Thursday, April 21, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Project Neck Research Study- Aims to Lower Concussive and subconcussive forces by Strengthening Neck
 “Project Neck” Aims to Lower Concussive and subconcussive forces by Strengthening Neck |  | |
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http://tinyurl.com/3kyv2g9
Students participate in study to lower concussive and subconcussive forces
Each Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the past four weeks, 11 students have been visiting this little room, getting their necks measured and pumping iron with the part of the body few incorporate into their exercise routine. The students are subjects of Ralph Cornwell’s study, “Project Neck,” which researches the effects of consistent neck conditioning, with the goal of preventing damage from concussions.
Cornwell, a Ph.D. candidate in health promotion/human performance at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, is conducting what is — as far as anyone knows — the only study aimed at preventing concussions, instead of fixing them after they occur. His research will also create a neck-strengthening protocol to which Cornwell hopes strength and conditioning coaches will have to adhere in the future.
“This will be the culmination of (my) doctoral dissertation,” said Cornwell. He’s performing his research at Elon because he lives in Greensboro and said, “The atmosphere here is very conducive to learning and experimentation. You get better quality.”
For the dissertation, Cornwell said he will apply the laws of physics to his research’s resulting statistics, and construct a mathematical model that will show the different outcomes of concussion-inducing forces on people who followed his protocol, and those who did not. He said this is the only way to measure the differences without hitting his subjects over the head, which he’s not about to do.
The idea is that the muscles of a strengthened neck will disperse the kinetic energy of a hard force. “The stronger your neck is, the more likely it is to dissipate the energy from a blow,” said Matt Kavalek, Cornwell’s lead research assistant and a sophomore at Elon.
Stronger neck and back muscles would mean increased support, decreasing the odds of a blow jarring the brain inside the skull after a hard blow, which causes a concussion. Cornwell likened strengthened neck and back muscles to an organic “cowboy collar” used by football players for neck support.
Cornwell and Kavalek are already four weeks into the study and are seeing results in the 11 students following the strict protocol Cornwell developed. Three devices are used, two of which are still prototypical, for various exercises focusing on the muscles in the neck or back.
Kavalek said Cornwell worked with anatomists at Wake Forest University to make sure each movement of every exercise has a direct effect on a key neck or back muscle. The exercises include the “tilt,” the “nod,” “laterals,” the “shrug,” the “shrug with head turn,” the “Kelso” and the “Hise shrug.”
But before a study participant launches into his first set of head tilts, Kavalek measures the circumference of his neck, which increases as the muscles gain strength. The study uses only male Elon students, since men aged 18-24 create the best test pool for measurable neck gain, said Cornwell. Since women don’t have the same high testosterone levels as men, their necks wouldn’t get thicker if they did the exercises, and Cornwell’s study needed a physical way to measure progress.
After having his neck measured, the study participant sits in the first prototypical device, a five-way neck machine, and rests the back of his head against a cushion. “It’s the only machine where you can train the muscles in the head and the neck,” said Cornwell. The subject performs the “tilt” and tips his head backward just 25 degrees, which works only the capital muscles — the neck muscles connected to the first two vertebra of the spine — and not the back muscles.
“It’s such a subtle movement, but the back of his head will be on fire,” said Cornwell, as Kavalek counted out 12 repetitions. The subject’s neck is burning because he’s literally lifting weights with his neck. At first, every participant starts each exercise with 10 pounds, but Cornwell increases the weight in increments after the student is able to complete a set with 10 pounds, then 15, and so on.
“We needed a baseline everyone could complete,” said Cornwell. “All the movements are slow and patrolled, so no one gets hurt.” He and Kavalek spot the test subject as he moves onto the “nod,” which is a 10-degree movement forward, as if “you’re acknowledging a friend,” said Cornwell. Then the student performs “laterals,” which is the same movement but to the left and right sides instead of forward.
The next movements, also on the five-way neck machine, target the trapezius – the muscle spanning the neck, shoulders and back, and reaching all the way down to the thoracic (twelfth) vertebrae. The subject performs a “shrug,” and then a “shrug with head turn,” turning the uppermost part of the trapezius, which Cornwell explained happens naturally when you pick up something heavy in a shrug position.
Fifteen seconds after the last set of shrugs, the subject moves to the three-way row machine for the “Kelso,” which is a movement pulling the scapula together and works all the muscles in the back. It’s the movement that test subject Thomas Emery, a sophomore majoring in psychology, said is his least favorite. “You feel it everywhere in your back,” he said.
As Emery fights losing his grips on the machine’s handles during his “Kelso” set, Kavalek cheers him on. “You’re almost there. This is your best set ever. You just need to get angry.” Sweat drips from Emery’s chin as Cornwell moves him to his last movement, the “Hise shrug.” Using squat bar equipment, Emery shrugs with the weighted bar across his back, again targeting his trapezius.
At the end of his training session, Emery is out of breath, which Cornwell said is the norm for most participants. He said he thinks many assumed training one’s neck would be easy, but found out after signing up for the study that it’s not. Kavalek compares the exercises to training a bicep: “If you put (your muscles) against a load, they’re going to get stronger.”
Despite the difficulty, Emery plans to continue neck-strengthening exercises even after the study is completed in another four weeks. And it’s Cornwell’s hope that the exercises Emery and the 10 other Elon students are performing will become part of a protocol required by certifying sports organizations, and will eventually trickle down to the high school and middle school level.
“It’s not an easy protocol by any means,” Cornwell said. But, since no other protocols for preventing concussions exist – in the athletic arena or otherwise – he said, “At least (it will) give them something to go on.”
Monday, April 18, 2011
SMARTER Team Training Ralph E Cornwell Jr is featured this week on STT on iTunes. Great conversation about concussion information as well as other topics too. Have you heard?
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Strength Training the Neck: Concussions can be fought from neck up | Missouri Football Coaches Association Football
Strength Training the Neck: Concussions can be fought from neck up | Missouri Football Coaches Association Football
Concussion Research Project NeckConcussions can be fought from neck up
Missouri Football Coaches Association
Published May 24, 2010 FOX News
ORLANDO, Fla. - Head injuries in sports are an epidemic - and Mike Gittleson is sticking his neck out to do something about it.
Gittleson believes the concussion risk for men and women can be reduced through what should be a tenet of any training program: neck-strengthening exercises.
Gittleson, though, has learned first-hand that most schools don't place nearly the same emphasis on those muscles as he did during 30 years as the University of Michigan's football strength and conditioning coach. Since his retirement in 2008, Gittleson has visited more than 250 colleges of all sizes while representing a sports apparel company. He surveys weight rooms for neck machines and speaks with coaches about their regimens for male and female athletes.
"I assure you there are very few programs training the neck," Gittleson said. "It's unbelievable. In high schools, it's probably worse. We have these magnificent bodies, and we're not attending to the cylinder that protects the skull. We need to build to deflect and dissipate force."
To that end, Gittleson recently made a personal plea at the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches annual convention in Orlando. Gittleson hopes the CSCC makes knowledge of neck anatomy a must for certification and stresses that strengthening exercises are taught to their athletes.
"He's very concerned about football safety," said Dr. Chuck Stiggins, the CSCC's executive director. "The concussion issue is huge."
During a 30-minute presentation, Gittleson punctuated his point while also reminding roughly 150 strength coaches this hot-button subject won't be going away.
"People are asking, 'Are sports too dangerous for our kids?'" Gittleson said. "Moms aren't going to have this."
Sports concussions are back in the headlines with U.S. lawmakers holding a hearing last Thursday about head trauma among high school players. James Schmutz, who is head of the American Sports Education Program, testified that 400,000 athletes in nine sports suffered concussions between 2005 and 2008. That figure is probably low, because coaches, athletes and parents often don't recognize concussion symptoms.
"Moreover, the study discovered a disturbing disregard for the seriousness of the injury, with athletes often returning to practice and competition before it was safe and appropriate to do so," Schmutz said.
Almost 4 million Americans annually suffer concussions in sports and recreational activities, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Effects can include memory loss, depression, impaired speech, sleep disorders and reflex damage. The more concussions a player sustains - especially in a rough-and-tumble sport like football -- the greater the likelihood of permanent damage.
There are financial ramifications from the concussion issue as well. Eleanor Perfetto has filed a workman's compensation claim against the NFL in California because of brain damage suffered by her ex-husband, former Pittsburgh and San Diego guard Ralph Wenzel. If the court rules on her behalf, a flood of retired players with head-trauma claims could follow suit.
The NFL has taken bold steps to address concussions after decades of ignoring the warning signs. Shortly after speaking to a House committee last fall, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell instituted rules that bar players from re-entering a game if they show any concussion symptoms while being attended by the team's medical staff.
Goodell also sent letters to governors of 44 states last week urging the passage of concussion treatment and education laws for prep athletes. Only six states (Washington, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Oregon, Virginia and New Mexico) have legislation that bans a player who suffered a head injury from re-entering the game. In those six states, athletes need clearance from a health-care professional to play again. Goodell's letter will be read Monday as part of a government concussion forum being held in New York.
As concussion studies evolve, neck training may ultimately become mandatory on the high school level. Like Gittleson, Dr. Robert Cantu espouses that stronger necks can help defuse concussive forces. Cantu is co-director of Boston University's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, which recently received a $1 million NFL grant to study brain injuries.
"It's just straight physics," Cantu said. "If you see the blow coming and you have a very strong neck and contract the neck muscles, you have a much greater chance to have significantly reduced the forces the brain will see."
Cantu and fellow concussion expert Dr. Dawn Comstock are completing research on neck length, diameter and strength in relation to head trauma as part of their latest project. Ralph Cornwell is conducting another concussion study in pursuit of his Ph. D. at Virginia Tech.
Cornwell plans to determine whether overall neck size can decrease concussive forces even if the affected party is unprepared when the blow occurs. To this end, Cornwell is fielding a study group of 24 college-aged men and women who have never done neck training. He will sit them inside an automotive-industry sled and unexpectedly stop its acceleration. This will allow Cornwell to film and digitally map how much head movement occurred. He will then repeat the experiment after half his group has completed neck training to see if there is a difference.
Cornwell, who is working without a grant, is appreciative of Virginia Tech's providing him the tools to complete his research. Cornwell, though, said he is shocked at how many schools ignore neck exercises in their training programs. He conducted anonymous surveys with 125 colleges and discovered it was "not a high priority or no priority whatsoever."
"It just doesn't make any sense from a business or medical standpoint," said Cornwell, a former college and pro strength coach who volunteered with the Washington Redskins in the late 1990s. "The neck is something that needs to be trained just like a biceps or your legs. It has to be prepared for competition. Otherwise, you're not protecting the athlete."
Minnesota Vikings strength coach Tom Kanavy is such a strong proponent of neck training that he calls it "probably the most important thing we do." In his offseason workout program, Kanavy said, Vikings players train their necks twice weekly with four planes of movement. The supporting trapezius muscles are also built through shrugs and upright rows.
"Our primary responsibility as strength and conditioning coaches is injury prevention," Kanavy said. "That's a highly susceptible area to serious injury."
Yet when Vikings rookies report each year to team headquarters, Kanavy said most have underdeveloped necks compared with the rest of their physiques.
Kanavy said the emphasis on exercises that catch the eyes of NFL scouts, like bench-press and squat repetitions, takes away from college neck training. Some schools don't even have neck-training machines. The lack of such equipment was glaring even in the room next to where Gittleson delivered his CSCC speech. Only two custom neck-training devices could be found in a vast display area for strength-machine sales to college programs.
Weight machines, though, aren't essential for neck training. Strengthening can still be done through manual resistance exercises performed either alone or with a training partner. Cornwell said an effective program takes as little as seven minutes to complete.
There are other benefits to neck training besides concussion prevention. One of Ron English's first tasks when becoming Eastern Michigan University's football coach last year was telling his strength coaches to mandate more neck exercises. That included regularly measuring neck circumference to monitor player progress.
During five seasons as a Michigan assistant working on the same staff as Gittleson, English said he only saw two or three Wolverines suffer what are known as stingers - blows to the neck area that send temporary shocks and acute pain from the head area down through the arm. At Eastern Michigan, English inherited a roster that he described as having a "ridiculous number of stinger injuries, like 30-some-odd guys" from 2008. English said the number of stingers was greatly reduced in 2009.
"The proof is in the pudding," said English, who estimated less than 10 percent of EMU's incoming freshmen did regular neck workouts in high school.
One of Gittleson's former charges said the neck training he received at Michigan has helped him avoid head injuries in college and the NFL despite playing a high-impact position.
"I haven't had a concussion yet," Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley said. "When you work your neck, you feel that much stronger. You feel confident. You're not worried about (your head) snapping back."
Gittleson wants every athlete to feel the same way.
"We need to protect our kids," he said. "We need to protect their brains."
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Recently I had the opportunity to interview Jim Kielbaso.
Recently I had the opportunity to interview Jim Kielbaso.
Coach Kielbaso earned his Bachelors Degree in Exercise Science from Michigan State University, He then headed to Ann Arbor to get a Masters Degree in Kinesiology from the University of Michigan. While in school, Jim worked as an intern in the Strength & Conditioning Program in U-M’s Athletic Department. During that time, he also served as the Strength & Conditioning Coach at Holt High School and worked as a personal trainer at the Michigan Athletic Club in East Lansing.
My reason for wanting to interview Jim were two-fold. One to pick his brain for new ideas and training methods regarding strength and conditioning. The second and most important reason was to ask him about his new speed development program. I few years ago I read a great book authored by Jim entitled Speed and Agility Revolution and found it to be full of great techniques, ideas and common sense training methodology. I didn’t know Jim Kielbaso back then but what I did know was whoever wrote this book had taught me some new things and the book in general was well written and just made a lot of sense.
Lets fast forward a few years. I heard Jim was working on a speed development program and if his previous work was any indication of what was some to come, I knew I wanted it. Once I received the program I wanted to speak with Jim and ask him a few questions concerning his new speed development program.
Here are a few of the questions I asked Jim.1. What differentiates your program from the endless numbers of programs available?
Jim Kielbaso: You’re right, there are a lot of programs out there. I’ve seen just about everything available, and I can assure you that Ultimate Speed Development is very different. The main reason I created this in the first place was because I didn’t see anything available that included what I thought was important to speed development.
Rather than focusing on WHAT do to, Ultimate Speed Development focuses on HOW to do things. Of course, it also explains what to do, but I’d much rather get an athlete to do things properly than just go through drills for the sake of going through drills. To my knowledge, my book Speed & Agility Revolution was the first book to break down speed and agility mechanics into easy-to-understand terms. The book is included in my program, and the rest of USD focuses on proper execution as well. Each of the videos included in the program breaks down different aspects of speed training – linear, agility, combine testing – so the user actually learns HOW to move. How to place your feet and move your body are covered in great detail so that anyone can learn how to use effective mechanics. The program isn’t about creating robots, but there are optimal and proven ways to perform certain movements. As one of the testimonials I’ve gotten said, this system breaks down what great athletes already do well and teaches the rest of us how to move that way.
It’s a very comprehensive program that includes the book, four videos and a detailed 6-week training program. I don’t think there is another product on the market that includes everything I put into Ultimate Speed Development. And, it’s very reasonably priced so that anyone can afford to get great training. The idea is not to make a bunch of money – I just want to see more athletes get quality training that will actually make a different in their athleticism.
2. How will this program benefit me or my child (athlete)?
JK: As long as you (or your child) puts effort into this program and follows the instruction on proper execution, by the end of the program you will:
- Run faster
- Change direction quicker
- Accelerate with more power
- Jump higher
- Last longer
- Be more resistant to injury
- Be in incredible shape for just about any sport
3. When should I start your program? Off-season, In-season, or even during the season?
JK: Ultimate Speed Development should mainly be used as a pre- or off-season program. You could certainly implement some of it in-season, but it shouldn’t be used above and beyond what you’re already doing with your team. A coach may choose to implement some of the workouts – and certainly many of the training concepts – during a season, but you’ll get the best results when you have more time and energy to devote to training.
Because it’s a 6-week training program, USD is the perfect pre-season training program for most sports. For example, you (a coach, athlete or parent) could run the program over the summer to prepare for a football, volleyball or soccer season. If you’re preparing for spring lacrosse, tennis, soccer, baseball, softball or track, you would use it during the winter. You get the idea.
4. How will your information make me a “better: more informed coach?
JK: Based on the feedback I’ve gotten from many coaches, the information in USD basically shows you exactly how to teach all of your athletes proper mechanics and implement the program with ease. The key to making changes in an athlete’s speed and agility is to start out by teaching them good mechanics and movement patterns. USD breaks these movements down into easy-to-understand terms so a coach knows exactly how to explain everything and what to look for when things aren’t working perfectly.
Most coaches want faster athletes. Most coaches also want to have top-notch programs and knowledge to deliver to their teams. This information in USD will give you the knowledge you need to practically implement great programs with whoever you’re working with.
If you have been reading my blogs over the years you know I review products. Things I’m interested in and hopefully the reader is interested in too. You also know if the product is good I rate it high, if it just doesn’t measure up I give it a low rating. I honestly believe Jim Kielbaso has developed the most comprehensive , user friendly speed development program that I know of. I got the program I liked it. I went back reviewed the DVDs along with the written material again and I liked even more.
If you are a speed coach or strength coach this program will make you a better teacher and improve your ability to transfer knowledge to the athlete in a way they can understand. If you are a parent with an athlete in the family, get this program and you will be able to effectively coach your son or daughter to be faster, more athletic and less injury prone. I have been in the strength and conditioning business in one capacity or another for over 19 years and I learn something new each time I go back and review Jim’s speed development program.
I was amazed at the amount of stuff you get for the price!
Coach Jim Kielbaso wants to make this program available to more coaches and athletes. Jim Has lowered the price from 77.00 to 39.00 dollars. If you want to order Ultimate Speed Development or just have questions about the program: contact Jim at www.UltimateSpeedDevelopment.com.
I guarantee you won’t be disappointed !
Interview with Jim Kielbaso « Intelligentexerciserx's Blog
Recently I had the opportunity to interview Jim Kielbaso.
Coach Kielbaso earned his Bachelors Degree in Exercise Science from Michigan State University, He then headed to Ann Arbor to get a Masters Degree in Kinesiology from the University of Michigan. While in school, Jim worked as an intern in the Strength & Conditioning Program in U-M’s Athletic Department. During that time, he also served as the Strength & Conditioning Coach at Holt High School and worked as a personal trainer at the Michigan Athletic Club in East Lansing.
My reason for wanting to interview Jim were two-fold. One to pick his brain for new ideas and training methods regarding strength and conditioning. The second and most important reason was to ask him about his new speed development program. I few years ago I read a great book authored by Jim entitled Speed and Agility Revolution and found it to be full of great techniques, ideas and common sense training methodology. I didn’t know Jim Kielbaso back then but what I did know was whoever wrote this book had taught me some new things and the book in general was well written and just made a lot of sense.
1. What differentiates your program from the endless numbers of programs available?
Jim Kielbaso: You’re right, there are a lot of programs out there. I’ve seen just about everything available, and I can assure you that Ultimate Speed Development is very different. The main reason I created this in the first place was because I didn’t see anything available that included what I thought was important to speed development.
Rather than focusing on WHAT do to, Ultimate Speed Development focuses on HOW to do things. Of course, it also explains what to do, but I’d much rather get an athlete to do things properly than just go through drills for the sake of going through drills. To my knowledge, my book Speed & Agility Revolution was the first book to break down speed and agility mechanics into easy-to-understand terms. The book is included in my program, and the rest of USD focuses on proper execution as well. Each of the videos included in the program breaks down different aspects of speed training – linear, agility, combine testing – so the user actually learns HOW to move. How to place your feet and move your body are covered in great detail so that anyone can learn how to use effective mechanics. The program isn’t about creating robots, but there are optimal and proven ways to perform certain movements. As one of the testimonials I’ve gotten said, this system breaks down what great athletes already do well and teaches the rest of us how to move that way.
It’s a very comprehensive program that includes the book, four videos and a detailed 6-week training program. I don’t think there is another product on the market that includes everything I put into Ultimate Speed Development. And, it’s very reasonably priced so that anyone can afford to get great training. The idea is not to make a bunch of money – I just want to see more athletes get quality training that will actually make a different in their athleticism.
2. How will this program benefit me or my child (athlete)?
JK: As long as you (or your child) puts effort into this program and follows the instruction on proper execution, by the end of the program you will:
- Run faster
- Change direction quicker
- Accelerate with more power
- Jump higher
- Last longer
- Be more resistant to injury
- Be in incredible shape for just about any sport
I developed these training concepts by working with thousands of athletes through the years, so I know they work. It’s important to me to know that my training is actually producing results, so I pre- and post-test just about every athlete I work with in an effort to accurately document progress. I include a pre- and post-test in USD because I want you to see the results. I don’t think any other program would have you actually document your progress because they probably aren’t sure it’s going to work.
3. When should I start your program? Off-season, In-season, or even during the season?
JK: Ultimate Speed Development should mainly be used as a pre- or off-season program. You could certainly implement some of it in-season, but it shouldn’t be used above and beyond what you’re already doing with your team. A coach may choose to implement some of the workouts – and certainly many of the training concepts – during a season, but you’ll get the best results when you have more time and energy to devote to training.
Because it’s a 6-week training program, USD is the perfect pre-season training program for most sports. For example, you (a coach, athlete or parent) could run the program over the summer to prepare for a football, volleyball or soccer season. If you’re preparing for spring lacrosse, tennis, soccer, baseball, softball or track, you would use it during the winter. You get the idea.
4. How will your information make me a “better: more informed coach?
JK: Based on the feedback I’ve gotten from many coaches, the information in USD basically shows you exactly how to teach all of your athletes proper mechanics and implement the program with ease. The key to making changes in an athlete’s speed and agility is to start out by teaching them good mechanics and movement patterns. USD breaks these movements down into easy-to-understand terms so a coach knows exactly how to explain everything and what to look for when things aren’t working perfectly.
Most coaches want faster athletes. Most coaches also want to have top-notch programs and knowledge to deliver to their teams. This information in USD will give you the knowledge you need to practically implement great programs with whoever you’re working with.
If you have been reading my blogs over the years you know I review products. Things I’m interested in and hopefully the reader is interested in too. You also know if the product is good I rate it high, if it just doesn’t measure up I give it a low rating. I honestly believe Jim Kielbaso has developed the most comprehensive , user friendly speed development program that I know of. I got the program I liked it. I went back reviewed the DVDs along with the written material again and I liked even more.
If you are a speed coach or strength coach this program will make you a better teacher and improve your ability to transfer knowledge to the athlete in a way they can understand. If you are a parent with an athlete in the family, get this program and you will be able to effectively coach your son or daughter to be faster, more athletic and less injury prone. I have been in the strength and conditioning business in one capacity or another for over 19 years and I learn something new each time I go back and review Jim’s speed development program.
I was amazed at the amount of stuff you get for the price!
Coach Jim Kielbaso wants to make this program available to more coaches and athletes. Jim Has lowered the price from 77.00 to 39.00 dollars. If you want to order Ultimate Speed Development or just have questions about the program: contact Jim at www.UltimateSpeedDevelopment.com.
I guarantee you won’t be disappointed !
Monday, April 11, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
The Cornwell Files- Making The Case For Training The Neck « Intelligentexerciserx's Blog
By Ralph Cornwell, JR., Ph.D. Candidate, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
In a tradition that dates back centuries, physicians take the Hippocratic Oath before they practice medicine. In the original interpretation of the oath, a doctor would swear to “prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone.”
This code of moral conduct offers up valuable lessons to strength coaches and athletic trainers who work with the “patient” in their world: the athlete.
Strength coaches are charged primarily with the duty of preparing athletes for the rigors of their chosen sport. Referring back to the Hippocratic Oath, one could argue that increasing the performance of an athlete should become the second priority for strength coaches because a great athlete standing on the sidelines injured does no one any good.
The top priority for strength coaches instead should be a training regimen targeted first at protecting their athletes from harm as their “patients” are tuned for competition. Strength coaches who help athletes achieve their goals while maintaining their overall good health ensure that these athletes are prepared for any and all possibilities they may face in competition. And just as amazingly, those coaches who have shifted their priorities have realized that performance is not diminished but rather enhanced by a more completely trained athlete.
Of course, it goes without saying that the chance of injury is always a possibility during sports competitions. Simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time can cause an injury despite the best of precautions. Strength-training professionals, however, who take their cue from that vital part of the Hippocratic Oath, can step to the forefront to strengthen any perceived weak links in the human chain.
If strength coaches look first to protect their athletes from potential harm and prepare properly and diligently the most vulnerable region of athletes’ bodies, one could also argue then that the number of serious sports injuries could be reduced or minimized.
And what would be the most vulnerable region of the body that if traumatized could lead to a serious, possibly life-threatening injury? Without question, it is the neck region (cervical spine).
The neck supports the head, which encases the hierarchy of human beings’ functions, the brain. The trapezius–either of the two large muscles that run from the base of the back of the skull to the middle of the back–makes it possible for persons to raise their heads and shoulders. In essence, all these muscles act as the foundation support the driving force at the top of the body—back to the brain. If the foundation is strong, then the head is better supported and the brain better protected.
Given the critical role these muscles play, one would think the neck and trapezius would be at the top of strength coaches’ regimens for their athletes. But maybe not. For instance, in a recent survey of over 200 college and university strength coaches that asked about their neck/trapezius training regimens, the results revealed this muscle region as low or no priority. This could be explained by the fact that many coaches are simply unaware of the importance of training the neck and the trapezius muscles on which the neck relies to dissipate forces.
Survey questions ranged from “does your weight room have a neck machine” and “do you do any direct stimulation to strengthen the neck” to simply “how important is training the neck in your program.” The results overwhelmingly pointed back to little emphasis and interest. If strength coaches knew of the vital role the neck plays in sports performance, as well as the importance of increasing neck strength, then these results may have been very different.
7′ 1 Andrey from Russia doing a shrug…by his Senior year he could bench 300 lbs and squat over 500
Muscle regions other than the neck/trapezius area were emphasized in most strength-training programs. Does this sound familiar when examining many of the nation’s strength training programs: bench press for the upper body; squats and leg presses for the lower body; and some abdominal and lower back work. This is a complete regimen, as many would suggest, if the strength coach’s only priority is the performance of the athlete rather than protection of that individual.
But actually by training the neck and trapezius muscles, strength coaches can enhance both protection and performance of their athletes. A stronger neck increases the strength of an athlete, who then functions as a complete working unit. For example, consider that the trapezius muscles run from the base of the back of the skull all the way to thoracic vertebrae 12. Overlooking such a critical and major muscle group certainly would not enhance an athlete’s overall performance.
By neglecting the neck/trapezius area in training regimens, what could that lead to in the lives of athletes? While orthopedic surgeons can repair many soft-tissue and bone-related injuries that can allow athletes to compete again, the neck and cervical spine, however, are not areas of the body where successful surgical outcomes are likely, even with the advances in modern medicine.
If an athlete is fortunate enough not to sustain a catastrophic neck injury, there is still the very real danger of a brain concussion. For example, the Centers for Disease Control recently reported that approximately 300,000 sports-related concussions occur annually in the United States. (A concussion is an immediate and transient impairment in the brain’s ability to function properly.)
Concussions are not only a significant finding among professional and collegiate athletes, but they are occurring more often than necessary among younger players. For example, high-school football players suffer concussions more often than their collegiate and professional counterparts. Additionally, concussions are not gender specific. Studies have revealed that female athletes suffer concussions more often and with less impact than male athletes.
Moreover, researchers today are discovering that subconcussive forces over time can have a cumulative effect on athletes and can be just as debilitating as those who have suffered full concussions. Recent studies on brain trauma suggest that repetitive blows to the head over time—subconcussive forces—might cause a form of dementia known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive, degenerative brain disease.
Consider, for example, the medical condition known as “dementia pugilistica.” Once thought to afflict only boxers, dementia pugilistica is now at the forefront of brain research being done at several major universities. Subconcussive injuries are particularly dangerous because an athlete may not show any symptoms after receiving such blows—not until much later.
The problem with bruises to the brain is that they cannot be seen like the ugly, black and blue torn hamstring. But these hurtful injuries to the brain do exist, and with alarming frequency among a variety of athletes. To minimize these injuries, let’s revisit again the neck/trapezius area and how these muscles play a critical role.
Neck muscles act as springs and shock absorbers; bigger, stronger necks can better absorb with less deformation. Recalling the laws of physics, consider the neck as a cylinder. The larger the circumference of the cylinder, the more load it can support without buckling.
As training the neck area increases strength there, the soft tissue thickens and the neck becomes stiffer. Using physics again to explain the necessity for stiffness, view the neck as a coiled spring. The thicker the coils of the spring, the greater the stiffness ratio. A smaller, less stiff spring is easier to compress from an axial-loading standpoint. A stiffer spring—“stronger neck”—deflects greater frontal or side impact forces.
All variables being equal, if a given cylinder increases its diameter by two inches—say from six inches to eight inches–the deformation decreases 43 percent. Common sense, simple logic or even strong speculation would suggest that a bigger, stronger neck would give an athlete a better chance of avoiding serious injury when having to absorb impact forces during collisions.
And female athletes should not avoid training the neck area, as many think they will get a “fat neck” from such conditioning. Biologically, females do not achieve the hypertrophy that males do, but they can benefit greatly from the strength gained in this region of the body.
Training the neck area in four directions—flexion, extention, and left and right lateral flexion—followed by a shoulder shrug exercise offers the most effective direct stimulus to this region of the body. Neck machines are great devices to help with this training, but if strength coaches cannot afford these machines, they should educate themselves on the protocol of manual neck resistance, along with a barbell or dumbbell shrug.
Relating back to the original premise, if strength coaches truly believe their first priority is to protect the athlete and prevent injury and that the neck and cervical spine are at risk during competition, why would they not train this region of athletes’ bodies religiously? If strength coaches train all the agonist and antagonist muscle groups but neglect the neck and trapezius area are they truly preparing their athletes effectively for the rigors of their sport? Well-informed strength and conditioning professionals would see the logic in this premise and would want to help their athletes in any way they could.
Strength coaches need to find 30 minutes twice a week to train the neck and trapezius area. With effective time management and efficiencies, strength and conditioning program could meet this objective. In setting up a strength training facility, would it not make sense also that for every station, say, for squatting, there would also be a station for protecting the brain and turning the head?
As these questions tumble forth, again the Hippocratic Oath comes back into play—“to prescribe regimens for the good of my patients.” Maybe the essence of that document created long ago can have relevance in more ways than one to strength coaches everywhere today
TRAIN THOSE NECKS-KEEP SHRUGIN’
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Concussions can be fought from neck up | Missouri Football Coaches Association Football | iHigh.com
Concussions can be fought from neck up
Published May 24, 2010 FOX News
ORLANDO, Fla. - Head injuries in sports are an epidemic - and Mike Gittleson is sticking his neck out to do something about it.
Gittleson believes the concussion risk for men and women can be reduced through what should be a tenet of any training program: neck-strengthening exercises.
Gittleson, though, has learned first-hand that most schools don't place nearly the same emphasis on those muscles as he did during 30 years as the University of Michigan's football strength and conditioning coach. Since his retirement in 2008, Gittleson has visited more than 250 colleges of all sizes while representing a sports apparel company. He surveys weight rooms for neck machines and speaks with coaches about their regimens for male and female athletes.
"I assure you there are very few programs training the neck," Gittleson said. "It's unbelievable. In high schools, it's probably worse. We have these magnificent bodies, and we're not attending to the cylinder that protects the skull. We need to build to deflect and dissipate force."
To that end, Gittleson recently made a personal plea at the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches annual convention in Orlando. Gittleson hopes the CSCC makes knowledge of neck anatomy a must for certification and stresses that strengthening exercises are taught to their athletes.
"He's very concerned about football safety," said Dr. Chuck Stiggins, the CSCC's executive director. "The concussion issue is huge."
During a 30-minute presentation, Gittleson punctuated his point while also reminding roughly 150 strength coaches this hot-button subject won't be going away.
"People are asking, 'Are sports too dangerous for our kids?'" Gittleson said. "Moms aren't going to have this."
Sports concussions are back in the headlines with U.S. lawmakers holding a hearing last Thursday about head trauma among high school players. James Schmutz, who is head of the American Sports Education Program, testified that 400,000 athletes in nine sports suffered concussions between 2005 and 2008. That figure is probably low, because coaches, athletes and parents often don't recognize concussion symptoms.
"Moreover, the study discovered a disturbing disregard for the seriousness of the injury, with athletes often returning to practice and competition before it was safe and appropriate to do so," Schmutz said.
Almost 4 million Americans annually suffer concussions in sports and recreational activities, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Effects can include memory loss, depression, impaired speech, sleep disorders and reflex damage. The more concussions a player sustains - especially in a rough-and-tumble sport like football -- the greater the likelihood of permanent damage.
There are financial ramifications from the concussion issue as well. Eleanor Perfetto has filed a workman's compensation claim against the NFL in California because of brain damage suffered by her ex-husband, former Pittsburgh and San Diego guard Ralph Wenzel. If the court rules on her behalf, a flood of retired players with head-trauma claims could follow suit.
The NFL has taken bold steps to address concussions after decades of ignoring the warning signs. Shortly after speaking to a House committee last fall, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell instituted rules that bar players from re-entering a game if they show any concussion symptoms while being attended by the team's medical staff.
Goodell also sent letters to governors of 44 states last week urging the passage of concussion treatment and education laws for prep athletes. Only six states (Washington, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Oregon, Virginia and New Mexico) have legislation that bans a player who suffered a head injury from re-entering the game. In those six states, athletes need clearance from a health-care professional to play again. Goodell's letter will be read Monday as part of a government concussion forum being held in New York.
As concussion studies evolve, neck training may ultimately become mandatory on the high school level. Like Gittleson, Dr. Robert Cantu espouses that stronger necks can help defuse concussive forces. Cantu is co-director of Boston University's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, which recently received a $1 million NFL grant to study brain injuries.
"It's just straight physics," Cantu said. "If you see the blow coming and you have a very strong neck and contract the neck muscles, you have a much greater chance to have significantly reduced the forces the brain will see."
Cantu and fellow concussion expert Dr. Dawn Comstock are completing research on neck length, diameter and strength in relation to head trauma as part of their latest project. Ralph Cornwell is conducting another concussion study in pursuit of his Ph. D. at Virginia Tech.
Cornwell plans to determine whether overall neck size can decrease concussive forces even if the affected party is unprepared when the blow occurs. To this end, Cornwell is fielding a study group of 24 college-aged men and women who have never done neck training. He will sit them inside an automotive-industry sled and unexpectedly stop its acceleration. This will allow Cornwell to film and digitally map how much head movement occurred. He will then repeat the experiment after half his group has completed neck training to see if there is a difference.
Cornwell, who is working without a grant, is appreciative of Virginia Tech's providing him the tools to complete his research. Cornwell, though, said he is shocked at how many schools ignore neck exercises in their training programs. He conducted anonymous surveys with 125 colleges and discovered it was "not a high priority or no priority whatsoever."
"It just doesn't make any sense from a business or medical standpoint," said Cornwell, a former college and pro strength coach who volunteered with the Washington Redskins in the late 1990s. "The neck is something that needs to be trained just like a biceps or your legs. It has to be prepared for competition. Otherwise, you're not protecting the athlete."
Minnesota Vikings strength coach Tom Kanavy is such a strong proponent of neck training that he calls it "probably the most important thing we do." In his offseason workout program, Kanavy said, Vikings players train their necks twice weekly with four planes of movement. The supporting trapezius muscles are also built through shrugs and upright rows.
"Our primary responsibility as strength and conditioning coaches is injury prevention," Kanavy said. "That's a highly susceptible area to serious injury."
Yet when Vikings rookies report each year to team headquarters, Kanavy said most have underdeveloped necks compared with the rest of their physiques.
Kanavy said the emphasis on exercises that catch the eyes of NFL scouts, like bench-press and squat repetitions, takes away from college neck training. Some schools don't even have neck-training machines. The lack of such equipment was glaring even in the room next to where Gittleson delivered his CSCC speech. Only two custom neck-training devices could be found in a vast display area for strength-machine sales to college programs.
Weight machines, though, aren't essential for neck training. Strengthening can still be done through manual resistance exercises performed either alone or with a training partner. Cornwell said an effective program takes as little as seven minutes to complete.
There are other benefits to neck training besides concussion prevention. One of Ron English's first tasks when becoming Eastern Michigan University's football coach last year was telling his strength coaches to mandate more neck exercises. That included regularly measuring neck circumference to monitor player progress.
During five seasons as a Michigan assistant working on the same staff as Gittleson, English said he only saw two or three Wolverines suffer what are known as stingers - blows to the neck area that send temporary shocks and acute pain from the head area down through the arm. At Eastern Michigan, English inherited a roster that he described as having a "ridiculous number of stinger injuries, like 30-some-odd guys" from 2008. English said the number of stingers was greatly reduced in 2009.
"The proof is in the pudding," said English, who estimated less than 10 percent of EMU's incoming freshmen did regular neck workouts in high school.
One of Gittleson's former charges said the neck training he received at Michigan has helped him avoid head injuries in college and the NFL despite playing a high-impact position.
"I haven't had a concussion yet," Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley said. "When you work your neck, you feel that much stronger. You feel confident. You're not worried about (your head) snapping back."
Gittleson wants every athlete to feel the same way.
"We need to protect our kids," he said. "We need to protect their brains."
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