Rawatan Panas dan Rawatan Sejuk

 

Rawatan menggunakan elemen panas dan sejuk sudah sekian lama diamalkan pengamal perubatan bagi mengatasi masalah kecederaan malah ia juga boleh dipraktikkan di rumah juga.

Cukup dengan sehelai tuala lembap yang panas atau sebungkus ais, ia dikatakan mampu menyelesaikan masalah kecederaan seperti kesakitan dan bengkak.

Namun dari perspektif perubatan dan sains sukan, penggunaan elemen panas dan sejuk dilihat lebih spesifik dan khusus kepada jenis dan tahap kecederaan.

Minum air ikut perancangan untuk elak dehidrasi

Dehidrasi ditafsirkan sebagai kehilangan air atau cecair tubuh disebabkan aktiviti fizikal, namun tidak boleh dipandang ringan kerana ketiadaan 2% daripada berat badan sudah memadai untuk menjejaskan fungsi fisiologi seseorang atlet.

Explosive Training Technique

Become a more explosive athlete with eccentric contraction strength training. This type of training will improve your strength in a way that will maximize your power output and reduce risk of injuries. 

Strong eccentric contractions are critical for you to produce maximal power since all force production (concentric) must be preceded by force reduction (eccentric). An example would be loading up in your squat to do an explosive squat jump (a plyometric exercise).

Plyometric exercises always follow the same order: a landing phase, an amortization phase and the take off.

The landing phase starts when the muscles start an eccentric contraction. The rapid eccentric contraction stretches the elastic component of the muscle and activates the stretch reflex. A high level of eccentric strength is needed during the landing phase. Inadequate strength will result in a slow rate of stretch and less activation of the stretch reflex.

The amortization phase, the time on the ground, is the most important part of a plyometric exercise. It represents the time between the landing and the take off and is critical for power development. If the amortization phase is too long, the stretch reflex is lost and there is no plyometric effect.

The take off is the concentric contraction that follows the landing. During this phase the stored elastic energy is used to increase jump height and explosive power.

Strength train your muscles with all contraction types (eccentric, isometric, concentric). All muscles function eccentrically (reduces force or deceleration), isometrically (stabilizes force) and concentrically (produces force).

Eccentric contractions are able to produce the most tension development followed by isometric contractions and lastly, concentric contractions.

If eccentric contractions are able to produce the greatest tension development, then more time should be devoted during training for eccentric contractions to reduce the risk of injuries such as knee ACL tears and improve power.

You would train for eccentric contractions this way:

Eccentric muscle contraction weight training is the lowering phase (force reduction) of a lift.

For example, you would lift the weight (concentric or force production) for a hamstring curl for one count and lower the weight for 3-4 counts. For bench press, lift the weight for 1 count and lower the weight for 3-4 counts.

 

Top 5 Plyometric Exercises For Athletes

My Top 5 Plyometric Exercises will improve your athleticism, speed and power.

Plyometrics are important exercises for athletes. If your body has the needed strength and stability, plyometrics will improve your sports power by leaps and bounds.

It doesn't help you to continually get stronger if power development is not there also.Power, or speed strength (how fast your muscles can produce force) is one of the best physical predictors of success in sports. Plyometric exercises help you to increase power.

Here are my Top 5 Plyometric Exercises for your lower body. 

1. In-Place Squat Jumps - The squat jump will improve your speed acceleration and power. Bodyweight squat jumps should be mastered first. The fastest runners usually have the highest vertical jump heights.

2. Depth Jumps - The depth jump is an exercise that will improve your speed, power and athleticism because it works the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calf muscles. You will improve your athleticism and speed in any sport that involves running or jumping by using the depth jump.

3. Bounding and Lateral Bounding - Lateral bounding is a progression from lateral lunges that requires you to practice lateral movement at game-time speed. 

Do not progress to full-speed lateral bounding until the proper mechanics are achieved with lateral lunges. One common mechanical breakdown is when the knees protrude far in front of the feet when decelerating, landing or squatting. This puts undue stress on the knees and often causes knee injuries.

4. Lateral and Transverse Cone Jumps - Lateral cone jumps improve your side-to-side power and explosion. Transverse cone jumps improve your rotational power. The frontal (lateral) and transverse (rotational) planes of motion are often under-trained by athletes. This is a mistake because many of your athletic movements are side-to-side and rotational.

5. Standing Long Jumps - Improving your standing long jump will also improve your speed and power. A more explosive, powerful athlete will be a faster athlete. Improve both your standing vertical jump and standing long jump and you will be faster and more explosive. 

Avoid knee injuries by perfecting jumping and landing techniques before progressing to full speed plyometric workouts.