Muscular Training

It is important that the strength of the training stimulus equals or exceeds competition in intensity, speed, quickness, power, and mental effort. Strength is related to the number of appropriate motor units firing simultaneously which is accomplished by the superior training of the nervous system. SportsLab Muscular Training consists of the following:

• The following intensification protocol yields unparalleled effectiveness in the establishment of sports relevant strength potential. Results that are impossible to achieve using traditional weight training methods are achieved rapidly with the SportsLab method. Three (3) types of muscular work are used concurrently to shock the system and involve more motor units to achieve the maximum muscular strength recruitment:
  • Concentric (Positive) used in overcoming resistance
  • Eccentric (Negative) used in yielding to resistance
  • Isometric (Static) used in holding position
• Sports Strength
  • Strength is not a general term; it is specific to the context of the actual movement task. Sports strength involves factors such as posture, position, and velocity.
  • Speed strength is assessed by the speed of the movement and characterizes the ability to quickly execute an unloaded movement or a movement against a small external resistance.
  • The ability to generate maximum strength and the ability to produce high speeds are different motor abilities. Therefore, it is inappropriate to think that the ability to lift heavy weights will enhance sports speed. In ballistic actions such as running, jumping, throwing, hitting, and kicking, fast twitch muscle fibers are the main contributors to enhanced force production.
  • Explosive resistance training produces an increase in the size of fast twitch muscle fibers.
• Ballistic plyometric loading exercises train muscles on stretch. The faster the stretch, the greater the additional force. Dynamic multi-directional, multi-plane, rotational simultaneous stretching and strengthening, teach the body to store elastic energy.
• Range of Motion for Ballistic Movements
  • Each joint action is trained in the position of greatest strength to take advantage of loading.
  • Mixed regimes are used to maximize the force occurring at the moment of switching from one type of muscular work to another.
  • Speed strength exercises are used in which muscular force opposes the inertia of the load and not its weight. The result is increased speed of muscular contraction which dynamically effects power and quickness.

  When the muscular force opposes the weight of the load and not its inertia, absolute strength is the result. Conventional heavy weight lifting primarily develops absolute strength which actually depreciates speed, quickness, jumping height and throwing velocity. There is no positive correlation between absolute leg strength and either running speed or vertical jump. Nor is there a positive correlation between absolute arm strength and throwing velocity.

  
  • The amount of resistance in each sports movement will be determined to allow the athlete to move with the sport-specific speed. If the resistance is too great, the athlete will use different coordination patterns and will slow the speed of muscular contraction.
  • Rate of Force Production
    • In sports, an athlete has fractions of seconds to display force. A sprinter's foot is in contact with the ground for .1 second. A high jumper's foot has .2 second to have the muscles respond. It is essential to have the muscles respond with maximal force in the shortest amount of time.
    • By contrast, most conventional weight lifting takes .6-.8 second to achieve maximal contraction.
  • To enhance athletic performance, it is essential to train the key muscle groups and joint actions that effect specific sports movement.
    • Unique emphasis is placed on development of elasticity and strength of the corresponding muscle groups and associated connective tissues (functional antagonists).
    • The type of strength necessary for success in one sports movement can be counterproductive for another. For this reason, it is important to model strength characteristics for each movement accurately.
  • Proper foundations for movements must be established for an athlete to be prepared for sports specific skill development. If skills are taught without the proper foundation, athletes suffer injuries as their bodies compensate for weaknesses and imbalances. Athletes lose confidence, and some are never able to regain their desire to excel.

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