Since I first posted about Gatorade on our Facebook Fan Page (some time ago now) I have admittedly become side tracked and the result is a huge delay in a proper response.

I have been meaning to reseach and comment on Gatorade and their new G-Series for some time.  My inquiries and investigations always begin in one place…the IYCA and the professionals like Dr. Chris Mohr.

Chris was kind enough to respond to a forum post on a the IYCA professionals forum and I am making sure you have access (it has now been posted on the main website for the IYCA)

Here is the forum thread:

IYCA Training Advisor, Dave Gleason, posted this incredible question on our Members Only message board a few days ago:

Gatorade is making a big push with its Series – Prime, Perform and Recover.

I have questions about –

1) Its efficacy
2) Its quality
3) Its potential as a viable alternative for the young athletes we deal with on a day to day basis.

Dr. Chris Mohr chimed in with an answer:

Prime — the 1st in the “series” is really just a convenient way to take carbohydrates.

It’s more concentrated than normal Gatorade, but not quite as concentrated as a gel.

I’d stick with basic Gatorade if it were me.

The Perform is regular Gatorade. And the Recover is mainly protein with very little carbohydrates.

This would be more suited for an anaerobic athlete, who isn’t burning through glycogen and doesn’t have to be as concerned
with replenishing glycogen as quickly.

If you’re working with a more endurance based athlete, I’d want more carbohydrates in the recovery product than this offers. Hope that helps and let me know if there are other questions!

 ———————————————————

 THANKS DR. MOHR!

~Coach Dave

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The initial national coverage by ABC News was quick (and irresponsible) for jumping on the notion that the supplement Creatine was the likely culprit.

Why?

Elevated levels of Creating Kinase in the blood tests of the young athletes admitted in the hospital.

Could Creatine have contributed to the compartment syndrome that resulted in several players actually needing surgery to relieve pressure and avoid permanent muscle damage…or worse?  Yes.

My point is not to defend Creatine.  I do not recommend this supplement to any young athlete and this is a topic to discuss in itself.

My point is that we must start looking at the sports training and conditioning programs that young athletes are engaged in – most often under the direction of a coach and or strength and conditioning coach.

Was the workout these young football players engaged in excessive?  Not according to McMinnville High School Administrators.

Not excessive?   Push ups followed by bench dips in a 115-120 degree room AFTER a conditioning practice out on the field during the hottest day of the year?

That is what I call , ”being stupid on purpose”.

What say the players on the McMinnville High Football Team?

“It’s heart-breaking,” injured player Greg Cordie told KGW from his hospital bed. “I love this game… He pushed us too hard, and here we are.”

Cordie’s parents and some others were outraged. Jim Cordie said he’s worried his son’s entire football career could now be ruined.

“This ain’t the NFL, this ain’t college. Stop bringing these college coaches in and pushing these kids so far. They’re still growing. They’re still kids. They just want to play for fun,” he said.

Must be the supplements though right?.  How about rhabdomyolysis?  Guess what one of the primary symptoms is?  Elevated levels of Creatine Kinase.

According to MedicineNet.com:

“Rhabdomyolysis (RAB-DOE-MY-O-LIE-SIS) is the rapid destruction of skeletal muscle resulting in leakage into the urine of the muscle protein myoglobin.”

“Myoglobin is a protein component of the muscle cells that is released into the blood when the skeletal muscle is destroyed in rhabdomyolysis. Creatine kinase is an enzyme (a protein that facilitates chemical reactions in the body) also in the muscle cells. The level of each of these proteins can be measured in blood to monitor the degree of muscle injury from rhabdomyolysis.” Myoglobin can also be measured in samples of urine.”

Hard work pays off.  I am a beliver in that, but it needs to be smart work.

Young athletes are not little adults.

There is an absolute art to training kids how to become better athletes.  Every coach will have a different ethos, philosophy and training style.

The style of coaching must be rooted in the science and practicality of working with young people.

Yes kids adapt, yet this mantra does not suffice when most coaches cannot adequately explain what it is they are actually asking young athletes to adapt to.

Ultimately it is the head coach and strength coach that bears the responsibility for this tragic situation in McMinnville.  Let this be a shot across the bow to coaches in our community (in all sports) to do what is right.

~Coach Dave

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The following article is posted here with permission by friend and colleague Lee Taft.  Lee is THE speed expert.  Lee is a coach, runs his own successful athletic development company and travels the world teaching others how to effectively work with young athletes.

Lee’s thoughts further illustrate why we take the approach we do at Athletic Revolution…

Enjoy!

Why AAU is Hurting Youth Sports

By Lee Taft

It isn’t what it was meant to be. Travel sports like AAU, travel soccer, baseball, softball, and volleyball are the perfect example of building specific skill on top of a poor foundation of fundamental skills.

Travel team sports for young, developing players should be about teaching skills, developing game knowledge, and improving function. I see less and less coaching going on with these travel teams and more playing games. Kids are learning to play with poor foundational skill sets.

Granted there are some travel teams that actually spend some quality time on skills development. Good for them! But there are way too many more only focusing on winning the games. They do what they have to by putting kids in positions so the team can win. This doesn’t help the players develop; it just makes the team win.

I have seen top-level junior high and high school basketball players not able to dribble, pass, or shoot a simple layup with their left, or non-dominant, hand. Yet, they are playing 30 to 50 games over the summer with travel sports and never have their limitations addressed.

Travel sports could be a great thing if done in the right context and with intent on improving each athlete’s ability. But, like always, we put playing more games and winning as the top priority.

Here is what I see happening. These kids on travel teams are winning games and developing a false sense of skill level. Then they have to play on a structured school or college program, and their fundamental skills are so limited they fail to meet the success they had on travel teams. This leads to problems, because the player and parents are now wondering why they are not being put in situations to be successful like they did in travel sports.

It all comes back to we want quick fixes, don’t want to work for anything, and expect things to be handed to us when we are unhappy. Sorry! Life doesn’t work that way.

We need to take back our sports and develop our athletes the correct way. I know travel sports are the way to be “seen,” but give me a break. If you can play you will get noticed.

I would much rather take an athlete and limit their off-season game play (still allow them to play, but not as much), and develop their skills to the point they are dangerously serious athletes.

The only way this will ever work is if it is a nationwide effort to change the focus of travel sports to an advanced form of developing athletes.

The response I usually get when I bring this up is, “Kids don’t have to choose to be on a travel team.” That is correct, but the kids that do choose are the ones that we are talking about. These kids lose out on becoming better players, and just because they are on a winning team does not mean they are good.

We are so in love with the flash and the glamour that we have ignored the foundation of improvement and development.

Yours in Speed,

Lee

The debate about high speed treadmills and skating treadmills has been around for years.  In this video I discuss the merits of these high priced pieces of athletic development equipement.  I also lay out many questions and concerns about high speed and skating treadmills – specifically what place they have if any in the youth fitness and athletic development arenas.

Take a look and as always…leave your comments below!

Thanks for being part of the revolution!

~Coach Dave

PS.  If you haven’t read my last post about schools sending FAT REPORT CARDS home click here to check it out and join in….I want to hear from you whether you agree with me or not

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Matt Travis is a Physical Education Teacher and a Certified Youth Fitness Specialist in Massachusetts. Matt attended our testing day as a bystander and someone who is also looking to make a positive difference in the lives of the next generations to come.  His passion is unparalled.

I tell you this because Matt wrote a letter to me that I would like to share with you.  I captures how we assess our young athletes far better than I could ever imagine.

I know the merit our programming and testing system holds for young athletes.  I understand our role in developing not only young athletes into robust movers and shakers but as human beings.

The following is Matt’s description of what he witnessed, from the view point of an educator, a professional and as a human being.

Thank you, Matt for sharing in our day – and thank you for this letter:

I recently visited Athletic Revolution for their second testing session that happens quarterly throughout the year. Upon arrival I knew I was going to observe something special. From the moment I entered the facility I saw a wonderful family atmosphere that was decorated with professionalism. The black and orange balloons commemorating the special day, the happy birthday sign for one of the athletes, the baked goods, warm smiles and greetings from Dave and Andrea, the owners of Athletic Revolution, created a contagious energy that encouraged success. The stage was set for a plethora of talent and athletic ability. 

A calm excitement filled the room before the testing began.  The athletes’ families took their places in the many chairs set up along the perimeter of the turf, with their cameras ready to catch this triumphant occasion. Dave introduced the event by explaining the uniqueness of the Athletic Revolution teaching system, the extensive time and effort the athletes have given to be chosen to participate in the testing session and a loving thank you to his wonderful wife Andrea.  Dave’s superior coaching ability really shined as he took a moment at the end of the introduction to recognize important events in two of his athlete’s lives. He commended one athlete on earning the citizenship award at his school and led the singing of happy birthday for another athlete on his extra special day.  He continued to explain the order in which the athletes would perform the testing protocol starting with the 6-9 year old discovery athletes and ending with the 10-13 year old exploratory athletes.

The testing began with the youngest athletes working towards their white arm bands, the first level of achievement for the 6-9 year old discovery athletes and continued with the athletes attempting their orange and black arm bands, the second and third levels of achievement. The testing finished up with the 10-13 year old athletes working towards their white and orange arm bands at the exploratory level of achievement. 

As a physical educator, coach and level 1 youth fitness specialist, I was absolutely amazed at the endurance, balance, motor control and agility of each athlete. The confidence exuded by the athletes as they performed solo in front of an audience was extraordinary. Each child went through a challenging mix of balance, rhythm, reaction, agility, speed and endurance skills that created a collage of functional athletic ability.  Compared to the traditional non-functional fitness assessments that my allotted curriculum requires me to perform, this testing session was a breath of fresh air.  It was a rewarding experience to see each athlete’s face light up when they saw their hard work pay off and heard the explosive support at the conclusion of each of their own tests. I was so caught up in the excitement and proud moments of these athletes performances that I found myself blurting out cheers for these athletes like they were my own children.

One student was Athletic Revolution’s first exploratory athlete in franchise history to earn an orange band.  I consider myself to be in great shape and have proficient athletic ability, but I am not sure that I could have completed the tough endurance filled coordination challenge that he accomplished, at least not with as much grace. I felt honored to be an observer of this emotional transformation from willing students to confident athletes. It was astounding to see these athletes intrinsically motivated to take a chance and shoot for a high level of athleticism.  The most rewarding part that I observed was the respect each athlete gave to one another while they were testing and the family like reception they gave to each other when they each finished.  Athletic Revolution isn’t just creating spectacular athletes; they are fostering and empowering incredible human beings, and changing lives one child at a time. I look forward to experiencing another testing session because it was one of the most pure forms of youth athletic success I have ever seen. Thank you Dave and Andrea for inviting me to witness this athletic revolution!

Sincerely,

Matt Travis, P.E., YFS        

 

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None more important than helping reduce injuries in young athletes.

Is our goal to reduce injury by helping our athletes become…

Stronger?

More mobile and flexible?

Faster?

More proficient when moving?

More aware of skill development and how it relates to better athleticism?

Yes, yes, yes , yes and yes.

What is never mentioned in our literature but perhaps should be is how we strive to educate parents and their young athletes beyond the x’s and o’s of training.  How important rest is to the human body.  The role stress plays in athletic development.  Human development and how it relates to performane training for young athletes.

Read this article that was recently published in the Boston Globe for even greater insight.

http://www.boston.com/sports/schools/articles/2010/06/01/young_athletes_injuries_on_the_rise/

What are your thoughts?

We want to know so please leave your comments below.

Til next time,

~Coach Dave

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They were left to their own accord to play with everything in the facility excluding the weights.  I sat at the very desk I am typing this post from with a watchful eye to see what they would come up with.

I was amazed.

• Creativity
• Balance
• Cooperation
• Spatial Awareness
• Kinethestic Differentiation
• Over all conditioning
• Throwing, kicking, jumping and climbing

Its all in there.

No fancy programming and no coach.

Encourage this kind of play with your young athletes.

Til next time,

~Coach Dave

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Recently Coach Boyle was asked a question about strength and conditioning for a 9 year old hockey player…by the way training for hockey is one of Mike’s specialties. 

Here is the question and his response:

Last week I received the question below

Q- I need to put together a summer plan for my 9 yr old hockey team.
Obviously I don’t want to look like a crazy person, but it would be
something that I think could be good for my own kids as well. Is it
too young?

My first reaction was to say “are you crazy”? Instead, slightly
tongue-in-cheek I developed the plan below.

Step 1- play another sport. Lacrosse is highly recommended as it
has similar skills to hockey although baseball is fine. This does
not mean another sport in addition to hockey. Summer is the off season.

Step 2- Cancel all hockey camp registrations except 1 week. Pick your
favorite that has the largest number of your friends attending and go
to that one. Ideally look for a camp that only has you on the ice once
a day. No need to get blisters. You won’t get better in a week anyway.

Step 3- Cancel any summer hockey leagues you are scheduled for. The best
players in the world never play summer hockey and, they never have.
The only conceivable exception would be a weekly skill session lasting
one hour. Another exception would be “play”. If ice is available and
the kids can play, let them. Please remember play means NO COACHES
or COACHING.

Step 4- Reread steps 1-3. Acknowledge that the key problem in youth
sports is applying adult values to children’s activities.

Step 5- Go to the nearest bike shop. Get nice bikes for everyone in
the family

Step 6- Ride the bikes, not in a race. For fun. Maybe put a few
hockey cards in the spokes to make noise.

Step 7- Head to Walmart and buy fishing rods.

Step 8- Take the fishing rods to the nearest lake and fish.

Now That is an off-season plan for any nine year old.

Step 9- repeat steps 5-8 while continually rereading steps 1-3

 

Just in case all of you thought is just me who approaches youth fitness and athletic development differently…did that sound familiar?

At Athletic Revolution we view youth athletic development, sports performance and general fitness as LONG TERM endeavors.  You will not find sport specific training in our facility.  What is emphasized is developmentally appropriate programming that encourages natural progressions in strength, mobility, coordination and movement efficiency.

Huh?

Our classes are FUN.  What the kids soon realize is that the fun they are having is actually allowing them to teach themselves how to move better and with less injury.  The training is multi-dimensional so it addresses several different needs of young athletes.

Stronger and faster in 6 weeks is easy.  Lasting skill development that results in better performance in sport and in LIFE is our mission.  We not train young athletes…we coach young human beings.

What do you think?

Do you agree?

Do you disagree?

I want to know!

Til next time,

~Coach Dave

Watch this video to find out why this approach does NOT work when working with developing, young athletes.

Leave your comments and questions below…

I want to know your thoughts.

Til next time,

~Coach Dave

Is it this picture?

Is it driving young athlete’s into the ground in the name of speed, agility and quickness training?

Is it placing cones, mini hurdles and other training instruments on the ground, showing young athletes how to perform a series of drills followed by them engaging in them until they drop?

If your young athletes are tired, exhausted or barely walking that is success right?

In a word…NO

I have two shining examples of how I define a successful speed and agility camp at Athletic Revolution.

The first is the fact that the young athlete’s at our camp this last Saturday were practically begging me to continue with the camp after two hours of intensive SAQ training.  They were alert, energized and wanting more…just the way I want it. 

Keep in mind the young baseball player who began the mantra for more was describing how he could barely finish the workout at another facility just a few days before.  You know…one of those we can teach the kids baseball and take care of the conditioning aspect of training as well…

You see I explained to them at the beginning of camp that the next two hours were not going to be about kicking their butts or running cone drills until they drop.  They were about to experience a type of training they have never experienced.

Our camps are about skill development.  Our camps are about skills – NOT DRILLS.  The drills we use are specifically chosen to teach each young athlete how moving efficiently and safely feels.

Secondly, each athlete left our camp with the ability to tell me what they learned over the past 2 hours and how what they learned will help them in their respective sport.  Once more (and this one is crucial) they all told me what they can use on a consistent basis on their own during practice and competition. 

Self correction.  Beautiful!

Unlike most SAQ clinics and camps, we focus on breaking down the commodities of proper deceleration, acceleration, hip turns and cutting techniques.  These are all skills which can be broken down and coached.  We spend ample time on posture, thorasic spine mobility, hip mobility, ankle mobility, arm action, foot placement and so much more.

We had fun, we learned and we helped some absolutely great kids teach themselves how to gain game changing speed, agility and quickness.

I thank them for the opportunity to work with them and I can’t wait to run our next one.

Stay tuned!

Til next time,

~Coach Dave