Author: Vernon Gambetta
Stuff
As coaches we all do stuff. There is stuff all over the place. Much of the stuff of training is free on YouTube. I have learned over the years that some stuff is better than other stuff. As I look around me at other coaches I see them also doing stuff, some of their stuff looks like my stuff and some it is very different. I also know that some is junk and some stuff is precious. Does the stuff we do make a difference. Is your stuff better than my stuff? Given that we all do stuff what is the difference maker? Well here is it is – no secret just common sense – if I know why I do my stuff then I have a significantly better change of making my stuff work with my athletes. Wait it gets better, if I really understand who to do the stuff with and when to do it then I am really in the hunt. The bottom line is that to make your stuff work know why, who to use it with, and then when to use it.
The GAIN Experience – The Faculty
Calling it an experience is not meant as marketing hype or hyperbole. It is truly an experience in learning and discovery. It all starts with the faculty. From the inception of GAIN I have worked to have a faculty who are the best at what they do, who not only talk the talk but also walk the walk. They are not self-promoters and all over the Internet but they know their stuff and have produced results. I select faculty who are willing to share and can teach. This year’s faculty really hit the mark in terms of reinforcing the theme, which was making connections and coaching that matters. Some of them I have worked with extensively and others I have observed from afar, but the commonality is their willingness to share their knowledge and their humility. Check the GAIN Facebook page I will post a brief write-up on each GAIN faculty member and their presentations at GAIN 2013 go to https://www.facebook.com/pages/GAIN-Network/225083718737 Also please be sure to like us and continue to follow the activities of the GAIN network.
GAIN 2013 Teaching Schedule
Many of you have asked what the GAIN program looks like. This is time schedule and the topics for 2013 GAIN. You can see it is a total immersion program and quite comprehensive in it’s approach. Not a moment is wasted, every opportunity for learning is used. In another post I will talk about the faculty. Tuesday June 11 1:00 to 4:00 Registration & Check into Rooms – Visit with Sponsors 4:00 to 4:30 Introduction and Structure of GAIN Apprentorship 4:30 to 5:45 Introductions 5:45 to 7:00 Dinner 7:00 to 8:30 Team Building (Clay Erro) 8:30 – Discussion – Slaying Sacred Cows, Debunking Myths, Scams & Shams Social Interaction – Informal at Valhalla pub on campus Wednesday June 12 6:30 to 7:45 Morning Active Learning Theme: Coordination & Body Awareness 7:45 – 9:15 Breakfast 9:15 to 10:15 Somatic Synchronicity (Joe Przytula) 10:15 to 11:15 Essentials of Pedagogy in Sound Coaching (Vern Gambetta) 11:15 to 12:15 Elements of Speed Development (Gary Winckler) 12:15 to 1:00 Lunch 1:00 to 2:00 Siesta Time or Meetings with Instructors 2:00 to 3:00 Elements of Speed Development – Continued (Winckler) 3:00 to 4:00 Reconditioning and Return to Competition Strategies (Bill Knowles) 4:00 to 5:00 Reconditioning and Return to Competition Strategies (Knowles) 5:00 to 5:30 Panel – Injury prevention & Management (Knowles, Ballard, Ryan) 5:30 to 6:45 Dinner 6:45 to 8:15 Speed – Practical Session on Acceleration Dynamics (Winckler) 8:30 – Panel – Olympic Preparation (Winckler, Ryan, Radcliffe, Folker) Social Interaction – Informal at Valhalla pub on campus Thursday June 13 6:30 to 7:45 Morning Active Learning Theme: Strength & Plyo’s 7:45 – 9:15 Breakfast 9:15 to 10:30 The Oregon Way (Jimmy Radcliffe) 10:30 to 11:15 The Oregon Way – Continued (Radcliffe) 11:15 to 12:15 Need to Do’s in Physical Education (Greg Thompson) 12:15 to 1:00 Lunch 1:00 to 2:00 Siesta Time or Meetings with Instructors 2:00 to 3:00 Need to Do’s in Physical Education – Continued (Thompson) 3:00 to 4:00 Long Term Athlete Development (Kelvin Giles) 4:00 to 5:30 Training Design – Why’s, Why Not’s, Do’s and Don’ts (Winckler) 5:30 to 6:45 Dinner 6:45 to 8:15 Radcliffe Practical 8:30 – Panel – Physical Education (Thompson, Giles, Erro and Joe P.) Social Interaction – Informal at Valhalla pub on campus Friday June 14 6:30 to 7:45 Morning Active Learning Theme: Flexibility 7:45 – 9:15 Breakfast 9:15 to 10:30 Training the Aquatic Athlete (Nick Folker) 10:30 to 11:15 Principles of Endurance Training (Steve Magness) 11:15 to 12:15 Principles of Endurance Training – Cont (Magness) 12:15 to 1:00 Lunch 1:00 to 1:30 Siesta Time or Meetings with Instructors 1:30 to 2:30 Facilitating the Human Performance Puzzle in a Collegiate Setting (Randy Ballard) 2:30 to 3:30 Integrating and Applying Science to Coaching (Magness) 3:30 to 4:30 Physical Competency Assessment (PCA) Introduction (Giles) 4:30 to 5:30 PCA Application and Interpretation (Giles & Ballard) 5:30 to 7:00 Dinner 7:00 to 8:00 PCA Practical 8:00 to 9:00 GAIN Talks (15 minute presentations from GAIN Alumni) Social Interaction – Informal at Valhalla pub on campus Saturday June 15 6:30 to 7:30 Morning Active Learning Theme: Postural Strength 7:30 to 9:00 Breakfast 9:00 to 10:00 Special Considerations in Training the Tall Athlete (Tracy Fober) 10:00 to 11:00 Testing – Why’s and Wherefore’s (Vern Gambetta) 11:00 to 11:30 Concussions (Joe Przytula) 11:30 to 12:15 Coaching for Excellence (Vern Gambetta) 12:15 to 1:30 Lunch & Checkout GAIN VI Morning Active Learning Sessions 6:30 to 7:45 AM (Rice Track Stadium) Wednesday, June 12 – Coordination & Body Awareness 20 minutes at each station with a two-minute transition between stations Mini Band & Lunge & Reach Routine (Joe P) Coordination I & II (Gambetta) Pillar Core Routines (Radcliffe) Thursday, June 13 – Strength & PE 20 minutes at each station with a two-minute transition between stations Gym Class – Learning to Move (Thompson) Dumbbell Complex & Leg Circuit (Gambetta) Plyo Progression (Radcliffe) Friday, June 14 – Flexibility 20 minutes at each station with a two-minute transition between stations Functional Flexibility (Joe P) Dynamic Flexibility Progressions (Radcliffe) Using the Hex Bar (Fober) Saturday, June 15 – Postural Strength Two Stations of 25 minutes each Reactive Core (Joe P.) Core Modules (Gambetta)
Running Mechanics – Part Three
To correct running mechanics it is best to use Fault/Reason/Correction Paradigm. First identify the fault in the mechanics. Then find the reason for the flaw and then correct the flaw. Look at the big things first in the context of the PAL Paradigm. Get a sense of the flow of the action, before looking at specific considerations. Focus in on smaller pieces of the puzzle only after global considerations have been addressed. This is in concert with the whole/part/whole concept of motor learning, start with the whole action in this case running, then look at the parts. Decide what parts need attention. Design task oriented drills or movements that will reinforce the correction of those parts. Rather than focus on the fault you are trying to correct, give the athlete a task to achieve that will correct the fault. Above all coach the correction, don’t coach the flaw. Allow the runner to explore and solve the movement equation, then, as soon as possible relate the drill back to the whole action. In designing and selecting drills to improve running mechanics, answer the following questions: Why drill? Drill to reinforce correct patterns or to change or improve incorrect patterns. What drills? The drills should be as directed and specific as possible. A few drills clearly defined and well chosen are better than a large number of general drills that dance around the issue. Make sure that the drills are in fact reinforcing correct mechanics that relate to each individuals specific needs. When is it best to do the drills? The optimum time for learning is when the person is fresh and fully recovered from any previous training stress. Therefore drills are best done near the start of a training session. How to do the drills? Based on the objective of the respective drill make sure that the drill is correctly executed. Drills alone and running are sometimes not enough to improve running mechanics. Improved strength is a big factor in improving running mechanics. Segmental weakness can contribute to poor mechanics, especially in the core. Therefore it is important to couple any program that attempts to improve running mechanics with a sound strength training program that utilizes multi-joint and multi-plane exercises. The following is a checklist of running mechanic skill faults to look for and correct. This is by no means an exhaustive list. Posture Sitting – Leaning backward Bending forward at the waist Excessive side-to-side sway Head Position – Back or Forward Arm Action Swing across the midline of the body Arm carriage Too High Too Low Abbreviated arm action Excessive arm action Leg Action Foot strike Exaggerated forefoot or heel contact Stiff hips No knee lift – Shuffling Running mechanics vary with and must be adapted to the speed of the run. A sprint has different demands than a distance run. Running mechanics occur on a continuum from a pure sprint to a long distance run. The most visible change along the continuum is in the amplitude of the movement. A sprint demands longer stride length, greater air (flight time) and shorter ground contact time. As well as a vigorous arm action, higher knee lift and a forefoot foot strike. Efficiency is not as much of a consideration as is the pure production of power. A distance run will have shorter strides, much shorter flight time, longer ground contact time, a mid foot to rear foot strike and lower more economical arm action. The longer the distance run the more important the efficiency becomes. Summary Improving running mechanics is not a quick fix. It demands constant attention and fine-tuning like any other motor skill. Because it is a motor skill it is teachable and learnable. Don't be in a hurry, it takes time. It requires body awareness, balance and good basic core and leg strength. Each running step is a step toward ingraining a new motor pattern or reinforcing an established pattern. Beware of drill for drill sake. Oftentimes drills break the movement into too many component parts. Always relate the drill to the whole action of running. Resources The following resources would be useful for those seeking further information on running mechanics: Sport Specific Speed The 3S System® by Vern Gambetta and Gary Winckler Available at www.gambetta.com Running – Biomechanics and exercise Physiology Applied in Practice by Frans Bosch and Ronald Klomp DVD – Straight Ahead Speed by Vern Gambetta and Steve Odgers Available at www.gambetta.com
Running Mechanics – Part Two
The starting point for running mechanics is a basic technical model. That technical model is what man must do sprint at top speed. Therefore in teaching to improve running mechanics we must start with sound sprint mechanics and extend those concepts out to longer distances. Even in distance running, ultimately the person who runs the fastest is the person who can maintain the greatest percentage of their maximum speed the longest. Running skill is a motor task! Like any motor task it is teachable and trainable. As with any motor task a systematic approach toward improving running mechanics will yield optimum results. The system that I have evolved to improve running mechanics is call the PAL System™. PAL is an acronym that stands for Posture, Arm Action, and Leg Action. Those are the three areas of emphasis in running. The objectives of the system are fourfold. The first objective is to provide a context to analyze movement. Secondly the PAL System™ is a systematic step-by-step teaching progression. The third aspect is that it provides a context to direct training based on the needs established in the past two steps. Lastly it provides a rehab context by establishing a criterion based progressive approach toward getting someone back to normal gait pattern after an injury. Let look in depth at the components of running mechanics based on the PAL System.™ Posture should reflect the alignment of the body from the point of foot contact to the top of the head. The reference points for this alignment are the head, trunk, hip knees, ankles, and feet. The image and the cue for good posture is that of ”running tall.” After the start and acceleration the sensation should be of running over the ground as you are running fast. Good posture is a major contributing factor to reinforce this feeling. It has been my experiences that, if you improve posture, then arm action and leg action will also dramatically improve. The trunk and hips comprise the largest body mass segments. In order to move more effectively straight ahead rotational movement and side-to-side sway need to be controlled. The key is that they are controlled, not eliminated. Running like all other movements involves movement in all three planes of motion – transverse, frontal, with sagittal being the dominant plane of motion. Arm Action serves two functions: the arms assist with balance as well as provide a strong propulsive force is sprinting during the acceleration phase. The arms play a vital role in helping to control the rhythm of running. The direction of the swing of the arms should result in linear motion. Some rotary as well as side-to-side movement of the arms is necessary to counteract rotation of the body and the mass of the legs, but this should be minimal. The amplitude of the arm action will vary with the speed of the run. The shorter and faster the run the greater the amplitude of the arm action. The optimum Leg Action is to have the foot contact the ground as close under the Center of Gravity as possible. This is the most efficient stride. The amplitude of the leg action as reflected in the knee lift and stride length will vary with the speed of the run. Good running mechanics requires an optimum interplay between stride length and stride rate (frequency). Each person has an optimum stride length in relation to their leg length and the distance they are running. When observing the runner to improve running mechanics changing the vantage point of observation will allow better analysis. Just watching from one vantage point will allow the observer to see all aspects of the stride. Running should be viewed from the side, front and rear. From the front and rear have the runner run along a line, watch their feet strike in relation to the line. It is desirable to run along the line, not on the line or crossing over the line. The latter two actions are very inefficient. Instruct the person to run with different gait patterns – long strides and short strides, no arm action and exaggerated arm action, different foot strikes – forefoot, flat foot and heel first, observe how the person accommodates or compensates. Do this to help them get the feeling of what is right for that individual. At first don’t try coach or make corrections, just observe the movement. The reaction to these modifications in gait will give you clues as to how to best approach any changes necessary in the persons running mechanics.
Running Mechanics – Part One
Running is a fundamental locomotor skill. It is a very natural activity. Unfortunately because of our sedentary lifestyle and activity deprived society this natural skill rapidly erodes in accordance with the law of reversibility. As with any skill if is not used it is quickly lost. Generally, young children run naturally with fundamentally sound running mechanics. We need to insure that this natural activity is reinforced through activity and play during childhood, so that in adolescence and latter all that is necessary is to reawaken those childhood movement patterns. If the skill has been lost through disuse it is tough to reacquire. In running, as in all movement, there are three constants. The first constant is the body. The body works in predictable patterns with all systems working together to produce the desired movement pattern, in this case running. The body has a wisdom that we need to tap into to produce the desired results. The next constant is gravity. It is always there. It is the force that we must overcome to propel the body forward. Essentially gravity is trying to smash the body down into the ground. The body must resist these gravitational forces and then overcome them to propel the body up and forward. The ability to reduce force through shock absorption is very important component of sound running mechanics. The third constant is the Ground. Improving running mechanics is directly dependent on the ability to use ground reaction forces effectively to propel the body. This is the force that reacts to the push transmitted from the foot to the ground. At speeds as slow as the ranges from 3 – 6 meters per second, which is essentially a range from a slow jog to a run, the ground reaction forces are 2 –3 times bodyweight. No equipment is necessary to improve running mechanics. Improving running mechanics is about optimizing the relationship between the body, gravity, and the ground. Treadmills, and other exotic apparatus will only interfere with the body’s ability to move naturally. Running at various speeds is a fundamental ingredient of all sports that take place on land, either as a direct performance factor or as a training activity. Therefore the improvement of running mechanics can have a significant impact on improving sport performance. This impact will obviously vary based on the demands of the particular sport as well as the position within the sport. For example in American football running at high speed is very important for the so-called skilled positions and relatively less important for the linemen. In contrast soccer, played on a bigger field as well as involving continuous activity running is significantly more important for all positions except the goal keeper. The goals in improving running mechanics are twofold: First, to learn to optimize ground reaction forces (GRF). The point where the foot meets the ground is “Where the rubber meet the road” it is the point of contact is where all the forces are concentrated in a relatively brief period of time. Secondly, to achieve optimal efficiency, which means that less energy is expended for the same amount of effort. Improved mechanics results in a decreased energy cost to do the same amount of work. Improvement in running mechanics should result in improvement in speed as well as a reduction of injuries caused by improper running mechanics. In is my experience as a coach, that correct biomechanics will improve physiological efficiency. In fact, it is a convergence of physiological parameters and biomechanical factors that result in the improved efficiency. The body is a system that means that all parts are working together to produce movement. That is precisely why improving running mechanics will yield a myriad of benefits. Ultimately it is about being as efficient as possible for the distance that you have to run.
GAIN 2013 – The Experience
I am in the midst of GAIN withdrawal syndrome. What is that? Well it is actually pretty simple, after you spend five days with highly motivated coaches, therapists and teachers who are hungry to learn and willing to share and you leave there is a very empty feeling. It is so stimulating and uplifting to be in that environment that it is difficult to return to the daily routine. Only 12 more months until GAIN 2014! Fortunately we have a GAIN forum and Google + community to continue to share ideas and continue the GAIN experience. GAIN has grown and evolved in the past five years into a very special experience for professional development. The days are long without breaks, so that it is a total immersion in athletic development. In many ways GAIN is defined by what it is not, it is not a course in the traditional sense of the word, it is certainly not a boot camp, it is not a clinic, the best way I can describe it is it is an experience. It is what Seth Godin calls a tribe, a learning circle where everyone may not agree but they agree to disagree civilly and in a manner that fosters learning. The faculty is the best people in their fields who are actually producing results working with athletes and teaching physical education. They are totally accessible to attendees at all times. Rather than try to capture the whole GAIN experience in one post (That would not do it justice) I will write subsequent posts on the presentations and the lessons from this years GAIN. If you are interested in attending next year mark the second week of June on your calendar, enrollment is limited and it is open by application only. Our goal is define the field of athletic development and change that world.
Developing Athletes
I have signed a contract with Human Kinetics to write a new book tentatively titled “Developing Athletes.” In many ways it is a follow-up and update on Athletic Development – The Art & Science of Functional Sports Conditioning. The goal is to take a long hard hard look at the theory and practice of long term athlete development. I intend to seperate fact from fiction and look closely at model programs that have successfully developed athletes with an emphasis on why. It is going to be a big job; I plan on starting writing in earnest as soon as I return from GAIN. It should be published in late 2014. Any ideas or input you might have would be appreciated. The following is the introduction book that I wrote in my book proposal. Developing Athletes – Introduction Ever since I started on this journey first as an athlete and then as a coach I was fascinated with what it took to develop and nurture the athlete. As a young athlete I saw some athletes develop and thrive and others stagnate and fall by the wayside. Why was this? I noticed that certain schools were always good in selected sports. I noticed that certain coaches, regardless of talent, year in and year out always produced top athletes and teams. Why was that? At that stage of the journey I must admit it was all somewhat mysterious to me, there did not seem to be a method behind what I was observing. I wanted to know why the things that I was seeing were occurring. Those questions started me on a quest; some would call it an odyssey to find answers. I knew that there had to be more to it than I was seeing and experiencing. When I began coaching I noticed the same things I had seen as an athlete. Some athletes thrived, some just barely survived and many fell by the wayside. Now that my perspective was broader not only did I see schools continue to develop talent but also nations. It quickly became clear that athletic excellence was something that could be systematically nurtured and developed. So I began to look around the US and then around the world, I started looking for big things, commonalities; just like everyone I was trying to find the secret. I quickly realized there was and is no secret. I did start to see patterns and common threads though. Little did I know that I was working in a system that was doing exactly what I was searching elsewhere for. I literally could not see the forest for the trees, the answer was right in front of me. When I started coaching and teaching in 1969 that was probably the apogee of sport development in the United States. We were the preeminent sporting nation in the world as evidenced by the dominant performances at the 1968 Olympic games. There was mandatory daily physical education taught by trained educators. Sport was centered in the schools and coached by trained coaches. Sport at all levels was part of the educational system. In the elementary and junior high schools there were afterschool sports programs that featured participation over winning. By the mid to late 1970’s all this began to unravel. Mandatory Kindergarten through twelfth grade daily physical education was dropped. Physical education as an academic discipline in colleges and universities was deemed not academic enough and physical education programs were dropped or the curriculum was changed to sport or exercise science. The mission of training physical education teachers and coaches was severely compromised. All of this coincided with the ascendency of the GDR and the Soviet Union in the 1960’s and their dominating performances in the 1976 and 1980 Olympic games. They began to beat the US in sports were we had traditionally been strong. So we started looking at what they were doing and tried to copy it. This was somewhat of a knee jerk reaction. What we failed to take into account as we blindly copied their system was the cradle to grave control they had over their athletes due to the communist system. Frankly the methods and ideas those countries used became an infatuation for many. Little did we know that our system, what some people derisively called a non-system as it had existed was probably superior. It would take the fall of the wall and the decline of the eastern bloc for us to understand that their system was not everything it was made out to be. I write all of this to set the stage for the goal of this book. It is quite straight forward – to define the process of developing athletes and in parallel coaches development from the beginning stages to the podium and beyond because it is my contention that the two must go hand in glove. It is a journey, a process, not a clearly defined model as many would like to portray it. There are landmarks that must be achieved along the way but there are not definite time parameters; it is not a straight line. The athlete and coach are part of the socio-cultural milieu so they reflect the society they exist in. There are many realities today that face the developing athlete that were not a factor forty or fifty years ago. I will take a historical look at the various athlete development systems to see what we can learn from them. I will then outline a process of athlete development designed to meet the current reality of sport in the 21st century and all the challenges that are entailed. It is a dynamic process that requires continual learning. Thanks for joining me in this journey as we learn together to develop the best athletes and coaches possible.