Parents / Athletes
Welcome Athletes and Parents! Are you serious about your sport and want to excel at the high school, college or the club level? If so, then you need to be on a good strength and conditioning program.
We’ve been in your shoes… Let us help you transform your sports experience through education, sound strength training programs and unparalleled services.
As a female athlete, you have special needs. So forget what the boys’ basketball coach taught you about strength and conditioning and learn why and how to accelerate your game without injury. Think of avoiding injury as just another part of playing by the rules — only this rulebook is the one that keeps you from getting hurt. That’s because the best way to deal with sports injuries is to prevent them.
RULE #1 FEMALE ATHLETES NEED STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING TRAINING
Males and females alike need to train to develop their muscles for athletic competition. Female athletes can achieve the same athletic attributes as the male athlete, but they need to go about it differently. The general training necessities for an athlete to have an awesome season fall under the category of work capacity training. Work capacity training includes
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The ability to tolerate a high workload
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The ability to recover from the workload
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The ability to resist fatigue
The potential for injury is reduced by preparing the body to be more efficient in training and athletic performance. In order to reach optimal performance capabilities, an athlete is forced to train at a high level of intensity. Because of this, there is always potential for injury. Some athletes may be predisposed to injuries due to muscular imbalances and the stresses that are placed on the joints and soft tissue because of the imbalances. The imbalances are magnified when they train, which leaves the body vulnerable to injury. Eventually, unable to tolerate the stress, they break down and become injured.
Accepting injury as a part of playing sports is unacceptable with today’s technology and resources. Yes, some contact injuries occur during the normal course of play. However, there are numerous non-contact injuries that are avoidable with proper training, expertise and planning.
RULE #2 THE FEMALE ATHLETE IS MORE SUSPECTIBLE TO SEVERE NON-CONTACT INJURIES
Getting involved with a training program specifically for females is the most important thing you can do for your daughter sport career. Today, 37 years after a federal mandate was enacted to provide gender equality in sports, generations of female athletes are experiencing epidemic rates of non-contact injuries.
Research and statistics done in the past 10 years document thoroughly that the female athlete is two to eight times more likely to sustain a season or career ending injury than her male counterpart..
The reasons for this are
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Biologically, girls have wider hips then boys. The angle at which the joints function with wider hips makes the knee ligaments more susceptible to injury such as a sprain or tear. This angle is called the Q angle. For more information click here.
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The female athlete (because of the Q angle) can have mechanical defaults in her pivoting, deceleration, and landing techniques. All of these actions occur in a sport competition. A non-contact knee ligament tear occurs in one of these three actions. Proper training will automatically reduce injury risk associated with these actions.
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Females have different ratios of strength in their hips and legs. This strength ratio makes the hips, knees, and ankles more vulnerable to a non-contact injury.
RULE #3 A TRAINING PROGRAM THAT ADDRESSES THESE ISSUES AND UNDERLYING MUSCLE IMBALANCES WILL REDUCE YOUR DAUGHTER’S RISK OF A NON-CONTACT INJURY AS WELL AS ENHANCE PERFORMANCE
| Components of a sound program | Performance Enhancement | Injury Prevention |
| Jump training-Knee injuries occur in the landing phase of a jump. Preventing such an injury includes re-training the mechanics of jumping and landing. This training will transfer to increased acceleration and power in a multi-sprint sport. |
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| Proper game and practice warm-up- Establishing a routine for game time is crucial for preparing the athlete for the demands of competition. The specifics of the warm-up include movement preparation in which the mind and body become prepared for the match. |
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| Strength training- An athlete’s body needs to be able to sustain efficient movement during all types of physical activity. The athlete needs more than skill training and running drills to achieve this. When the muscles become fatigued, the safety of the athlete’s joint will be compromised. Since the female athlete is predisposed to a serious knee injury because of naturally occurring strength differences, a strength training component is necessary. |
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| Agility Training- Improved agility helps control the body under pressure and increase energy efficiency. Agility levels are congruent to functional leg and core strength. |
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| Muscle Activation Technique (MAT)-A technique that aids immensely in injury prevention, treatment, and performance enhancement. This technique is the utmost in biomechanical technology that is accessible to all participants of Impact Fitness DC. |
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| Coordination and Balance training – This type of training is closely related to agility and core training. Efficient coordination and balance is necessary for movement and landing on a single leg. Kicking, landing from a rebound, and pivoting all require good coordination and balance. |
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| Core Training- Will enhance an athlete’s performance in several ways, including multidirectional speed, throwing, rotating, sprinting, and one-on-one match ups. A strong core will be better able to support the spine and pelvis during all movements, support joint integrity and ultimately help prevent injury. |
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To find out more about what Impact Fitness DC can provide for your athlete contact us.
