The Defining Sports Performance Blog

While going gluten-free has been cited as a weight-loss secret by some, it is by no means, a diet necessary for everyone. Unless you have a gluten allergy or sensitivity, gluten isn’t bad enough that it should be eliminated it from your diet.

And just because something is gluten-free, doesn’t mean that it is healthier than the gluten version. There are many gluten-free desserts, cookies, and pastries on the market that aren’t healthier than their gluten counterparts.

Remember to consult a Registered Dietician before starting any new diet, and find more health and fitness tips on St.Vincent Sports Performance Facebook and Twitter.

See how St.Vincent Sport Performance is using the latest technology to provide better care for ligament, tendons, and other soft tissue injuries.

The glute muscles are major contributers to large movements like running and jumping. If they aren’t firing and functioning properly, you aren’t able to perform the movement to your body’s full potential. Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach Jeff Richter provides glute activation techniques to get your glutes working at an optimal level.

St.Vincent Sports Performance NFL Pre-Draft Training Program players and coaches

Back in January, NFL hopefuls began training at St.Vincent Sports Performance to help improve their physical abilities in order to impress NFL scouts and teams during the NFL Combine and Pro Days.

Over the weekend, 11 SVSP athletes were signed to NFL teams.

Zack Nash- Arizona Cardinals

Ronnie Hillman- Denver Broncos

Mike Remmers- Denver Broncos

Cameron Collins- Miami Dolphins

Tydreke Powell- Minnesota Vikings

Cliff Harris- Philadelphia Eagles

Kelvin Beachum- Pittsburgh Steelers

Jewel Hampton- San Francisco 49ers

Joe Holland- San Francisco 49ers

Tyler Shoemaker- Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Sean Baker- Tampa Bay Buccaneers

*List current as of 4/30 at 4:30 pm

While the NFL Pre-Draft Training athletes hope to realize their dreams of playing professional football this weekend, St.Vincent Sports Performance is already helping the next set of future professional athletes work to reach their pinnacle of performance.

In a unique NBA Pre-Draft camp in the Basketball Capital of the World, the physicians and Licensed Athletic Trainers at SVSP focus on injury-prevention methods of training. The exercises and techniques are unique from any other NBA Pre-Draft training program in the country.

Check out SVSP’s NBA Pre-Draft Training Program alumni list:

FIRST ROUND PICKS:

Greg Oden, #1 2007                                           Mike Conley Jr., #4 2007

Gordon Hayward, #9 2010                               Alec Burcs, #12 2011

Patrick Patterson, #14 2010                             Jeff Teague, #19 2009

Daequan Cook, #21, 2007                                JaJuan Johnson, #27 2011

Wayne Simien #29, 2005                                Christian Eyenga, #30 2011

SECOND ROUND PICKS

Carl Landry, #1 2007                                        Mario Chalmers, #4 2008

This year’s NBA Pre-Draft roster at SVSP is as strong as ever. The 2012 class includes:

Follow the SVSP NBA Pre-Draft players on Twitter

On Wednesday, nations across the world celebrated 100 Days until Opening Ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

To help countdown the days leading up to start of the Games, St.Vincent Sports Performance is sharing facts, history, stats, tips and more about our National Governing Body Partners USA Diving, USA Gymnastics, USA Synchro, and USA Track and Field and SVSP’s Olympic sport involvement.

“From the moment the flame was extinguished in Beijing, St Vincent Sports Performance has been side by side with veteran and aspiring Olympic athletes,” said Ralph Reiff, Executive Director, St.Vincent Sports Performance. “On a daily basis we apply our comprehensive services to assist each athlete to eliminate barriers and work toward being the best athlete they can become.  With the Games just 100 days away I could not be more proud of my colleagues for their selfless efforts to assist each athlete on their personal journey to the podium.”

Visit the SVSP Facebook page to view all 100 Days facts, and follow @DefiningSports on Twitter for all the latest NGB and Olympic news!

Spring is in the air, and baseball season is underway. The Indianapolis Indians open their season Friday, April 13^th, downtown Indianapolis at Victory Field, against the Toledo Mudhens. St.Vincent Sports Performance has been a proud partner of the Indians since 2000, and will continue to provide medical services to the team this season.

On the field, SVSP is charged with the responsibility of keeping the team healthy.  SVSP Sports Physician, Todd Arnold, MD, is present at Indians’ home games, providing them with all medical-related sports services.  Dr. Arnold is there to assess injuries for the Indians, their opponents, and the umpires, and he serves as the concussion management specialist for the team.

For nearly 12 years now, the SVSP team has had the pleasure of working with the Indians, and they have never ceased to amaze us with their work ethic, enthusiasm, and dedication to the community.  We are proud to be partnered with this fine organization, and look forward to continued success together in the future.  Go Indians!

While people tend to think of synchronized swimming as smiling girls with colorful caps, gracefully dancing to “Waltz of the Flowers,” the reality is vastly different. The intense physical training that synchronized swimmers go through is anything but soft.

USA Synchro has been training at St.Vincent Sports Performance with Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach Brian Thompson CSCS, CSPS, to prepare for a chance to compete at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. Hear from Brian as he discusses training these Olympic hopefuls.

Synchronized swimming is a very unique sport, and the girls from the USA Synchro Team are unlike any group of athletes I’ve worked with before. They spend 40+ hours a week in the pool perfecting technical aspects of their routine, 10+ hours a week in the gym working on the physical aspects, and another 10+ hours a week preparing food to meet nutrition and recovery demands. 

With their strength and conditioning program, the goal is to keep the team healthy, improve firing patterns and physical aesthetics, and build strength and confidence to excel in the water. When the team started training at St.Vincent Sports Performance, each girl performed a Functional Movement Screen (FMS).  The FMS provided important information to establish a pre-hab / corrective exercise program that we use during their workouts. 

A typical strength workout for the team will start with 10 minutes of corrective exercises / myofasical release, 5-10 minutes of power endurance exercises, 30 minutes of the main body of the workout (the focus of the workout will change depending on the competition schedule), and 5-10 minutes of myofascial release / stretching. 

The areas of focus that we concentrate on during the main body of their workouts are:

• Hip extension strength / endurance
• Shoulder stability
• Upper body strength / endurance
• Isolated exercises for “weak” aesthetic areas (deltoids and hamstrings)

Common exercises that are utilized during workouts are:

• Glute-ham raise (eccentric focus)
• Snatch (Barbell, Dumbbell, 1-Arm Dumbbell)
• Overhead squats
• Push presses / Overhead presses
• Single leg squat variations
• Row variations
• “L” chin-ups

Synchronized swimming is a sport that demands physical and mental excellence, I challenge anyone who thinks this is an easy sport to walk a day in one of these athlete’s shoes, and I guarantee your viewpoint will change.

Take a look at footage from a USA Synchro training session at SVSP and see for yourself how hard these girls train.

Tony Kanaan with Certified Sports Dietitian Lindsay Langford and Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach Ryan Harbor after the 2011 Kona Ironman Race

Tony Kanaan has been a long-time partner and friend to St.Vincent Sports Performance, and this year, he has brought his INDYCAR Pit Crew Team to the SVSP training facility. The KV Racing Pit Crew began training at SVSP this winter with Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach Jeff Richter, CSCS, USAW. Hear from Jeff as he explains the process of training these unique athletes.

“When evaluating what to include in a strength and conditioning program for KV Racing, we need to create a “needs analysis,” to have a complete understanding of what the physical demands and goals are for these athletes. The members of KV Racing need to be able to perform powerful and quick movements,  and have the ability to withstand fatigue and maintain mental focus/physical readiness over the course of a long-day at the track.

Before every session with KV Racing, we perform a dynamic mobility session that targets movement in the hips, shoulders and thoracic spine. Restoring proper functioning of these movement patterns allow these crew members to feel better after the exhausting weekend at the race track.

KV Racing Pit Crew during practice at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

Much of our core training involves the crew performing explosive exercises that correlate with the specific movements and actions of a pit stop. To achieve this, we use circuit training and related variations as a method to increase work capacity. This style of training involves multiple stations with strength exercises, where the athletes perform the exercise for as many reps as possible for a set duration of time. Minimal recovery is given as they move to the next station and then start the next exercise. Each station engages a different aspect of movement while the body works holistically to maintain positioning.  The following is an example of a basic circuit that could be used:

• Station 1: Hip Dominant Lower Body Movement – kettlebell swings 30 seconds
• Station 2: Horizontal Push – push-ups 30 seconds
• Station 3: Knee Dominant Lower Body Movement – reverse lunges 30 seconds
• Station 4: Horizontal Pull – TRX rows 30 seconds

*10 seconds between stations, 45 seconds rest after the 4 stations are completed. Repeat 4 times.”

Using circuit training to train the athletes of KV Racing prepares their bodies for the physically draining pit stops they will be executing during the IZOD IndyCar Series races this year. The faster and more efficient pit stops are can determine the overall success of the race. SVSP’s wishes Tony Kanaan and KV Racing Pit Crew success this racing season!

Check out the KV Racing Pit Crew and Tony Kanaan during pit practice at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 25.

Sweet Sixteen! Men’s and Women’s Regional Semifinal action kicks off Thursday, with 16 teams looking to advance further in the NCAA tournament.

After a grueling first two games for these top 16 teams, recovery, rest, and proper muscle care make up a vital part of their preparation. St.Vincent Sports Performance wants to provide players, coaches, and trainers with strategies to help their athletes recover and cope with the daunting physical demands of post-season play, and deal with the added stress of playing in a high-pressure game.

In part two, Strength and Conditioning Coach Jeff Richter, CSCS, USAW, provides performance training tips for athletes moving into post-season and tournament play.

Cryotherapy (Iceing)

Cryotherapy is a valuable recovery tool, reducing many of the adverse conditions related to muscle inflammation that can occur during an intense practice or game.  Exposing the body to cold temperatures helps to lower the metabolic rate and swelling in muscles. Applying ice to sore muscles will also reduce pain and muscle spams. Sitting in a cold tub after a game will restore maximal strength and jump power. If a cold tub isn’t available, ice packs are a great alternative.

Foam Rolling and Massage

Foam rolling is a tool that can be used to produce self myofascial-release in tissues that have scarring and/or trigger points. Self-myofascial release works out muscle adhesions in muscles over time.  Damaged muscle tissue can be attributed to excessive muscle contractions during sports, exercise, or poor posture. Going through a foam rolling sequence evokes a neuromuscular response known as autogenic inhibition, or a sudden relaxation of the muscles.  Foam rolling is a simple and convenient form of tissue release that allows athletes to take care of the quality of muscle tissue.

Try some of these foam rolling sequences.

Dynamic Warm-up Prior to Competition and Static Stretching After Competition

Prior to a game or competition, athletes should engage in a dynamic warm-up to increase core muscular temperature.  A dynamic warm-up increases blood flow and enhances metabolic reactions. These variables contribute to improved rate of force development during activity.

Studies have shown that prior to a game, athletes should not perform static stretching. This is because static stretching prior to movement has been shown to decrease performance, primarily because of a reduction in force in power output. Static stretching should only be used in terms of recovery.

When recovering from a game or competition, static stretching can be used to facilitate range of motion improvements because of increased muscle temperature.  In addition, static stretching can help to decrease muscle soreness.

Good luck to all NCAA basketball teams competing this weekend!