps you gain an understanding of how properly implemented isometrics can not only be trained daily, but can benefit you on and off the field.

John Nelson Founder/Director ELP

In Season Training

In-Season Training – What Should it Look Like?

Eventually it comes time for an athlete to decrease the time spent in the gym and step back on the field. During this in-season phase of an athlete’s annual plan, their training objectives shift in an effort to ensure optimal on-field performance.

We all know that strength/power/speed gains deteriorate in some respect during the season. Depending on what you read, the literature can be all over the place when trying to determine exactly how long improvements will last before the athlete starts to “lose some of their gains.” Without getting into major technicalities, the general consensus is that strength/power/speed improvements may deteriorate somewhere between 2-6 weeks. But this is highly variable due to a vast number of factors the athlete may experience during the season. We’ll save the details of that for another article.

So, with us now in agreement that strength/power/speed gains will ultimately deteriorate in some capacity, this makes an athlete’s in-season training a vital part of their continued progression.

Our goal as coaches for in-season work should be twofold: 1) Put our athletes in the best possible position to succeed while making every effort to keep them healthy and performing at a high level and 2) Maintain their off-season improvements and try to make smaller incremental improvements without impacting their on-field performance.

There are a lot of moving pieces when addressing an in-season program. Here is a breakdown of how we approach it at ELP with a detailed breakdown following.

1. Warmup – Joint Articulations and Muscle Activations (5 mins)
2. Movement work – prescribed work based on movement analysis. May include joint work or movement specific work to return the body to an efficient locomotive state. (10 mins)
3. Workout – Two Upper/Lower combo Days w/ the Neubie. Two circuits; three exercises each. Exercises done with the Neubie. (35 mins)

4. Cool Down – Neubie Master Reset. (10 mins.)

   *Total Time: 45-55 minutes.

   *PH Testing done 1x/month

Below is a more detailed look into the aforementioned elements:

• The Weight Room – Maintaining Strength/Power/Speed and The Warmup
  • Decrease the Frequency of training sessions:
    • Dropping from 3-4 days of 1-1.5-hour training sessions to 2 days of 45-minute sessions has been very successful for us over the years.
  • Decrease the Volume in each training session:
    • Fewer sets and less specificity with exercises. Grab the lowest hanging fruit possible to get the biggest bang for your buck. Specificity can be applied more extensively based on movement and with warmups. See the next section.
  • Decrease the Intensity of the training session:
    • During the season is not a good time to be “maxing out,” having “gut check days” or incorporating extra “speed work.” Keep things simple and give your athletes an opportunity to recover. Ultimately most athletes aren’t gym rats like coaches; they simply use the gym to improve their sport, which is their true love. Keep it simple, calm, get in and get out.

At ELP our athletes have the benefit of implementing the Neubie to maximize their training sessions and replace their lost “time under the bar.” The Neubie’s direct current allows us to stimulate more muscle without adding additional stress to their joints. We’re able to recruit more muscle in a shorter time, keeping their strength/power levels high and reducing the risk of injury and unnecessary fatigue. We do not incorporate much, if any, speed work during the season. In our opinion, they’re getting enough of it simply by playing their sport.

• Monitor Movement Patterns
  • Repetitive Motions may lead to compensatory patterns and eventually the dreaded words known as: “overuse injury.” There are a handful of ways we monitor this throughout the season. The first method of evaluation is through the lens of joint function both passively and actively. Its commonplace for coaches will throw mobility drills at athletes during in-season work in an effort to simply “get something done.” That’s fine and may have its place, but we tend to use more specificity in movement patterns/mobility work during this time. Our specificity is based on the principles of progressive and regressive angular isometrics. ELP is Functional Range Conditioning (FRC) certified and the only certified Functional Range Assessment (FRA) facility in the Mid-South/Northern Mississippi. These certifications provide our team the ability to assess movement specifically at the joint capsule level through a very detailed lens. Monitoring changes in active and passive ranges of motion help us plan our mobility and movement work during the season.

• Getting in those Tune Ups aka “Oil Changes”
  • The human body is like a car engine; it’s going to need maintenance and a tune up every so often. As the wear and tear of the season accumulates on the athletes, it’s common to see eventual changes in performance and recovery due to changes in muscle activation and nervous system function. In this part of our in-season work, we will regularly implement full body muscle testing analysis to make sure everything is still firing as it should and that our athlete’s bodies are in the best possible state. The Master Reset is also an ELP favorite. The Master Reset harnesses the power of The Neubie’s unique current to stimulate the vagus nerve and assist in elevating parasympathetic (rest/digest) activity. It will take us anywhere from 10-20 minutes and really puts the athlete in a great position to be prepared for their next outing.

• PH Monitoring
  • PH Monitoring is arguably one of the most important, and also the most overlooked element of in-season. We all know that during competition, minerals are lost, and nutrients are depleted. Couple that with the fact most athletes don’t eat properly anyways, and you’re looking that an athlete that is fatigued due to a slowed recovery process. Mandy (our Board-Certified ND and Certified Natural Health Practitioner) regularly monitors our athletes internal bio-terrain to help keep the athlete’s body in an efficient state. Once the engine is churning, we want to keep it churning otherwise something will break down.

If you’re interested in learning more about in-season work for you or your athlete, feel free to contact us at info@elitelevelperformance.com or at 901-221-8808.

John Nelson, Founder/Director ELP

The Supine Dumbbell Pullover - An Old School Gem

The Supine Dumbbell Pullover has to be one of the most underrated exercises out there. There are countless variations; all of which have their time and place. However, the supine dumbbell pullover is a personal favorite of ours.

It’s a great exercise to challenge anterior core strength, shoulder mobility/stability and a great “opener of the connective tissue” for overhead athletes.

When executing the supine dumbbell pullover, there are two main areas of emphasis I’m looking at: the anterior core and the shoulder complex.

The pullover is an excellent exercise to challenge anterior core strength. Too often when we bring our arm overhead, we compensate by excessively extending the lumbar spine. This can create a whole host of other compensations but that’s for another article. By laying supine (face up) on a bench, with the legs at a 90-degree angle, the client is cued to then flatten the lower back, drawing the navel in towards the spine, being careful to not “lock or brace the core” excessively; simply keeping tension and maintaining their position.

The reason I prefer a bench for this exercise is namely due to the fact that it provides a proprioceptive cue for the client/athlete. Anterior core strength (aka flattening that lower back out and resisting lumbar extension) can be a very difficult thing, even for the highest-level athlete.

Once we’ve accomplished the anterior core component, the client/athlete will slowly bring the arms overhead (shoulder flexion). Keep the elbows “slightly” bent. This will not only challenge their ability to maintain proper core position but will work nearly every muscle in the upper body. We cue our athletes to only go as far back as they can while maintaining their core position. It does no good to gain range of motion in this move if you can’t maintain the anterior core position. If someone is struggling here, we will further address this with either lengthening frequencies on the Neubie, or further evaluation to determine additional limiting factors.

Ultimately whether you’re a DIYer, high level thrower or a bodybuilder looking to develop that serratus, the pullover is an old school gem with tremendous benefits when incorporated properly.

-John Nelson, Founder/Director ELP

5 Lessons I've Learned in 10 Years of Business

In August, ELP celebrated 10 years in business! We're very fortunate to have reached this milestone, especially when you consider the facts:

• Approximately 20% of small businesses fail within the 1st year.
• By the end of the 2nd year, 30% of businesses will have failed.
• By the end of the 5th year, 50% of businesses will have failed.
• By the end of a decade, only 30% of businesses will remain… a 70% failure rate…

Before going any further, I want to thank EVERY SINGLE PERSON who has been there for us. We would not be here without you! The past 10 years happened in the blink of an eye, and have come with many life lessons. Here are a few of the "lessons" if you will, that I've learned...

1. Never Bolt Down a Piece of Equipment – Perfectionism is Lethal.

No matter how much you plan – the plan will never go according to plan. Partners will leave. Clients will leave. Business plans will change. Life happens. You can try to make your plan perfect, but you will always need to be ready to adjust course at any given moment. Don't exhaust yourself trying to make everything perfect; because you never know when that piece of equipment might work better on the other side of the room.

2. Fits Gunna Hit the Shan at Some Point – Be Grateful.

Kind of like Thanos, this point is inevitable... You’re going to mess up. The mistake might be something as simple as an invoicing error, or it might be as big as a programming error that caused one of your athletes to sustain an injury. I’ve done them both, and you’re going to it as well. But over the years I’ve found that if you are upfront about your mistakes, most situations will resolve themselves amicably. So be grateful to those that extend you forgiveness and remember to pay it forward.

3. It’s Good to Have a Dog at the Office – Be Genuine.

The Nelsons are animal people. It’s genuinely who we are as a family. Our dogs are a huge part of our life, and we bring that to the office with us. Similarly, we genuinely care about the well being of our clients; it’s who we are. If we’re struggling to help you resolve a problem, it’s literally something that comes home with us... Sometimes life will give you a bad hand. Maybe it’s a failed business partnership, or maybe it’s a customer who left for seemingly greener pastures. Regardless of the situation, if you’re genuine in how you handle your business, your clients will notice, and karma has a way of working itself out in your favor. Just Be Genuine. Side note: there’s soon to be a “Coates Four Legged Family Member” at ELP very soon...

4. Don’t Sign a Lease in July - Competition Comes and Goes.

Starting a business is easy. Running a business is not. Over the last ten years I’ve seen competition come and go. I’ve seen major corporate gyms set up shop right next door to us; and I’ve seen countless start-ups come out of the gates on fire only to then fizzle away a few years later. Just because ELP is still around, doesn’t mean we have all the answers. We’re greatful for each year we remain open and at this point in my career, I genuinely wish our competition nothing but the best of success. I’ve found that as long as you keep your nose to the grindstone and stay the course; you’re going to survive. But just in case, make sure you don’t sign your lease in July. We made that mistake and July is not a pleasant month to have to move gym equipment.

5. Don’t Trust a Batting Cage w/ a Hole in It - Appreciate Those Who Appreciate You.

In business and in life there will always be risk. You can seemingly do everything right, go above and beyond for the client/situation, but ultimately God and the Universe have other plans. Entering a situation/partnership with an understanding of the risk that is associated with it will help you prepare for a variety of different outcomes. Whether the outcome is in your favor or not; always be aware of the individuals who appreciate you. Most importantly, make sure they know how much you appreciate them! The risk that is associated with business and life is similar to taking batting practice in a cage with holes in it. You might have every intention of hitting only line drives, but there’s the risk you might just hit that one pop up… and that one pop up winds up going through the cage and hitting a sprinkler head that eventually causes the entire gym to flood... The moral is: No matter how safe you think a situation might be, know there’s always a risk associated with it and always be greatful to those who support and stand up for you.

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who has been there for us over the past 10 years. It has been an absolute pleasure serving this community and we are so blessed for all of the great relationships that have been cultivated over the years. The future is unknown, but from our family to yours, thank you for your continued support of ELP! #elpfamily

-John