Looking Back.

 Looking Back.

Clinical Research Takes Time to Complete.   This Blog was Written Three Years Ago. The research process is complicated and must be approved by several organizations, The National Institute of Health and may need to be approved by at least One Institutional Review Board. 
If this type of rigor and validity is not incorporated into a True Research Study. It is not a study at all. It is opinion, conjecture or just a good guess. There is only One Evidence Based Head and Neck Training Protocol.
concussionpreventionprotocol.com 

Ralph Cornwell
 
Undergrad From University of Maryland/Radford University Va
Masters of Science from Virginia Tech
Doctor of Philosophy -Science Virginia Tech Completion Date 12/10

Former Strength Coach
Radford University
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
United States Military Academy at West Point
North Carolina Agriculture and Technology State University
West Montgomery High School, NC

Served as Sport Performance Director and Owner of 2 Sports Performance Facilities 1 in Blacksburg, Va, the other in Greensboro, NC.


I have been training on Pendulum 5-way neck for about a month and have had remarkable results. The weight has steadily gone up on the exercises, but the amazing thing is my neck circumference has increased by an inch and a half.

Never gotten those types of results from any neck machine and I have tryed them all. I am currently preparing for my Ph.D. case study which involves the question: If you increase the circumference of the neck through resistance training and increase the stiffness ratio,as soft tissue becomes stronger, along with trapezius strength increases thus reducing the deformation rate during contact(impact) would you not decrease impact forces to the head, neck area and transfer or dissipate the forces throughout the trapezius,upper back muscles and ultimately have those forces absorbed through the stronger back muscles, hip/glute area transferring those forces finally to the much stronger lower body muscles.
Also, would this not help to reduce or lessen the rate of concussion or more importantly would it not lower the subconcussive forces of small impacts that seem to cause as much or more long term damage to the athlete. Would a bigger stronger neck not raise the tipping point in which we start to see real long-term brain damage, Well, that's what I intend to find out. I will be setting up my lab at the Virginia Tech campus where I am completing my Ph.D..
The pendulum neck machine will be an intricate part of the case study and I want to share the data with all the coaches out their so we can better protect our athletes from harm. We cant' forget it all starts with the neck. The vulnerable part of the human anatomy with respect to contact sports or life in general is our cervical spine which supports the skull which incases our most important component with regards to life -our brain.

Project Neck Case Study Eight Week Results

Project Neck Case Study Eight Week Results

Posted by intelligentexerciserx

Eight Weeks Of Training On The Pendulum 5 Way Head And Neck Machine
Ralph Cornwell is a Ph.D. candidate in health promotion/human performance at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Prior to pursuing his Doctoral Degree he was a collegiate strength coach

Ralph finished a pilot study on head and neck training.  The purpose is building a training model for force dissipation by increasing the circumference of the head and neck musculature.  Dissipation of force from contact will lower concussive forces and protect the athlete during play.

Most Improvement in 8 weeks

4 inch circumference increase in upper neck,
3 3/4 inch circumference change in lower neck
53. 5 pound increase in head and  neck extension
49.5 pound increase in flexion
140 lb increase in parallel grip row
261 lb increase in levator scapula/ shoulder girdle elevation barbell movement

Least  Improvement in 8 weeks

1.5 inch increase in circumference upper neck
2.5 inch increase in circumference in lower neck
125 pound increase in parallel grip row
47.5 pound increase in neck extension
44 pound increase in head and neck flexion
215 pound increase in levator scapula/ shoulder girdle elevation barbell movement



Keep in mind, the speed of movement used was 3-4 second concentric 4-5 second eccentric, there was a pause in the contracted position of 1 second or the rep was not counted.  Over the weeks of the study the form became better and the weight increases continued steadily without compromising the strictest of technique required.


WE MUST PROTECT THE ATHLETE!

Building A Weight Room

Preventative Sports Medicine Is The First Step                                                              

                                                                                                        

When You Build A Weight Room Start With The  4 or 5 Way Neck To Protect The Athlete

Preventative Sports Medicine Is The First Step In Getting Strong

Tags: Success

The Ralph Cornwell Files

Eight Weeks Of Training On The Pendulum 5 Way Head And Neck Machine

Ralph Cornwell is a Ph.D. candidate in health promotion/human performance at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Prior to pursuing his Doctoral Degree he was a collegiate strength coach.
Ralph finished a pilot study on head and neck training.  The purpose is building a training model for force dissipation by increasing the circumference of the head and neck musculature.  Dissipation of force from contact will lower concussive forces and protect the athlete during play.
Most Improvement in 8 weeks

4 inch circumference increase in upper neck,
3 3/4 inch circumference change in lower neck
53. 5 pound increase in head and  neck extension
49.5 pound increase in flexion
140 lb increase in parallel grip row
261 lb increase in levator scapula/ shoulder girdle elevation barbell movement

Least  Improvement in 8 weeks

1.5 inch increase in circumference upper neck
2.5 inch increase in circumference in lower neck
125 pound increase in parallel grip row
47.5 pound increase in neck extension
44 pound increase in head and neck flexion
215 pound increase in levator scapula/ shoulder girdle elevation barbell movement

Keep in mind, the speed of movement used was 3-4 second concentric 4-5 second eccentric, there was a pause in the contracted position of 1 second or the rep was not counted.  Over the weeks of the study the form became better and the weight increases continued steadily without compromising the strictest of technique required.

Use The Pendulum 5 Way Head And Neck Machine to Get Strong.
Ask about the New 4 Way Pendulum Head And Neck Machine.

Tags: Neck Training

Getting A Grip On Things

 Get Strong

 Getting A Grip On Things

Most people agree that combative sports require training your hands to reach your maximal potential.

Little agreement exists among research studies on the optimum position of the wrist to facilitate optimal grip strength. Knowing the exact position would certainly aid in hand strength development.
Standardizing how you hold your wrist when applying force and how you deviate your ulnar or radius is a factor in replicating results.

What researchers are in agreement upon, is that  standing and testing your grip strength is the strongest position to be in. Some studies have showed that there is not much different in sitting or supine gripping strength, all acknowledge that in a  supine position the grip is the weakest.
There is no real consensus whether gripping with your arm at 90 degrees or 180 degrees or somewhere between is the best.

Yet 90 degrees of elbow flexion is the recommended testing position by the American Society of Hand Therapists for grip strength measurement.
Wrist position is another factor that affects grip strength. Wrist  extension somewhere between 15 and 30 degrees of the 70 degrees of movement with very little radial and ulnar deviation, seems to be the strongest position and most repeatable.
The bottom line is this: in order to maximize your hand strength you must keep your wrist extensors extremely strong to fixate the wrist providing a stable base for squeezing the hand closed.
Three excellent movements to maximize hand closing strength.
1). Start with a great gripper that allows you to stand. A gripper allows you to be systematic and progressive so you 'overload'.
2). Follow the gripper with wrist extension. Order of exercise is important in this series of exercises as you need the wrist extensors to remain strong when doing the gripper to maximize hand closing.
Wrist extension is the upward movement of the hand. The wrist movement starts and returns only a few degrees or so below parallel and extends upward.  Your forearm should be at  a 45 degree angle below parallel relative to the upper arm while seated. Start this exercise with a very light dumbbell. Slowly adapt to the movement.
3). The wrist roller is a great finisher to augment wrist extensions. Wrist rollers are notorious for being inaccurate in trying to be progressive. There are so many muscular groups that enter into the movement.You must have very strict form during this exercise.
First select a thin wrist roller. Thin wrist rollers require a great deal of wrist extension.  Stand with your arms full extended with the roller directly in front of your chin. Select a weight you can roll up and down twice without bending your elbows or deviating from your beginning position. This means that your arms must remain straight and not drop or raise above parallel and your body must remain still with the exception of the movement of your hands.