Digger's Deductions

Ideas and methods pertaining to safe, efficient strength & conditioning exercises as well as thoughts and opinions on sports culture

Rethinking ACL repair




this is probably the only campaign ad that I'll ever post because…. wow pic.twitter.com/c2hHBl6N1z— Common White Girl (@girlposts) September 24, 2016

Strength band sale!


5/3/1 and Athletes | T Nation

5/3/1 and Athletes | T Nation.

A Great Reminder- Why Kids Quit Sports

#2- Maybe should be tied with #1

Michael Boyle's Strengthcoach.com Blog

This is a great reminder from the Changing the Game Project

Why Kids Quit Sports

I have to admit I need to remind myself of these things every week or so.

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Why Strength is important for soccer players

Current strength and conditioning trends involving agility and speed discuss the lack of proper technique and movement patterns in our youth athletes. The overall decrease in free play, sedentary lifestyles and sport specialization contribute to an increase in youth sports injuries. I have always said that I believe that soccer players are more prone to knee injury because the sport is played mostly “on one leg”; meaning, if you have the ball or are defending, the majority of weight bearing is on the support leg without the ball or reaching for the ball in the case of defense. Soccer also is a sport where quick, directional change and agility are advantageous. If you combine these two facts with improper movement patterns and a lack of strength the results will be an increase in lower extremity injuries.

Nearly every youth soccer player today has video or coaching instruction on one v one soccer moves used to create space and opportunity in today’s game.These moves, or movement patterns, are practiced consistently so they become second nature on the soccer pitch. If you look at the historical evolution of soccer skills and the change of direction soccer moves in combination with the coaching instruction and accessability of video demonstration I believe you have a possible contributing reason for the increase in knee injuries in the game of soccer. Just imagine for a moment the coach who is fascinated by Sir Stanley Matthews’ and George Best’s cuts or Johan Cruyf’s turn. They, in turn, teach this move to their athletes. Aspiring youth players are training improper movement patterns when they imitate their international heroes’ soccer moves. Proper change of direction in sport is taught by having the athlete push off the outside leg. Soccer cuts are impossible to perform with this instruction due to the fact that the outside leg is in control of the ball when performing the cutback move. Since the cutback move is one of the easiest moves to perform, it is taught at an early skill age. Here we have the beginnings of the faulty movement pattern instruction.

What can we as soccer and strength coaches do? It would be impossible to change the concept of play by asking athletes to not perform certain soccer moves, so let’s forget that revolutionary idea. A good overall strength program highlighting unilateral leg, hip and core strengthening is a good place to start. Agility training to reprogram change of direction skills would also be beneficial. My idea is to highlight certain change of direction soccer moves which are “injury-free friendly”; i.e the pullback or change of speed, stepover, the Cristiano Ronaldo heel chop just to name a few.

I am not proposing that soccer injuries will be eliminated by changing coaching instruction, that is akin to marketing injury prevention which is impossible. We will never be able to eliminate injury in sport. However, I see this as a novel marketing idea with possible health benefits based on teaching correct movement patterns in one of the world’s most popular sports.

Having played soccer since I was 5 years old, I can only remember one teammate who had knee injury issues. Ironically, his favorite soccer move was the cutback.

#NFLDRAFT2015 Predictors Results

I took 3 NFL Draft Analysts and compared their results in the first round of the #NFLDRAFT2015. Mel Kiper Jr and Todd McShay of ESPN and SI.Com. ‪#‎NFLDraft‬ Predictors first round results: Mel Kiper Jr.- 8 correct for 33%, Todd McShay- 4 correct for 12% and SI.Com a whopping 3 correct for 9%.

Soccer Scholarships

A great link detailing scholarship information for prospective college soccer players. Really eye opening in regards to odds for a high school soccer player playing in college, college tuition costs, scholarship limits and chances your child will play a sport in college.


The Real Meaning of the “Off” Season

Michael Boyle's Strengthcoach.com Blog

I’ve been posting lots of info about how athletes need to play multiple sports. The evidence is overwhelming and keeps piling up. However, in typical Type A parent style many have misinterpreted the message. Playing multiple sports also means taking time off from the “main” sport. Don’t just add more time in another sport, have an off-season from the primary. By the way, off means off. That means most importantly no games. Doing something related to your primary sport 1-2 nights a week is fine as long as it’s not contributing to overuse injury or mental burnout. Playing in weekend tournaments all year round while trying to juggle another sport is not fine, in fact it is just dumb.

I know there is lots of pressure from coaches to play year round but, like the old Nancy Reagan ads say, “Just Say NO”. Both my kids love hockey and consider…

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10 Things Every Lifter Should Try | T Nation

10 Things Every Lifter Should Try | T Nation.

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