Brian Schiff’s Blog

Lateral quickness is an important part of athletic development. Having the ability to effectively decelerate and and then re-accelerate the other way is critical for success in field and court sports. Incorporating such movements as part of a multi-directional speed training plan will pay dividends for athletes. In this video I demonstrate how to use the BOSU Elite Balance Trainer to improve lateral speed and quickness.

This exercise is an excellent way to increase lateral foot speed and quickness. In addition, it allows you to introduce energy system training, improve proprioception and enhance dynamic lower limb stability. It is also a great way to train body control and deceleration – two key things necessary for injury prevention in jumping and cutting athletes. Athletes may tend to stand upright once they come back down to the ground, so coaching and cuing them to stay low and not allow their shoulders to move outside the outside leg may be necessary.

You can read more about this exercise in my upcoming column Functionally Fit at www.fit-pro.com.

Core strength and stability deficits are apparent in many people.  The ability to restrain movement while keeping a stable base or pillar is essential for injury prevention.  Building prerequesite pillar (hips, torso and shoulders) stability is important before loading a pattern and moving more explosively.  This exercise I recently featured for PFP Magazine incorporates a progression for both options.

Application:  Poor hip, trunk and shoulder stability elevates injury risk with daily activities and sport.  This movement introduces controlled hip extension, torso rotation and shoulder elevation, while aiming to improve pillar strength and stability.  The handle bar moves around the bar facilitating a safe and smooth motion.  Using both hands allows for more control initially allowing the client to incrementally adjust the amount of rotation while they learn to move in a 3D manner.  Working in a slower manner will effectively train anti-rotation strength /control as well.

The exercise progression provides an option to train explosively to develop power from the ground up using both upper extremities similar to a push press except introducing some rotation to the movement.  Overall, this exercise offers a great way to train the entire kinetic chain in a multiplanar fashion.

Precautions: Clients with any existing rotator cuff and/or labral pathology or low back dysfunction should proceed with caution initially mastering controlled form with light loads and not push through any discomfort.  Be sure to use proper body mechanics when lifting the bar off the ground as well.

Athletes are always striving to be the best.  There are lots of great coaches out there with different approaches.  A few months back I had a trainer, Travis Hansen, approach me to see if I might be interested in reviewing his speed product.

These types of requests are commonplace in the industry, and I have several requests to review and endorse products. While I am generally hesitant to promote other products, I am always looking to expand my current knowledge base and learn something new. I was naturally very skeptical when asked to recommend this product, but I can honestly say that after reading this book that it is a great product for any coach or trainer, or even athlete looking to learn the ins and outs of speed development.

The package is purely digital which allows immediate access, and it’s currently being offered at a very reasonable “summer discount” price of just $37.  Order it here

Here are 3 reasons I like this resource:

#1- “Encyclopedia” is an accurate name for it

It takes all the different elements of speed development and condenses them into manageable chunks of content.  Sometimes I nerd out and will read a 300 page book just on special strength training.  Sometimes that’s just too much. But, if you’re having a thought or working through an idea, it’s probably covered here and it’ll give you some insight to answer your question or send you to a more detailed resource or direction.

#2- It doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel

I really like that Travis isn’t trying to push some already established format of training on you and the call it a cute name and say that he invented it.  Some of the concepts you may actually know really well.  Others you’re probably aware of, but have only a passing knowledge of.  Regardless, it’s all in there.  It’s like a central hub for training topics.

“Oh man, how does Post Activation Potentiation work again?”  Just go to the book and get a Cliff’s Notes sized version on the topic.  Maybe it scratches your itch or maybe it sends you off somewhere else for a deeper look.  With so much training info in my library, sometimes I’m just looking for confirmation of my own thoughts, not a research project.

#3- It gives credit where credit is due

If the book talks about a topic, Travis cites the original author/creator.  He’s not saying this is all coming from his brain, he’s just done a lot of research and clearly cites whose idea it was originally.  Many of us who put out information have been bashed by people in the industry who took credit for other peoples’ information or ideas.  Whether or not you believe anyone who sells any information can actually take credit for inventing it (since everyone’s coaching philosophy is just a personalized interpretation/presentation of other peoples’ information) this book won’t offend.  And since it cites all its material, you can be confident it wasn’t pulled out of the others.

All in all, it is a very solid product.  It’s only $37 right now.  Considering I rarely promote other peoples’ stuff, I feel confident in telling you it is $37 well spent.

Click here to order your copy.

I currently present an on demand and live webinar intended for physical therapists through Allied Health Education (www.alliedhealthed.com) on femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) regarding the recognition of this condition and current treatment principles.   Currently, I see on average 3-5 new patients per month with acetabular labral tears and/or those recovering from hip arthroscopy for this issue. As such, I am always staying abreast of the current literature on it.

There is a new research design study that was just published in the August 2014 edition of the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy regarding hip pain as it relates to these patients. Specifically, the authors point out that some but not all of the hip pain may be attributed to intra-articular pathology. They suggest that extra-articular contributions from soft tissue (or myofascial pain) may account for hip pain thereby making the diagnosis and assessment of these patients even more complex.

The authors raise some interesting questions about lingering posterolateral hip pain that does not respond to injections or arthroscopy at all. Further, they assert that these patients may have more than one source of hip pain, as well as the possibility that the true source of the pain may not be related to the labrum at all. based on their experience they find that taut and tender gluteal, external rotator and tensor fascia latae (TFL) muscles are present in people with acetabular labral tears who also present with posterolateral hip pain. Previous research has identified myofascial taut bands or nodules as sources of such pain.

Continue reading…

Increasing hip strength and stability is a common focus in training and injury prevention programs. Current research indicates hip and knee strengthening is more effective than knee strengthening alone in those suffering from anterior knee pain. I routinely use mini-bands to strengthen the hips and maximize proximal stability.

Many clients struggle with poor proximal hip stability that shows up as excessive frontal plane adduction and compensatory trunk lean. This exercise targets the hips and closed chain control needed for those participating in jumping, running, cutting and pivoting activities. It is an excellent way to warm-up and activate the hips as well as reduce patellofemoral overload and prevent knee injuries.