Agility and Eccentric Control
The pursuit to jump higher, move quicker, run faster, and be more powerful is a never-ending journey for all athletes.
While there are many exercises and forms of programming that can make an athlete faster and more agile, one particular training technique that is often missed or not programmed properly is the eccentric part of jumping or the landing portion of the jump.
In plain English: we are very good are becoming FASTER, but not very good at learning how to absorb energy and slow down safely.
Why is Eccentric Control (deceleration) so important?
- Eccentric control is a main factor in the protection of joints like the knees and ankles by stabilizing the musculoskeletal structures through the act of impact.
- One of the most common injuries in youth sports are ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) injuries. which are directly linked to weakness in landing and/or change of direction.
- Many studies point to Female athletes as having a higher likelihood of experiencing ACL injuries due to hip and knee structural characteristics such as hip and knee structure, as well as menstrual changes.
As a strength and conditioning coaches, we cannot change the bone structure of the athlete or attempt to keep the athlete out of athletic competitions during the menstrual cycle. What we can do is develop a sound strength program that can reduce the risk of ACL injuries.
Developing Proper Landing Mechanics
Here are 4 KEY movements that every youth athlete must master in order to avoid injury:[
- Double Leg Athletic Stance: A staple of all athletic training, this position provides insight on the athlete’s static stability.
- Single Leg Athletic Stance: To assess unilateral static stability, we use the SL version of the athletic stance.
- Double Leg Snap Down: This test is used to assess the athlete’s ability to effectively absorb energy when landing on both feet.
- Single Leg Snap Down: The most important of all tests – it assesses the athlete’s ability to control his/her body when landing on a single leg.
As athletes lose access to their coaches and training facilities, it is critical that these fundamental movements remain in the athlete’s program.
How We Can Help
We know things are tough at the moment so we are offering the first month of our Flagship Programs for just $1!
- Proven Workouts: Choose based on your current fitness level and join the hundreds who have reached their fitness goals with us!
- Video Library Access: Every exercise in your program has a demonstration video to ensure your safety and proper form.
- Warm-Up and Activation Routines: All of our programs include thorough injury-prevention warm-ups to get your training started.
- Progressive Programming: As you make progress, our coaches will adjust your program to ensure you’re always being challenged.
- Access to Our Coaches: Along with your program, you’ll gain access to our world-class coaches, available to answer questions and provide feedback.
We offer 3 levels of programs: Foundations, Intermediate and Advanced!
Click the link below to check out all of our options and we hope to work with you or the Athlete in your family soon!
Written by: Coach Lothar Frenz