Can Strength and Conditioning Reduce Injuries

Many coaches think a warm up consists of a few laps and a few stretching exercises. Many strength and conditioning coaches are realizing that sport specific warm ups, flexibility exercises, specific strength exercises and mental preparation are all crucial parts of pre-game preparation. Christopher Cramer has developed a strength and conditioning program with an emphasis on movement to prevent injuries for athletes and non-athletes. Cramer is young but has a degree in exercise science and a former high school and college athlete. He developed a training program without weights but through multi-directional movement, reducing the injuryrate by 30 percent.

Strength and Conditioning to Prevent Injuries

Cramer takes a three-step approach to training. Each new client goes through a “functional movement screening,” that identifies individual body needs from a physical standpoint. For example, do the joints have a full range of motion for a specific task? From there, Cramer develops a program of exercises designed for muscle activation and strength. The end result, Cramer says, is a training ritual that improves the client’s quality of life or athletic endeavor. “I believe every movement and exercise has a purpose in someone’s life or sport,” he said. “If you ask me why we’re doing one particular movement, and I can’t answer you, then we’re not doing it anymore.” Cramer expressed concern at the increase in serious injury among young athletes. As coach for the boys varsity soccer team at Columbia High School in his hometown of White Salmon, Wash., Cramer sees youngsters with drive and determination in their sport aren’t properly trained to remain injury-free. It’s not the fault of the student athlete or part-time coach, he said, but more a lack of available resources. “The information hasn’t gotten around yet to help educate coaches to work with the players to prevent injury,” Cramer said. “And there aren’t enough hours in a day for a parent volunteer to learn these things. I can teach coaches how to incorporate injury prevention techniques into their warm-ups.”

Many times strength and conditioning coaches take a “cookie cutter” approach to warm-ups, strengthening and flexibility. Fitness is a very personal thing and coaches have to work on an individual needs assessment to prescribe exercises for each player or a group of players. Particularly, young players, teenagers and women have specific strength and conditioning needs that have to be addressed individually or small groups. Many times, it’s not the larger muscle groups that need strengthening but the smaller ones inside the joints. To prevent joint injuries and strengthen them, specific exercises must be implemented.

If you  want a better idea of Chris Cramer’s strength and conditioning program, take a look at original article…

Kyle Leon has developed an excellent strength and conditioning program, Worth a Look…

Pass this on to your favorite athlete or write a quick comment.