Bloomfield Sports Shop Blog

Injury Wise/ Injury Prevention Clinic Handout

Posted by admin under Baseball, Basketball, Equipment, Field Hockey, Football, General, Lacrosse, Swimming, Uncategorized

We have an Injury Prevention Clinic tonight here at the shop and this is the handout that is going to given out by our Student Athletic Trainer Jenifer Shoultz:

Initial Treatment for Strains/Sprains
RICE is a very helpful tool to help eliminate the inflammation created from the injury. Using all of these components together will help work on inflammation control. By working on inflammation control right away will help the injury’s recovery and healing time decrease.
R- Rest
Take at least one day off to help the body heal itself and see how it feels the next day.
I – Ice
Rule of thumb with ice is 20 minutes on the injury and 20 minutes off the injury repeated for the first 24 hours. The ice should be in a plastic bag (Ziploc bags will work). Ice can be placed to the surface of the skin as long as it is not uncomfortable but pre-made and manufactured cold packs should never be placed directly to the skin. A barrier should be placed between the skin and ice/ cold pack such as a single towel. This should allow the area to get cold but will help prevent against any cold injuries.
C- Compression
Compression wraps are the best in this situation. When applying a compression wrap you should start from away from the heart and work your way toward the heart. Light pressure should be applied to the compression wrap and be careful it is not too tight that it is cutting off circulation. The wrap should be applied past the injured joint in both directions. Compression sleeves for the area will work as long as it is made for the proper area. i.e., Knee compression sleeve should be used on the knee not on the wrist or elbow. Again, make sure it is not too tight to be cutting off circulation. This should stay on until the swelling is mostly eliminated.
E- Elevation
The rule of thumb for elevation is to make sure the injured body part is above the level of the heart. If it is raised but not above the heart then the inflammation and blood flow will not filter out of the injured area causing the inflammation to last longer.

Preparing for Practice / Game
• Warm- up with light, progressing to moderate activity at least 5-10 minutes before exercising or participating in sports. You should feel “hot” and have a little sweat going if you are properly warmed up.
• Cool down and stretch after every workout. Never just walk away from a sport or activity. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds to one minute without bouncing.
• Training specifically for your sport is important but make sure you do other activities which would classify as cross training. Such as a soccer player going for a jog or a bike ride. Or a football player playing basketball. You should cross train at least one – two days a week. This allows your body to repair and gain strength and endurance.
• Give your body a break. Always take one-two days off per week to let your body repair and recuperate.

Hydration Tips
• Hydration does not just start the day of a practice or a game but actually at least 2 days before. You need to make sure you drink plenty of water a few days leading up to your practice or game to help with your hydration performance.
• Don’t use thirst as a guide to drinking your water. By the time you are thirsty, you are already more than 3% dehydrated.
• Another guideline that is good to follow to determine your hydration status is the color of your urine.
o Your urine should be clear, if it is dark colored you are dehydrated and need to drink more.
Rules of thumb
o You should drink at least 64 ounces (eight 8 oz. glasses) of water per day.
o You should drink 2-3 cups of fluids up to two hours before exercise.
o During intense and prolonged exercise sessions, or exercising in a hot/humid environment, drink 8-10ozs. Every 20 minutes.
o After exercise it is important to drink enough fluids to quench your thirst plus extra to replenish the liquids you lost.
o You should not just drink water but Gatorade, Powerade, or other energy drinks with low sugar to replenish your electrolytes.
-Electrolytes help your body utilize the water that you take in to help improve your hydration.

Proper Equipment
• Having appropriate equipment for a specific sport is very important.
o Soccer- Shinguards, Cleats, Keeper gloves
o Football-Cleats, pads, helmets, mouthguard, cup, (ankle braces)
o Volleyball- knee pads, (ankle braces)
o Field Hockey- Cleats/Turf shoes, Stick, shinguards, mouthguard, Goggles, (gloves)
o Track/Cross Country- Proper Shoes / Spikes
o Swimming- goggles
o Basketball- Proper shoes (ankle braces)
o Tennis- proper shoes
o Boys’ Lacrosse- Cleats, mouth guard, helmet, pads, cup, gloves, (wrist guards)
o Girls’ Lacrosse-Cleats, goggles, mouthguard
o Baseball/softball- Cleats, Gloves, helmets, cup, (batting shields)
• One of the most common mistakes with athletes is they follow trends instead of safety. You need to make sure the equipment fits correctly and is worn correctly for it to do any good and help prevent injury. If the equipment is not worn correctly or sized correctly it can actually cause more harm than good and could create and injury.

No Pain No Gain
• When is pain a gain and when is it your body giving you a warning sign?
o If you change workout types or start a new sport, some muscle soreness is normal and is even good. This soreness is needed to help your body build stronger muscles. This is the result from lactic acid build up which is a normal byproduct of muscle work and helps build muscle strength.
o If you are even more sore or just beginning to get sore on Day 2 or Day 3 after exercise, that is your body telling you that you pushed yourself too hard and need to back off a little bit. This is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) which can indicate micro-tears in your muscles instead of the lactic acid build-up. Rest until soreness subsides is the best remedy for this.
o Children who are under 12 should avoid weight lifting or other heaving lifting. This is because they still have open growth plates at the end of their bones that can’t handle the stress from weight lifting and may cause damage which could affect their growth and development. Children 12 and under should stick to exercises that only use their body weight until these plates close.

Concussions
• What is it?
o A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that is caused by a blow to the head or body, a fall, or another injury that jars or shakes the brain inside the skull. You do not have to pass out to have a concussion. Some athletes will have more obvious symptoms than others, some symptoms might be more gradual than others meaning that the symptoms will increase and become more obvious over time. It is important to know that there are many different levels of concussions and some may be minor while others may be more severe. It is important to realize that no matter how minor the concussion may seem it is still a serious injury. The athlete should not return to play until all symptoms have subsided for at least 24-72 hours , this can also be up to a physician’s discretion. If an athlete returns to play before they should they will become more susceptible to a second concussion. This is called Second Impact Syndrome (SIS), which can become extremely dangerous and could lead to the need of surgery, brain damage, and even possible death. It is important to contact a doctor if you or someone you know has symptoms of a concussion.
• Signs/symptoms
o Recognizing signs and symptoms of a concussion is not always easy to detect. The signs/symptoms of a concussion can range from mild to severe and can last for hours, days, weeks, or even months.
o If you notice any signs/symptoms it is important to contact your doctor.
-Dizziness
-Drowsiness
-Excessive sleepiness
-Easily distracted
-Fatigue
-Feel “in a fog”
-Feel “slowed down”
-Headache
-Inappropriate emotions (moody)
-Irritability
-Loss of consciousness
-Loss of orientation
-Memory deficits (short term &/or long term)
-Nausea
-Anxiety
-Personality changes
-Seeing stars/ dots
-Photophobia
-Sensitivity to noise
-Sensitivity to light
-Vomiting
-Vacant stare/glassy eyes (dazed)
-Ringing of the ears

• How to handle concussions
o If you notice an athlete that gets hit hard or lands hard and their head hits the ground it is important to check on them. They might tell you they are fine but it is important to ask them questions like are you okay? What day is it? Did you see stars? Are you dizzy or nauseous? Do you have a headache? And Does the light/sun bother you? If any of these questions or any others you think of that obtains to the signs/symptoms are positive then they have a possibility of a concussion. The athlete should be taken to a doctor or at least have a doctor contacted to know what their directions may be. If the athlete does have signs and symptoms it is important to check on them every so often to be able to detect if their signs/symptoms worsen. Concussions can become very serious injuries especially if they are not cared for properly.
• Steps to prevent concussions
o You can take steps to help prevent concussions even though they are not completely avoidable when participating in sports. It is important when involved in a contact sport to use proper technique to tackle/hit.
o It is also important to make sure your equipment is fitted correctly. Helmets should be pumped up with air correctly and should fit properly.
o Many people believe that mouthguards are only to protect teeth but the truth is they are also a huge preventer of concussions. They help absorb some of the impact during a blow/contact and help prevent the teeth to clench or clank together which could cause more impact. The mouth guard should be warn correctly and should cover all the teeth. You need to make sure you follow the directions with the mouthguard, most of them need to be molded to the mouth to help create a snug feeling.

Protective Eyewear Mandated for Field Hockey!!

Posted by admin under Equipment, Field Hockey, General

High school field hockey players will be required to wear portective eyewear, effective with the 2011-12 season.  The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Board of Directors, in its Apil 13 meeting in Indianapolis, voted to mandate the use of protective eyewear that meets the current American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard for field hockey.

Acting on a recommendation from the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, the board agreed that the potential risk of injury warranted the requirement of protective eyewear for the 64,000 student-athletes participating in high school field hockey.  NFHS field hockey rules previously allowed, but did not require, the wearing of eyewear that meets the current ASTM standard.  The revised language to mandate protective eyewear wilkl appear in the 2011-12 NFHS Field Hockey Rules Book.

We have several eye guards available to meet this requirment. The STX 2SEE eye guard is the most popular wire goggle in the game.  Its

patented low-profile design and unique wire configuration provide superior visibility in all directions. It has form-fitting, silicone padding for comfort and fit that does not absorb sweat or moisture, which helps minimizes breakouts, and is easy to clean. Most importantly 2see dual eye guard meets ASTM F2713-09 requirements for field hockey and ASTM F803-03 for women’s lacrosse.

We also have the STX Horizon google. The Horizon goggle’s low-profile, form-fitting,  contoured shape is superior for comfort and provides maximum vision in all directions. It also has a silicone padded nose bridge which does not absorb sweat or moisture, it minimizes breakouts and is easy to clean. It meets ASTM requirements F803-03 for field hockey and women’s lacrosse as well.

So be ready for the new guidelines and stop in to get your protective eyewear today!

What people are saying about Evoshield!

Posted by admin under Uncategorized

What Bob Weiseman, equipment manager of Duke Lacrosse, said about Evoshield;

“We started using Evoshield two years ago after our trainer, Joe Ferraro, was introduced to the product at a convention.  We made the Evoshield wrist guard mandatory for all of our attack men and they took to the product and really liked it.  After a few months we had our face-off guys and middies asking for the wrist guard as well.  Due to the fact that the guys were embracing the product we have expanded our usage of evoshield products to an arm sleeve with an elbow pad.  The guys wear this in addition to their arm guards. 

 In my opinion, Evoshield is an outstanding product and has been extremely helpful in keeping our guys healthy.  At our level, the guys really wanted to wear the least amount of padding as possible to keep them quick.  Evoshield meets this goal while providing the protection our guys need to stay healthy.”

The Next Generation of Sports Protection is here!!

Posted by admin under Baseball, Equipment, Field Hockey, Football, Lacrosse, Softball

Let us introduce you to Evoshield!! The newest offering on the Sports protection market.  Evoshield is air-activated , moldable padding made in the great state of Georgia.  It conforms to the body so it feels like you have nothing on.  It is as strong as 7 layers of fiberglass, is light weight and breathable. It is the latest, greatest, cutting edge protection on the market currently! Even sports professionals are wearing it!!  Now lets look at a little background.

 After a young athlete died on the playing field, a group emerged with one bold vision:

That No athlete should die from a preventable sports related injury!

But, the sports protection on the market was tired. It was uncomfortable and it wasn’t all that protective. Evosheild was born out of the desire to provide athletes with comfortable protective gear.  Protective gear that reduced the bulk and improved performance by truly custom fitting every athlete.  Protective gear that deflected impact rather than asborbing it. Protective gear that provided life saving protection without interfering with an athlete’s performance.

Now protecting more than 200 professional and collegiate teams, Evoshield is the innovator of performance protective apparel – thinner, lighter, yet stronger gear designed to make athletes faster while protecting them better.  Our protective gear is not only saving lives, but saving careers of many elite athletes.  We understand that gut-wretching feeling when you have to watch from the sidelines rather than compete.  Thats where Evoshield comes in, it can keep you in the game

Evoshield is simple to use.  Just rip open the foil pouch to activate the custom molding process. There’s no boiling or other intricate heating process. It really is that easy. Place the shields in position and smooth out any wrinkles. Wrap with the gauze that is included in each package to hold the shield in place. The shield will begin to harden in about 10 minutes. Wear the shields for 30 minutes until the transformation is complete. Once fitted, the shields are permanently formed and ready to provide protection all season long.

Evosheild’s protective shields are comprised of multiple ultra thin protective layers that disperse the force of impact rather than absorb it.  Dispersion technology allows evoshield to minimize the bulkiness of traditional padding while providing greater protection. 

There are many great guards available for baseball, softball, football, Lacrosse, hockey, soccer even youth and recoil pads for shooting! 

Bob Weiseman: Equipment manager of Duke Lacrosse says, “Evoshield is an outstanding product and has been extremely helpful in keeping our guys healthy. At our level, the guys really want the least amount of padding as possible to keep them quick. Evoshield meets this goal while providing the protectionour guys need to stay healthy.  Shane Doan of the Phoenix Coyotes says, “Evoshield is the only product of its kind. It is unique in that it forms to fit your body and is the most comfortable protectiven gear I have ever worn. I dont play without it.”

We here at Bloomfield Sports shop are proud to be the exclusive shop to carry Evoshield in South-East MI.  Stop on in today and let one of our professionals show you how Evosheild can work for you to keep you protected with their signature protection!

How to know which Superfeet insole is right for you!

Posted by admin under Uncategorized

How to Choose Your Superfeet

Everyone’s feet are unique, and different activities demand different types of footwear. That’s why Superfeet designs a varitey of insoles for any foot type or for any sport or activity. Here are some tips to help you choose the right Superfeet products for you:

	What foot type are you? Only 10-15% of the population has what is described as an ‘ideal functioning foot’. This is often referred to as a neutral foot. People with a neutral foot have a well-defined foot shape that doesn’t need an orthotic for biomechanical reasons. But they can still benefit from the added shock absorption a Superfeet insole provides. Superfeet’s 3-dimensional shape around the foot acts like an adapter to fit into the 2-dimensional shape of most footwear. This intimate fit provides comfort and improves performance. The remaining population has a tendency to either excessively pronate or supinate when they stand, walk or run. Besides affecting fit, this can result in secondary foot ailments. If you experience this type of problem, a Superfeet Premium Insole will provide support in the key areas of your foot to help reduce foot problems.
	Excessive pronation can cause a flat arch and foot elongation, resulting in plantar fasciitis, bunions, blisters, knee, hip and back pain, and shin splints, among other issues. The end result is inefficient motion, which causes low strength and loss of power during toe-off. A supinated foot can be predisposed to ankle sprains, ligament strains and tears, tendonitis, and poor shock absorption. Overall, Superfeet insoles will improve the comfort and fit of the shoe.

What type of footwear are you wearing?

Most types of athletic footwear come with some kind of removable insole. Unfortunately, most “sockliners” are made of very thin foam with no added support. The soft cushion effect dissipates quickly within the first few days, and the lack of support provides little, if any, biomechanical help. Removal of this insole provides ample room to complement your new footwear with supportive Superfeet insoles.

Many types of casual and formal dress shoes have no removable insole and provide very little room for the addition of an after-market insole. Our low-volume insoles, BLUE and BLACK, are ideal for this type of footwear. They can be trimmed full length or trimmed back to a ¾ length (See Fig 9). If your footwear is still too tight, we recommend you try one of our EASY-FIT™ products.

What type of activity are you doing?

Most activities will feel more comfortable with the right Superfeet insole in your shoes. If you are a runner or walker, try one of our models designed to provide extra shock absorption, such as our GREEN, BERRY (for women), or ORANGE (for men). If you are looking for support in a stop-and-start sport like soccer, then our BLUE or BLACK models are ideal for tight-fitting cleated footwear. If you skate, cycle or wear cowboy boots, our YELLOW model was designed specifically for you.

No matter what type of foot you have, what type of footwear you are wearing, or what activity you are doing, Superfeet has the ideal insole for every situation.

Tips on sharpening Skates

Posted by admin under Hockey, Uncategorized

What Radius of Hollow (ROH) Is Right for Me?

The selection of a Radius of Hollow for your skate blades is an individual decision, but we can give you the facts and recommendations to help make your decision easier.

The Radius of Hollow determines the bite angle of each blade edge. The selection of ROH and bite angle determines the performance characteristics of the blade. The correct application of any ROH results in a blade with sharp edges. A smaller radius of hollow 1/4″ ROH means that a blade will have edges with higher bite angles than a blade with a larger radius of hollow 1″ ROH. The higher bite angles result in edges which penetrate the ice deeper increasing drag and requiring more energy to accelerate.

What ROH do the NHL payers choose?

The most common choice of radius of hollow for hockey players is 1/2″. According to a recent study of all NHL players 47% choose to skate on a 1/2″ ROH. The next most common ROH in the NHL is 5/8″ ROH.

Begginers and recreational skaters should try an ROH of 5/8″ or 3/4″.
Better Glide – Skaters select higher ROH’s (1″ or higher) when they are looking for increased glide.
More Friction – Skaters choose lower ROH’s (3/8″ or lower) when they are looking for more friction and control.

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Inconsistent ROH (Radius of Hollow)

Due to a combination of sharpening equipment tolerance variations, lack of operator training, and poorly marked settings, ROH can vary from machine to machine, operator to operator, and shop to shop. Even though a skate can be perfectly sharpened, changes in ROH will give a different feel due to change in bite angle. This may give the impression of an improper sharpening.

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Proper Skate Sharpening

For proper sharpening, the radius of hollow must be centered down the middle of a skate blade. This results in an equal bite angle on both inside and outside edges.

An off-center sharpening will result in one edge being higher than the other and different bite angles from edge to edge. Most sharpening machines require the operator to center the grinding wheel on the skate blade by eye. Therefore, the training, judgement, and conscientiousness of the operator can greatly affect the quality of the sharpening.

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Poorly Dressed or Worn Grinding Wheels

The radius of hollow must be applied to the grinding wheel with a diamond stylus. Poor operation techniques and/or out of tolerance stylus can result in miss-sized or out of shape profiles being applied to the grinding wheels. Frequent wheel dressing is required to maintain the proper shape. With use, the grinding wheel profile will wear and change. This can result in incorrect or uneven bite angles.

Selecting a Field Hockey Stick

Posted by admin under Field Hockey

Selecting a Field Hockey Stick

From TK to Talon, from Penn Monto to Mohinder, from Grays to Gryphon, there’s a field hockey stick for everyone. But while selecting the right stick is eventually a matter of personal preference, there are some factors to consider when making your stick selection.

Balance & Weight

Get a “feel” for the stick. It should be well balanced and feel comfortable in your hands. Depending on your preference, the weight  may be evenly distributed throughout the length of the stick or concentrated in the stick’s toe or head. The weight in the toe should not be so much as to limit your stick speed when playing the ball.

Field hockey sticks range in weight from light (18 oz. to19 oz.), to medium (19-22 oz), to heavy (22 oz to FIH maximum 25.9 oz [737 grams]). Most players will use a stick in the medium range. Generally, forwards prefer a lighter stick for quick maneuvering in the circle while defenders often choose a heavier stick for powerful clearing hits and to prevent attackers from casually “pushing” the stick aside.

Length of Stick

Field hockey sticks range in length from 26 & 28-inch youth sticks to 38-inch sticks for taller and more exprienced players.

While the length of the stick is often determined by height, players often select the longest stick they can handle comfortably.

The chart below shows the general guideline for choosing the appropriate length stick.

Toe Length

The “toe” or “head” of the stick may also vary depending on your position or style of play.

Flexibility & Stiffness

A flexible stick that absorbs shock is often the stick of choice for beginning or novice players. Flexible sticks tend to be more durable than their stiffer counterparts.

Advanced players may apt for a stiffer stick for increased power

Manufacturers may add a variety of reinforcing materials to the stick to add strength and durability or promote either stiffness or flexability. Fully composite and fiberglass sticks are legal at the collegiate and high school level, and revised international definations of the stick at the international level allow the stick to “be made of or contain wood or any material other than metal or metallic components, provided it is fit for the purpose of playing hockey and is no risk to health.”

• Fiberglass: A basic material reinforcing the handle. Fiberglass adds strength and durability. Fiberglass reinforcement also helps to prevent wear.
• Carbon (or graphite): One of the most effective stiffening materials. The added stiffness in the handle allows for increased hitting power for experienced players. However, in cold temperatures, a stick with carbon tends to transmit the shock from the head, through the shaft up to hands. Players should consider playing conditions, such as temperature when selecting a stick.
• Kevlar® (or Aramide): Adds strength to the handle while dampening the vibration to the hands. The more Kevlar in the stick, the less shock is felt, yet the fibers still allow for flexability and a smooth “feel” of the ball when hitting and receiving.
  Kevlar is a manmade organic fiber produced by DuPont used in a wide variety of applications such as bullet-proof vests, tires, fibre optic cables and sporting goods.

• Dyneema®: Added over the stiffening and strengthening materials at the base of the shaft for impact resistance. Dyneema is a polethylene fiber characterized by its high impact strength and high energy absorption qualities.

Courtesy of USA Field Hockey

How to Choose A Running Shoe

Posted by admin under Running Shoes

How to choose running shoes. from therunningadvisor.com

In determining how to choose a running shoe, your choice of running shoes can make the difference between having a good or bad experience, running in comfort or pain, and, most importantly, whether you stay healthy or get injured.

The biggest and most common mistake I see novice runners make, (and yes, I made the same mistake), is to bargain shop for an inexpensive first pair of running shoes right off the shoe store clearance table, or worse, off the rack at a department store. After all, who wants to pay a lot for shoes when you may not actually use them much? How do you justify a higher priced running shoe to your spouse? Aren’t you just paying a lot for a logo on the side?

All these observations make sense. But this kind of thinking will likely lead you to the equally logical decision to quit after a couple of miserable runs. The very tenacious among us may wait until they suffer a blown-out knee or serious shin, hip or foot problem. Forget bargains. What you need to start running is the right shoe, not the cheapest.

Choosing a running shoe can be an overwhelming task given all the high-tech shoes available today and all the special features each running shoe claims to have.

That’s why I’ve written this “Simple Steps for Choosing a Running Shoe” guide. Just follow the steps below, and you’ll discover which running shoes are best for you.

1. Understand Pronation
2. Determine Your Foot Type
3. Select Your Gait Type
4. Choose the Right Running Shoe for You
5. Go to a Local Speciality Running Store
6. Ensure Your New Running Shoes Fit Properly
7. Top Recommended Online Running Shoe Merchant

Understand Pronation
Pronation is the rolling of the foot from heel to toe through the foot strike. A proper or neutral pronation is hitting the outside of the heel and up to ball of your foot evenly across the front. This is how your foot reduces the stress of impact.

Underpronation is not enough evening out so the outside of your foot takes most of the shock instead of finishing in the neutral position.

Overpronation is too much roll across from the outside to the inside of your foot.

To determine your level of pronation, look at your shoes you walk or run in. Most everyone will begin on the outside of the heel, the real indicator would be the wear on the forefoot.

If most of the shoe wear is:

* On the medial (inside) side then you Overpronate and probably need to choose Motion-Control Running Shoes

o Men’s Motion-Control Running Shoes
o Women’s Motion-Control Running Shoes

* On the lateral (outside) side then you Underpronate and most likely need to choose Cushioned Running Shoes

o Men’s Cushioned Running Shoes
o Women’s Cushioned Running Shoes

* Uniform across the forefoot then you have a Neutral Stride and are best suited for choosing Stability Running Shoes

o Men’s Stability Running Shoes
o Women’s Stability Running Shoes

Determine Your Foot Type
Another method of determining pronation and, ultimately, foot type is by checking your arch height. The easiest way to figure out your arch height is by using the Wet Test. To take the test, wet the bottom of each footand stand normally on a paper bag. After a minute or so, step off and observe the imprint left by your foot. (Trace the outline with a pencil if you want to look at it later.)

You have a normal arch (neutral pronation) if:

There’s a distinct curve along the inside of your foot with a band a little less than half the width of your foot connecting the heel and toe. (Choose Stability Running Shoes)

You have a low arch (flat feet/overpronator) if:

There’s not much of a curve along the inside of your foot and your imprint shows almost the entire foot. People with low arches are more likely to overpronate (roll too far inward), which can lead to overuse injuries. (Choose Motion-Control Running Shoes)

You have a high arch (underpronator) if:

There’s a very sharp curve along the inside of your foot and your imprint shows a very thin band between your heel and toe. People with high arches typically don’t pronate enough. (Choose Cushioned Running Shoes)
Select Your Gait Type
Top

Right Foot

Severe Overpronation: The outside of the heel strikes the ground first and the foot rolls inward excessively which means the foot and ankle cannot properly stabilize the body.

The best running shoes for moderate to severe Overpronators are Stability shoes ( Men’s | Women’s) or Motion Control shoes ( Men’s | Women’s) depending on the severity of overpronation.

Right Foot

Mild Overpronation: The outside of the heel strikes the ground first and the foot rolls inward slightly absorbing the shock more effectively which allows the foot and ankle to properly support the body. This is the most common foot type.

The best running shoes for Mild Overpronators are Stability shoes ( Men’s | Women’s).

Right Foot

Neutral: The outside of the heel strikes the ground first and the foot rolls inward slightly absorbing the shock more effectively which allows the foot and ankle to properly support the body.

The best running shoes for Neutral runners are Neutral Cushioning shoes ( Men’s | Women’s) for feet that are more rigid.

Right Foot

Supination: The outside of the heel strikes the ground first but the foot does not roll inward during the gait cycle. Instead it stays on the outside causing the impact to be concentrated on a smaller portion on the lateral side of the foot.

The best running shoes for Supinators are more flexible Neutral Cushioning shoes ( Men’s | Women’s).

choosing running shoes
Choose the Right Running Shoe for You
Now that you’ve determined your foot type and degree of pronation, one other important characteristic you’ll need to look for is shoe shape. You can see the shape most clearly by looking at the bottom of the shoe.

Typically, running shoes come in three shapes (straight, semi-curved and curved) which correspond to the three types of prints revealed by the wet test. Most experts believe that:

* Overpronators should choose a running shoe with a Straight shape.
* Underpronators should choose a running shoe with a Curved shape.
* Normal/Neutral pronators should choose a running shoe with a Semi-Curved shape.

If you have flat feet and overpronate, choose a Motion-Control running shoe. Motion control shoes prevent your foot from rolling in too far, have a straight shape that gives maximum support to your foot and are the most rigid, control-oriented running shoes.

* Men’s Motion-Control Running Shoes
* Women’s Motion-Control Running Shoes

If you have high-arched feet and underpronate, you should choose a Cushioned running shoe. Cushioned shoes allow your feet to roll inward (absorbing shock), have a curved shape to encourage foot motion and have the softest midsole with the least medial support.

* Men’s Cushioned Running Shoes
* Women’s Cushioned Running Shoes

If you have normal arches and pronate normally, choose a Stability running shoe. Stability shoes offer a good blend of cushioning, medial support and durability. They often have a semi-curved shape and don’t control foot motion as strictly as motion-control shoes.

* Men’s Stability Running Shoes
* Women’s Stability Running Shoes

Go to a Local Speciality Running Store
If you’ve followed all the steps listed above, you probably have a pretty good idea of what type of running shoe you should be looking for and how to choose running shoes. However, it still pays to go to a specialty running store (at least for your first running shoe purchase). The people who work in these stores are knowledgeable and will guide you to the appropriate shoe models.

Here are some tips for a successful running shoe shopping trip.

* Shop in the late afternoon when your feet are at their largest. Your feet will expand while running.
* Bring your old shoes with you when you go shopping. Shoe wear will assist the salesperson in determining your degree of pronation.
* Wear or buy the socks you’ll wear when you run.
* If you wear orthotics, bring them also. You need to see how the shoe fits with the orthotic inside.
* Do NOT make the most common mistake new runners make by buying the latest fad shoe. It is highly likely this will not be the ideal shoe for you.
* Make sure the salesperson measures both of your feet. Often, one foot is slightly larger than the other. You should be fitted for the larger foot.

Before you try on any shoes, the salesperson should (at least) ask you the following questions to help you select the right running shoe model.

* How long have you been running?
* How much mileage are you doing per week?
* Are you training for a particular event?
* Where do you do most of your running?
* How much do you weigh?
* Are you aware of any foot problems (i.e. flat feet, over- or underpronation)?

Based on your answers, the salesperson will direct you to various models that will fit your needs and help you select some for you to try.
Ensure Your New Running Shoes Fit Properly
A proper fit is THE most important step in finding the right running shoe. A shoe that fits will be snug but not tight. A common mistake that’s a killer is to buy shoes that are too small.

Use the following guidelines to ensure a proper running shoe fit.

* Check for adequate room at the toebox by pressing your thumb into the shoe just above your longest toe. Your thumb should fit between the end of your toe and the top of the shoe.

* Check for adequate room at the widest part of your foot. The shoe shouldn’t be tight, but your foot shouldn’t slide around, either.

* The heel of your foot should fit snugly against the back of the shoe without sliding up or down as you walk or run.

* The upper (part of shoe that wraps around and over the top of the foot) should fit snugly and securely without irritating or pressing too tightly on any area of the foot.

* Once you’ve found running shoes that feel right, walk/jog/run in them as much as you can. Some stores have a treadmill, others allow a run around the parking lot and some don’t let you do anything other than bounce up and down. You need to feel the shoes in action.

Inside / Outside Soccer Moves

Posted by admin under Soccer

Check out this video from Vogel Soccer Mastery!!

http://www.vogelsoccermastery.com/inside-outside-dribbling

Lactic Acid Myths

Posted by admin under Uncategorized

The Lactic Acid Myths
by Matt Fitzgerald
Courtsey of running.competitor.com

There are many myths about lactic acid. Perhaps the greatest of all is the notion that there is lactic acid in the human body. There is not. The body actually produces lactate, which is lactic acid minus one proton.

The difference between lactic acid and lactate is, for all practical purposes, semantic. But other popular beliefs about lactic acid (or, as I will properly call it from this point forward, lactate) are about as wrong as wrong can be. Most triathletes believe that lactate is an end product of anaerobic muscle metabolism that causes local muscle fatigue by increasing the acidity of the tissues to the point where they no longer can function effectively. In fact, we now know that lactate is an intermediate link between anaerobic and aerobic muscle metabolism that serves as both a direct and indirect fuel for muscle contraction and delays fatigue in a couple of different ways.

Our new understanding of the nature and function of lactate is interesting to all athletes who are curious about how the human body works. But does it make any practical difference? Does the new science of lactate suggest a different approach to training than the old science did? I would suggest that it does call for a subtle tweaking of the standard approach to endurance training, but no major overhaul. Before we get to that, however, let’s take a closer look at how the classic beliefs about lactate were exposed as myths and replaced by an almost opposite explanation.

The classic explanation of lactate in exercise dates back to the 1920s, when researchers showed that the exposure of frog legs to high levels of lactic acid (not lactate) interfered with the ability of the muscles to contract in response to electrical stimulation. Later research determined that lactate was produced through anaerobic glycolysis, or the breakdown of glucose or glycogen molecules for energy without the help of oxygen. It was then concluded that fatigue occurred at high exercise intensities because the cardiovascular system could no longer supply the muscles with enough oxygen to keep pace with muscular energy demands, resulting in increasing reliance on anaerobic glycolysis, hence lactate buildup.

How exactly did lactate buildup cause the muscles to fatigue? Biochemists believed that lactate was formed in the body by the removal of a proton from lactic acid. When protons accumulate in living tissues, these tissues become more acidic. And when muscles become too acidic, they lose their ability to contract.

This tidy little explanation began to unravel in 1977, when South African biochemist Wieland Gevers showed that the reaction producing lactate actually consumes a pair of free protons, thus retarding muscular acidosis rather than promoting it. Much more recently, scientists have observed that while protons do indeed accumulate in the muscles during high-intensity exercise, increasing muscle acidity, these protons are produced through a reaction that is completely separate from that which produces lactate.

To make matters even worse for supporters of the classic lactate hypothesis, we now know not only that lactate does not cause muscular acidosis, but also that the muscles never reach a level of acidity that would directly cause dysfunction (or fatigue) of the muscle fibers anyway. The body’s normal pH at rest is approximately 7.4. During intense exercise, as the muscles become more acidic, pH may drop as low as 7.0 at the point of exhaustion. However, when muscle cells are electrically stimulated outside the body, mechanical failure only occurs when the pH drops all the way down to 6.8. This observation suggests that fatigue always occurs before a catastrophic loss of acid-base homeostasis in the muscles takes place.

What’s more, research conducted within the past decade has shown that lactate counteracts another cause of muscle fatigue at high exercise intensities: namely, depolarization. Muscle contractions are stimulated by electrical currents that flow throughout the body via minerals including sodium and potassium. Each muscle cell contraction involves a lightning-fast exchange in which potassium molecules inside the muscle cell and sodium molecules outside the muscle cell switch places. These exchanges are most efficient when there is a high degree of polarization (a difference in the strength of the electrical charge) between the spaces inside and outside the cells. At the beginning of high-intensity exercise, the inside of the muscle cell has a much stronger positive charge than the area outside the muscle cell. This difference in charge strength makes it easy for sodium and potassium to cross the cell membrane. During sustained high-intensity activity, potassium is released from the muscle cells faster than it can be channeled back in through special potassium pumps in the cell membrane. The resulting buildup of potassium outside the muscle cells causes a progressive lessening of the difference in charge strength between the intracellular and intercellular spaces, hence weaker and less efficient muscle contractions (i.e. fatigue).

It is now widely recognized by researchers in this area that muscle cell depolarization is a much more significant cause of muscle fatigue than muscular acidosis. Where does lactate fit in? In a series of studies beginning in 2001, Ole Nielsen of the University of Aarhus, Denmark, has shown that high levels of lactate partially restore muscle cell function in a depolarized state. Hence, if your muscles did not produce large amounts of lactate during high-intensity exercise, your muscles would actually fatigue a lot sooner.

The story does not end there. In the new scientific understanding of lactate, arguably the most important role of lactate during exercise is not to delay fatigue caused by muscular acidosis or muscle cell depolarization but is rather to serve as a direct and indirect fuel for muscle contractions. That’s right: the substance that was once thought to be a worse-than-useless byproduct of anaerobic glycolysis turns out to be one of the most important energy sources for high-intensity muscle activity.

Our knowledge of lactate as a muscle fuel is largely the product of the work of one man: George Brooks of the University of California-Berkeley. Brooks became interested in lactate in the 1960s, when his track coach at Queens College told him that lactic acid was the cause of the burning sensation and loss of performance he experienced when running hard. Brooks went on to earn a doctoral degree in exercise physiology and made the study of lactate his life’s work.

Brooks began to suspect that the classical lactate theory was dead wrong when, in one early experiment, he gave radioactive lactic acid to rats (so he could trace it) and found that their bodies used it faster than any other energy source. So he then set about figuring out how lactate was used. The result of this process was the discovery of the lactate shuttle (now known as the extracellular lactate shuttle). Lactate is a highly mobile compound that easily leaks through the walls of the muscle cells that produce it into the bloodstream. From there the lactate flows to other muscles (especially resting muscles and muscles working at lower intensities) and other organs—especially the heart, liver, and brain—and used as a fuel. Lactate that reaches the liver is even converted back into glucose and sent back to the hardest-working muscles to replenish declining fuel stores.

When Brooks published his first research on the lactate shuttle in the mid-1980s, he did not propose that any organ used lactate as a direct energy source. While his proposal that widespread use of lactate as an indirect energy source during exercise was radically new, Brooks did not initially challenge the notion that the human body is incapable of directly oxidizing lactate to release energy. Instead he hewed to the universally held conviction that lactate had to be converted to pyruvate before oxygen could do anything useful with it. But secretly Brooks suspected that some types of cells, including muscle cells, can break down lactate aerobically, and within the past few years he has definitively proven that this is indeed the case.

First Brooks showed that endurance training reduces the amount of lactate that enters the bloodstream without affecting the amount of lactate that the muscle cells produce—a strong piece of circumstantial evidence that lactate is somehow used within the cell. In fact, as much as 75 percent of the lactate produced by any given muscle cell never leaves it. Then, in 2006, Brooks was able to peer through a confocal microscope and all but see aerobic lactate metabolism in the mitochondria, the intracellular site of aerobic metabolism. Gathered together there he saw the transporter proteins that deliver lactate to the mitochondria, the enzymes that catalyze the first step of lactate breakdown, and the protein complex where oxygen is used to complete the process of energy release. A smoking gun if there ever was one!

It would be difficult to overstate the magnitude of this discovery. George Brooks showed that there is a direct link between aerobic and anaerobic metabolism. In fact, what was previously thought to be anaerobic metabolism is actually just incomplete aerobic metabolism. During moderate-intensity exercise, most of the carbohydrate that is broken down for energy is processed aerobically and produces no lactate. But at high intensities, a second pathway—the lactate pathway—ramps up, giving the muscle two parallel pathways to release energy aerobically at very high rates to keep up with the muscle’s energy demands. In this second pathway, glycogen or glucose is broken down to lactate without oxygen, and then lactate is broken down to carbon dioxide and water with oxygen.

Brooks is not done yet. His most recent research has looked at the role of lactate in cell signaling. It suggests that the high levels of intracellular lactate that arise during intense exercise stimulate some of the beneficial fitness adaptations that occur in response to such training. Specifically, high lactate concentrations trigger the production of free radicals that “upregulate” a variety of genes. Some of these genes govern mitochondrial biogenesis. So it appears that intracellular lactate accumulation during intense exercise stimulates the muscle cell to produce more mitochondria, thus enhancing its ability to burn lactate (and other fuels) in future workouts.

If I had to package all of the forgoing science into a single upshot, it would be this: According to the classical theory of lactate, one of the highest priorities of training was to reduce the amount of lactate the body produces at higher exercise intensities so that the athlete can race faster without fatiguing due to high lactate levels. According to the new theory of lactate, one of the highest priorities of training is to increase the body’s capacity to use lactate during high-intensity exercise so that the athlete can race faster.

So what practical difference does this shift make in terms of how we train? In truth, not much, because the advanced training methods that today’s best-informed triathletes use were developed through blind trial and error, and were not fashioned consciously to conform to now-discredited ideas about lactate.

That said, for many years lactate-conscious coaches have counseled athletes to strictly limit the amount of training they do above the lactate threshold because the large amounts of lactate produced in such workouts are very stressful to the body. The rationale for this widely heeded caution has disappeared. It certainly remains true that the physiological stressfulness of exercise increases exponentially as its intensity does, such that the amount of training the body can handle is inversely related to its intensity. But lactate is not the reason. And lactate threshold intensity is not all that high. In the typical trained triathlete it corresponds to the fastest swimming, cycling, or running speed that can be sustained for one hour. There’s plenty of room to go faster in your training without wearing yourself down.

Furthermore, as we have seen, far from stressing the body, high lactate levels trigger some of the most important performance-boosting muscle adaptations. You might not be able to handle a high volume of training above the lactate threshold (again, for reasons that have nothing to do with lactate), but the new science of lactate suggests that you should go there frequently nonetheless. Many triathletes wait until the race phase of training to introduce supra-threshold training into their bike and run regimens (swimming, as always, is another matter. Training in this discipline is entirely based on high-intensity interval work). It would be better to do a small amount of supra-threshold training throughout the training cycle, with the greatest volume of such training immediately preceding races, for those who compete in short-course events (because lactate threshold pace is close to race pace at theses distances) and falling somewhat earlier for those who compete in long-course races.

How much supra-threshold training is enough? A Spanish study involving cross-country runners found that a mix of 81-percent moderate-intensity training, 10.5-percent lactate threshold training, and 8.5 percent supra-threshold training produced optimal results. That 8.5 percentage is a sensible median target. All triathletes should do 5 percent of their bike and run training at supra-threshold intensities as a baseline. Short-course specialists can peak at roughly 12 percent and long-course triathletes at 8-10 percent.

Research has shown that the greatest lactate exposures occur in workouts consisting of 3- to 5-minute intervals at VO2max velocity separated by 2- to 3-minute active recoveries and in 30- or 60-second intervals at the same intensity separated by active recoveries of equal duration. VO2max velocity is approximately the fastest speed you can sustain for 10 minutes in swimming, cycling or running. Lactate interval workouts featuring shorter intervals are a bit more manageable and should therefore come earlier in the training process. Never try to do more than 20 total minutes of VO2max-intensity swimming, cycling or running into a single session. If you do, you will boil alive in toxic lactic acid.

Just kidding.