It's that time of year, time to think back and reflect on 2011, time to search for lessons both good and bad, reevaluate the progress or lack thereof you may have made, and give thanks for all our blessings.
2011 goes down in history as probably the best year of my life. I have had the good fortune of experiencing some of the happiest days and been the recipient of some wonderful luck. It's been a great ride and I can only hope to have half the year in 2012 that I've had this year.
Over the past few years I've been extremely fortunate to get to live and work in California at Stanford University. Not only is Stanford one of the truly incredible universities in the world both academically and athletically, but the people I got to spend most of my time with are some of the nicest, smartest, and hardest working people in my profession. I was very lucky to get to be a part of the Stanford Sports Performance Team, and I am very thankful for everything over the past few years.
I was invited on some amazing journeys this past year at Stanford, getting to experience another Final Four and then traveling to China with the Women's Volleyball team. I was able to learn from some of the best in the field while at Stanford, and made many friends along the way.
There was not much that could pull me away from Stanford, but the stars seemed to align and I was again fortunate enough to be in the right place and right time to begin a new chapter of my career as Director of Sports Performance at UMass Lowell. Not only did I get the chance to get back into hockey, but I get to do it in Hockey East. On top of that, I get to live in Boston which is a dream come true for myself and my beautiful wife, Erica, and I get the opportunity to develop my own program as the first Director in school's history.
Speaking of wife, I had the single best day of my life in 2011 as Erica said "I do!" last summer! I can't express how lucky I am to have a wife as wonderful as she is. Erica truly is the only woman who could put up and love a knucklehead like me, and I am thankful everyday she didn't smarten up before the wedding!
In addition to all of that, I have gotten to spend lots of time with my friends and family, got to see my Grandmother this Christmas, and pretty much have been having a great time over the last 12 months.
If I have learned anything this year, its that everything happens for a reason. Its corny and I can't explain it, but the way things have fallen into place is just ridiculous. If you work hard and treat people well, good things tend to happen. I will certainly try to keep that in mind as I move into 2012.
It's been a great ride 2011, thanks for all the memories!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Own the Movement before you Load the Movement
A recent forum thread I was involved in on StrengthCoach.com prompted me to write about the topic of being able to complete a movement under load, but not at bodyweight.
The actual thread was regarding athletes who could not bodyweight squat, but had good technique under load. The author wanted to know why this was occuring and if it was appropriate to continue to apply load with the goal of; A. improving the movement pattern, and B. increasing strength levels.
I do not believe that it is appropriate to add external load to a pattern when that pattern is "off" under no load. There is an exception to this, which I will talk about, however my general thought is that the consequences to this are more negative rather than positive.
The problem with adding external load to a movement pattern when a person cannot adequately complete the pattern without load is that you are creating artificial stability. It's the reason many people can bench press a significant amount of weight, but have trouble with pushups. The bench is creating the stability that your body must come up with in the pushup. Without that stability, you can't push as hard or as effectively. The same holds true for working out with machines. The equipment provides the stability instead of your body.
"Whats the big deal with that?" you might be asking. Well, if you have any aspirations of getting up from the bench and moving around in real life, or if you are an athlete and need to run around and move during your sport, that "strength" that you have developed without the addition of real stability will be at minimum less useful, and at worst potentially detrimental to your health.
In the example of someone who cannot squat properly unless they are under load, what they are doing is using the force of the weight as a crutch to put them in the proper position. Stability is created by the load, allowing proper mobility to occur at the correct places so that the movement can occur. Unfortunately, this is what is known as "adding strength to dysfunction". When that weight is removed, the stability that was created and is necessary is taken away, and the all important mobility is lost, resulting in an inability to complete the pattern. It's akin to adding horsepower to a car whose alignment is off. That horsepower will result in faster breakdown, as more force is directed inappropriately causing undesired wear and tear.
So basically, "adding strength to dysfunction" means increasing the chance of injury. This is why it is so important to be able to complete fundamental movement patterns before external load is applied, and why programs like P90X and Crossfit are potentially hazardous. These types of workouts throw these rules out the door in the name of "work capacity" or "bravado" and are recipes for disaster.
However, as I mentioned at the beginning of the post, there are some exceptions to the rule. In the SC.com forum thread the idea of the addition of a small amount of load actually being useful to improving the pattern was brought up. In this example, a Kettlebell was used to help the athlete "groove the pattern". While this is still the same concept of adding a load which in turn is causing artificial stability, the difference lies in the amount of load. A small amount of well directed load will create some stability, which will allow the athlete to learn how to squat properly. Again, the amount of load or force is the important concept here. Taking an athlete who cannot bodyweight squat and adding 135lbs to a back squat might result in a decent looking squat under load, but it won't help improve the unloaded movement pattern. Its just too much of a crutch. Performing a Kettlebell Goblet Squat with a 12kilo Kettlebell may in fact be just enough load to teach the neurological system how to move correctly.
You see, for motor learning to occur, there has to be just a little bit of struggle. It has to be just a bit of a challenge to the system, so that your brain can overcome the obstacle and "learn" how to move properly. This is a concept sometimes referred to as RNT, or Reactive Neuromuscular Training. Another common example would be to wrap an elastic band around the knees of someone who goes into valgus collapse during a squat. The band actually pulls the knees further into valgus, but if its just the right amount of force, it tells the brain to "turn on" all the muscles which are responsible to keeping the knees out, and voila! The person can squat correctly!
The key however is not to depend on the crutch forever. The idea should be to remove the band or to get rid of the kettlebell and perform the movement correctly. And that is where the art of coaching lies. Knowing how much load to apply, and when it is appropriate to apply it or take it away is crucial. To much load, no motor learning. To little load, not enough challenge- no motor learning.
As always, the goal of exercise should be to improve movement. Whether that means getting in and out of your favorite recliner with less pain, losing the holiday weight after the new year, or improving your speed and agility on the ice, the same fundamental concepts apply. Everything comes down to the human body, and no matter what skills you put on top of that frame, proper movement is proper movement.
The actual thread was regarding athletes who could not bodyweight squat, but had good technique under load. The author wanted to know why this was occuring and if it was appropriate to continue to apply load with the goal of; A. improving the movement pattern, and B. increasing strength levels.
I do not believe that it is appropriate to add external load to a pattern when that pattern is "off" under no load. There is an exception to this, which I will talk about, however my general thought is that the consequences to this are more negative rather than positive.
The problem with adding external load to a movement pattern when a person cannot adequately complete the pattern without load is that you are creating artificial stability. It's the reason many people can bench press a significant amount of weight, but have trouble with pushups. The bench is creating the stability that your body must come up with in the pushup. Without that stability, you can't push as hard or as effectively. The same holds true for working out with machines. The equipment provides the stability instead of your body.
"Whats the big deal with that?" you might be asking. Well, if you have any aspirations of getting up from the bench and moving around in real life, or if you are an athlete and need to run around and move during your sport, that "strength" that you have developed without the addition of real stability will be at minimum less useful, and at worst potentially detrimental to your health.
In the example of someone who cannot squat properly unless they are under load, what they are doing is using the force of the weight as a crutch to put them in the proper position. Stability is created by the load, allowing proper mobility to occur at the correct places so that the movement can occur. Unfortunately, this is what is known as "adding strength to dysfunction". When that weight is removed, the stability that was created and is necessary is taken away, and the all important mobility is lost, resulting in an inability to complete the pattern. It's akin to adding horsepower to a car whose alignment is off. That horsepower will result in faster breakdown, as more force is directed inappropriately causing undesired wear and tear.
So basically, "adding strength to dysfunction" means increasing the chance of injury. This is why it is so important to be able to complete fundamental movement patterns before external load is applied, and why programs like P90X and Crossfit are potentially hazardous. These types of workouts throw these rules out the door in the name of "work capacity" or "bravado" and are recipes for disaster.
However, as I mentioned at the beginning of the post, there are some exceptions to the rule. In the SC.com forum thread the idea of the addition of a small amount of load actually being useful to improving the pattern was brought up. In this example, a Kettlebell was used to help the athlete "groove the pattern". While this is still the same concept of adding a load which in turn is causing artificial stability, the difference lies in the amount of load. A small amount of well directed load will create some stability, which will allow the athlete to learn how to squat properly. Again, the amount of load or force is the important concept here. Taking an athlete who cannot bodyweight squat and adding 135lbs to a back squat might result in a decent looking squat under load, but it won't help improve the unloaded movement pattern. Its just too much of a crutch. Performing a Kettlebell Goblet Squat with a 12kilo Kettlebell may in fact be just enough load to teach the neurological system how to move correctly.
You see, for motor learning to occur, there has to be just a little bit of struggle. It has to be just a bit of a challenge to the system, so that your brain can overcome the obstacle and "learn" how to move properly. This is a concept sometimes referred to as RNT, or Reactive Neuromuscular Training. Another common example would be to wrap an elastic band around the knees of someone who goes into valgus collapse during a squat. The band actually pulls the knees further into valgus, but if its just the right amount of force, it tells the brain to "turn on" all the muscles which are responsible to keeping the knees out, and voila! The person can squat correctly!
The key however is not to depend on the crutch forever. The idea should be to remove the band or to get rid of the kettlebell and perform the movement correctly. And that is where the art of coaching lies. Knowing how much load to apply, and when it is appropriate to apply it or take it away is crucial. To much load, no motor learning. To little load, not enough challenge- no motor learning.
As always, the goal of exercise should be to improve movement. Whether that means getting in and out of your favorite recliner with less pain, losing the holiday weight after the new year, or improving your speed and agility on the ice, the same fundamental concepts apply. Everything comes down to the human body, and no matter what skills you put on top of that frame, proper movement is proper movement.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Thanksgiving
I am one of the fortunate ones. I know so many people who slog their way through each work day, counting the minutes until they can go home, only to repeat the process the next morning. Years and years pass by without so much of a glimmer of enjoyment. True, in this day in age a work life like this is still much better than what a lot of people are dealing with, but I am sure glad I don’t feel like that.
Lucky people get to say “I love my job” or, “I don’t feel like I’ve ever had to work a day in my life”. I truly am one of these, and I am so thankful for it. I am thankful for every opportunity, for every mentor, for every up and down I’ve experienced on my journey to where I am today. I truly love what I do for a living and I know how uncommon that is in this world. Even on my worst days, rarely does it escape me that I am so fortunate.
I am thankful for my friends. Most of them are idiots, but they are my idiots and they are great people. I’m fortunate to have them all in my life (even Guano Kenny, and Tierney, who are complete morons).
I am thankful for my wonderful parents. They have sacrificed so much just to make me happy and give me an opportunity to become the man I am today. They are truly two of the best people in the world, and I am so lucky that I ended up with them as my parents. Without everything they have done and still do, there is no way I would be who I am or where I am.
And lastly, but most importantly, I am thankful for my beautiful wife, Erica. It takes a special woman to put up with me, and there isn’t anyone else on this earth that could do it. She is smart, beautiful, funny, and truly gets me, and I am so thankful that she came into my life and I was/have been lucky enough not to screw it up!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Barefoot
Barefoot
I’d like to talk about being barefoot.
I don’t think people spend enough time moving around without their shoes on. Think about it. How much time do you spend out of bed without shoes on? I’d bet it’s less than a couple of hours a day, and some of that is probably spent sitting down. So how long do you actually walk around without shoes on in a given day?
Over the last few years, barefoot exercise has started to gain some attention. The invention of de-constructed shoes such as the Nike Free, and then further development with shoes like the Vibram FiveFinger, New Balance Minimus, and most recently, the Addidas adiPure has started to catch on with the public. However I don’t think most understand why being barefoot might be advantageous. It seems like more of a “fad” than anything else.
I believe that most people could benefit greatly from spending more time on their feet and out of their footwear. But before we get there, we need to talk about traditional shoes, how they are constructed, and the implications they impose on our bodies.
Almost all traditional shoes, whether athletic shoes, running shoes, dress shoes, work boots, etc. have a raised heel. This might be from as little as .5”, all the way up to a 3” stiletto. The reasons for the elevated heel are many, including to enhance the height of the wearer, to decrease the stress on the heel while walking, traditional style, and even to accentuate a person’s figure. Regardless of the reasons for an increased heel, the result is compensated movement.
First, lifting your heel causes certain biomechanical changes to take place within your body. The height of the heel will dictate the extent to which these occur, but any heel raise will cause an anterior weight shift which must be compensated for. Typical compensations include a shortening of the calf muscles and achillies tendon, as well as an anterior tilting of the pelvis. This in turn shortens and tightens the hip flexors and elongates and weakens the hamstrings. To go along with these changes, a more pronounced curvature of the spine will ensue, from the tailbone right up to the cranium. Each one of these changes has myriad negative consequences to posture and movement.
Secondly, when discussing the raised heel in athletic and running shoes, the reasoning behind it is usually something to the effect of providing shock absorption and adding cushioning to reduce impact and decrease injuries. However it has been well documented that adding a heel with the intended purpose to decrease the forces transferred to the body actually does the opposite and perhaps more harm than good to the wearer.
The cushioned heel changes the way you move, causing you to land more on your heel than on your forefoot. This in turn increases the shock from impact with the ground. This shock may not be felt due to the increased heel padding, but the force still travels up your leg, impacting the ankle, knee, hip and low back. The more cushioned the heel, the more it alters your gait, which allows you to produce more force, which then gets incorrectly distributed up your body, and it just snowballs. Incidentally, since the invention of the modern running shoe, with each “technological advancement” injury rates have increased in recreational runners.
I believe that part of the problem is that you have little proprioceptive feedback from your feet when wearing traditional shoes. It’s easy to land incorrectly on your heel while walking or running, because the heel is padded, so you don’t immediately feel anything. However if you try to go for a jog barefoot, you will quickly learn not to “heel strike” as you land because it will immediately give you feedback in the form of sharp pain.
The third effect is that shoes inherently change the way we interact with the ground because they do not move the same way our feet do. We have 26 bones, 33 joints, over 100 muscles and somewhere in the vicinity of 200,000 nerve endings in our feet. No matter how expensive or fancy your shoes are, they just can’t keep up with that kind of complexity.
Next is the concept known as the “Joint by Joint Approach”. This concept dictates that from the ground up, your body is built with joints in alternating need of more mobility or more stability. The ankle is supposed to move around a lot…it’s supposed to have mobility. The knee should basically just move forward and back…it’s supposed to have more stability. The hip joint is designed for a high level of mobility, while the lumbar spine should remain relatively stable. Thoracic spine should be mobile, scapular-thoracic junction needs mobility, etc. etc. It has been demonstrated that this pattern follows even further, basically from the toes all the way to the fingertips.
What this means is that if a joint which should have a high degree of mobility (ex: hip) does not, the following joint will try to make up for that deficit. The problem is that the following joint (the lumbar spine in this example) is not really designed for a high degree of mobility. It should remain relatively stable. When it is forced to move more to compensate for the lack of mobility in the hip, pain and injury occur.
This is completely true of the foot. If all of those joints in the foot cannot do what they were designed to do because they are wrapped up in an inflexible shoe designed to restrict the foot instead of allowing its natural motion, the chain reaction will literally extend from the ground all the way to the head and possibly even down the arms. Unfortunately, wearing regular shoes all the time only furthers the problem, as the feet have no choice but to adapt, and end up weak and stiff.
I believe that many common issues such as low back pain, neck pain, weak glutes and deep core stabilizers are exasperated, if not highly due to the fact that in our modern society we basically always have shoes on from the time we are infants until the time we die. Think about how clumsy and awkward you can feel if you wear thick winter mittens. If you had to wear these mittens 16 hours a day, every day, eventually the strength and mobility of your hands would decrease. If you don’t use it, you lose it. This is the same thing that happens with our feet. However the end result of losing function in the feet could be even worse since our feet are our literal connection with the ground. When we move around our feet are obviously the very first thing to interact with the earth. The consequence of changing how our feet do business has very real repercussions.
There are other things to think about as well. From the performance perspective, if the feet can’t do what they are supposed to do, that will affect everything up the chain, and ultimately decrease overall performance. Not only that, but I think that losing proper function in the feet can cause an increase in injuries. It is not uncommon to see an athlete with knee pain have poor mobility in the ankle and foot. Improving that mobility can often reduce the problems.
Another thing to think about is that regular shoes are almost always built with synthetic materials. This interrupts the natural flow of electrical energy from the earth’s surface to our bodies and vice versa. We basically cannot discharge the static electricity which we build up everyday just moving around because we have rubber soled shoes. This build up of static electricity has negative implications when we look at things like inflammation, recovery, and overall health.
So what is the point of all this ranting? I think most of us need to spend more time barefoot. I think that lots of typical daily complaints by normal people, such as knee and back pain, general fatigue, even stress could be helped if we spent more time moving around without our shoes on. I think that athletes can benefit greatly from improving the strength and mobility, as well as the proprioception of the feet. I think that injury rates would go down or at injuries would at least be less severe overall if we trained barefoot more often.
Does this mean that you should ditch your shoes and go run your first marathon? No. Don’t be an idiot. Use some common sense and start out with your dynamic warm up barefoot. Or walk around the house without shoes on. Take it step by step and try it out. I can tell you from my own experience, I feel so much better when I wear my Vibrams all day long vs. when I wear a regular shoe. My knees, hips, back, even energy levels. But I’ve also spent a lot of time over the last few years being barefoot so I have adapted and can handle all day without shoes.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Sh*t In/Sh*t Out
It's really simple. You are what you eat.
No really, that kid on the playground teasing you 25 years ago, he was right.
If you put shit in, you are gonna get shit out. Thats the honest truth. And it seems like common sense, but as one of my all time favorite quotes goes, "Common sense is not too common."
But if you want to know the secret to looking better, feeling better, performing better, its really very simple. Put quality in and get quality out. You wouldn't expect your car to run very well if you filled the tank with cheap, half booze, dirty gasoline would you? Then why do so many people think that they can fill their bodies with cheap booze and "dirty" (read: processed) food and still look/feel/move well?
I've said it before and I'll say it again, eat real food instead of stuff out of a box. Avoid processed and refined sugar. In fact, avoid sugar in any form as much as possible. Get protein and fat, fruits and vegetables, and do your best to not drink you dinner, and you will be ahead of the game.
No really, that kid on the playground teasing you 25 years ago, he was right.
If you put shit in, you are gonna get shit out. Thats the honest truth. And it seems like common sense, but as one of my all time favorite quotes goes, "Common sense is not too common."
But if you want to know the secret to looking better, feeling better, performing better, its really very simple. Put quality in and get quality out. You wouldn't expect your car to run very well if you filled the tank with cheap, half booze, dirty gasoline would you? Then why do so many people think that they can fill their bodies with cheap booze and "dirty" (read: processed) food and still look/feel/move well?
I've said it before and I'll say it again, eat real food instead of stuff out of a box. Avoid processed and refined sugar. In fact, avoid sugar in any form as much as possible. Get protein and fat, fruits and vegetables, and do your best to not drink you dinner, and you will be ahead of the game.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Official UMass Lowell Release
Devan McConnell Named Director of Sports Performance
http://www.goriverhawks.com/genrel/091311aab.html#
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
First Week on the Job
Some of you may know that I accepted the position of Director of Sports Performance at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. In this newly created position, my role is two-fold. First, is to work with and train the hockey team. Second, is to develop a structure and organization for the DII sports. After a week on the job, I'm excited to say I have already been able to make some headway on both sides of the coin.
With hockey, I started out by completely reorganizing and cleaning up the current weight room. Its a small space, and was made worse by the clutter and poor design. Now that its cleaned up, its not too shabby! After that, I was able to meet the guys and get them through 3 days of testing, as well as our first official workout. All ran pretty smoothly, and the captains expressed how much better the workout was than what they did in the past (not pumping my tires too much here...I'm the first Performance Coach they have ever had on staff!!!)
On the DII side, I was able to come in just as they were re-flooring and turfing the Costello Wt. Room (hockey works out of the Tsongas Arena). This was great timing as we have a great new floor, and I was able to easily reorganize and toss out equipment. From there, its been a lot of brain storming. In the works is a front desk for a work study student, new locks and keys, developing and internship program (I need coaches because I only have 1 part time coach on staff), as well as some ideas on how to schedule and better organize the entire process. Up until now its been a free for all, which is why the position was created in the first place. Also, I have some new equipment on the way, so hopefully that will get here quick.
I have added a few before and after pics of the Tsongas Hockey Weight Room to give you an idea. I will add some pics of the Costello Performance Center as soon as I can.
With hockey, I started out by completely reorganizing and cleaning up the current weight room. Its a small space, and was made worse by the clutter and poor design. Now that its cleaned up, its not too shabby! After that, I was able to meet the guys and get them through 3 days of testing, as well as our first official workout. All ran pretty smoothly, and the captains expressed how much better the workout was than what they did in the past (not pumping my tires too much here...I'm the first Performance Coach they have ever had on staff!!!)
On the DII side, I was able to come in just as they were re-flooring and turfing the Costello Wt. Room (hockey works out of the Tsongas Arena). This was great timing as we have a great new floor, and I was able to easily reorganize and toss out equipment. From there, its been a lot of brain storming. In the works is a front desk for a work study student, new locks and keys, developing and internship program (I need coaches because I only have 1 part time coach on staff), as well as some ideas on how to schedule and better organize the entire process. Up until now its been a free for all, which is why the position was created in the first place. Also, I have some new equipment on the way, so hopefully that will get here quick.
I have added a few before and after pics of the Tsongas Hockey Weight Room to give you an idea. I will add some pics of the Costello Performance Center as soon as I can.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Getting Dumber is Getting Better!
To me, being a confident coach means being able to admit that you don't know it all. Surprisingly, there seem to be a lot of people out there who just aren't interested in learning new things and getting better. They must have it all figured out, because they have no time or need for new information.
I think the biggest strength a young coach can have is the ability to admit and embrace the fact that they don't know everything. Seems pretty obvious, but admitting that can be a tough thing for some people to do.
One of my favorite experiences is after having and in-service or going to a conference is walking away feeling dumb. That's how I judge how good the presentations were. Not dumb, as in "I might as well have hit myself in the head with a hammer for 2 days", but dumb as in "Holy S***, I've got some reading to do!"
This past weekend, we had Istvan Balyi in to speak here at Stanford. If you are unfamiliar with Istvan, he is basically the world's leading expert on periodization and long term athlete development, or LTAD. For those of you in the hockey community, his work is at the foundation of USA Hockey's new American Development Model. If you are involved in any other sports, Istvan's work can be seen in the sport programs of pretty much any country that competes in the Olympics.
Anyways, he spoke to our staff for 2 days on a myriad of topics, and needless to say, I walked away with pages of notes and a whole lotta reading to do!
I think the biggest strength a young coach can have is the ability to admit and embrace the fact that they don't know everything. Seems pretty obvious, but admitting that can be a tough thing for some people to do.
One of my favorite experiences is after having and in-service or going to a conference is walking away feeling dumb. That's how I judge how good the presentations were. Not dumb, as in "I might as well have hit myself in the head with a hammer for 2 days", but dumb as in "Holy S***, I've got some reading to do!"
This past weekend, we had Istvan Balyi in to speak here at Stanford. If you are unfamiliar with Istvan, he is basically the world's leading expert on periodization and long term athlete development, or LTAD. For those of you in the hockey community, his work is at the foundation of USA Hockey's new American Development Model. If you are involved in any other sports, Istvan's work can be seen in the sport programs of pretty much any country that competes in the Olympics.
Anyways, he spoke to our staff for 2 days on a myriad of topics, and needless to say, I walked away with pages of notes and a whole lotta reading to do!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Nice article on Cheechoo
Former San Jose Sharks star Jonathan Cheechoo hopes to make it in NHL again with St. Louis Blues
Posted: 08/07/2011 07:44:05 PM PDT
Updated: 08/08/2011 02:25:04 PM PDT
When Jonathan Cheechoo is out in San Jose, attention finds him the same way the puck once did when he was racking up goals for the Sharks.
"It's pretty cool that people are still coming up to me, wishing me the best and wondering what I'm up to," he said last week.Here is what Cheechoo hopes he will be up to soon: Wearing a St. Louis Blues jersey when they open the season.
Cheechoo, who went from being the NHL's top goal-scorer in 2006 to out of the league just four years later, is trying to claw his way back. He believes a new training regimen can help him recapture the skating speed that made his magical 56-goal season possible.
"I still love the game, and I'm not that old yet," said Cheechoo, who turned 31 last month and continues to live in the South Bay. "I can still produce at the NHL level. The Blues know that I'm serious, and that's why they're giving me a shot."
St. Louis signed Cheechoo to a two-way contract, meaning he will be paid $650,000 if he makes the rebuilding Blues or much less if he plays at minor league Peoria.
Cheechoo is one of several veterans -- including former Sharks Scott Nichol and Kent Huskins -- the Blues have added this summer to a young roster.
"We look at him as a low-risk, high-reward scenario for us," Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said. "We hope we can help him resurrect his career. We'd love it if he could be a dominant NHL player again. He's had such great success in our
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Cheechoo's No. 14 jersey still is popular in the stands at Sharks games. He captivated fans with his nice-guy personality and endearing back story. A member of the Cree Nation, he emerged from remote Moose Factory, Ontario.
And he could score. He had 28 goals in a breakout season in 2003-04. But Cheechoo really got rolling in 2005-06, the season after the NHL lockout. When the Sharks made an early season trade to acquire passer extraordinaire Joe Thornton, Cheechoo benefited the most. He erupted with the only 50-goal season in team history and won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy for leading the league.
But after a follow-up 37-goal season in 2006-07, the Cheechoo Train went off the rails with a startling swiftness. His production plummeted to 23 goals and then to 12.
Never the most fluid skater, he had trouble adapting to the NHL's increasing speed. Double-hernia surgery in 2007 didn't help, either.
He was traded in 2009 with Milan Michalek to Ottawa in the Dany Heatley deal, but he had only five goals and nine assists when the Senators sent him to the minors and eventually bought out his contract.
Last year, after failing to stick with Dallas in a training-camp tryout, Cheechoo signed with the AHL's Worchester Sharks to showcase himself. But a hot start was slowed by a bruised kidney and a bulging disk, and he ended up with 18 goals and 29 assists.
Even though an NHL call never came, Cheechoo didn't think his career was done.
"It has been a couple of tough years," he said. "But I can still play."
The key, Cheechoo believes, is regaining some speed. So he has been working with Devan McConnell, a Stanford sports-performance coach, this summer.
"I look back at when I was younger, and I can see where I would get to spaces that maybe I haven't been getting to the last couple of years," Cheechoo said. "He's doing stuff with me that I haven't done before in offseason training. I feel like I'm moving a lot quicker, and hopefully it will make a difference."
Despite bouncing around North America, he and wife Ashley have kept their Willow Glen home. In early July, they welcomed the birth of their first child, son Jack.
But Cheechoo is intent on making St. Louis his next hockey residence.
"Jonathan's at that age where he probably wants to give it one more shot to prove that he can be a productive NHL player," the Blues' Armstrong said. "I'd say he's a perfect candidate to strive for the league's comeback player award."
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Basic Training
A wise man once told me, "There are 20,000 different ways to workout, and 18,000 of them are correct." I believe this to be true. Though I think that the way I am designing workouts for my athletes at this moment is the absolute best way to train, taking into all of the considerations which determine the logistics and realities of my situation, if I learn something new that can help us I will use it.
That being said, there are so many different ways to go about designing a training program, and so many of them are "correct". There has to be a common thread. To me, its really quite simple.
Get Strong. Get Powerful. Get in Condition.
Further simplifying this, to get strong; move heavy things. To get powerful; move slightly lighter things fast. To get in condition; define what "in shape" is for your setting, and work mostly within those energy systems.
Ok, ok, these are just the basics. There are many other area's of training that make up performance. Nutrition, Recovery, Movement, Core Training, etc. etc.
I think most of these can really be pretty simple as well.
Nutrition: Eat real food. Smaller amounts. More often.
Recovery: Be consistent. I don't care what your "tool of choice" is, just do it consistently.
Movement: Joint by Joint. Ground Reaction Force.
Core Training: Stablize the spine.
If your program takes care of these things, you have taken care of basic training.
That being said, there are so many different ways to go about designing a training program, and so many of them are "correct". There has to be a common thread. To me, its really quite simple.
Get Strong. Get Powerful. Get in Condition.
Further simplifying this, to get strong; move heavy things. To get powerful; move slightly lighter things fast. To get in condition; define what "in shape" is for your setting, and work mostly within those energy systems.
Ok, ok, these are just the basics. There are many other area's of training that make up performance. Nutrition, Recovery, Movement, Core Training, etc. etc.
I think most of these can really be pretty simple as well.
Nutrition: Eat real food. Smaller amounts. More often.
Recovery: Be consistent. I don't care what your "tool of choice" is, just do it consistently.
Movement: Joint by Joint. Ground Reaction Force.
Core Training: Stablize the spine.
If your program takes care of these things, you have taken care of basic training.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Nutrition Time
Healthy Nutrition is all about consistently making smart choices. No one is perfect, but the more often than not that you can pick real food over processed, organic over not, mostly plants vs. out of a box, etc. the better off you will be.
However,
there is of course a time and a place to splurge. After all, a big part of eating is enjoying food! If you deprive yourself of your favorites which may not be the best choices, you ultimately set yourself up for disaster.
A perfect example is Dick's Drive In in Seattle. If you are ever in the Seattle area, this is a must have!
However,
there is of course a time and a place to splurge. After all, a big part of eating is enjoying food! If you deprive yourself of your favorites which may not be the best choices, you ultimately set yourself up for disaster.
A perfect example is Dick's Drive In in Seattle. If you are ever in the Seattle area, this is a must have!
Deluxe, Fries, and a Chocolate shake, here I come!!!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Kettlebell Carry Progression
Kettlebell carries, whether suitcase style (by your side) or overhead are great exercises to develop spinal stability, as well as scapular-thoracic stability. It's about as simple an exercise as there is...hold a heavy kettlebell by your side (or overhead...I'll get to the technique in a moment) and go for a walk. Focus on staying still and smooth....like you are trying to glide across the floor. Carries are more or less dynamic side bridges, forcing you to resist motion around your spine (the primary function of the "core" muscles) and at the same time gives you great bang for your buck hip control. The overhead version, which I implement as a progression, adds some difficulty to the core stability, while at the same time really challenges scap. stability....which is key to shoulder health.
The keys are as follows:
In the suitcase version, shoulder blades should be pulled down and back. Think BIG posture. Maintain that position while you walk as straight a line as posible. Once you get the basics down, focus on diaphragmatic breathing. We usually walk about 20 yards, switch hands, and walk back.
In the overhead version, the up shoulder should be "packed" while the down scap should be pulled down and back, just like in the suitcase style. "Packed" will mean slightly different things to people in different circles, however the basics are to have your arm extended straight up, palm facing forward. In that position, pull the arm down into the shoulder girdle. If your arm is straight and you have a few inches between your bicep and your ear, you are in pretty good shape. Keep it there the entire time. Last but not least, keep your knuckles pointing up at the ceiling. There should be no break in your wrist, meaning you have to actively hold the Kettlebell in place, not just let it dangle on the back of your forearm.
In the video I walk through a few progressions, starting with simple suitcase carries, followed by the overhead version, then I combine the two for an overhead/suitcase walk (heavier KB on the down side). Following that, I begin to implement lateral steps and a carrioca walk to continue to challenge the scap stablizers in a different plane, and finally I put all the directions together into a "square" pattern, where I walk forward, put the breaks on, carrioca walk, walk back, and carrioca walk to the start. Don't forget to do both sides!
These are just a few versions and progressions my athletes go through to address core and scapular-thoracic stability.
(BTW the video is about 3 min long, and I walk out of the frame a few times...whoops!)
The keys are as follows:
In the suitcase version, shoulder blades should be pulled down and back. Think BIG posture. Maintain that position while you walk as straight a line as posible. Once you get the basics down, focus on diaphragmatic breathing. We usually walk about 20 yards, switch hands, and walk back.
In the overhead version, the up shoulder should be "packed" while the down scap should be pulled down and back, just like in the suitcase style. "Packed" will mean slightly different things to people in different circles, however the basics are to have your arm extended straight up, palm facing forward. In that position, pull the arm down into the shoulder girdle. If your arm is straight and you have a few inches between your bicep and your ear, you are in pretty good shape. Keep it there the entire time. Last but not least, keep your knuckles pointing up at the ceiling. There should be no break in your wrist, meaning you have to actively hold the Kettlebell in place, not just let it dangle on the back of your forearm.
In the video I walk through a few progressions, starting with simple suitcase carries, followed by the overhead version, then I combine the two for an overhead/suitcase walk (heavier KB on the down side). Following that, I begin to implement lateral steps and a carrioca walk to continue to challenge the scap stablizers in a different plane, and finally I put all the directions together into a "square" pattern, where I walk forward, put the breaks on, carrioca walk, walk back, and carrioca walk to the start. Don't forget to do both sides!
These are just a few versions and progressions my athletes go through to address core and scapular-thoracic stability.
(BTW the video is about 3 min long, and I walk out of the frame a few times...whoops!)
Monday, July 11, 2011
Physio Ball Stretch Circuit
Here is a circuit of stretches using the Physio Ball that I am trying out with my athletes. We would complete this pre-workout, just after foam rolling, and/or post workout as part of our regeneration work. I really like using the ball for the stretches because it makes it easy to get the right amount of intensity and also helps position the athlete correctly. Often, players will "fake" stretch, and get into positions that kind of look right, but aren't.
By supporting themselves with the ball, we can easily keep natural spinal allignment, and use body weight to get the desired intensity, instead of trying to force a position which is uncomfortable. Most of these stretches were held for about 5 seconds in the video, or for 5 reps, but generally we would hold positions for about :20-:30 or move in and out of the stretch about 10 times.
The order goes like this:
1/2 Kneeling Quad/Hip Flexor
Figure 4
Short Adductors
Hamstrings
Long Adductors
Hip Internal Rotation (mobility, not flexibility, but who's keeping track)
Lat
Pec Minor
By supporting themselves with the ball, we can easily keep natural spinal allignment, and use body weight to get the desired intensity, instead of trying to force a position which is uncomfortable. Most of these stretches were held for about 5 seconds in the video, or for 5 reps, but generally we would hold positions for about :20-:30 or move in and out of the stretch about 10 times.
The order goes like this:
1/2 Kneeling Quad/Hip Flexor
Figure 4
Short Adductors
Hamstrings
Long Adductors
Hip Internal Rotation (mobility, not flexibility, but who's keeping track)
Lat
Pec Minor
Great Women's Volleyball session today!
Had a great Monday morning workout with Stanford Women's Volleyball. The team was in the weight room 10 minutes early, full of energy and ready to go! They got some really great work done, all while adding some new exercises.
Today we implemented Punch and Float Step Up Box Jumps, Prone Valslide Hip Flexion, Anti Rotation Press Lateral Steps, Overhead KB Square Walks, and Glute Ham Raises....all were new progressions and I was very pleased how quickly all the players picked up the technical aspect of each exercise!
In addition to these exercises, we got in some great KB Swings, RFE Squats, TRX inverted rows, and I even jumped in with them in the conditioning portion on the slideboards...all by 8:30am!
Today we implemented Punch and Float Step Up Box Jumps, Prone Valslide Hip Flexion, Anti Rotation Press Lateral Steps, Overhead KB Square Walks, and Glute Ham Raises....all were new progressions and I was very pleased how quickly all the players picked up the technical aspect of each exercise!
In addition to these exercises, we got in some great KB Swings, RFE Squats, TRX inverted rows, and I even jumped in with them in the conditioning portion on the slideboards...all by 8:30am!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Nutrition Time
Sunday's around here are grocery shopping day, and we are fortunate enough to be able to walk to a wonderful farmers market.
A basic premise to healthy eating is to eat real foods whenever possible. If you can get and afford organic, thats even better. Stay away from processed food as it will be chock full of things your body just doesn't need. If it comes in a box, leave it alone!
On the list today was:
Blackberries
Garlic Jack Cheese
a big ol' onion
cherries
strawberries
hummus
olives
yum!
A basic premise to healthy eating is to eat real foods whenever possible. If you can get and afford organic, thats even better. Stay away from processed food as it will be chock full of things your body just doesn't need. If it comes in a box, leave it alone!
On the list today was:
Blackberries
Garlic Jack Cheese
a big ol' onion
cherries
strawberries
hummus
olives
yum!
Today's workout
So it seems to be a common thread that other performance coaches tend to post the workouts they are doing on their various blogs. I guess I will do the same...maybe it will give me something to write more often!
Today Erica and I worked out together. It looked like this:
Foam Roll
Box Stretch
Mobility- Ankle Swings x10, 3 Way Squat x5 each
Activation- Cook Hip Lift 3x:10 each
Linear Dynamic
Single Leg Linear Box hops 3x3 w/
Overhead Med Ball Throws 2x8
KB Swings 3x10
Ball Rollouts 3x8
Pec Minor Stretch
Slideboard KB Reverse Lunge 3x10
TRX Row 3x10
Physio Ball Figure 4 Glute Stretch
KB SLDL 3x8
1/2 Kneeling KB Overhead Press 3x8
Tall Kneeling Anti Rotation Press 3x10
Versa Climber 3min @:15 sprint/:45 walk, 1min Rest, Repeat
Not a bad start to our Sunday!
Today Erica and I worked out together. It looked like this:
Foam Roll
Box Stretch
Mobility- Ankle Swings x10, 3 Way Squat x5 each
Activation- Cook Hip Lift 3x:10 each
Linear Dynamic
Single Leg Linear Box hops 3x3 w/
Overhead Med Ball Throws 2x8
KB Swings 3x10
Ball Rollouts 3x8
Pec Minor Stretch
Slideboard KB Reverse Lunge 3x10
TRX Row 3x10
Physio Ball Figure 4 Glute Stretch
KB SLDL 3x8
1/2 Kneeling KB Overhead Press 3x8
Tall Kneeling Anti Rotation Press 3x10
Versa Climber 3min @:15 sprint/:45 walk, 1min Rest, Repeat
Not a bad start to our Sunday!
Stanford Volleyball Camp Talk
I spoke today for the first of three short seminars at the Stanford Girls Volleyball Camp on performance training for volleyball. It was a bit off the cuff as I was a little surprised to not be fed questions like last year. Instead I had to fly improv style and speak to about 100 young ladies. This was further complicated by the differences in age, as one group was 4th-6th grade, and the other group was in highschool. No matter, I spoke about our program here at Stanford, and explained how important training was to the performance and development of the young players (I told the younger kids that the best thing they could do for themselves was to have fun and play multiple sports).
I touched on the importance of lifting weights in a proper setting and program and how getting strong would benefit them and their goals as volleyball players. Also, I commented on the importance of breakfast and post workout nutrition. I wanted to keep the message simple, that when it came to training and nutrition, the basics and consistency go a long way!
I touched on the importance of lifting weights in a proper setting and program and how getting strong would benefit them and their goals as volleyball players. Also, I commented on the importance of breakfast and post workout nutrition. I wanted to keep the message simple, that when it came to training and nutrition, the basics and consistency go a long way!
I'm Bloggin!!
Well, here goes nothin. I'm officially blogging.
First up, linear speed development. There seems to be some confusion lately on how to achieve this goal. To me it's pretty simple. Get strong. Push hard with a big range of motion. That's pretty much it. Sure you can get cute with parachutes and towing straps and a buch of other junk, but really the most effective tools include: a short lesson or two on the basics of mechanics followed up by some short sprints with lots of rest in between, after that you jump behind a heavy sled and push it around a few times, essentially teaching your body how to exert force, then move something kinda heavy as fast as possible (cleans or snatches) teaching your body to produce force rapidly, and finally get strong. I don't really care how you do it. Squat, deadlift, single leg work, whatever. Just pick up and move something heavy.
Is there more to it? Sure, everything else in good training goes into linear speed development, but these are the bare bones basics. Practice moving as fast as possible, then do a few things to get strong so the next time you practice you can produce a little more force and go a little faster. Voila.
First up, linear speed development. There seems to be some confusion lately on how to achieve this goal. To me it's pretty simple. Get strong. Push hard with a big range of motion. That's pretty much it. Sure you can get cute with parachutes and towing straps and a buch of other junk, but really the most effective tools include: a short lesson or two on the basics of mechanics followed up by some short sprints with lots of rest in between, after that you jump behind a heavy sled and push it around a few times, essentially teaching your body how to exert force, then move something kinda heavy as fast as possible (cleans or snatches) teaching your body to produce force rapidly, and finally get strong. I don't really care how you do it. Squat, deadlift, single leg work, whatever. Just pick up and move something heavy.
Is there more to it? Sure, everything else in good training goes into linear speed development, but these are the bare bones basics. Practice moving as fast as possible, then do a few things to get strong so the next time you practice you can produce a little more force and go a little faster. Voila.
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