Let's Spring Into Action And Protect Athletes

The Ralph Cornwell Files

Let's Spring Into Action And Protect Athletes                                              
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.

Research from the best minds in the automotive safety industry  all agree, the circumference of the neck changes the way it reacts to forces applied to that area.
The former Congressional appointed Chairman of the Head  and Neck Committee put together a study on concussions and found: " Stronger necks reduce head acceleration, deltaV, and displacement. Even relatively small reductions in deltaV have a large effect on head injury criterion that may reduce concussion risks because changes in deltaV change head injury criterion through the 4th power."
Test dummies are used to simulate a human in a collision whether it is by automobile or playing sports.


How do they simulate neck strength in humans?

They change the size of the spring on the test dummies. Small to replicate a child’s neck circumference.  Medium size for female adults and large for adult males.

To simulate an athlete’s neck you have to go one step further.  The athlete’s neck is simulated by the largest and most stiff spring on a crash dummy in order to replicate the kinematics of a collision accurately.


The replicated athletic neck is more resistant to change than the mock-up normal population neck.  It  deforms less then all the simulated necks.


This is true for crash test dummies; is it not true for athletes playing sports that include collisions?
By increasing the circumference of our athlete’s necks the same result should occur. Less deformation of the cervical spine.

If this is good for test dummies, it should be good for America’s athletes risking concussion during sports. It will certainly lowers the subconcussive forces.
 
Congress calls concussions an 'American Epidemic'. Let’s start inoculating our athletes with larger stronger necks.www.concussionpreventionprotocol.com

Fixed Versus Mobile

Fixed Versus Mobile

Part of activating muscle is having it.
The Pashby Sports Safety Award is an award presented in Canada to recognize and honor people who make sports and recreational activities safer from catastrophic injuries, which typically involve the eyes, spine or brain.  Dr. Karen Johnston MD, PHD was given the Safety Award for her outstanding work to prevent injuries, most specifically concussions.
She is also Director of the Concussion Program at the McGill Sports Medicine Clinic.
Dr. Karen Johnston says that, “The force required to concuss a fixed head is almost twice that required to concuss a mobile head”.
Mouthguard companies understand that by activating head and neck muscles at the time of impact rotation will be decreased, which will lead to less harmful movement of the brain inside the skull.
By being able to clench down hard on a mouthguard activates the head and neck muscles and stabilizes the head.
Ralph Cornwell is taking this one step further,  building bigger stronger cylinders by developing the musculature around the head, neck and thoracic spine. The developed muscles dissipate more force and ‘clenching’ on the mouthguard with a stronger head, neck and jaw augments the value of dissipation by stabilizing movement.  This further reduces the subconcussive forces involved in causing a concussion.
A Virginia Tech doctoral canidate Ralph Cornwell, is doing research at Elon University in North Carolina.

He is not only building necks, but a mathmatical model of force dissapation.
Build head, neck and trap muscle to dissipate force and fix the head to lower concussive forces and Get Strong.

Project Neck Expands to Elon University

Ralph Cornwell, Jr. PhD. Candidate from Virginia Tech announced today of the expansion of his research study looking at lowering concussive and subconcussive forces with anatomical changes to the  neck, trapezius and upper back , accomplished through resistance training.

Cornwell’s research appropriately named Project Neck,  is charged with creating a protocol that an athlete can use to lower concussive and subconcussive forces. Cornwell is using state of the art Pendulum equipment from Rogers Athletic.                                                                                                                                                                                      
Project Neck expanded it’s research from Virginia Tech to Elon University, located in North Carolina. Cornwell is working in conjunction with Elon professors Dr. Eric Hall and Dr. Paul Miller of the Neuroscience Department at Elon University.




Dr. Eric Hall       Dr. Paul Miller
Project Neck is the only study looking at preventative sports medicine. Addressing the concussive and subconcussive forces before the athlete concusses. A great amount of research is  ongoing at several universities in the United States involving concussion treatment and cause and effect. Project Neck, to the best of my knowledge, is the only proactive research study examining  the effects of anatomical and morphological changes in the human body and how these changes lower those forces.

The 8 week research study will use a protocol that involves hypertrophy of the muscles of the head and neck. The protocol also addresses the trapezius and the muscles of the upper back. Cornwell is also looking for circumference changes in the upper and lower regions of the neck. Baseline measurements taken at the beginning of the research will be compared to measurements  at the completion of the study.  Strength increases in the head and neck region will also be recorded each training session. The adaptations to the head and neck will increase the stiffness level of that area making for a more resilient athlete.
Lead Research Assistant Matt Kavalek takes baseline measurements
Cornwell’s hope is to create a basic protocol that  coaches of athletes or even  parents could use to help combat what The Center of Disease Control and Prevention calls a National Concussion Epidemic. Cornwell explains, “the only way to stop concussions in athletes is to stop playing their particular sport. If we can not stop concussions then we must prepare our athletes,youth to professional, for the rigors of their sport.” The process is really a combination of the best helmets, mouth pieces and coaching technique. The variable that I believe we are overlooking is the head and neck. An athlete can still sustain a concussion even while wearing a helmet.

The stronger athlete will be better prepared for contact or collision. Subcocussive forces are also a health problem that must be addressed. The low level bumps and dings an athlete receives in any given season can be a cause for concern later in life. Research has shown that subcocussive forces can cause long term brain injuries well after the athlete stops playing competitive sports. Concussions can be caused by the accumulation of these small hits too. When we watch sporting events on television it would make sense that the extremely hard collisions  we view would be the culprit of the concussion crisis. This not the case, as further research is conducted, scientists are finding the subconcussive forces to be just as damaging as the violent collisions. The problem with subconcussive forces is this; you don’t always notice them as an athlete playing a sport or as a coach observing a practice or game.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention along with the National Institute of Health agree that America has a National Concussion Epidemic. These two goverment agencies are only called upon when there is a health crisis or problem with our food supply on a national level. If there were a Flu Epidemic, scientists would work towards a vaccine and begin inoculating the population with a cure. The Concussion Epidemic has been dealt with in a different manner. Researcher observe the cause of concussions and study how to best treat a concussion after the person has injured his or her brain.

Cornwell’s research takes a different approach towards the concussion epidemic. He believes we should inoculate our youth playing sports and their college and professional counterparts. Cornwell explains, ” I do not believe we are curing the concussion problem in America with any protocol designed to give the athlete the ability to lower  concussive forces. What I do believe is this, if we do nothing we are not giving our athletes any means of  resistance to concussive or subconcussive forces. If  my study helps to lower concussive forces  by 1 percent, it is a step in the right direction. If we raise the level by which subconcussive  forces can not harm the brain, this is also a step in the right direction.”

Project Neck’s protocol is time efficient, purposeful and presumed effective. The protocol can be performed in under 20 minutes twice a week. This is not a large amount of time out of an athletes day when we are concerned with brain injury.  I want this simple study to be the genius of larger research studies looking at protecting the athlete first and foremost. Researchers, athletic trainers and coaches will tell you we can do nothing to protect our athletes. If my research proves nothing at all but spurs on further research, then what harm was done? That’s what science is all about, the search for the truth.
I would like to thanks Dr. Hall and Dr. Miller for their support. I would also like to thank Elon University for allowing me to use their facilities and their generous hospitality.

Strength Train for Performance and Injury Protection

Strength Train for Performance and Injury Protection
By Dan Riley, M.S.
As the science of strength training has evolved over the past 20 years, unfortunately weight room equipment has not kept pace. Most available machines are great for training a weight lifting team, or to improve athletic performance – but sports athletes need more.
Strong muscles are good shock absorbers. A strength regimen that strategically builds muscle strength in key areas of the body can provide an extra measure of injury protection on the field.
Strong neck muscles protect against concussion
Injury protection should be a priority, especially at the high school level. The place to start is adding a neck strengthening program into the exercise regimen.
When I was an NFL strength coach, neck machines and shoulder shrugging stations were available, and players were required to train these muscles at the beginning of their workout. Over time, neck “stingers” were nearly eliminated when neck development became the priority.
And with recent news of the dangers of concussion and its long-term cognitive effects, athletes should be encouraged to do all they can to protect themselves from injury.
Strong, shock-absorbing neck muscles help to minimize concussive forces, especially on the football field. Neck strength also protects soccer and baseball athletes from cumulative concussion problems, such as the repetitive impact force of heading the ball.
Thinking long term, machines should be purchased to develop total body strength in all five major body sections:

1. Neck and traps (trapezius)
2. Hips and legs
3. Midsection
4. Torso and shoulder capsule
5. Arms

Strong shoulder muscles protect joints, tendons and ligaments
In a five-year study with Colorado Rockies baseball pitchers, the strength of the smaller muscles surrounding the shoulder capsule was tested at the beginning of each season. It was determined that if the external rotators of the rotator cuff were weak, or if there was a significant imbalance between the internal and external rotators, the incidence of a shoulder injury was extremely high during the season.
The smaller muscles surrounding the shoulder capsule are designed to protect joint integrity. These muscles include:

• Anterior head (frontal deltoid) – front raise
• Medial head (middle deltoid) – lateral raise
• Posterior head (rear deltoid) – bent-over raise
• Rotator cuff - internal rotation
• Rotator cuff - external rotation

The rear deltoid muscle is designed to decelerate the arm in any throwing motion. Quarterbacks, softball and baseball players, javelin throwers, etc., often complain of soreness or injury in this area.
A well-designed strength program should target each of these muscle groups. Multi-joint movement will not generate maximum strength gains in each of these muscles. An isolation exercise for each of these muscles must be performed if maximum strength and protection of the shoulder capsule is the goal.
When I worked with NFL athletes, I found many who had ignored these areas of the body. Some had already been injured and many were extremely deficient in strength in the muscles surrounding the shoulder. Once these muscles groups were targeted, players responded almost immediately.
There is great value in balancing your strength program between protection and performance, but keep in mind:  The dangers aren’t just from a catastrophic injury or sudden episode. They may also be the accumulative affect of the repetitive impact forces over time.
Dan Riley, M.S., is a strength and conditioning educator for the Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute with 27 years experience as a strength trainer in the National Football League.

Sports Medicine Institute Medical Staff

Leg Press Those Linemen?

Leg Press Those Linemen?

Leg Press Those Linemen With few exceptions muscles exert smaller tension at shorter lengths.
The rectus femoris muscles and wrist extensors are in deference to the above rule in some populations.
The rectus femoris is one of the four powerful quadricep muscles of the upper thigh. The rectus can flex the thigh at the hip and extend the leg at the knee.
In a seated position since the hip is flexed and the muscle is at a shortened length the action of extending a leg is primarily driven by the other three muscles of the quadriceps, the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and vastus intermedius and less by the rectus femoris.
Biomechanically, you would think that the strength of the shortened rectus in knee extension would be weaker for everyone. Not true.
There are the aforementioned exceptions, thus the relationship between muscular strength and the tension a muscle can produce is very complex, especially across groups of individuals.Comparing cyclists with runners, you find the cyclist tend to be strong at a short compared to long rectus femoris length.
It has been argued that since cyclists have a shorter range of hip motion when cycling, compared to the range of motion of runners, that producing more tension at a shorter length is due to training. Other scientist argue that a strong rectus femoris in a shortened position is the result of genetics or of both genetics and training.
Whether the answer is training, inheritance or a combination of both, for the coach and athlete it raises an interesting conundrum about playing sports that require you to keep your knees bent.
When playing offensive line in football the position of choice is bending at the hip and knee. The lineman are also taught to slide their feet to keep an effective posture. They must be strong with their rectus femoris in a shortened position.
Knowing this, a leg press should be the tool of choice to agument strength.  Something for coaches and athletes to think about as they design their workout to Get Strong.



Leg Press Those Linemen With few exceptions muscles exert smaller tension at shorter lengths.
The rectus femoris muscles and wrist extensors are in deference to the above rule in some populations.
The rectus femoris is one of the four powerful quadricep muscles of the upper thigh. The rectus can flex the thigh at the hip and extend the leg at the knee.
In a seated position since the hip is flexed and the muscle is at a shortened length the action of extending a leg is primarily driven by the other three muscles of the quadriceps, the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and vastus intermedius and less by the rectus femoris.
Biomechanically, you would think that the strength of the shortened rectus in knee extension would be weaker for everyone. Not true.
There are the aforementioned exceptions, thus the relationship between muscular strength and the tension a muscle can produce is very complex, especially across groups of individuals.Comparing cyclists with runners, you find the cyclist tend to be strong at a short compared to long rectus femoris length.
It has been argued that since cyclists have a shorter range of hip motion when cycling, compared to the range of motion of runners, that producing more tension at a shorter length is due to training. Other scientist argue that a strong rectus femoris in a shortened position is the result of genetics or of both genetics and training.
Whether the answer is training, inheritance or a combination of both, for the coach and athlete it raises an interesting conundrum about playing sports that require you to keep your knees bent.
When playing offensive line in football the position of choice is bending at the hip and knee. The lineman are also taught to slide their feet to keep an effective posture. They must be strong with their rectus femoris in a shortened position.
Knowing this, a leg press should be the tool of choice to agument strength.  Something for coaches and athletes to think about as they design their workout to Get Strong.

M-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-p-p-i State Strength And Conditioning Clinic

Get Strong

M-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-p-p-i State Strength And Conditioning Clinic

 

Mississippi State Strength and Conditioning Clinic              
Set For February 25-26, 2011                                             



The Mississippi State University Strength and Conditioning Staff officially invites you and your staff to join us at the 2011 Mississippi State University Strength & Conditioning Clinic.
The clinic will be Friday, February 25th, 2011, from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. and Saturday, February 26th, 2011, from 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., with lunch being provided.

Matt Balis, Chad Smith and James Townsend of the Mississippi State Strength and Conditioning Staff will kickoff the 2011 Clinic by speaking Friday evening. Saturday guest speakers for the clinic will include the following:

Jeff Connors, Director of Strength and Conditioning, East Carolina University

Michael Doescher, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Valdosta State University

Mike Gittleson, Former Director of Strength and Conditioning, University of Michigan

Lewis Caralla, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, Georgia Tech

Bryan Miller, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Oregon State University
Chip Smith, Founder and President, Competitive Edge Sports 
 If we can be of any assistance, please feel free to call or e-mail James Townsend at 662-325-8582, or Matt Balis at 662-325-8627.

We look forward to seeing you!

Pendulum In The M-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-p-p-i State Weight Room

The Rules Of Manual Resistance

The Rules Of Manual Resistance                                              
In 1979 Dan Riley introduced Manual Resistance to America at the National Strength Coaches Convention.  More importantly Dan demonstrated to exercise physiology researchers that muscular strength and functional abilities could be enhanced significantly without the use of barbells or machines utilizing manual techniques.
Dan coached at West Point, Penn State, with the Washington Redskins and also with the Houston Texans. He is still an important force in the strength training community and if you ever get a chance to hear him speak take advantage of it.

When you train manually never neglect to pause at the top of each repetition with pressure. After pausing the key is a very slowly application of force by the spotter during the lowering of the movement.

The most important rule is rule number one...Know the Rules!
1). If you use Manual Resistance make sure you and your spotter know and understand the rules.

2). The Lifter begins each exercise with the goal of 6-8 reps. This requires pacing, in other words, the first repetition is not an all out effort. The effort must be increasing for every subsequent repetition.

2a). The Spotter should allow the lifter to perform each repetition at the same pace or speed of movement. This will require different amounts of pressure by the spotter during the rep (because of leverage). The lifter will feel as though the resistance is similar at all joint angles (the resistance will feel smooth).

3). The lowering phase of every repetition should be slower than the raising phase. A guide in learning manual resistance is raise the involved limbs up in 1-2 seconds or at a 1-2 count and lower them in 4-5 seconds or at a 4 or 5 count.

3a). The Spotter must make sure that they feel more force by the lifter during the lowering phase of each repetition.

4). The Lifter should continually contract their target musculature during the raising phase and the lowering phase of every repetition.

4a). The Spotter must give feedback to the lifter to ensure there is always a constant contraction on every repetition performed. The spotter should identify any relaxation or loss of force by the lifter during the movement.

5). The Lifter should pause with pressure against the spotter's resistance at the top of every movement. Pausing with pressure and no relaxation is extremely difficult.

5a). The Spotter should insure the lifter is applying force at the top of the movement. The spotter must feel if the lifter is relaxing. The spotter must ease slowly into the lowering phase of the exercise. Slowly easing into the lowering phase or decent is extremely important.

6). The exercise is completed when the athlete reaches momentary muscular failure.

Get Strong

Central City High School Nebraska

Train The Head And Neck

Train The Head Neck & Traps

 

Train The Head Neck And Traps                                              
1). Nod 10 Degrees

2). Tilt 25 Degrees

3). Neck Flexion


4). Right Side Of Neck

5). Left Side Of Neck

6). Neck Extension

7). One Arm High Shrug

8). Two Arm Shrug


9). Underhand Row With Scapular Retraction


10). Seated One Arm Overhead Press

Tags: neck training, neck

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