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Ten Common Questions Regarding Strength & Conditioning for Softball:
Ten Common Questions Regarding Strength & Conditioning for Softball:
Often times, strength and conditioning professionals lose sight of their job and what their role is in the development of the athlete. Before I go on, let me say that I believe in pushing athletes to work harder and I believe in the discipline involved and surrounding the work in the weight room. However, the strength and conditioning professional must remember their job is to uphold three principles: 1. Decrease the potential of injury, 2. Improve athletic performance, and 3. Motivate the athletes through education (informing them about the training process and how it is going to make them a better athlete. An athlete should never become injured in the weight room, nor should they be exposed to exercises that can place them at a greater risk of being hurt. I deem the weight room and strength training a valuable piece of the performance enhancement process, however there is a time and place for it. The game is the most important thing and athletes get scholarships for softball not weightlifting.
1. Are there differences when training females vs. males? Absolutely! While there are many aspects of training that transcend genders, there are a number of training considerations to take into account when developing and implanting a training program for the female athlete. Areas of injury and instability are entirely different between female athletes and their male counterparts. Also, additional consideration should be made with the planning and periodization of training programs as female athletes recover faster than male athletes. Training alterations could also be based and modified around the athletes’ menstrual cycle. There are a number of research articles and books that provide information on this topic, however in a team setting, this manipulation is not always a viable option.
2. Will I “get big” from lifting weights? This is a question that female athletes ask me the most. While I have met a number of female athletes who actually want to get bigger, the majority don’t want to be ”muscle bound”. They don’t like the feel of it, and more importantly, they don’t like the look of it. While lifting weight can increase muscle size, females cannot gain the same amount of muscle as males. This is due to the difference in hormone levels between the two of them.
3. Should my player’s perform Olympic lifts? Olympic lifts such as the clean and snatch, can be very beneficial to improving athletic performance. While these lifts are sold on the pretense they develop strength and explosive power, these are not the only exercises that do so. If the athlete is educated on the technique and is able to execute them correctly, then one can integrate them into the strength training program. Others will disagree and argue the fact that softball requires the use of the shoulders, elbows and wrists…so why would you want to expose these areas to possible injury by performing exercises when you can simply do other more safe exercises that can accomplish similar results. Do I use Olympic lifts?...sometimes I do.
4. Should pitchers lift overhead? Yes. As long as the athlete is ready for overhead lifting and they can handle the weight. There is no need to put the athlete at risk! This myth came from baseball and that pitchers shouldn’t lift overhead because they throw overhand so much. In the sport of softball who throws the most?...everyone but the pitcher, yet in many weight rooms all of those positions perform overhead movements.
5. Should Pitchers Bench Press? Yes they should! I wouldn’t worry about them maxing out, but the bench press can be a very beneficial exercise. I would first recommend that dumbbells are used to correct for imbalances which most all pitcher have (one side stronger than the other) and also will help improve shoulder stability. The focus of the bench press is on the pectoralis major muscle in the chest. During the pitch and more specifically from 3 o’clock to 12 o’clock, this muscle is 75% activated. However this muscle is not activated as a power generator, but as a stabilizer.
6. What’s better…higher reps & lighter weight or lower reps & heavier weight? The answer to this question depends on the goals of your training. If your goal is to develop muscular endurance and increase muscle mass, then higher repetitions and lighter weights are appropriate. If your goal is to increase strength, then lower repetitions and heaver weight is more suitable.
7. Will weight lifting hurt my flexibility? Absolutely not! This is one of the biggest myths in strength training aside from the myth of lactic acid causing soreness. This fable began from the body building industry in which many of these body builders would put on so much muscle that they did loose range of motion. What we know now is that while this did occur, many of them used performance enhancing supplements to increase their size, a size which naturally would not be attainable.
8. What if I don’t have a weight room? There are a number of exercises that can be done with little or no equipment that can be quite effective in developing strength. While the access to weight training equipment is probably most desired, medicine balls and manual resistance and body weight exercises are just a few examples which can be employed to build strength for athletes.
9. What about plyometrics?...is my child too young? The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) indicates that an athlete should be able to squat 1.5 to 2.5 times the athlete’s weight before performing high level plyometrics. While these guidelines exist, not much scientific research has been conducted to substantiate these claims. Most six year olds cannot squat 1.5 to 2.5 times their body weight. So using this position by the NSCA, it is not recommended that they participate in high level plyometric activities. Yet I do not know of many six year olds who have not jumped out of a tree or hopped over a ditch. Additionally, running and walking can be considered a plyometric (maybe not high level – which is not defined by the NSCA) which makes these guidelines even more ambiguous.
10. What age should athletes begin to lift weights? This is the question which is most frequently asked. Perhaps also the most difficult to answer, as there is no magic age when I can say to begin lifting weights. This is due to the variation in maturation that all humans go through. We have all seen the thirteen year old that looks sixteen, and we have seen the thirteen year old who looks ten. This variation in maturity is what makes it difficult to give an absolute answer because we are dealing with two ages variables: chronological age (age according to the calendar) and training age (when the athlete should begin to train). The best way to responds to this question is to discuss the model of Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD). This model is scientifically based and is designed to provide athletes and coaches with a planning tool for each level of human development.
Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD)
Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) is based on the scientific research of human growth and development. This model of athletic development was created by Dr. Istvan Balyi who saw a need for an athletic planning tool to provide athletes with both guidelines and a pathway for optimal performance. The LTAD model is built around seven phases that are matched with specific age ranges, but for our purposes, we will briefly discuss 6 of them: active start, FUNdamentals, learning to win, training to train, training to compete and training to win. It is important to remember that these phases were designed to help prevent the overcompetition and undertraining that we see in all sports.
Active Start (ages 0-6): This is phase focuses on fitness and movement skill development as a part of daily life.
FUNdamentals (ages 6-8): The focus in this phase should be placed on all FUNdamental movement skills and building overall motor skills. During this time many sports should be played to provide a vast array of movement patterns. Focus should also be placed upon what Dr. Balyi refers to as the ABCs of Athleticism: ability, balance, coordination, and speed. Developing the ABCs of athleticism is important during this phase as once that window of opportunity closes, it is nearly impossible to go back and relearn many of these skills at a later time.
Learning to train (ages 8-11): The acquisition of overall sport skills within 3 sports should be stressed during this phase. These skills that are learned by playing a variety of sports will act as the cornerstone of athletic development.
Training to train (ages 11-15): The transition into this phase is dependent on age and growth spurt. Aside from the consolidation of sport specific skills, athletic development should be geared toward building an endurance base early in the phase, then as the end of the stage nears, switch to the development of speed and strength. Additionally, it is recommended that the athlete select two favorite sports based on her predisposition.
Training to compete (ages 15-21 +/-): Focusing on the specific preparation of the sport becomes the emphasis of this phase. The age entering into this phase varies depending on the sport, but for the sport of softball, 15 or 16 years old is typical. The goals of this phase are to optimize fitness preparation for the sport and to optimize individual and position specific skills. Additionally, this phase is designed to allow athletes to learn to compete.
Training to win (ages 18 +/-): This is the final phase to be discussed for our purposes. Simply stated, the focus of this phase is winning games and podium performances. Training and athletic development should be near complete, and athletes can place a finite focus on their skills.
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