This area deals with scientific research, tips and techniques to help educate and prepare you to train in a smart and proper way. Knowledge is power!
Alcohol and the Athlete
So what about alcohol and the athlete? To drink or not to drink?
Benefits of Cross-Training New Physiology Article!
For those who seriously doubt that anything other than their own sport can help them become better athletes, here are five benefits of cross-training.
Body Composition - An Athletes Guide
Body composition is different than body weight. The words are not interchangeable, and it is important that the athlete know the difference.
Cold Weather Training
Exercising in cold weather is a fact of life for many athletes. Regardless of its specific role in sport, cold weather can profoundly affect the physiological responses to exercise and in some cases it can present a significant health risk. Be prepared to overcome the hazards.
Conditioning the Heart
As much as an athlete needs to "have heart" on the field of competition, they must also undergo considerable heart conditioning before the event ever begins.
Conditioning Myths
There are plenty of myths floating around the world of sports. Here is a quick rundown of some of the more popular myths concerning training. Remember you shouldn't believe everything you hear!
Cramping
If you have never felt the pain and discomfort of cramping during training or competition, consider yourself lucky! Crampin will slow you down, unfocus your mind, and perhap just knock you out of competition. What is the cause of cramps? Is there a cure?
Dealing with the Heat
Training in the heat of summer can be very dangerous! Athletes are more likely to drink less fluids during training, thus become dehydrated. Tips and techniques to keep you going strong in the heat.
Dealing with Injuries
Know your responsibilities as a coach when your athlete goes down with an injury. Basic care to emergency procedures are covered to meet the needs of your injured athletes.
Eight Keys to Weight Loss
Is it really possible to lose weight and keep it off? Absolutely. What's the secret....
Exercising with Asthma
Years ago, everyone thought strenuous physical activity was dangerous if you had asthma. Exercise is not only safe if done properly, it is an intergral part of treatment.
Female ACL Injuries
The knees of female athletes are very vulnerable to injury, especially ACL tears. Here is everything you need to know...
Female Athlete Triad
The Female Athlete Triad is a term used to describe the relationship between three health problems: (1) disordered eating, (2) loss of the monthly period (amenorrhea) and (3) bone loss (osteoporosis).
Five Vital Strengths
Strength is made up of five important components. You need a number of combinations of these five strengths working together to excel in your sport.
Flexibility
Flexibility plays a very important role in the preparation of the athlete by developing a range of motion to allow technical development and assist in the prevention of injuries.
Functional Flexibility: When to Stretch in the Workout
Warm-up, is it really necessary? Warm-up is often the most neglected aspect of a fitness and conditioning program. Many people make the costly mistake of believing warm-up activity to be an "optional" component...
Genes and Sport
Are champions made or born? What effect does genetics play in championship athletes? What are the factors other than heredity that play important roles in performance?
Hard Work = Hard Recovery
New Physiology Article!
It takes a lot of hard work to become a strong athlete. To develop the ultimate toughness in an athlete and to condition their mind and body which maximizes their "Ideal Competitive State" one must also consider the equally important issues of "recovery."
Hot Weather Training
Specific steps must be taken to prepare athletes for training and competing in hot weather. Proper preparation can improve athletic performance and reduce the potential for thermal injury.
Jet Lag
There is a clear relationship between sleep and human performance. Scientific research supports this conclusion. Many athletes travel great distances to compete. Jet lag can be a problem if you do not know its effects, and how you can overcome them.
Muscle Soreness - What You Can Do About It
Muscle soreness can be produced by many types of muscular activites. Muscular movements can produce tension as the muscles are forced to lengthen - tips and techniques to leasen the effects are discussed.
Post-Workout Recovery
If you want to optimize your training, improve recovery time, and acclerate muscle growth, then a post-workout recovery drink is vital to your training routine.
Preventing Injuries
Like most athletes, you undoubtedly want to lower your chance of incurring an injury while particapating in your sport. There are some general rules for injury avoidance which apply to all sports.
Principles of Sport Conditioning
Principles of Sport Conditioning II
Many times athletes share training secrets that are more 'myth' than scientific. There are, however, several universally accepted scientific training principles that must be followed in order to improve conditioning and athletic performance.
Rapid Recovery
Training and competition can make you feel totally exhausted. If you don't recover properly, you will not be ready to perform well during the next training session or competition. What is optimal recovery? Find some tips that will help you fell more energetic!
Recovery Techniques
Fatiguing your body is essential to improving it. But it also requires proper recovery (rest) to complete the developmental cycle. In other words it takes both hard training and proper rest to improve one's conditioning in sport. This article focuses on identifying some key recovery techniques to help balance your training.
Training and the Immune System
Understand how exercise, nutrition and stress effects your immune system
Speed Training
Every athlete wants to develop more speed for their specific sport. This article deals with the components of speed development, and the how tos to increase ones own speed for sport.
Sports Massage
Sports massage therapy is a major part of keeping athletes at the peak performance of health. By using a number of techniques to manipulate soft tissue to a more healthy state, pain decreases and flexibility increases. An athlete with no pain and the ability to stretch has the ability to increase strength, power and endurance.
Staying Healthy New Physiology Article!
Keeping a healthy body isn't just about training. Body maintenance is a whole workout itself. Keeping your body fine tuned takes some extra effort, but to be at your best you need to make it a priority.
Understanding Exercise Plateaus
You are making great progress...you are getting leaner, stronger, and more muscular. Then all of a sudden it happens...the advancement stops. You are doing everything right, so what is the problem? You've entered the dreaded plateau zone!
When Should an Athlete Return to Competition Following an Injury?
Regardless of the severity of an injury it is important to minimize the risk of re-injury by following the guidelines that determine the readiness of the injuried athlete to return to competition.
How Weight Loss Affects Performance
Your coach has made some comments about your weight and suggests that your performance may improve if you lose a few pounds. Is your coach right? What should you do? Before pushing your next meal aside, consider this information.
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