Daniel Breen continues his blog about his experience interning at MBSC
MBSC Internship Experience Part 3
This awesome. Watch the first video at least. Thanks to my friend Michelle Amidon.
As many readers will already know, my personal sporting success came long before I developed an interest in endurance sports and running in particular. For a number of years I played Rugby Union full-time: a sport where we as players become somewhat obsessed with developing strength and power.
Now with the benefit of hindsight, I can see that this has probably moulded the terminology I use today when talking with endurance athletes about their own rehab or training.
I often catch myself talking to runners about the need for them to strengthen around the hips, for example.
But do I really mean ‘strengthen‘? Upon reflection – sometimes yes, but more often no!
Basic strength is of course an important component of fitness for any athlete. But in truth I don’t meet that many runners or triathletes who truly display strength deficits when testing muscle groups in isolation (unless previous injury has been a contributing factor).
N.B: I am quite sure however that mine is a somewhat skewed view of the world, given that most of the athletes I work with fall in the keen amateur to pro bracket, rather than beginners. Often beginners do indeed need to work on developing basic general strength for running.
What I do often see however, even in the most high performing of athletes, is a perhaps surprising lack of neuromuscular control, particularly proximally around the lumbro-pelvic and hip regions.
These athletes normally don’t test as being particularly weak per se, but are often let down biomechanically by their ability to control areas such as the hip and pelvis during functional movements – running, jumping, hopping etc…
Video Example: Here’s a quick video of a world class female athlete who I would describe as being exceptionally strong in general terms, and in terms of her sport, but in need of improvement in stability when loading dynamically on one leg – as per running.
Currently there is a fair amount of research being conducted around the hot topic of Patellofemoral Pain in runners, particularly looking at the biomechanical risk factors and implications for rehab / prevention.
Rather than ripping off his work and reposting here, I’d suggest heading over to the following great post by my friend and colleague Dr Christian Barton to check out the latest thinking in how muscular strength deficits around the hip are now thought to be less of a specific risk factor to Patellofemoral Pain in runners. Strength deficits observed in these runners are perhaps more a result of injury and prolonged altered movement patterns due to pain.
However neuromuscular control is of course different to strength itself.
Years ago, as a younger coach I was once given some great advice by a coach who had been around the block a few times. He told me to:
“Train the movement, not the muscle…”
In this context, this is exactly what we need to be thinking as coaches!
I use Patellofemoral Pain as an example, simply because this is where a lot of research is currently focused. It is becoming increasingly evident that muscular weakness isn’t as much of a predisposing factor to this type of injury as you might think.
Instead, it appears that injury risk may be more related to an athlete’s ability to control / maintain optimal knee alignment in weight bearing. This patellofemoral alignment is of course driven from top-down from the hip and bottom-up from the foot and ankle.
Thinking about the hip component of this: getting an athlete to working on strengthening the external rotators / adductors (glutes) in isolation is unlikely to affect a change in the control of this unwanted loading pattern, while movement re-training is more effective in correcting these patterns.
I should perhaps stop defaulting to saying: “we need to strengthen your hips “.
Instead I should probably be saying: “…improve your dynamic control and stability around the hips “.
That in itself is a coaching habit. I’ll get there eventually!!
We even have a paid download called “Stronger Hips for Pain Free Knees“. Perhaps this should really be renamed:
“Improve Unilateral Weight Bearing Hip Control for Pain Free Knees”
…Especially given that’s what most of the exercises really work on developing.
Doesn’t exactly trip off the tongue does it?! 
The bottom line is that I actually don’t think there is ever a downside to any runner working on improving general strength.
However, my take home point is not to ignore your dynamic stability / neuromuscular control exercises.
Here’s a starter for you:
Sorry, I hate the Little League World Series. I hate seeing kids on ESPN. I hate that kids have to experience the “agony of defeat” at such an early age on national TV. The Chris Drury’s of the world are rare ( pitched in the Little League World Series and starred in the NHL). For many kids it’s an early peak.
With that said, I loved this speech. The Cumberland coach gets it and turned that agony of defeat into a pretty good moment.
Teens don't forget the importance of sleep http://t.co/8GgbR5LkH5
To learn more visit us at:
http://t.co/pNDEATqRxc
— Marilyn Kaminski (@MarilynKaminski) August 21, 2014
5 Bodyweight Exercises You Should Be Doing http://t.co/7V3l4Ytffy
To learn more visit us at:
http://t.co/pNDEATqRxc
— Marilyn Kaminski (@MarilynKaminski) August 21, 2014
Take a look at the Stack Magazine piece on The Best Lower Body Kettlebell Exercises.
#1 reason athletes gain speed quickly with Efficient Movement experts - Strong glutes http://t.co/zSU3g3ecOM
To learn more visit us at...
— Marilyn Kaminski (@MarilynKaminski) August 20, 2014
Simple Nutrition Tips for Parents of youth athletes http://t.co/IZ3ByX63Fs
To learn more visit us at:
http://t.co/JXzaJ7APOJ
— Marilyn Kaminski (@MarilynKaminski) August 19, 2014
Dedication + Hard Work + No excuses + God = Success
— Sport Quotes (@DailySportPosts) August 19, 2014
54% of young athletes said they have played injured http://t.co/Pra7KfV8Yj #sportsinjury report http://t.co/bZuMPT6JH3
— Marilyn Kaminski (@MarilynKaminski) August 19, 2014
Player-to-player contact and concussions in high school football http://t.co/X6LodVcDJV
To learn more visit us at:
ScottsdaleSportsMe...
— Marilyn Kaminski (@MarilynKaminski) August 19, 2014
#ALS / Lou Gehrig’s Disease - http://t.co/KbJGQyBBnZ
#IceBucketChallenge #Health #Tips pic.twitter.com/HHXlaRu9p6
— Ask a Doctor (@DailyHealthTips) August 18, 2014
Photoset: Proprioception trumps Biomechanics As I sit here on a rare Friday afternoon, not working (OK, I... http://t.co/kL8Me71gQz
— The Gait Guys (@TheGaitGuys) August 18, 2014
Football teams using new helmet technology to detect potential concussions http://t.co/4fQv3JPzgs
To learn more visit us at:
Scottsda...
— Marilyn Kaminski (@MarilynKaminski) August 18, 2014
If your an Audio University person like me here’s a link to a recent podcast I did for Kusha Karvandi of Exerscribe.
Even though you may be hurting just know God has a plan. Have faith and believe you will be stronger in the end.
— Ticket to Heaven (@readbible_) August 17, 2014
Eat Whole Eggs: They Are Healthier http://t.co/yzD36wDC5m
To learn more visit us at:
http://t.co/JXzaJ7APOJ
— Marilyn Kaminski (@MarilynKaminski) August 18, 2014
13-year-old female sensation Mo'Ne Davis throws two-hit shutout at Little League World Series http://t.co/sL37B5AOPl
To learn more vis...
— Marilyn Kaminski (@MarilynKaminski) August 17, 2014
PLEASE READ: The bad things about foods we eat. http://t.co/3LOM2VKbuR
To learn more visit us at:
http://t.co/JXzaJ7APOJ
— Marilyn Kaminski (@MarilynKaminski) August 17, 2014
Read this piece from USA Hockey with a new take on Cross Training
Nice Stack Magazine piece from Tony Gentilcore looking at
Should Baseball Players Do Crossfit?
Nice piece from ESPN Magazine
Crossfit’s Growth Fuels Safety Concerns
