By Jeff Birchfield (Press Sports Writer) jbirchfield@johnsoncitypress.com

JohnsonCityPress.com

NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Kasey Kahne had to see it for himself.

Kahne made the three-hour drive from Charlotte to the Fifth Annual Coaches and Sports Science Clinic hosted by ETSU at the Millennium Centre on Friday to get a sneak peak at the Dynavision D2 visuomotor training device. The machine, which is used in over 600 hospitals and by the military, is now one of the hottest pieces of sports-training equipment. Among its benefits are improving reaction time, peripheral awareness and hand-eye coordination.

The 30-year-old Kahne, who moves to the No. 4 Red Bull Toyota for the 2011 season, sees it being a great supplement to other training for his sport.

“I could have gone on the internet and saw the people using the Dynavision, but you have to do it for yourself,” said Kahne, an 11-time winner in the Cup Series. “I’m pretty slow at it so there are a lot of places where I can improve. It definitely can be good for racing when certain things happen really quick. There is no way having faster reflexes will hurt.”

Joey Saldana, who drives for Kahne on the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, is already using the machine and raved to his boss about its benefits. Another racer who swears by it is NHRA Top Fuel driver Larry Dixon, always looking for an edge in reaction time.

The first version of the machine was developed in the 1980s in Canada and called the “Ice Man.”

Phil Jones, a former Canadian Football League player with the Edmonton Eskimos, liked the machine so much that he ended up working for the company as a spokesperson. Later, he bought the rights to the company and had to endure a few lean years. While he saw it as good for the traditional sports of football, baseball, basketball and hockey, he was often rejected selling the product to professional and college teams.

A new market opened up with hospitals, who found it helpful in treating strokes and brain trauma. The U.S. Army also found it effective in helping soldiers make split-second decisions to carry over to the battlefield. Eventually, the sports teams came around as Jones has found the D2 and the I-Span device, also on display, to be good training equipment for all sports. Jones showed video clips of tennis players, volleyball players and soccer players using the Dynavision equipment.

“Every athlete who uses it, loves to use it,” Jones said. “Everybody who sees it looks at (hockey) goaltenders because they tend to make similar movements. But really, it’s all about visual reaction, how quick you can take in information and turn it around. We promote it for every athlete, even the coaches. The coach during a game has more information to process than anyone.”

Racing applications have gone beyond the driver as the equipment has been adjusted to be more specific to the jobs of different pit crew members. On the driver’s side, Kahne sees it especially helpful when the Sprint Cup Series makes it two visits every year to the Bristol Motor Speedway.

“We all know that things happen at Bristol really fast,” Kahne said. “To me, this would be great in being a little quicker in trying to avoid a wreck. Anytime you can make a quicker adjustment to anything you’re doing, it can help.”

Jones has found that race car drivers stack up well with other athletes when it comes to using the D2.

“Race car drivers at the top level must have great vision,” Jones said. “You can’t be in such a fast-moving sport without being able to process information quickly. They’re definitely going to have higher skills than most. But the challenge for them is like any other athlete, you can always do better and score higher. In any of these sports, gaining one-tenth of a second can mean the difference in earning millions of dollars. It’s worth the training.”

Outside of the new device, Kahne feels ahead of the game with a switch from Richard Petty Motorsports to the Red Bull team before the end of last season. While he is scheduled to move on and take over the No. 5 at Hendrick Motorsports in 2012, Kahne believes his time with Red Bull could produce good results.

“It was good for me. I was happy to work with the Red Bull guys,” Kahne said. “I’m glad to move from where I was. There were too many ups and downs, too much drama over the last 3-4 years. It’s nice to move to a strong company where you don’t have to worry about all the other stuff. I can focus on how we’re going to win races. We have a great team set up and I really feel we can win this year.”

For more strength and conditioning information, visit Strength Performance Network.

New York Jets’ strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi tripped Miami cornerback Nolan Carroll as he ran out of bounds on punt coverage during the Jets’ 10-6 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon, and later admitted that it was intentional.

The NFL and the Jets said Monday morning that they are both reviewing the matter.

“The team is reviewing the situation and is looking into the appropriate next steps,” Jets public relations chief Bruce Speight said in a statement Sunday night.
Dolphins coach Tony Sparano had said Sunday that he would submit the play to the NFL for a review.

“I made a mistake that showed a total lapse in judgment,” Alosi said in a statement. “My conduct was inexcusable and unsportsmanlike and does not reflect what this organization stands for. I spoke to Coach Sparano and Nolan Carroll to apologize before they took off. I have also apologized to Woody [Johnson], Mike [Tannenbaum] and Rex [Ryan]. I accept responsibility for my actions as well as any punishment that follows.”

Carroll, who fell to the turf while running down the sideline on the third-quarter punt but later returned to the game, said he was not angry about the incident. But his teammates voiced their displeasure.

“They’re cheaters,” Dolphins inside linebacker Channing Crowder said. “They do what they do. They cheat. They talk junk. But we beat the hell out of them today. I wish they’d tripped me. I’d have broken that old man’s leg. I didn’t see anything. He stuck his leg out and tripped him? He should be ashamed of himself. A grown man from the coaching staff? That’s high character.”

Running back Ricky Williams said: “It’s the Jets right? We’re not surprised.”

Jets coach Rex Ryan said he was just told about the incident when he was stepping to the podium to give his postgame remarks, so he deferred all questions on the incident until he got a chance to see what happened.

But at least one Dolphin took a swipe at Ryan over the incident.
“He’s just taking after the head coach, man. It all trickles downhill,” inside linebacker Karlos Dansby said. “That’s how I look at it, it trickles downhill. The head coach, he opened a can of worms over there and now he’s got to fix it.”

Alosi, 33, is a former Hofstra linebacker who joined the Jets as a strength and conditioning intern in 2001. He worked for the Atlanta Falcons before returning to the Jets in 2006.

CBS Sports replays showed Alosi stick his knee out and lean toward the field. Carroll tripped and fell down and needed to be attended to by medical staff on the Jets sideline.

Read More: http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/news/story?id=5913168

Information from ESPNNewYork.com’s Ian Begley, ESPN.com’s Tim Graham and The Associated Press was used in this report.

“I wasn’t looking for typical equipment company sponsors and exhibitors; I was looking for companies that offered something different in the sports arena,” Meg Stone, conference director said. “Then I learned about Dynavision, a company that is certainly unique. I’m really looking forward to having them here.”

Phil Jones, president of Dynavision and former CFL athlete, is expected to deliver a 20 to 30 minute presentation during one of the luncheons. He plans to provide insight on theimportance of vision/reaction training and cognitive processing in sports today; he will also touch on current developments towards concussion and noise distraction testing.

A demonstration of the D2 – a four foot by four foot device that tracks/improves reaction time, peripheral awareness, hand-eye coordination and other visuo-motor skills – will also take place during the conference.

“I’ve been told strength coaches from major athletic programs including Michigan, Arizona State, Ole Miss and more will be at this conference,” Jones said. “Between them, the sports science attendees, and some thought leaders from the world of rehabilitation, we’ll have a great audience that can be shown the broad scope of our equipment.”

For more information on Dynavision go to:  http://www.dynavisiond2.com

For more information on the strength and conditioning profession, check out Strength Performance Network at:  http://www.strengthperformance.com

Ron has now decided to bring his strength and conditioning philosophy to the broader market through a custom online strength and conditioning training program designed specifically for those interested in learning more about the strength and conditioning profession.  For more information on Ron and his “Strength Coach Basic Training” program, click here to go to Strength Performance Network.  Then, click the below image on the Strength Performance website.

URL:  http://www.active.com/running/Articles/Playing_the_pain_game.htm

For more great strength and conditioning information, visit Strength Performance Network at:  http://www.strengthperformance.com

It’s a great time of year for training. Sometimes, however, running can create or worsen injuries. For a doctor specializing in sports medicine, like myself, this is good for business.

For a serious athlete, like myself, this is a terrible way to start the season. Recognizing the injury signs early can help ward off a serious problem. Here are some of the common running injuries that many doctors see at this time of year, plus tips for how to avoid them.

Injury #1: Shin Splints

Technically, shin splints refer to a pain in the shin, and they are generally the result of excessive stress on either muscles or bones. Bone-related shin splints are usually the more serious variety and are characterized by pain in the shin bone (tibia) when pressure is applied.

If your shin hurts with pressure and after running, then a stress fracture (a crack in the bone from excessive stress) is likely developing. Listen to your body, and don’t run through the discomfort, as shin-splint pain generally means the bone can’t stand the pressure of running.

To fix this problem, a sports-medicine physician will look at your shins, your running shoes, your mileage and sometimes even your bone density.

All of these factors can cause the problem. Muscular shin pain, also known as exertional compartment syndrome, is a pain in the soft, outside part of the shin, which tightens during activity. This also can be made worse with running, but usually a physical therapist can fix this problem by loosening the fascia covering that surrounds the muscles.

The symptoms: Your shin hurts from pressure or during and/or after exercise.

The remedy: Shin pain can almost always be cured, but it can develop into a stress fracture if a runner isn’t careful. Get properly fitted for your shoes, schedule an appointment with a doctor to see if you should get X-rays or an MRI.

Injury #2: Hip Pain

Pain in the hip also is a common running injury, and like shin pain, it can get worse if the cause is not identified and treated. The most serious cause of hip pain in runners is a stress fracture of the femoral neck, the top part of the femur (thigh bone). This tends to ache in the groin, especially after a longer run. These injuries can worsen quickly if not diagnosed and treated early. Running through the pain is a terrible idea.

Athletes will know they are developing a femoral neck stress fracture if the pain in the hip seems to worsen after a run and aches in the evening as well. The femoral neck stress fracture is linked to both activity and to bone density. Therefore, if hip pain is a persistent problem, runners should insist on a bone-density test called a DEXA.

The thinking here is that the underlying problem that leads to the injury is a low bone density. Bone density peaks at age 31, but athletes of any age can improve it with weight training, increased calcium intake and, depending on age and degree of osteoporosis, the use of new medications.

The symptoms: Aching in the groin or hip after a longer run.

The remedy: Hip pain and particularly femoral neck stress fractures are serious injuries made worse by running through the pain. Diagnosing this injury and finding the cause, including mileage, running mechanics and muscle strength can make a big difference. Any hip stress fracture requires bone density testing (DEXA). 

Injury #3: The Dreaded ITB

The letters I, T and B repeated in order to any longtime runner is like an evil hex. The ITB, an abbreviation for the iliotibial band, is a strand of muscle and tendon that runs from the outside of the hip to the outside of the knee. With running, the tensor fascia lata, the muscle on the outside of the hip that becomes the ITB, tends to lose flexibility. The result is that the TFL and ITB can begin to pinch on the outside of the hip and knee.

Runners who are developing “ITB Syndrome” will describe a pinching pain, usually on the outside of the knee, which hurts during a run. Most people feel this pain one or two miles into the run, and the symptoms are often described as “someone is jabbing a needle into the outside of my knee.”

Like many injuries, ITB problems are more easily treated the earlier they are diagnosed. The initial treatment often includes a good stretching regimen, the use of a foam roller on which the athlete lays and rolls on the upper leg like a rolling pin, hip-muscle strengthening exercises and sometimes orthotics or motion-control shoes.

Occasionally, a corticosteroid injection into the area of pain can fix the problem. Most importantly, much like stress fractures, trying to run through an increasingly painful ITB can cause a much more prolonged recovery. With the ITB, the earlier we see it, the quicker the fix.

The symptoms: Sharp, stabbing pain during a run, usually in the outer knee.

The remedy: Again, early diagnosis helps. Use a foam roller three times a week to stretch the muscle, do hip abductor and adductor strengthening at the gym, possibly get an orthotic or corticosteroid injection.

Injury #4: Achilles Tendonitis

The Achilles tendon is so named because the Greek god Achilles was dipped into the River Styx by his heel, making his body invincible everywhere except there. He died when an arrow pierced his Achilles. Runners should take heed of his story, as the Achilles tendon is a vulnerable area on anyone’s body.

Running injuries to the Achilles range from tendonitis and inflammation of the tendon to a partial tear of the tendon, worsening pain and a lump. As is the case with most injuries, a little careful attention can make a significant difference. The general cause of Achilles tendonitis is insufficient strength and flexibility in the muscles attached to it, the gastrocnemius and the soleus. When these muscles are tight, the tendon is under increased stress and can become irritated and, over time, can tear.

The best way to stretch the Achilles and the attaching muscles is to put the foot against a step with the heel on the ground and slowly lean forward, feeling the stretch at the top of the calf. Repeat with a bent knee, feeling the stretch lower down toward the heel. Ideally, this stretch is done daily, before and after exercise. Orthotics also can help correct the anatomic alignment. With Achilles pain, the key is to get it checked out early and avoid the chronic tear.

The symptoms: Achilles tendon injuries are potentially career-threatening. Watch for pain and, especially, a swollen bump on the tendon.

The remedy: Regular stretching, proper foot mechanics and the correction of factors that have caused injury in the past. A doctor may use an MRI to look at cases of severe pain.

Dr. Jordan D. Metzl is a nationally recognized sports medicine specialist at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. In addition to his sports medicine practice, Metzl is a 25-time marathon runner and three-time Ironman finisher.

Watch the below video to see how the Texas A&M team develops themselves physically and mentally, while also instilling the idea of teamwork and mutual commitment through their strength and conditioning program.

“I have worked with a Dynavision unit before and recently came across the I-SPAN on the company’s website,” Louis Mass, owner of Elite Sports Performance said. “Our facility specializes in the development of hockey players, both amateur and professional, and they will primarily be the ones using the I-SPAN. We look forward to seeing it in action.”

The I-SPAN is one of two primary sports vision training devices manufactured by Dynavision Sports. It is a diagnostic instrument designed for measurement, analysis and improvement of all forms of movement including acceleration, agility, explosive reaction, endurance and more.

“The I-SPAN has made a huge splash across virtually every sport,” Mark Hallis, CMO of Dynavision Sports said. “As the videos on our Facebook page demonstrate, the device can be used in countless ways. Goalies tend to set up the equipment like a goal net in order to practice explosive reactions from all angles. On the other hand, tennis players will often arrange the motion sensors in a line and work on their speed and agility to simulate actual back-and-forth plays. This device is going to do great things for the hockey players at Elite Sports Performance.”

The I-SPAN and the Dynavision D2 – a four foot by four foot unit that measures and improves reaction time, peripheral awareness, hand-eye coordination and other visuo-motor skills – have so far been embraced by The University of Cincinnati, Baylor University, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, IMG Performance Institute, New York Rangers, NHRA Top Fuel star Larry Dixon and other athletic programs and athletes across the country.

For more information, visit http://sports.dynavisiond2.com/ or contact Lauren Novo at 850-412-0300 or lauren@team180.com.

You’d think that if the low-carb diet craze taught us anything, it’s the importance of protein. But even if you haven’t eaten a hamburger bun since the late ’90s, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting enough of what typically goes between the bread.

Recently, the diet pendulum has swung in favor of counting calories—an effective weight-loss tool, but not one that always prioritizes protein. “Many women perceive foods that are rich in protein as being high in calories or fattening,” says Laura J. Kruskall, Ph.D., R.D., director of nutrition sciences at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. This isn’t the case, but diehard counters know that most proteins will cost you a few more calories than fruits and veggies will.

What’s more, protein isn’t as portable as other foods. The best sources—fish, meat, dairy, beans—aren’t as quick or convenient as most carbs or even fruits and veggies. “Traditional protein sources aren’t usually grab and go. And if they are, they’re often fried or unhealthy,” says nutrition expert Angela Ginn, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

That may help explain why up to a third of women between the ages of 20 and 40 don’t get their RDA of protein, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. And in light of the fact that a growing number of nutritionists believe that the current dietary guidelines for this mighty macronutrient are way too low, we’re really missing out.

Consider this: A Johns Hopkins University study found that a diet in which roughly a quarter of the calories (about 60 percent more than the recommended 10 to 15 percent) come from lean protein sources reduced blood pressure, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels, and triglycerides better than a traditional higher-carb diet. Other research finds that diets rich in protein can help prevent obesity, osteoporosis, and diabetes.

The Power of Protein

The moment it leaves your fork, protein starts winnowing your waistline. High-protein foods take more work to digest, metabolize, and use, which means you burn more calories processing them. They also take longer to leave your stomach, so you feel full sooner and for a longer amount of time. The cumulative effect has obvious benefits for anyone who is watching her weight.

In a study published in Nutrition Metabolism, dieters who increased their protein intake to 30 percent of their diet ate nearly 450 fewer calories a day and lost about 11 pounds over the 12-week study without employing any other dietary measures.

And if, like most successful dieters, you’re burning calories as well as counting them, protein is doubly essential for making sure you lose fat, not muscle. Your body uses the amino acids in protein to build lean muscle, which not only makes you stronger and more toned but also fries calories even when you’re not active—unlike lazy fat. Ultimately, this keeps your metabolism humming along at high speed so you can burn off the occasional cookie, no problem.

Pump It Up

Experts advise consuming between 0.8 grams and 1.1 grams of protein per pound of your body weight. That’s 112 grams to 154 grams a day for a 140-pound woman. Skew on the high end if you’re very active, and on the low end if you’re trying to lose weight. If both apply, shoot for an amount somewhere in the middle—around 130 grams.

Even more important: Aim to get at least 30 of those grams at breakfast, says Donald Layman, Ph.D., a professor emeritus of nutrition at the University of Illinois. (That’s roughly the amount you’ll get from two eggs and a cup of cottage cheese.) After fasting all night, your body is running on empty and may start drawing on muscle tissue for fuel if you don’t replenish its protein stores first thing in the a.m. Plus, studies have found that protein-rich breakfasts can help regulate your appetite all day.

But not all proteins are created equal, says Kruskall. While nuts, whole grains, and veggies technically count, they don’t contain all nine of the amino acids your body needs in order to build lean muscle. Those that do—known as complete proteins—are typically found in animal products. Your best flat-belly bets are skinless white chicken or turkey, seafood, low-fat dairy, pork tenderloin, and lean beef. All of these foods have just one to three grams of fat per 50-calorie serving.

Vegetarians need to be a little more creative. Pairing incomplete proteins—peanut butter on whole-wheat bread, or brown rice and beans, for example—can pinch-hit for complete ones. Or nosh on complete proteins such as tofu, hemp seed, buckwheat, and quinoa. The beauty of protein is that with so many tasty options, getting your daily dose is a simple pleasure.

PROTEIN TO GO

You can’t carry a grilled chicken breast around in your purse, so try these more portable options.

1. Jerky
(1 ounce = 9.4 grams) Try beef or turkey—both make a flavorful snack.

2. Roasted Soy Nuts
(¼ cup = 17 grams) They’re a nice break from the usual peanuts and cashews.

3. Protein Powder
(a 4 ½-tablespoon scoop = 16 grams) Keep a canister of Whey To Go protein powder at your desk for a quick protein fix. It comes in four flavors, mixes well with calories per serving.

4. Energy Bars
(1 bar = 10 to 12 grams) Pack a few Luna protein bars (190 calories, 12 grams protein) or Honey Stinger protein bars (190 calories, 10 grams protein) in your bag.

Try these energy bar recipes you can make at home.

5. Hard-Boiled Eggs
(1 egg = 6 grams) Cook a dozen, stick them in the fridge, and grab one when you need a high-protein snack or want to add protein to a meal. Another option: Buy Eggland’s Best hard-cooked peeled eggs. Because Eggland’s hens are fed organic grain, their eggs have 10 times more vitamin E and three times more omega-3 fatty acids than other brands.

6. String Cheese
(1 stick = 8 grams) Pair some low-fat string cheese (80 calories each) with an apple and a few crackers for a filling snack that will easily hold you over until your next meal.

Read this article at active.com.

You can also find more great strength and conditioning information and networking opportunities at Strength Performance Network.

DAVIDSON, NC – OCTOBER 22, 2010 – Strength Performance, LLC today announced that its social media platform, Strength Performance Network (SPN), crossed the 5,000 member mark.

“Strength Performance Network was borne from the desire to establish THE central online resource for strength and conditioning professionals around the world,” said Brian Harris, co-founder of Strength Performance, LLC. “With a globally diverse membership that now exceeds 5,000 members, SPN is well on its way to making that vision a reality.” As membership grows and members share their knowledge and best practices with one another, Strength Performance Network becomes a more valuable resource for the strength and conditioning profession as a whole. “At its heart SPN is a social network. The social aspect of the site puts the members in control of the content. As membership increases and members take a more active role in providing pictures, videos, blogs, and forums representing their knowledge in the realm of strength and conditioning, SPN becomes a more valuable resource for everyone involved,” said David Harris, co-founder of Strength Performance, LLC. “By supporting the assets provided by strength and conditioning professionals with information on jobs and resources they can use to continue to learn the skills necessary to advance in their profession, we hope to foster professional growth across the globe.”

ABOUT STRENGTH PERFORMANCE, LLC:
Strength Performance, LLC provides resources and information to the sports and fitness industry. The operator of Strength Performance Network and SPTV, Strength Performance assembles knowledge and content related to the sports and fitness industry into central online portals, enabling global access to information that is widely disparate today. In addition to delivering high-quality content, Strength Performance brings together sports and fitness professionals across the globe by leveraging the social networking functionality established in today’s Web 2.0 environment. Strength Performance’s online forums enable sports and fitness professionals to share best practices and further develop their relationships.

ABOUT STRENGTH PERFORMANCE NETWORK:
Strength Performance Network (SPN) is the first online social network dedicated exclusively to strength and conditioning professionals, offering all members the ability to post photos and videos, view jobs, share workout tips and connect with coaches worldwide from the professional, collegiate and high school level.

Professionals in over 120 countries have visited the web site, launched July 11, 2008. With over 5,000 members, including certified coaches from more than 260 colleges and universities, Strength Performance Network has set its sights on becoming the network of choice for the strength and conditioning industry.

Strength Performance Network is the vision of brothers and co-founders Brian Harris and David Harris. For more information and to experience the benefits of SPN, please visit www.strengthperformance.com.

“Strength Performance” is a registered trademark of Strength Performance, LLC

Laird and his friends engage in serious circuit workouts most mornings.  Supporting each other emotionally and physically encourages them to remain diligent in their pursuit of a healthy lifestyle and optimum athletic performance.

Dynavision Sports is not the only company that understands the value of vision training. In fact, a group in Germany called Dynamic Eye is currently working on a case study to further explore the field of sports vision. Our Dynavision D2 – among other technology – plays a large role in this research…

Click here to learn more about this on-going study through a Q&A conversation and to see a cool video, highlighting all the equipment used: http://dynavisionsports.tumblr.com/

Go to Strength Performance Network for more information on the FSU strength and conditioning program and other strength and conditioning programs spanning the globe.

As USA Today reported, “Major league hitters were humbled this year in a season that featured the fewest runs per game since 1992, five no-hitters, countless near-misses and two perfect games that should have been three.

Yes, this truly has been the year of the pitcher.

What’s baseball without some back and forth action? Pitchers pitch and hitters hit. That’s the natural expectation of the game. But as pitchers work to turn their A games into their A+ games, what can batters do to get that extra edge?

One way, of course, is to train on devices (like the Dynavision D2 and I-SPAN) that can improve players’ reaction times, hand-eye coordination and overall visual focus. Batters, of all athletes, would absolutely benefit from sports vision training. Their jobs are to connect the bat with the ball – and then of course, to have the movement skills needed to run to and steal bases. It’s all easier said than done.

And it doesn’t end with batters either. Interested in how Dynavision Sports specifically aids baseball players’ needs? Check out page 8 of the Dynavision media kit.

Visit Strength Performance Network for more great information on Dynavision and the world of strength and conditioning.

George Washington University researchers added in things like employee sick days, lost productivity, even the need for extra gasoline — and found the annual cost of being obese is $4,879 for a woman and $2,646 for a man.

That’s far more than the cost of being merely overweight — $524 for women and $432 for men, concluded the report being released Tuesday, which analyzed previously published studies to come up with a total.

Why the difference between the sexes? Studies suggest larger women earn less than skinnier women, while wages don’t differ when men pack on the pounds. That was a big surprise, said study co-author and health policy professor Christine Ferguson.

Researchers had expected everybody’s wages to suffer with obesity, but “this indicates you’re not that disadvantaged as a guy, from a wage perspective,” said Ferguson, who plans to study why.

Then consider that obesity is linked to earlier death. While that’s not something people usually consider a pocketbook issue, the report did average in the economic value of lost life. That brought women’s annual obesity costs up to $8,365, and men’s to $6,518.

The report was financed by one of the manufacturers of gastric banding, a type of obesity surgery.

The numbers are in line with other research and aren’t surprising, said Dr. Kevin Schulman, a professor of medicine and health economist at Duke University who wasn’t involved in the new report.

Two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese, and childhood obesity has tripled in the past three decades. Nearly 18% of adolescents now are obese, facing a future of diabetes, heart disease and other ailments.

Looking at the price tag may help policymakers weigh the value of spending to prevent and fight obesity, said Schulman, pointing to factors like dietary changes over the past 30 years and physical environments that discourage physical activity.

“We’re paying a very high price as a society for obesity, and why don’t we think about it as a problem of enormous magnitude to our economy?” he asks. “We’re creating obesity and we need to do a man-on-the-moon effort to solve this before those poor kids in elementary school become diabetic middle-aged people.” 

A major study published last year found medical spending averages $1,400 more a year for the obese than normal-weight people. Tuesday’s report added mostly work-related costs — things like sick days and disability claims — related to those health problems.

It also included a quirky finding, a study that calculated nearly 1 billion additional gallons of gasoline are used every year because of increases in car passengers’ weight since 1960.

Click here for more on this story from USA Today.

For more information on Strength Performance Network, click here.

Even experienced trail runners can get into trouble on unpredictable terrain. And now that more runners are going off-road, accidents are likely to increase.

Here are five tips for staying safe on the trails:

• Keep in touch: When trying a new trail, go with someone who knows it–and bring a map, compass, cell phone, and whistle. If you do go solo, give someone a map of your intended route. Go to nps.gov for maps of national park trails, or plot your route at http://www.usatf.org.
• Think time, not distance: Tough terrain and hills can double the time you need to cover a mile. So consider how long you want to be out. “Experienced trail runners cover about six miles an hour,” says Scott Jurek, seven-time winner of the Western States Endurance Run. “Less-fit runners should target four.”
• Fuel up: Bring food with you, even on short runs, in case you’re in the woods longer than expected. “Energy bars and gels are good because they’re easy to carry and digest,” says Monique Ryan, author of Sports Nutrition hydration pack for Endurance Athletes. The carbohydrates will help you run and concentrate. Also, stay hydrated with small, frequent sips from a water bottle.
• Watch the weather: Especially at higher elevations, temperatures can change and storms can roll in quickly, so plan accordingly. Even in the summer, Jurek brings a winter hat and a Brooks L.S.D. jacket ($85, http://www.brooksrunning.com), which is water-resistant and weighs only 3.1 ounces. Use sunscreen, but be careful not to apply too much; it can clog pores and cause you to overheat.
• Train your feet: Get used to running on easy paths, then move on to more gnarly trails. “Take short, quick steps so you can react,” Jurek says, adding that your stride rate should be about 90 per minute. Road shoes work, but trail shoes have more traction and protect your feet from rocks and roots.

Find other great strength and conditioning information at:  Strength Performance Network:  http://www.strengthperformance.com.

URL:  http://www.brianmac.co.uk/index.htm

The following is seven step model for developing playing speed.

1. Basic training to develop all qualities of movement to a level that will provide a solid base on which to build each successive step. This includes programs to increase body control, strength, muscle endurance, and sustained effort (muscular and cardiovascular, anaerobic and aerobic)
2. Functional strength and explosive movements against medium to heavy resistance. Maximum power is trained by working in an intensity range of 55 to 85% of your maximum intensity (1 RM)
3. Ballistics to develop high-speed sending and receiving movements
4. Plyometrics to develop explosive hopping, jumping, bounding, hitting, and kicking
5. Sprinting form and speed endurance to develop sprinting technique and improving the length of time you are able to maintain your speed
6. Sport loading to develop specific speed. The intensity is 85 to 100% of maximum speed
7. Over speed training. This involves systematic application of sporting speed that exceeds maximum speed by 5 to 10% through the use of various over speed training techniques

For more great Strength and Conditioning information check out Strength Performance Network at http://www.strengthperformance.com

Publication:  Bicycling Magazine

URL:  http://www.active.com

Your bulging quads and razor-cut calves are the envy of your pack, and you start every ride strong. As the ride progresses, though, your hips seesaw in the saddle, your lower back aches, and you slow in corners. The problem? Your core cries uncle long before your legs wear out. Although a cyclist’s legs provide the most tangible source of power, the abs and lower back are the vital foundation from which all movement, including the pedal stroke, stems.

“You can have all the leg strength in the world, but without a stable core you won’t be able to use it efficiently,” says Graeme Street, founder of Cyclo-CORE, a DVD-based training program, and a personal trainer in Essex, Connecticut. “It’s like having the body of a Ferrari with a Fiat chassis underneath.”

What’s more, a solid core will help eliminate unnecessary upper-body movement, so that all the energy you produce is delivered into a smooth pedal stroke.

Sadly, cycling’s tripod position, in which the saddle, pedals and handlebar support your weight, relies on core strength but doesn’t build it. To develop your high-performance chassis, try this intense routine, designed by Street. It takes only about 10 minutes to complete and focuses on the transverse abdominus, the innermost abdominal muscle, which acts as a stabilizing girdle around your torso, and also on your lower back, obliques, glutes, hamstrings and hip flexors, so your entire core–and then some–becomes strong and works as a unit. You’ll notice that it skips the rectus abdominus, or six-pack muscle, because, says Street, “it’s the least-functional muscle for cycling.”

Do this intense routine, in this order, three times a week to create a core that lets you ride faster, longer, more powerfully–and finish stronger than ever.

Core Exercise #1: Boxer Ball Crunch

What It Works: Transverse abdominus, obliques, lower back

A. Lie with the middle of your back on a stability ball, your knees bent 90 degrees and your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands behind your head, but don’t pull on your neck.

B. Squeezing your belly button toward your spine, lift your upper back off the ball. Keeping your shoulders off the ball, trace a clockwise oval with your torso. Apply pressure with your lower back to keep the ball still through the entire motion. After 15 clockwise ovals, trace 15 counterclockwise.

Why It Works: Despite the straightforward motion of the bike, your body moves in three directions: forward as you head down the road, vertically as your legs pedal up and down, and laterally as your hips and upper body rock side to side. “This fluid, circular exercise builds control,” says Street, and that helps you minimize lateral torsion and wasted motion.

Core Exercise #2: Power Bridge

What It Works: Hip flexors, glutes, lower back

A. Lying on your back, bend your knees and place your heels near your glutes. Arms are at your sides, palms down.

B. In one smooth motion, squeeze your glutes, raise your hips off the floor and push up from your heels to form a straight line from shoulders to knees; toes come off the floor slightly. Hold for two seconds. Keeping your toes raised, lower yourself three-quarters of the way to complete one rep. Do 20 repetitions.

Why It Works: In addition to stretching the hip flexors, often extremely stiff in cyclists, the bridge strengthens the link between your lower back and glutes.

Core Exercise #3: Hip Extension

What It Works: Lower back, hamstrings, glutes

A. Lying with your hips and stomach on the stability ball, put your hands on the floor directly under your shoulders, and extend your legs with toes resting on the floor.

B. With a straight spine and shoulder blades back, as if you’re trying to make them touch, lift both legs off the floor, keeping them straight. If possible, raise them slightly higher than parallel to the floor. Hold for two seconds and lower. Do 20 reps.

Why It Works: This movement builds backside strength, for added efficiency on the second half of the pedal stroke.

Core Exercise #4: Plank

What It Works: Transverse abdominus, upper and lower back

A. Lying on your stomach, place your elbows under your shoulders with forearms and hands on the floor.

B. Lift your hips off the floor, keeping your back straight and abs tight, and rest on your toes. Aim for 60 seconds.

Why It Works: The plank builds the strength and muscular endurance you need to ride powerfully in the drops or in an aero position long after others have surrendered to the top of the handlebar.

Core Exercise #5: Transverse Plank

What It Works: Transverse abdominus and obliques

A. Lie on your right side, with your right elbow under your shoulder, forearm in front for stability, and stack your left foot on your right. Raise your left arm over your head.

B. In one motion, lift your hips to create a straight line down your left side. Lower your hips a few inches off the floor; do 10 to 15 reps, then switch sides.

Why It Works: Strong obliques improve your stability in the saddle, letting you take on hairpin corners with more control and speed.

Core Exercise #6: Scissors Kick

What It Works: Transverse abdominus, hip flexors, inner and outer thighs

A. Lying on your back with legs straight, place both hands palms down under your lower back.

B. Pushing your elbows down into the floor and pulling your belly button toward your spine, raise your shoulders off the floor and look toward the ceiling. Raise your legs 4 inches off the ground and scissor them: left leg over right, then right over left. That’s one rep. Work up to 100.

Why It Works: A comprehensive movement that connects key cycling muscles, the kick also builds inner-thigh muscles, which help you achieve hip, knee and forefoot alignment for a proper and efficient pedal stroke.

Core Exercise #7: Catapult

What It Works: Entire core

A. Sitting with a slight bend in your knees, press your heels against the floor. Extend arms to the front at shoulder height, palms facing each other.

B. With a straight spine and upward gaze, inhale deeply, then exhale and slowly lower your torso to the floor over five counts as you inhale. Arms are overhead.

C. In one smooth movement, leading with the arms, exhale and explode back to the starting position. Do 20 reps.

Why It Works: Contrary to its name, the catapult encourages supreme body control.

Core Exercise #8: Boat Pose

What It Works: Transverse abdominus, lower back

A. Sit, resting both hands lightly behind you, and lean back until your torso is at a 45-degree angle.

B. Keeping your legs together, lift them off the floor as you extend arms forward at shoulder height. Abs are tight, as thighs and torso form a 90-degree angle. If your hamstrings are tight, you’ll need to bend your knees a little. Work up to holding for 60 seconds.

Why It Works: As with the plank, boat pose builds the lower-back stability and core strength needed to remain bent over the handlebar for hours, or to blast up hills without compromising power or speed.

Burning Questions

Why does my back hurt? Lower-back pain is related to core strength, or lack thereof. “In a leg press at the gym, you can press into the back pad to stabilize yourself,” says Andy Pruitt, Ed.D., director of Colorado’s Boulder Center for Sports Medicine, “but when you push on the pedal, there’s nothing to stabilize you except your core.” If it’s weak, your back fatigues quickly. The pain could also stem from other sources, Pruitt notes, from your cycling shoes to bike fit. A good rule of thumb: Your handlebar shouldn’t be more than one fist-width lower than your saddle, says Pruitt, who suggests a bike fitting for those with chronic back pain. “If a fitter can’t solve your problem in two tries, see a doctor or physical therapist,” he says.

Why do I STILL have a gut? You log thousands of miles a year, but your jersey fits like a sausage casing. The problem isn’t a lack of fitness; it’s consuming too many calories. Slouching could be exacerbating it. Good posture builds a strong core, but these days we hunch over a steering wheel to get to work, where we hunch over a computer. For a break, we hunch over a handlebar. To shrink your gut, add interval training to your rides to boost calorie burn, lay off the Dunkin’ Donuts at rest stops and start training your core.

Can I strengthen my core while on the bike? These geeky yet effective exercises by Marc Evans, a former USA Triathlon head coach and owner of EvansCoaching.com, in Menlo Park, California, work your core on the roll. The key is the Draw In position: Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Squeeze your belly button toward your spine; your pelvis should tilt slightly upward, causing your lower back to be flush with the floor. Try to replicate this on the bike. Evans recommends mastering these moves on a trainer first. For each, do three sets of three 15-second holds; rest 15 seconds between reps.

AERO POSITION: Rest on your aerobar, if you have one, or place your forearms on the top of the handlebar. As you draw in, your back flattens and your pelvis rotates.

SINGLE LEG: Seated with your hands on the hoods, unclip your left foot. As your right foot pedals, extend your left leg back and draw in. Continue to draw in as you clip back into the pedal. Repeat with right leg.

OVERHEAD: Raise your arms overhead and draw in; squeeze the top tube with your knees. (Don’t attempt on the road unless you have the handling skills of Tom Boonen.)

STANDING DRAW IN: With hands on the hoods, stand and bend at the hips. Draw in until your back is flat and pelvis tilts.

ORLANDO – JULY 20, 2010 – Strength Performance®, LLC today announced the official launch of its online media division, SPTV. Launched in support of its Strength Performance Network, SPTV will focus on bringing fitness professionals the latest fitness trends and research via live online productions at fitness-specific events. Content produced by this division will be shown live on Strength Performance Network, a social media platform that serves as an online resource for strength and conditioning professionals.

In addition to live events, SPTV will create a digital content library of the fitness-specific events it produces, enabling professionals to access and view events at a time more convenient for them. Both live and recorded events will be accessible by Strength Performance Network members. By leveraging the online digital medium, SPTV will enable fitness professionals around the world to enjoy live fitness events previously not accessible via the internet. “Despite advances in Web 2.0, the online distribution of targeted content and live events in particular is still lacking,” said David Harris, co-founder of Strength Performance, LLC. “SPTV aims to leverage the online distribution channel to make fitness-related information and events available to fitness professionals regardless of location.”

SPTV’s first live online production took place at this year’s National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) annual conference, July 14-17, 2010 in Orlando, Florida. SPTV streamed live production segments from the conference and supplemented the live shows with content recorded directly from the show floor. This online broadcast brought SPTV’s global audience interviews with strength and conditioning professionals, nutritional information, product demonstrations, and discussions with product and supplement vendors. Recorded segments and content not shown during the live broadcasts will be distributed online via Strength Performance Network this week. “Strength Performance Network utilizes the online medium to enable fitness professionals to network with one another and share best practices,” said Brian Harris, co- founder of Strength Performance, LLC. “SPTV will bring fitness-related events to our members, further enhancing Strength Performance Networks’ content, and enabling members to stay current on the latest trends and events in the marketplace.”

ABOUT STRENGTH PERFORMANCE, LLC:

Strength Performance, LLC provides resources and information to the sports and fitness industry. The operator of Strength Performance Network and SPTV, Strength Performance assembles knowledge and content related to the sports and fitness industry into central online portals, enabling global access to information that is widely disparate today. In addition to delivering high- quality content, Strength Performance brings together sports and fitness professionals across the globe by leveraging the social networking functionality established in today’s Web 2.0 environment. Strength Performance’s online forums enable sports and fitness professionals to share best practices and further develop their relationships.

ABOUT STRENGTH PERFORMANCE NETWORK:

Strength Performance Network (SPN) is the first online social network dedicated exclusively to strength and conditioning professionals, offering all members the ability to post photos and videos, view jobs, share workout tips and connect with coaches worldwide from the professional, collegiate and high school level.

Professionals in over 120 countries have visited the web site, launched July 11, 2008. With over 4,300 members, including certified coaches from over 260 colleges and universities, Strength Performance Network has set its sights on becoming the network of choice for the strength and conditioning industry.

Strength Performance Network is the vision of brothers and co-founders Brian Harris and David Harris. For more information and to experience the benefits of SPN, please visit www.strengthperformance.com.

“Strength Performance” is a registered trademark of Strength Performance, LLC

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Strength Performance, LLC

David Harris 937-572-2243

David.Harris@strengthperformance.com

http://www.strengthperformance.com

Boyd Epley was the head strength and conditioning coach at the University of Nebraska for almost 40 years. When he was hired by the University in 1969, his was the first university-paid strength and conditioning coaching position. Epley’s ideas were innovative and revolutionary, and the immediate success experienced by the Husker’s football program quickly quelled any skeptics. In addition, his strength and conditioning program became the “gold standard” for other universities to follow. He was the mentor for many top strength and conditioning coaches in the field today on both the collegiate and professional level. Epley’s strong belief in the importance and value of a solid strength and conditioning program toward achieving athletic success led him to found a professional organization for others who were interested in pursuing a career in this new and exciting field—the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). He also served on the original Board of Directors for the CSCCa and was one of the first ten individuals to receive the prestigious title of Master Strength and Conditioning Coach (MSCC).

Learn more about Boyd Epley and other strength and conditioning professionals at Strength Performance Network.

Guest Expert:  Carson Boddicker (Boddicker Performance)

Hamstring pain and tightness is a common complaint in the running world, as such, today I hope to shed a little bit of insight into the chronic hamstring dysfunction.

If your hamstring is acutely injured and swelling, pain, and bruising are present, then what I am about to say is not going to be the best idea. In such a scenario, you’d surely benefit from some rest and a few visits with a skilled sports medicine professional. That said, if you are able to run without much undue strain or pain occurs with higher intensity running or longer duration, a program built to restore neural input and optimize function of the gluteus maximus may be a good idea.

A recently published study in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy demonstrated that in athletes experiencing exercise induced hamstring cramping benefit greatly from such a protocol. Approaching the idea of hamstring strains from a perspective considering synergistic dominance, a re-education program focused on the gluteal complex also makes sense.

Sahrmann’s synergistic dominance concept essentially says that when muscles designed to execute a particular motion produce lower force or exert poor control, muscles that share some of the same functions will kick on to pick up the slack. In the case of the hamstrings, such a muscle or better yet, group of muscles, that lose ability to fire optimally are the “glutes.” To compensate for a lack of hip extension by the powerful glues, the hamstrings and often the adductor magnus (the fourth hamstring) kick into overdrive. After a period of time with this strategy, the muscles reach their tissue tolerance threshold and “pulls” and “strains” come into the picture.

As such, restoring or optimizing gluteal function may offer some benefits for hamstring strains and or fatigue. Additionally, you’ll probably see some benefits as they relate to body angles while running (the glutes serve to keep your torso erect) and even more powerful, efficient striding.

In the study referenced above, they authors utilized a three phase approach over the course of six months. It appears as follows:

Phase 1: Isolated Activation Exercises

Within the first phase they taught the subject how to properly activate his gluteals using a variety of lower level, activation type exercises including clam shells, hip extensions, and “fire hydrant” exercises in quadruped. Attention was taken to reduce the load and proper execution of exercise was monitored. This phase lasted about four weeks.

Phase 2: Weight bearing exercises

Once satisfied with the first phase, the athlete was prescribed dynamic weight bearing exercises including dynamic side squats, star balance drills, step downs, and forward and reverse lunges. This phase lasted until week 16.

Phase 3: Functional Training

In this phase the athlete was advanced to functional activities that included plyometic activities (both double and single support) to train in eccentric activity of the gluteals as they are to decelerate the swing leg in flexion before producing extension. Over time, the subject reported no complaints of cramping. If you have a troubled hamstring, it may be a wise idea to address it from the point of synergistic dominance.

You will find more great input from strength and conditioning professionals at:  Strength Performance Network