Three simple rules to ensure athletic superiority

FEATURE STORY 3KRWRE\-LP(OOLV0LDPL1HZV5HFRUG 2NODKRPD Rules of Engagement Three simple rules to ensure athletic superiority BY DR. PETER G. GORMAN, PRESIDENT, MICROGATE USA t’s summertime – ready, set, play! For many, the end of the school year means family vacations, fun in the sun and an overall good time. For the chosen few, however, it means early morning practice, late evening strategies and intense physical conditioning. Yes, the next high school football season is right around the corner, and summertime means training. Soon whistles will be blowing on the fields around our schools, and offenses and defenses will be lining up.

Sleds will be pushed, patterns will be run and strategies will be made. All energies will be focused on the upcoming season, and words such as dedication, determination and desire will be emphasized over and over again. At BFS our athletes train for that time, mentally and physically, throughout the year. Our 6 Absolutes program ensures proper body mechanics for all, because there is no sense in trying to IJessica Marie Staggs was named BFS High School Female Athlete of the Year for 2012. An exceptional multi-sport athlete, she graduated from Wyandotte High School with a 4.03 GPA.

She now attends Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and is majoring in childhood education development. build strength on an unstable foundation. By emphasizing proper technique, we can make sure each athlete will be ready to develop the sport-specific skills necessary to excel at their sport. There’s more. With our Be an 11 program, everyone learns to strive for 11 on a scale of 1-10. Character, morality and sportsmanship are the fundamental components of true success. Our Be an 11 program lays out the framework for a true All American team.

The Checklist After 35 years of helping thousands of high school teams achieve optimal performance, we have created the BFS performance checklist. Its three rules are designed to ensure that all coaches and athletes are training as effectively JULY/AUGUST 2013 and efficiently as possible. No sense in putting in all the necessary work if we don’t strengthen our underlying weaknesses and correct any imbalances we may have. Rule 1: Hydration, hydration, hydration. Proper fluid consumption is essential and is well documented in the world of sport performance. The only true guideline – and a simple one – is to make sure the urine is as clear as possible.

If an athlete has any concerns, they should notify their coach immediately. Rule 2: Take care of the second heart. That’s right, crazy as it may sound, the human body has two hearts. Go ahead, Google “the second heart of the human body.” What you’ll find is that the soleus muscle (a calf muscle)

Dr. Peter G. Gorman with colleagues at the University of Bridgeport College of Chiropractic. (l-r): Kim Goss, Dr. Frank Zolli, Dr. William Brechue, Dr. Peter G. Gorman, Bob Rowbotham and Ernie Rimer. is located so deep next to the great saphenous vein that it actually acts like a pump in returning blood from our lower legs.

We can easily check this muscle by having our athletes stand tall in the jump position, keeping their feet straight, their chest spread, knees The John Carroll High School football team attends a team building camp at Susquehanna University to help prepare for the upcoming season. This is the type of dedication needed to enjoy winning seasons and success in the playoffs.

FEATURE STORY straight, eyes on target, (as in our 6 Absolutes), and then squat all the way down. They should try to get their rear to touch the back of their legs. If their feet can stay flat on the floor while doing this, they are good to go. If their heels come off the floor, we must address the issue for these three reasons: First, the soleus is contracted and is not giving a full pump to return blood, which affects recovery. Second, the soleus is a muscle of propulsion, (pushing off), and every sport requires efficient ability here. Third, by being contracted the soleus will cause increased posterior shear on the ACL, creating potential for an injury no athlete can afford.

To fix the problem, we use BFS stretching protocols and also massage the back of the leg to reduce any existing trigger points, such as with a Tiger Tail muscle massager. Rule 3: Get the body in balance before adding sport-specific skills. An important goal of training is to be strong and agile in all directions. If athletes do not correct underlying imbalances, they will favor one side, which will diminish their overall athletic ability. To check for imbalance you can perform BFS protocol #1: dynamic stability. Make a mark on the floor. Use the BFS 6 Absolutes to have the athlete stand ready. Now have them march in place for 20-30 seconds with their eyes open. Make a mark where they finish.

Have them repeat the same test but this time with their eyes closed. Compare the end point for both tests; they should be the same. Any difference indicates a hidden imbalance that must be corrected for efficient training. Our BFS-certified coaches and trainers will be happy to discuss all results and necessary corrections. By applying these three simple rules continuously you’ll help ensure effective and efficient training. By monitoring these rules over time you’ll have a better understanding of your athletes’ game-ready abilities. As you can see, our 6 Absolutes program is at the core of all training.

Now add a sprinkle of character with the Be an 11 principles, and we will see you in the winner’s circle.

Canadian strength coach and Posturologist Paul Gagné, who was featured in our September/October 2010 issue, has taken strength and conditioning to the highest level. He is shown here with Canada’s Justine Dufour-Lapointe, currently ranked #1 in the world in the World Cup for freestyle mogul. s 39--%429&/5.$!4)/. s /04)-!, 0%2&/2-!.#% s !"),I4934!"),)49 s ).*529 02%6%.4)/.

/04/*5-0 02/6)$%3 4(E -OST !DVANCED ATHLETIC ASSESSMENT TOOL 3O 9/U KNOW YOUR PROGRAM IS WORKING BFS TEAMS WITH TECHNOLOGY LEADER OPTOJUMP An innovative system of analysis and measurement that brings assessment and optimization of performance to athletic development based on precise, objective data. By acquiring fundamental parameters of the level of an individual’s performance and condition, Optojump allows coaches and teachers to easily monitor their athletes. This makes it possible to ascertain the EFMPMXMIWSVTL]WMGEP½XRIWWSJEREXLPIXI in a simple and immediate way Over time, OptoJump creates a database OPTOJUMP 1 meter system:

Assess performance and physical condition Rapidly identify imbalances (IZIPSTTVSKVEQWTIGM½GXVEMRMRKFEWIHSRXLI test results Periodically check the results and the effectiveness of treatment Create a database of athletes Motivate subject by providing tangible evidence of progress BFS Science Lab BFS is committed to advancing every coaches and teacher’s ability to track the improvement of their students and athletes. On November 1, 2011, BFS opened that makes it possible to compare values the “BFS Science Lab” with Dr. Peter Gorman, President of MicroGait USA, at his facility in New York. for that athlete or different athletes. “This will be a great addition to the BFS organization,”

says BFS President Bob Call 800-628-9737 for information. Rowbotham. Look for more details about this exciting facility in future issues of Using top quality BFS equipment and the OptoJump system the BFS Science Lab is developing systems and protocols to continue the advancement of youth training and performance!

DEDICATED TO HELPING ATHLETES SUCCEED SINCE 1976 ONLINE AT WWWBIGGERFASTERSTRONGERCOM s EMAIL US AT INFO BFSMAILCOM 7EST 3OUTH 3ALT ,AKE #ITY 54 s &AX

From BFS Magazine — July/August 2013. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).